Thanksgiving Nightmares: 6 Thanksgiving Horror Stories of Killer Turkeys, Family & Terror

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, my spookys, would it even be Thanksgiving without some binging?
I'm Enrique Kuto, and tonight we're doing something special. While
everybody else is worrying about basting turkeys and avoiding awkward
small talk with relatives that they only see once a year,

(00:22):
we're serving up what really matters, a big, heaping plate
of horror. This is our Thanksgiving compilation, packed with tales
of family dinners gone wrong, small towns with big, bloody secrets,
and holiday traditions that should have stayed bury in the past.

(00:45):
We've got cops on nightmare calls, hunters who find the
wrong kind of prey, and dinner guests you definitely did
not invite, plus a few pilgrims who make your pushy
aunt downright harmless. So, whether you're listening on the Friday
before the big day, while you travel, cook, or hide

(01:08):
from humanity, entirely allow us to keep you company with
over three hours of Thanksgiving terror. Just think of this
episode as your spooky side dish less, gravy more graveyards.
Now turn down the lights and maybe take one last

(01:29):
look at the turkey in the oven, just to make
sure it isn't looking back at you. Now let's kick
off the food and fear with a story by cutting
deep into horror's own Rachel Ridolphi Thanksgiving Dinner by Rachel Ridolfi,

(01:51):
a weekly spooky original. Monticello, Indiana, just an hour and
a half from the Infamous Gear and still less than
three hours from Chicago. It was a small town with
a population that barely scratched five thousand men, women, and children.
Most residents grew up together, worked together, went to school together. Hell,

(02:15):
most of them even frequented the same five churches. That's
why when Sophia got the chance to move, she chose Monticello,
just close enough to home that she could visit her
family if she chose to, but usually she chose not to.
She loved her family, but they were a thorn in
her side. Chicago wasn't quite her speed. There was just

(02:38):
too much going on all the time, and she just
couldn't cope with all of that, not anymore. Aside from
being constantly high strung from all the work she had
to do for the city, she also found herself increasingly
depressed dealing with the less than responsible members of her precinct,
with the recommendation of her chief, and with a little
bit of finagling. When a position opened up, Sophia got

(03:00):
herself a cushy job in Monticello, Indiana. She considered it
cushy because she really didn't have to do much or
deal with much, aside from the odd noise complaint or
writing your standard parking tickets. Sure, in the summer she
would have to work a little harder to control traffic
or stave off the common drunken tourist, but for the

(03:23):
most part, she really didn't have to work that hard.
It really felt like the only time she was working
was May through August. Once the chilly September air hit,
everything quieted down and she got a chance to relax.
Sitting in her cruisers, she got a text on her phone.
Are you coming or not? The text message from her
brother bellowed. Sophia grimaced at her phone, sighed and stretched out.

(03:47):
It had been a long shift already. She really didn't
feel like dealing with her family. She glanced at a
picture on her dashboard before opening up her phone and responding, no,
I'm not coming, the drive is too long, capped back
three dots. Someone honked across the street and she glanced
up one elderly driver was taking too long to make

(04:09):
a left turn to light. She decided to ignore it.
The response finally chimed, dinner starts at six. Just say
you don't want to see us. Okay, fine, I don't
want to see you. She hastily pounded back, then hit send.
She was working the double anyway. Chief Lewis called off sick,
and she'd taken his shift. Even if she wanted to
see her family, she couldn't. Her black coffee gave off

(04:32):
big puffs of heat vapor. She took a huge, scolding
gulp and hissed fuck her at her phone before glancing
back up at traffic. The picture on her dashboard glowered
at her in monochromatic tones. The elderly driver had figured
out the problem in traffic was moving along fine. It
was never busy during noon anyway, but during the holiday

(04:53):
season it was so slow she could almost take a nap.
Another ding. She glanced at the home screen of her phone,
which had the banner of but Grandma really misses you
her and Mom. She honestly debated opening up that message.
It had been a whole year since her brother had
attempted an honest to God conversation with her. She was
curious to see what he would try to pull this time.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
Officer Cortes, please report.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
A familiar and friendly voice, chimed, Nancy was always too polite.
If she didn't end a call with please, Sophia would
be suspicious. Officer Cortes reporting, Sophia said back, we have
a request for a welfare check at nineteen eleven East Davidson, Please,
Nancy said. Sophia plugged it into her GPS. It was
less than three miles away. Now, this one here is

(05:40):
a doozy, Nancy continued. Probably should have just called animal control,
if you please. Officer Cortes talked back through the receiver.
If you needed animal control, you should have just called them.
Why am I going here? Well, to be honest, Nancy droned.
If she wasn't drone, something was wrong.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
Perfectly honest, mind you. The animal isn't of the utmost.

Speaker 1 (06:05):
Concerned, all right, then?

Speaker 2 (06:07):
So what is Norman Roberts. He ain't been in contact
with his neighbor and his dog is still outside, if
you please. Abigail White called and said he hadn't been
seen over twelve days.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
Sophia started her car and the engine of her cruiser
grumbled to life when she followed the directions on her GPS.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Oh good, you are going. I'll let Chief Lewis know
he don't need to go all the way.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Down there, Nancy said. Sophia paused, furrowed her brows, hissed
into the radio. You didn't disturb him, did you.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
Oh, I've been keeping him updated on all activity in the.

Speaker 1 (06:40):
Town, Nancy chortled back cheerily. Sophia sighed, pinched her brow
at a stop sign, and groan. Let him know I'm
handling it, and then just stop please, he needs his rest.
Oh sure, Nancy chirped. Sophia headed forward and followed the
directions on her phone.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
I guess this chemo ain't easy after.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
All, the dispatcher noted, No, it's not, Sophia reassured, trying
not to look at the picture of her father. Sophia
took a turn, waited at a traffic light, and took
another sip of her coffee. Well paved roads gave way
to gravel as she headed towards the trailer park. The
soy fields were barren and empty. A corpse of oak

(07:23):
trees with vibrant orange leaves towered near a fence line,
and a few crows glowered at her from their perch
on the phone lines. The road was bumpy, and her
cruiser had a rough time hopping over all the potholes.
Monticello was doing well, but not well enough to buy
new SUVs for the police or repave all the roads.

(07:43):
And even as well as the city was doing, it
still had its rough areas, just like any city around
the world. Sofia just counted herself lucky that this particular
city didn't have many of the other issues as elsewhere
in the country. While driving past a barren grove of trees,
her phone chimed again, another message from her brother, this
time insisting Dad would want you here. That almost set

(08:08):
her off. Feeling the blood pounding heart in her arms
and burning the sense of rage in her chest, she paused,
took a deep breath, and counted one, two, three, four, five.

(08:29):
She released the breath, glanced at the picture of her
father in uniform she kept in the car and scowled,
grumbling to herself, Now he's trying to use you against me.
She wouldn't dignify her brother's harassment with a response. She
turned a corner at the entrance of the trailer park
and followed each left hand turned until she came to
the address she was looking for. An elderly woman definitely

(08:51):
passed her seventies, rushed out of a trailer and swarmed
Sophia's SUV. Are you here for Norm, the woman asked.
Sophia nodded, stepped out from the car with hardly a
glance at the photo, and considered leaving her phone in
the car, but then thought better of it. If this
was an emergency, she would want her phone, and if
it wasn't well, it was still set on vibrating wouldn't

(09:14):
disturb her. The woman, Abigail, bombarded Sophia with a ti
rate of information. I've been waiting for what seems like forever.
It's Thanksgiving now, and Norm promised to have dinner with me.
He always promises, but rarely keeps them. Almost two weeks ago,
though I made him swear on his mama's grave he'd
come for Thanksgiving dinner with me, and he ain't said
a word. Sophia nodded, took out her notepad and wrote

(09:37):
down any pertinent information she could discern. There was none,
So the last time you spoke to Norman was twelve
days ago, she asked, Yes, twelve days ago. Abigail confirmed
with a nod. He'd just got home from a long
haul and promised me a visit today. Sophia closed the
door of her car with a slam, and immediately a

(09:57):
cacophony of barks sounded from behind the trailer. Within a
few moments, the entire park was filled with warning howls
of dogs. He does that when anyone comes over, Abigail explained,
pointing at the small yard behind the trailer. He's been
chained up this whole time for almost two weeks. Yeah,
I just been giving him food and water, Abigail explained,

(10:17):
looking rather sheepish. Sophia grimaced, before the yelping died down
and only the baying of Norman's hound remained. Have you
tried contacting Norman directly, she pried. Abigail nodded. I banged
on the door, both front and back, and he ain't
said nothing. She explained. I called him last week, but
it went straight to voicemail. Sofia nodded and glanced over

(10:39):
at Norman's trailer. None of the other trailers were in
the best of shape, but his was the most worn down.
The paint had peeled off of practically every inch. All
of the windows had been broken and replaced with plywood.
The front door itself was held in place with a
patchwork of duct tape and bungee cords. The trailer sat
at nearly a forty five degree angle at the left
corner because the foundation had settled unevenly. She noted a

(11:02):
security camera duct taped just above the front door, and
she assumed on instinct there was a twin on the
other side of the house. She didn't mention this to Abigail.
Officer Cortez took a step forward and asked, so, when
was the last time you spoke to him directly. Abigail's
answer finally raised enough alarm that Sophia had to write
down the answer just about three weeks ago, right before

(11:24):
he went on the road, noting it and raising an eyebrow.
Sofia took another step forward, and the dog in the
backyard began to growl again. Another noise like a dog growling,
but very muffled, caught her ear. Sophia nodded and asked,
does he travel often? Every week? Abigail said, as Sofia

(11:45):
took another few steps toward the front door. He's a trucker,
both nodded. Abigail, finding a sense of urgency, yelled back
at the dog, hush your face, hank the dog out back, whimpered,
then shut up, while the near silent grumbling indoors still continued.
The wind picked up and changed direction, and Sophia's nose
wrinkled when she caught an acrid, metallic scent. Been stinking

(12:10):
like that for almost a week, Abigail said, seeing her face,
don't smell good, But it's not a gas leak. No,
Sophia agreed, definitely not a gas leak. She took a
step up onto the porch and the dog began barking again.
The smell definitely wasn't gas, but it wasn't good. It
was bittersweet and smelled of decomposition. It was the smell

(12:35):
of death, and she knew it. She'd smelled it before
when her father passed. And you've tried contacting him directly,
Sophia pressed, trying to be heard above the hound, her
hand hovering over the doorknob. Abigail nodded. Every day at
three pm, when the mail comes, Sophia nodded, opening the door.

(13:00):
The smell was undeniable. Decomposing flesh was somewhere near by.
Over the howling barks of the dog, she could still
hear that growling noise. The door creaked open, The dog
whimpered and then fell silent, but the growling continued. Norman Roberts.

(13:22):
She called into the trailer. No answer, this is Officer
Cortes with Monticello p D. Still nothing but the faint
growling and the hum of the t V. The living
room housed an old TV, still running ads, a dilapidated
recliner with a bowl of popcorn. Flies buzzed around the bowl,

(13:42):
then dispersed as she walked forward. The room itself was sparse.
There was furniture, a TV stand and a t V,
a recliner, even a book shelf, but no books or decorations,
no pictures, no posters, not even a loose receipt. Every

(14:04):
step she took echoed around that blank room. The growling
grew louder, but Sophia couldn't place where it was coming from. First,
she searched the room to her right, a bedroom. She
walked slightly uphill against the setting, foundation boards creaking underfoot.

(14:25):
The bed wasn't a real bed. It lacked a frame
and was really only a mattress on the floor. A line,
a nylon cord like the kind used to contain a dog,
was bolted to the floor near the mattress and extended
to the door frame of the room. No pictures or
anything to make the room homie, just the mattress and

(14:46):
the cord. The windows were enclosed with boards nailed from
the inside. Hank, the dog, began to whimper when he
heard the floorboards creak. Sophia called back to the station, Nancy,
I need you to stay on the line with me.
Her eyes followed the cord from the far end of
the room to the door she was standing at, and

(15:08):
she could still hear Hank's whimpering now and excited yelping,
as well as the constant grumbling. In that bare bedroom,
there was a closet to her left and a dresser
to her right. She considered searching either of them, but
since this was only a welfare check, she decided against it.

(15:28):
She doubled back and paced through the living room. The
ad on TV proclaiming it could cure any subscriber of
all credit card debts. While the growling grew louder. Little
hairs on Sophia's neck prickled, and she could feel her
heart begin to speed up. Something wasn't right. When she
came to the doorway for the next room, Hank's yelping silenced,

(15:52):
and so did the growling. For a brief moment, the
only things she could hear were the pounding of her
own heart and the TV switching over to sports commentary.
The kitchen had no natural light. Every single window in
the trailer was covered, and there were no other lights
aside from the TV. In the darkest corner to her left,

(16:14):
something shuffled. Hello, no answer, Norman Roberts, This is Officer Cortes.
I've been called for a welfare check. Still nothing. She
took a step forward and counted her heartbeats to the
count of five, one, two, three. A shadow pounced forward
from the corner and reached toward her, hissing. Sophia took

(16:35):
one step back and pulled her gun from its holster, shouting,
this is Officer Cortes with Monticello PD. The cord around
the goblin's neck caught it and stopped in mid air,
crashing it to the ground. Hank began whimpering again, and
when the goblin hissed at Sophia, the dog howled. Nancy,
I need back up now, Sophia said into her radio,

(16:57):
Taking a few steps back. The gaunt paced on all fours,
tugging against its leash. It stopped hissing and then growled
like a dog, ready to strike when it got the chance.
The goblin barked at her thrice, then sat on its haunches,
head tucked between its shoulders and glowered at her. It

(17:18):
attempted to pull against the collar around its neck, to
no avail, so it stumbled back on all fours to
its corner and grabbed an object and began chewing on it.
Then the smell hit her, decomposing flesh and death and
the tangy scent of some kind of infection. The goblin

(17:41):
screamed at her, then went back to gnawing its bone
an arm, an entire human arm. Sophia glanced to the
right end of the kitchen in the trailer and saw
the main source of the stench, the bloated corpse of
a man with one missing arm, slouched over the table,
only barely out of reach from the naked goblin. Scratching

(18:05):
bike marks riddled his body. The creature hissed, shrieked, and
then charged her again. Its lithe and lanky frame was
caught by the nylon court in midair and fell to
the ground for a second time. The broken eyes of
a human child glanced at her beneath the matted hair
on its head. Officer Cortez fled the scene, never mind

(18:27):
what her father would have thought, and emptied the contents
of her stomach in front of Abigail. They both waited
for reinforcements. The second officer arrived, The baying of hounds
filled the air, and ninety seconds after entering the trailer,
he fled as well. Two more officers were called in.
Then they called in the EMT, the coroner, Animal Services,

(18:48):
and Child Protective Services. It took only thirty minutes to
extract the dog, Hank, a full blooded, unneutered male German shepherd.
He nearly mauled one of the animal control officers and
they assumed he would have to be put down the goblin, however,
Officer Cortes couldn't leave the scene, despite how much she

(19:11):
wanted to. Abigail made coffee for everyone except Sofia who
got a cup of tea and accepted it without argument.
Abigail kept her arm wrapped around Sofia while the other
officers extracted the remaining suspect victim. No one was really
able to tell at that point whatever it was. They
had to sedate it just to move it from the scene.

(19:34):
It wasn't a goblin apprehended from the scene, but a child,
and after she was sedated and cart it off with
the EMTs, Sofia had to stick around with the investigators
to explain what she'd seen, and then, because she was
covering for Chief Lewis, follow up the rest of the
investigation as her instincts predicted. Animal Control found another security

(19:58):
camera facing the backyard when they caught hand cps found
a camera in the kitchen while they were trapping the child.
Officers found another camera in the bedroom hidden in a
corner where Sophia couldn't see. Chains and nylon cords everywhere, whips, handcuffs,
and muzzles for both dogs and humans in the bedroom
and kitchen. That night, on the drive home after everything

(20:21):
was revealed, Sophia talked to her father via the picture
of him she kept on her dashboard as she talked,
she reflected on what she'd seen. She couldn't stay stoic
like her father had been, and she'd been finding herself
discovering more and more differences between the two of them.
At home. She actually called her mother and explained what
had happened. Further investigation was required, and searching around the

(20:44):
house found even more evidence of more torture to the child,
cages that were too small for Hank, more restraints and tethers. Physically,
the child looked to be eight. That was almost a
relief to everyone involved. Then a researcher found on medical
records that Norman Roberts had a wife that died in
childbirth nineteen years ago, but even the county coroner couldn't

(21:07):
find a death certificate for the baby. The next week,
Chief Lewis took a turn for the worst and Sophia
had to helm the investigation. She was there the day
the investigators found something strange in the backyard and began
to dig. At the end of the day, they'd recovered
bones from corpses of four different children, all aged between

(21:28):
five and eleven. The graves were unmarked and bore all
appearances of just simply being holes. Norman dug just to
dump the evidence. Digging under the trailers showed dozens of
external hard drives, the source of the slump in the foundation,
constituting days of footage documenting the torture of children. Sophia

(21:50):
herself had to search records for missing children and eventually
found four missing person reports that all coincided with the
apparent ages of the children. She made Nancy calls to
the families. That night, she called her brother and talking
about everything she was seeing, they'd managed to go thirty
minutes without an argument. Searching the bedroom eventually turned up

(22:11):
a laptop with over a decade worth of footage. Most
of it had been scrubbed, but there were highlight reels
from over the years and at least six months of
security footage. The security footage was mostly hours and hours
of nothing, just Hank barking out back or Abigail standing
at the front door, but sometimes Norman would go out

(22:33):
back to fetch Hank, and that coincided with the highlight reel,
which were almost exclusively Norman chaining down the girl in
the bedroom, then encouraging the dog to have his way
with her. Each day, a new horror from the case
awaited Sophia. Norman had initially kept a cadre of five
children in his home, only one of them related to him.

(22:56):
Over time, all of them had died off but one.
No one in the community had reported anything wrong because
they didn't think there was much wrong with a grown
man blocking out his windows and keeping secrets. A month later,
and Sophia had learned that the remaining child was really
Norman Robert's own progeny, with his wife really dying in childbirth.

(23:19):
Shortly after the death of his wife, he had adopted
for other children and then highlander style chained them up
in the house and systematically starved them to see who
would survive the longest. Videos showed a marked change in
his torture of the children when he acquired Hank. The
dog was eventually put down, and normally Sofia would feel

(23:41):
kind of bad for an innocent animal getting caught up
in crime like this, but after the footage she saw,
she couldn't feel bad. Toxicology reports of Norman Roberts showed
that when he died, he had a bad heart and
had taken too many pills for a rectile dysfunction. It
was a simple case of trying to make himself too horny.
When his heart couldn't take it, he died at the

(24:02):
kitchen table, and the only thing that had saved his
daughter was the fact that his arm was just close
enough she was able to rip it off and use
it for sustenance before Officer now Chief Cortes had arrived.
The girl had no name, she had no story other
than what the investigators could discover. She didn't have a
way to explain what had happened. She had nothing. She

(24:25):
was nearly twenty years old, trapped forever in the body
of a malnourished eight year old with the mind of
a beast, and that was about it. Sophia wished she
could keep track of the child, but honestly, that's not
what Chief Lewis would have done. And even if her
father would have followed up, he was dead now, so
it really didn't matter. Over the course of this investigation,

(24:47):
she learned that she admired him, but she was nothing
like him. Sophia Cortes would never be the same. A
month later, Chief Cortes got a text on her phone.
Are you going to be here or not? Her brother asked.
She tapped back, I'll be there in time. For dinner,
she thought, then added, just like Dad would want turkey

(25:20):
shoot by David O'Hanlon. The white sheet was a rorshack
test of ruddy blooms across the uneven surface. Sheriff Eldenhart
dabbed vapo rub on his upper lip as he entered
the makeshift morgue of Rhoda Baines's office. It was little

(25:40):
more than a meat locker built along the back wall
of the country Smiles dentistry. The tiny township of Fiddler's
Gap rarely needed a morgue, and nestled in the Ozark Mountains,
they didn't call on a dentist much either. Still, between
her dental practice and double duty as County coroner, Rhoda's

(26:00):
office stayed busy enough. Deputy Alex Hargrove was new to
the area despite eight years in law enforcement. This was
his first corpse, and he slathered the vapor rub on
his lip into a greasy mustache. Roda waved him off
when he offered her the jar, and she chuckled softly.
The sound was somewhere between melodious playfulness and a braying mule,

(26:23):
and it brought a smile to the stone face of
Sheriff Heart RDA snapped on a pair of nitrial gloves
and passed the box to the cops, who did the same.
Heart flipped on the articulated examination light. He nodded to Roda,
who pulled the sheep back like a loungejacked magician clearing
a tablecloth from beneath the guest's glasses. Whoo, Deputy Hargrove

(26:46):
leaned away, That's not what I was expecting. Nope, Heart
added simply. The body was largely held together by the
remains of his clothing. The face consisted of a few
patches of flesh too stubborn to come off. The eyes
were gone, along with the lips, which left the tobacco
and blood stained teeth grinning around a maw occupied only

(27:10):
by the stumpy remains of the victim's tongue. The spine
was a stretch of ashen desert between ravaged muscles, with
the soft tissue of the throat completely absent. Hart walked
along the length of the steel table as he continued
his observations. Holes ranging from pencil with to fist size

(27:30):
dotted the torso, and the flannel shirt was in tatters
around the wounds. The connective tissue of the left arm
had been torn away, leaving the appendage in his sleeve
but no longer attached to the body. The gut was
hollowed like a jack o' lantern. The shredded blue jeans
held much of the same heart. Poked his finger into
a hole in the man's thigh, then examined the bare

(27:53):
tibia below. Okay, so what are we looking at here,
he finally asked, dead Caucasian male in his thirties. No id,
but he does have a tattoo on his forearm, the
part that wasn't eight, that is. Rhoda used a sponge
to clean the Torso Foxy found our victim about five
this morning and brought him to me. I've left him alone,

(28:16):
but I did a cursory examination. Hell, Foxy shakes like
a tweaker in an earthquake. How'd the old fart bring?
Hargrove waved his hand at the body this without it
falling apart carefully. Rhoda shrugged, all right, But what was
an old hermit doing out in the woods that early?

(28:36):
The deputy asked, Foxy hunts turkeys for the families that
can't afford one for Thanksgiving? Hart answered, the Fox family's
done it since the Great Depression. Foxy doesn't like people,
but he cares about them. He prodded another hole. What
did you mean by the part that wasn't eight? The
soft tissue was destroyed throat, crook of the arm, belly, eyes,

(28:59):
The testines are missing large portions, and some of the
organs are gone in their entirety. Rota took a gauge
and measured a puncture wound for their benefit. These are
peck marks. Well, shit, I'll go put out the apb
right away. Hargrove clapped his hands together, big ass bird

(29:19):
red thing on his head answers to Woody. Heart smirked,
then cleared his throat. Scavengers dig in through the soft spots.
Could be vultures found him, That was my first thought.
Rhoda rolled the man on his side and raised his shirt.
More peck marks and long cuts adorned the flesh. There's

(29:41):
no lividity, however, meaning Heart scratched at his stubble, suddenly
wishing he'd stop to make himself presentable before coming to
see Rhoda. He snapped his fingers as best the gloves
would allow. Shit he bled out Rode a bit her
lip and smiled precisely. He was either very very recently
dead or never mind, that's ridiculous. Maybe not, Hargrove said,

(30:06):
catching up with Rhoda's line of thought. Maybe he fell
and knocked himself out cold. Might have been in a
coma or something, and they thought he was dead. Perhaps
Rhoda watched the young deputy for a moment. Pretty good theory, regardless.
We need Foxy to take us where he found him.
Heart leaned in to examine the cuts. This is a

(30:28):
murder until we prove otherwise. Benoit Foxy Foxworth the third
leaned on the tailgate of the Chevy Sea one hundred
with his pipe clenched between his teeth. The truck was
four different colors and two shades of rust, putting it
at odds with the palatial home beyond. The Foxworths made

(30:49):
their money in copper mining and then reinvested in oil,
which ensured Foxy could live comfortably for twenty lifetimes. Still,
he never liked people enough to bother in pressing them,
so he only kept the truck running at best. The
octagenarian sharpened the thin bladed knife meticulously while he watched
the battered Dodge Durango, crunch up the gravel drive. Foxy

(31:12):
kept the trees clear so he could welcome any guests
with a warning shot should they come up uninvited. Foxy
set the wetstone down and sheathed the blade before going
to meet the officers. I ain't kill him, Foxy said,
before the window was down all the way. I didn't
reckon you, did. Hart put the suv in park and
turned his hands over thoughtfully. Now, if he'd been shot,

(31:37):
that'd be different. Well he weren't. Foxy stared at the
sheriff before sighing and opening the back door of the Durango.
If we're going back out there, you're taking me to
get some groceries. On the way back, I forgot bread.
I think we can manage that. The ride along the
old Highway took them to Caroline Marvel's dining in motel

(31:57):
and eatery, which counted as the areas fine dining. The
girl was barely twenty and inherited the establishment after her
parents were murdered. She didn't know much about business, but
heart made sure she turned a profit. Any petty offense
would be overlooked if you went straight to the dine
in and tipped very generously. Caroline waved from the front

(32:20):
door as she finished setting up the sandwich board advertising
the annual community Thanksgiving dinner that evening. The locals started
the tradition when the mines dried up in the last
days of the nineteenth century, and kept it alive ever since.
Hart even made a trip to nearby Marshall to pick
up rolls in canned cranberry sauce. It didn't seem like
much of a contribution compared to the work others put in,

(32:41):
but no one was hungry enough to eat the sheriff's cooking,
including him. The general store's freezer section provided the meals
he didn't get at the diner. You've been to the
dine in yet, Alex Hart asked, It's on my list
of things to do. Sir Hargrove stared out the window
at the valley just beyond on the flimsy guardrail. You

(33:02):
really think it was birds. Weird shit happens out here.
Heart slowed for the turn on the old logging road. Foxy,
we gonna be able to reach this spot mostly. Foxy
puffed the sweet, rich smoke between the officers. Game trail
is pretty clear, but she's gonna be bumpy. We'll have
to go across the holler on foot, though, and then

(33:23):
it's about a mile as the crow flies. Why'd you
go all that way to shoot a turkey? Hargrove asked,
ever hunted turkey boy, Foxy squinted at the deputy. Hargrove
turned in his seat. No, I used to hunt deer
back home, but we don't get a lot of turkeys.
They're elusive, Foxy grunted. The valley we're going to has

(33:47):
natural borders that aren't worth the effort to most hunters,
human and otherwise. When I was a kid, we called
the valley turkey shoot because there were so many of
them critters about. Then came the quake of fifty three.
Weren't no easy way out there after that. No one
hunts turkey shoot no more. So what made you make
the trip? Foxy Heart's teeth clacked together as the tire

(34:11):
dropped into a pothole. Been hearing the gobblers out there
for a bit. They're getting loud like there's too many
of them, So I went out to check and found
a path. Foxy scratched his chin when they opened the
dam a few months back, it must have moved some stuff.
Left a pass straight through to Big Creek. Heart turned
onto the trail. They bounced in their seats until the

(34:33):
tires found Foxy's ruts and settled in for a marginally
smoother ride. Hargrove braced himself against the dashboard and shook
his head while they banged down the path. This is
a more than bumpy. Hargrove's head thumped against the window.
Are we there yet? A bowed another twenty minutes, Foxy laughed.

(35:01):
Foxy had a great sense of time. Twenty one minutes later,
they got out of the suv, put on their coats
and grabbed some water bottles. Is that Heart pointed at
the metallic backpack. What I think it is? Oh damn,
I forgot to tell you about that. Hargrove said. He
sent me to Circe County to buy their old gear

(35:22):
last week. Remember I don't remember a flamethrower being on
the list. Heart scowled. They used to burn weed crops
with it, and I thought it might be useful. Hargrove shrugged. Besides,
it was only fifty bucks. A flamethrower is never going
to be useful. Heart shut the latch and shook his head.

(35:44):
Maybe next time you can find a bazuka. Hargrove's smile beamed.
I think they have two over in PULASKI want me
to call them. Heart pinched the bridge of his nose
and started into the woods. They used the overabundance of
rocks as natural stairs down the slope of the holler.
Large outcroppings loomed overhead. Foxy crunched through the fallen leaves

(36:06):
into tritus, leading the way to a groove left by
a long extinct waterfall. It was steep and narrow, but
craggy enough to allow the geriatric to shimmy up. Hart
and Hargrove followed his lead. They made it to the
edge of Big Creek, where they took a breather on
top of a large flat rock. The dam at Lake

(36:26):
Pocahontas drained along the formerly dry river bed that people
took to calling Big Creek. At the moment, it wasn't
particularly big. It looked like Foxy was right, and the
opening of the spillway had displaced dozens of boulders, many
as large as a car. Along this path. A series
of calls sounded nearby. A rapid put put putt. That

(36:49):
faded down and away from where it had began. Boys,
we done been spotted, Foxy said, and pressed himself up,
stretching his back before steeping into the creek. That call
means dangers close. A single yelp answered the call from
a tree top, then another to the other side. What's

(37:10):
that mean, Hargrove asked. Another half dozen of the short
calls came down. Foxy squinted at the tree tops. That's
the others saying there, watching us. Come on, We're almost there.
The leaves just on the other side of the creek
were still damp with blood from where the John Doe
had been killed, making the forest flora slippery mess Heart

(37:33):
huffed into his hands and rubbed them together. The man's
weapon lay undisturbed next to the largest collection of blood.
A turkey feather twisted lazily in the puddle. Heart knelt
and collected the shotgun. Inspecting scratch marks across the receiver.
He eased the pump back and found a shell still
in the chamber. A brown streak darted from the tree

(37:56):
tops and disappeared behind a knee high stone Hart brought
the shop up on instinct the hell was that, Hargrove
moved his hand to his pistol. Was that a bobcat,
no numb nuts, Foxy laughed. Was a turkey? Turkeys can't fly?
The deputy saw the other men's expressions inside. Can they

(38:20):
damn city folk? Foxy grumbled. The bird bobbled out of
its cover and heart lowered the gun. It hissed once
and called out in a burst of clucks and yelps.
Another turkey answered him and lighted nearer the three men.
Two more came down. The third glided past Foxy and
settled beside him. The five turkeys, fat juicy gobblers, started

(38:45):
walking slowly. Their dangling snoods swelled and rows erect above
their beaks, and their wattles flared out. What's with the
bird boners, Hargrove asked, that's the snow Hart answered, means
they're excited. I know I'm sexy, but you're really not

(39:06):
my type, Hargrove said to the closest of the flock.
Six more turkeys dropped into the gaps between the others,
also male and also engorged. With the extra members, the
formation became clear, and the birds circled the men Foxy's
knife hissed as it cleared the leather sheath. They're doing

(39:28):
a predator check. Foxy shook his head. They want to
make sure we're not a threat, that's all. Then why
you get nancy. Hart looked at the old man and
the blade trembling between his bony fingers. Sons of bitches
are huge, not one less than thirty pounds, and look

(39:48):
at the snowed on that one. He stepped closer to
the sheriff and pointed out one of the birds, then
redirected his finger and that one. What about it? Hargrove
eased his pistol out. It's probably a foreign concept to you,
Heart said with a smirk. But the ladies lack big ones.
There's one dominant male in an area. Why are there

(40:09):
two massive tomes in this group? Hargrove bent and squinted
at one of the accused as they continued their death
march around the trio. That's a mighty interesting question, Sheriff,
I got a better one. He shifted to a two
handed grip on his weapon. Why the fuck has that
one got flannels stuck in its chest hair? Heart glanced

(40:31):
at the bird and saw the shred of red shirt
dangling from the beard, and the slightly too dark spots
on its feathers where blood had caked on. He saw it,
but he didn't understand, not until the bird flapped toward him,
gobbling ferociously. The sheriff back pedaled and fell, with the
bird coming straight for him. He raised the shotgun, barring

(40:53):
the creature's attack. Its claws scratched at the steel along
with the older markings, and Heart realized just what had
happened to the dead man and rode as orthodontic Mortuary
Deputy Hargrove kicked the bird like a game winning field
goal and opened up with a barrage of gunfire. Before
it could right itself, he grabbed the sheriff's collar and
hoisted him to his feet. The turkeys were no longer circling.

(41:14):
They stood perfectly still, looking at their fallen comrade and
then at the trespassers. The birds took methodical steps forward,
clucking between themselves, and the circle began to dilate in
on the humans. Foxy snatched the shotgun from Heart and fired,
leaving a cloud of drifting feathers where a turkey used
to be. We ought to be running. The three men

(41:37):
sprinted from Big Creek, blasting away at their attackers. The
birds gave chase. The trees rustled with excitement, and the
hens began swooping to the ground and joined in the pursuit.
A fierce primal gobble filled the valley, and snapping branches
signaled the coming of more feathery fiends. Hart looked over
his shoulder in time to see the single titanic beast

(41:57):
tearing from the underbrush at Bernard sized. Tom lowered its
head and ran for all it was worth to catch
up with the rest of his rafter. He quickly passed
the others, who fell in formation behind him. Hargrove dashed
across the creek and took a knee, laying fire down
for Heart. Foxy was hobbling along as fast as his
eighty three year old legs would carry him, but the
birds were closing in. Heart stopped, turned and lifted the

(42:21):
senior over his shoulder. The slide locked back on Hargrove's pistol,
and he reached for a fresh magazine, only to find
the holder was empty. Hart crossed the creek and dumped
Foxy into the deputy's arms. Wheezing from the effort. The
men made it another hundred feet before Hargrove slowed and
tugged Hart's coat. Wait, now's not the time to wait, kid,

(42:41):
Heart turned and stopped. Cold. Foxy limped ahead and rested
against a tree to see what was the hold up.
He watched the birds flapping their wings and calling out
in frustration as they paced the near side of the
creek among the array of scattered boulders. He raised the
shotgun to his shoulder and lined the beads side up
with the large dominant male. Don't shoot, Hargrove said, patting

(43:03):
the air. It's turkey load. He won't get past the
feathers on that thing. Kids right, Heart concurred, why'd they
stop because they're dumb, Foxy grumbled them rocks used to
be one big heap. They don't realize the wall is
gone and they never needed to fly over it. Heart

(43:24):
backed away slowly. Let's get back to town and call
game and fish man. Eating turkeys is their jurisdiction, why,
Hargrove asked, Why are they eating meat? They always ate
meat numb nuts. Foxy lowered the shotgun. Turkeys eat lizards
and snakes, they get big enough, I reckon they start

(43:45):
on squirrels and groundhogs too. That monster probably takes down
anything he comes across, though, and the birds with the
biggest face dick gets all the turkey pussy. Hargrove muttered, Shit,
these others are his babies. They got their daddy's taste buds.

(44:05):
What is he doing, Hart pointed at the father of
the flock. The big tom took a hesitant stepped forward,
prodding the ground with long, slender toes before curling his
claws into it. The snood dangling over the side of
his face twitched and swelled. He clucked twice. Some of
the hens answered with yelps and putts. Two males mounted

(44:26):
the boulders, their heads jerking side to side quizzically, before
one of them hopped down and landed on the other side.
The leader threw his head back and gobbled, causing a
chain of jovial calls from his brood. I think they
just figured out they can leave, heart whispered. They got
everything they need here, Hargrove replied. The smaller birds squatted

(44:49):
and wiggled in place before launching themselves into the air,
soaring just over the heads of the men like you, said, kid,
they got their daddy's taste buds. Heart jogging toward the car.
It's Thanksgiving. They're gonna want to have supper with the family,
just like everyone else. The diner, Foxy said grimly. They

(45:10):
can't fly for long, but they can go where we can't.
We can still beat them there if we hurry, Heart said,
on the run. The tom cried out and leaped onto
a boulder. From his height, he was considerably lean thanks
to his largely carnivorous diet. Hargrove watched him for a moment.
Something that big can't fly, right, he asked, I must

(45:33):
have missed Animal Planet when they was talking about giant
flesh eating turkeys. Foxy told him the turkey squatted, Fuck me.
Hargrove turned and darted after the sheriff. With the bird's
wings beating powerfully overhead. The Durango slid to a stop

(45:53):
in front of the din in with its lights flashing
and siren screaming. Foxy leaned against the window, still panting
from exertion. Hargroves sprang out and addressed the line of
diners making their plates along the buffet tables. Everybody get inside.
The turkeys are coming, he shouted. Everyone cheered no, not
the ones to eat, he corrected, the ones that are

(46:15):
gonna eat you. The residents looked at the young man
curiously and exchanged glances. Some eased further from the bedraggled deputy,
and others burst into laughter. None of them moved inside.
Listen up, Hart cocked his rifle. The deputy gave you
a lawful order. There's a flock of rabid turkeys attacking folks,
and I'm gonna need all of you to proceed to

(46:35):
shelter immediately. Turkeys can't get rabies, Sheriff Barney Allen said,
and they travel in rafters, not flocks. William Bli added,
it's a new raby's heart pinched the bridge of his nose.
It's from China. It doesn't matter what it is. Rhoda
pushed her way between the folks gathered around her table

(46:56):
of assorted pies. Fox he found a dead man this morning,
and with the shrif saying, lines up, we need to
get you all inside. That's why you don't let no
Denis be the corner, Barney grumbled, Let alone a woman, Dennis,
It all sounds fake to me ain't no such thing
as killer turkeys. The killer turkey that dive bomb Barney
did not agree. The man crashed into the arms of Willard,

(47:18):
who screamed highly as the bird thrust its head into
Barney's throat and wriggled deeper into its prey. He dumped
Barney to the sidewalk and ran, shouldering smaller diners on
his way. A tom hid him between the shoulders, driving
him through a table full of greens. Everyone panicked. Some
of the mountain folk drew guns and fired at the
birds that were gathering overhead and landing in the streets.

(47:39):
The sharp ping of a ricochet was followed by the
hollering of the bystander it struck. More of the residents
ran for the gun racks in their vehicles for more
formidable weapons. Most just ran. A shotgun blast removed the
car mirror a foot behind Heart. Every fucking time, Heart groaned.
These yahoos are going to kill as many of themselves
as the goddamn turkeys. Do he need to wrap this

(48:00):
thing up? I'm open to suggestions. Boss Hargrove kicked a
hen against the side of the diner. A jake landed
on his back and pecked his skull. He shrieked as
it tore a strip of flesh from his neck. He
swatted at it, only for the foul fowl to roll
and slice his hand with its spurs. The bird pushed
its head into his flesh, and the deputy fell to
his knees. There was a boom, and the attack finally ceased.

(48:24):
Hargrove reached behind him and pulled the severed head of
the juvenile from his collar. Feathers drifted calmly around him,
and Caroline winked at him from behind the sights of
her shotgun. She pivoted and hit another, and then a third.
Hargrove tried to ignore the swelling of his own snood
while he watched the girl pick off murder turkeys like
she was trying to win the big stuffed animal at
a carnival duck shoot. The rafter gathered its numbers. Turkey

(48:48):
swooped from the roofs and tackled anyone still running a
tom circle to pick up, clucking angrily after the prey
that cowered beneath it. A pair of smaller jakes had
no problem spotting the man and sprang at him, pecking
at his legs. The man kicked at them and clutched
the undercarriage as the birds tried to drag him out,
and artery tore open in his fight, splattering the road
and drawing more turkeys to the party. Gunfire erupted, tearing

(49:10):
chunks from the road and managing to kill a jake
before the turkeys leaped back into the air. Bullets pinged
through the body of the truck and the body beneath it.
The Walsh cousins, all six of them that weren't currently
in jail, walked side by side with their automatic rifles,
bucking wildly between whoops and howls of excitement. Bobby Joe
Walsh dropped his empty magazine to the ground and spat

(49:31):
tobacco juice from the corner of his smirking mouth. Don't
worry yourself none, Sheriff, nothing. The judicious application of the
Second Amendment can't handle. Whoop. The remaining members of the
flock gathered on the storefront eaves. Eddie Walsh dropped one
like a beer can off a fence post. The Mails
threw their heads back and gobbled in unison as the
rest of the Walshes opened fire on them. Why aren't

(49:53):
they attacking anymore, Hard asked, while he checked on a
clawed up victim keening in the street. They're just letting
themselves get shot. It's like they're waiting for something. The
alpha turkey plummeted out of the night sky and flattened
Eddie beneath its bulk. Its lanky necks stretched in a flash,
and Bobby Joe's belly spilled open. The other Walshes found

(50:14):
themselves as quickly dismembered before the behemoth turned its attention
to a guttural cry from behind. Willard stood clutching two
lifeless turkeys in his massive fists. His clothes were torn asunder,
and he leaked from hundreds of pecks, but somehow stayed breathing.
He threw the carcasses aside. The tom tore open Eddie's
throat and gobbled at its challenger. Willard roared back, and

(50:37):
they charged one another. Heart raised his rifle, his leg buckled,
sending the shot into the sky. The quartette of hens
pecked him until he fell. The tom leapt on the
run and took Willard's head off as it glided towards
the last person still standing, Oh damn it all to hell.
Hargrove reached for his pistol belt, pulling his baton before
the turkey slammed into him. They crashed through the window

(50:58):
of the dining and slid acros cross the stained linoleum floor.
Hargrove swung the baton up to deflect the turkey's peck.
It reared its bald, pink head back for another go,
and Hargrove grabbed for its two foot long beard, tearing
the hairs from its chest. The baton thunked off the
monster's skull and the deputy tried to crawl away before
the leathery foot pinned his head to the tile. Hey

(51:19):
big bird Heart raised the rifle time for the main course.
He lined the side up with the beady saurian eye
staring back at him. Then the rafter swarmed him. Between
the flurry of attacking fiends, the sheriff could see Foxy
sauntering across the street from the general store. The geezer
puffed his pipe and the bag of wonderbread swung from

(51:41):
his spotted fist. Like terror turkeys weren't currently murdering the townsfolk.
A beak dug into heart's cheek, pulling him back to
the current crisis. Hart clamped his teeth onto the bird's
throat and kicked another into the air, snapping his rifle
up and blasting it like a clay pigeon. He punched another,
and the group launched away from their victim. Hargrove tried
pressing himself up, but the Tom dribbled his head off

(52:03):
the floor. The deputy wasn't sure which would crack first,
but he knew one of them was imminent. Caroline's shotgun
rumbled through the diner. The tom's tail feathers spread and rustled.
It lowered its weight, putting pressure on Hargrove's skull, preparing
to lunge. Then its offspring started screaming. The alpha turned.

(52:24):
The turkeys flailed and flopped in the streets. Some dashed
madly with their feathers burning brightly. The octagenarian stepped into
the diner with a flamethrower, casually slung over one shoulder.
Don't you know I always supply the turkey around these parts,
he grumbled. A stream of pressurized fuel shot through the
pilot light, igniting on its path to the Titanic Tom.

(52:47):
The jelly petroleum clung to its feathers, withering them all
the way to the skin. The bird shrieked and leaped
toward the old man. The flamethrower sputtered, hissed, and then extinguished.
Foxy stood his ground. The empty fuel tank clanged as
it fell. Foxy's weathered hands eased to his belt. Heart
watched in terror as the bird with the funeral pyrate

(53:08):
plumage charged the senior citizen. His oozing wounds ached as
he stretched for his rifle, praying to get off a
shot before Foxy was torn to pieces. His fingers found
the grip of the rifle and he wrestled it to
his shoulder. Heart wasn't about to lose another citizen of
Moscow County. He squeezed the trigger and the striker fell
on an empty chamber with a sharp, soul crushing snap.

(53:29):
Foxy turned away, His arm looped through the air, and
the tom ran past him, bouncing off a wall before collapsing.
Its beak clicked open and closed on the floor. Fried
was always better than roasted, anyhow. The old man kicked
the severed head away from him and shrugged. Hargrove rolled
over and shielded his eyes from the glare of the
burning bird. He watched Foxy slip the knife back into

(53:52):
his belt and walked to the Durango. I ain't never
liked these social gatherings, Foxey climbed into the passenger seat.
I want to go home now. I guess we'll be
serving turkey through Valentine's Day at this rate, Caroline said,
as she helped the deputy to his feet. She braced
him against her and helped him outside. What did I

(54:12):
get myself into? Hargrove, moaned, Caroline scrunched her nose. Things
get a little strange up here. Bodies littered the streets.
Rhoda was treating patients in front of the VFW with
the help of the other survivors. A siren cried down
in the holler as emergency vehicles wound their way up
the mountain. That's what communities did when bad things happened.

(54:36):
They came together, and Moscow County gave them plenty of
opportunity to prove it. Hart made it to the Durango
and gripped the door frame for balance. What are you
doing for Christmas? Foxy, he asked, avoiding you. I'm too
old for this. Shit. The old man jerked the door
from Heart's grip and slammed it shut. Happy Thanksgiving, Yeah,

(55:01):
Hart nodded, Happy Thanksgiving, and then he passed out the
end Fiendsgiving by rob Fields Thanksgiving Night last year. Come on, Seth,

(55:28):
Mandy Craven cried from the back seat. We're gonna be late.
I'm driving as fast as I can. Seth Bergmann muttered, relax,
I can get out and crawl as slow as you drive.
Mandy persisted. Seth was annoyed. You could have gone by yourself.
You know you want to get out that bad. I'll
gladly pull over, but we're going to be late. Mandy

(55:52):
further persisted, you know how upset Chelsea Miron can be. Seriously,
what a spoiled fucking bitch. Alan Hurtz looked over his
shoulder at her while sitting in the passenger's side. Better
late than dead, You don't understand, Mandy shrieked. If we're
late to Chelsea's friends giving, she'll go ballistic on all

(56:14):
of us. Don't you remember what happened at her Halloween party?
You wanted to pull over and pick up geeky little
Aileen Donnerly when she was walking to the party. We
were five minutes late, and Chelsea practically had an aneurysm.
That bitch ripped into me and I wasn't even driving.
Seth was really annoyed. Hey, Alan and I didn't even

(56:35):
want to go to Chelsea Miron's Halloween party, but you
practically twisted our arms. What do you have against Aileen Donnerly,
Alan demanded. Mandy glared at him. Aileen's a skinny, geeky
little skink who's really on Chelsea's good side, especially after
she was tutoring her. I think you're just jealous because

(56:57):
you're not in Chelsea's circle of friends, Seth said. Mandy
lunged forward, Fuck you. I have a much better body
and a nicer rack compared to Aileen Donnerly, and she
picks Aileen Donnerly over me. What the fuck? Whoa If
you hate Chelsea and Aileen so much, why are you

(57:17):
demanding we hurry up to get to Chelsea's house, Alan asked.
Mandy didn't answer right away, then Seth answered for her.
Because Mandy heard there's an opening on the cheerleading squad.
Tammy Rich lost her eligibility when she flunk too many classes.
Last midterm. Mandy wants to try and sweet talk Chelsea
into giving her the opening turn here, Mandy suddenly cried. Here.

(57:42):
Seth quickly turned onto the road by Strickfield Chemicals. His
tires squealed. Careful, Seth, Alan advised, let's get to Chelsea's
alive if possible. Just hurry up, please, Mandy cried. Mandy,
shut up, okay, Seth shouted, fuck you. She shouted back.
If we're late, we'll just explain why, Alan said, trying

(58:05):
to restore some kind of order. Hey, Seth, here's our turn.
Whoa whoao. Slow down. You make this turn too fast
and will end up taking some of the plant's fence
with us. I know what I'm doing, Seth replied. Hang on.
Seth turned too quickly and sharply running the red light.
As Seth straightened the car, a small chemical truck was

(58:26):
entering the road almost directly in front of them. Seth, stop,
Oh shit, Mandy screamed, stop Seth. Seth quickly jammed on
the brakes and turned the wheel to try and avoid
a collision with the truck. However, he'd been driving too
fast and slammed into the vehicle side to side. The

(58:46):
car's engine sputtered out soon after. Seth and Allan had
been wearing their seat belts so they avoided injuries. Mandy
had managed to brace herself and was also unhurt, but
she had glund all over her from where the back
window on the driver's side had shattered from the crash.
Everybody all right, Alan asked, Oh my god, Mandy uttered quickly,

(59:12):
oh man. Seth screamed, my car's wrecked. Alan looked at Seth.
You shouldn't have been going so fast. Seth glared at
Alan and pointed to the truck. He's the dumb son
of a bit who pulled out right in front of us.
Alan threw open his door and got out a few
seconds later. Seth screamed in frustration. Then the driver of

(59:36):
the chemical truck approached Alan. What do you think you're doing,
Alan shouted at him. The driver screamed to curse at
Alan and then added, you stupid kids should have been
watching where you were going us. Alan screamed back, you
pulled out right in front of us. Back in the car,
As Alan the chemical truck driver continued arguing with each other,

(59:58):
Mandy felt warm springinkles on her arm that began to
burn slightly. She slowly turned and saw that the sprinkles
were coming from the damaged nozzle on the chemical truck.
To her horror, the nozzle was pointing right at her.
Oh shit, Mandy choked out as she saw the liquid

(01:00:20):
chemical slightly spraying instead of sprinkling. Seth look Seth turned
her way and saw what she was pointing at. Let's move,
Seth cried. He quickly moved to the open passenger side
door and got out. Just as Mandy was moving to
climb over the seat to follow Seth, the damaged nozzle burst.

(01:00:42):
Mandy was soaked instantly, and she screamed when she felt
the burning sensations everywhere on her body. Seth quickly went
back into the front seat and reached his left hand
out for Mandy. Some of the chemicals splashed onto his hand.
He cried out in pain and quickly pulled it away.
By then, Alan had returned to the car and pulled

(01:01:03):
Seth out. Suddenly, Seth's hand had caught on fire. Seth
screamed in both surprise and pain. Once the guys were
away from the car, the fire on Seth's hand had
gone out, Seth started crying from the intense pain in
what was left of his hand. Alan looked back to
Seth's car in desperation as Mandy continued to be sprayed

(01:01:25):
with the chemical. The driver of the truck had already
radioed for a containment crew once he saw what had happened.
That was all that could be done for Mandy Craven,
since the driver wouldn't go anywhere near Seth's car or
the damaged nozzle. That evening, in the hospital Morgue, a

(01:01:49):
medical examiner had Mandy's naked corpse on the long table slab.
She was going to do the autopsy on Mandy and
tried to determine what the chemical had done to her
to cause her to die in spite of the fact
that she remained nicely preserved. After the examiner finished putting
on her rubber gloves, she picked up her scalpel and

(01:02:11):
was ready to make her first incision. Suddenly, Mandy opened
her eyes and sat up straight. The examiner, not believing
what she had just seen, dropped the scalpel and screamed,
where am I? Mandy asked? The examiner quickly ran to
her phone. In Seth's room, Mandy's friends were anxiously waiting

(01:02:36):
for her. Though Seth had hours ago undergone an emergency amputation,
he wanted to see for himself that Mandy was still alive.
He wondered how she would look, or if her still
being alive really was a hoax. After all, that chemical
had damaged his left hand so badly it had to
be amputated. Seth's eyes widened when he saw man. He

(01:03:00):
entered the room wearing a hospital issued gown. She still
looked as beautiful and vibrant as she did before the accident.
Mandy Alan rushed over to her and hugged her tightly.
Are you okay? Mandy hugged him back. I'm fine. In fact,

(01:03:21):
I've never felt better. What did the doctor say, Seth
demanded harshly. Seth, what's wrong? Mandy asked. Surprised by his tone,
she moved away from Alan. When she saw the stainless
steel hook in place of where his left hand used
to be, she gasped and wished that she hadn't asked
that question. What's wrong? Seth held up his hook hand.

(01:03:45):
I lost my hand because of that chemical getting on it.
That truck douses you down like a fire hose, and
nothing even happened to you, Seth, Come on, Alan implored,
don't do this. You should be glad we're all alive.
Get the fuck out of your Mandy, Seth screamed. He
glared at Alan, you get out too. Mandy started to cry.

(01:04:10):
Alan took her hand and guided her toward the door.
I don't ever want to see either of you again.
Seth yelled behind them. It's because of you, Mandy that
I'm a cripple now. When Mandy heard this, she tore
out of Alan's grip and spun around to face Seth.
How dare you, she shouted, that's not fair, bullshit. You're

(01:04:32):
the one who kept yelling hurry up, Seth. Remember, he
pointed at her with his good hand. You're the one
obsessed with getting on the cheerleading squad and getting in
bed with Chelsea Miron. Mandy pointed back, I wasn't the
one driving like a fucking maniac. I don't want to
talk to you anymore, Mandy or you. Alan. Seth then screamed,

(01:04:55):
just go away now, took Mandy's hand. This time she
didn't stop him as he led her out of the room.
Once they were gone, Seth looked at his New Hook
and sobbed Thanksgiving night one year later. To be honest,

(01:05:17):
I'm not really that big into Thanksgiving. It just hasn't
been the same without Mom and Dad. I have my
older brother, Martin, but Martin's usually working on Thanksgiving. Miron
Automotive has closed both Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but Denoyer's
Grill never closes. Martin's picking up hours by working Thanksgiving.

(01:05:41):
At least Denoyer's pays their people overtime for working on
the holidays. Things are different this year, however, Martin will
still be working at Denoyer's Grill for Thanksgiving, but Bells
and I are on our way to Chelsea Miren's house
for Friendsgiving. Chelsea would actually rather stay in Strickfield than
go on family trips, and why wouldn't she? She has

(01:06:04):
that nice house all to herself inside that gated community
that the Mirons live in. Believe me when I say
that she takes full advantage of that. She hosts cheerleading
parties after our games. She threw this awesome Halloween party
last month. Everybody loved Bell's costume and makeup as a vampire.
The funny part Bell's wasn't even wearing a costume. Bell's

(01:06:29):
is a vampire, but a very unique one. For one thing,
she can walk in the daylight. Ah, but I'm getting
off track here, aren't I. Ever since Bell's and I
got on the cheerleading squad, things have totally changed for us.
Now we're both actually popular. Bells and I even get
invited to things. We really didn't want to go to

(01:06:52):
any of Chelsea's parties, but she can be pretty persuasive.
Bells doesn't like her, but she sense that Chelsea was
being sincere about having us come and suggested we try
the Halloween party. So we go and we both had
a lot of fun. Now Chelsea's parents are gone for Thanksgiving,
as they are every year. Chelsea likes to host friends

(01:07:15):
Giving at her house. She doesn't have any of us
bring anything. She has plenty of food to go around.
She even promised Bells to have lots of food just
for her if she would come by. Now, news of
Bell's monster appetite has spread from Denoyer's grill to the
halls of Strickfield High. Chelsea lives in the merengated community

(01:07:36):
and texted me the code to get in Bell's and
I are almost to Chelsea's I'm telling you, Ainie, if
people at this fucking thing start taking bets on how
many turkeys I'll be putting away. Bell grumbles. I give
her a warm smile. It'll be okay, Bell's. When we
reach Chelsea's, the front door suddenly opens. Chelsea shoots right

(01:07:57):
out onto the porch. Oh my god, Bella, you two
really came. Why wouldn't we Bell's mutters, you did invite us, right,
Yes I did, Yes, I did, Yes, I did, Yes
I did. Chelsea's always this vibrant. It's like she's on
a constant caffeine high, though you've never seen her drink
coffee or even an energy drink. When we get on

(01:08:19):
the porch, she snatches me to her and gives me
a big hug. Then she hugs Bells. Thank you so
much for coming. She pulls away from Bells and looks
at both of us. Can you believe it? Those other
bitches on the squad call me at the last minute
and say they can't come? Her eyes open wide. They
could have just told me themselves when I personally invited

(01:08:42):
them to friends giving a cheerleading practice last week. Bells
and I look at each other, What what come on?
You two just say it. What's wrong with me? Chelsea demands,
Maybe it's your overly abundant charisma. Bell's replies, I'm not
sure if Bells is being serious or sarcastic, but that

(01:09:05):
works for you as our cheerleading captain, right, I add,
backing up Bells. Chelsea looks from both me to Bells
and sighs, That's what I love about you, too, You
always give it to me straight. She steps aside. Now,
well come in. As soon as Bells and I walk in,
we're both hit with the smell of Thanksgiving dinner. Yeah,

(01:09:27):
I'm definitely ready to eat, iiny, bell says. We hear
the door close and Chelsea walks past us. Of course, Bella,
and like I said, I have plenty of food just
for you. Suddenly I get a video call from Martin.
I've got to take this Chelsea. Of course, Chelsea replies,

(01:09:48):
I step back outside and talk to Martin. What's up?
You better send Bell over here to Denoyer's right away, Einstein.
Martin always calls me Einstein on account of my big brain.
Martin turns his phone. A couple of vampires are really
fighting it out here. What am I supposed to see
then I see stuff flying by itself. Vampires can't cast

(01:10:13):
a reflection, so they won't show up on video either.
I'll send Bells over Martin and I disconnect. I open
the door and call Bell's outside. Once I explain things
to her that fucking figures. Bell's mutters, Okay, I'll head
that way. Tell Chelsea I'll be back. Just play the
family emergency card for me. Bell's leaps away in the

(01:10:37):
direction of Denoyer's grill. I turn around and head back in.
Is everything okay? Chelsea asks? A family emergency came up.
I tell her Bell's will be back soon. Chelsea seems disappointed,
but she brings me into the dining room where the
rest of the guests are. Seth Bergman, Alan Hurtz, and

(01:10:58):
Mandy Craven are sitting together on one end of the table.
Some other people I've seen at school but don't know
are also there. The thing that always catches everybody's attention
about Seth is the hook he has for a left hand,
which he got a year ago. Today, it sounds like
Alan is telling everybody the story. Okay, Alan begins. This

(01:11:20):
couple's out on a date. They're making out on a
hilltop a few miles away from a nearby prison. The
guy finds some romantic music on the radio. When he does,
an announcer breaks in with a news bulletin saying a
murderer's escaped from a nearby prison. He has a hook
in place of one of his hands. When the couple

(01:11:43):
hears this, they quickly roll up the car windows and
lock the doors. Then the girl gets scared and wants
to go home. The guy he's not worried. When they
argue about it, the killer suddenly breaks through the driver's
side window with his hook and kills the guy kill
the girl too. Shortly after whoa Alan no Seth quickly interjects.

(01:12:06):
If you're going to tell that story, at least tell
it right. That was how it happened. Alan protests, bullshit.
Mandy disagrees and takes a drink from an unmarked glass bottle.
The killer didn't kill the couple, then, what really happened,
Alan demands, challenging her. Mandy smiles well. The couple drives away.

(01:12:31):
They go to Woody's Drive in downtown for some food.
The boy gets out of the car and goes around
to open the passenger door for the girl. There to
both his horror and a car hops is the escaped
lunatic's hook hanging on the door handle. Later that night,
the killer ends up being killed by the Angel of Death.

(01:12:55):
That actually happened here in Strickfield. That's right, Seth agrees.
Alan suddenly turns and looks right at me. You'd better
watch it. Next time you and some guy are making
out somewhere secluded and romantic, Seth here might come along
and get you with his hook, and I will too.

(01:13:15):
Seth holds up his hook hand. Chelsea stares at Seth
in disbelief. How can you just let people joke around
about your hand like that? Seth becomes serious. What do
you want me to do? Go out and hack people up?
What's stopping you? Alan asks. Seth closes his eyes and

(01:13:36):
bows his head slightly. I had no one to blame
but myself for what happened last Thanksgiving. I was the
one driving the car recklessly. Look it's over now, Mandy says,
Can we please try to get on with our lives here?
She takes another drink from her bottle. Seth looks at

(01:13:57):
her sharply easy for you to say, Mandy, you don't
have to live with the fact that you're going to
be a freak for the rest of your life, the
kind of freak people our age tell stories about at
night around a campfire or at a friend's giving gathering.
I thought you said you were used to it, Seth
Alan says, I never said that. Seth contradicts you just

(01:14:18):
assumed I was. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like
to be alone. He doesn't give anybody a chance to
speak as he gets up and storms off. Mandy sighs
and takes another drink from her bottle. And then I'm
having a very bad feeling. I hope Bells will be
back soon. I'm sitting in the living room with a

(01:14:43):
plate of food and talking to a girl named Lisa Walcott.
I learned that these other people I don't know from
Strickfield High either weren't doing anything special for Thanksgiving or
didn't have any place to go, so Chelsea invited them.
Lisa and I were just talking about whatever. Then she
tells me she'll be right back. She gets up and

(01:15:05):
heads to the bathroom. I watched the TV and see
that Planes, Trains and Automobiles is on. It's at that
funny scene where Steve Martin and John Candy are in
bed together in the motel room. Then we all hear
a blood curdling scream. Everybody gets up and heads straight
to the bathroom that Lisa's in. One of the other

(01:15:25):
guests I don't know is lying on the floor dead.
As I'm looking at things closer, I can see the
body is almost white. There's a big gaping hole in
the body's throat, but very little blood. And then my
mind moves to the one decisive thing that could possibly

(01:15:46):
make an incision like that. Seth Bergmann has a hook
for a hand. He got upset and defensive earlier and
went away from everybody. What's going on? Mandy asked. Somebody
called the police. Chelsea cries, I can't find my phone.
One person says, neither can I. Alan says, I go

(01:16:10):
to pull out my phone. Huh, where's my phone? It's
not in my back pocket. Chelsea leaves the bathroom and
goes to the kitchen counter. Seriously, where the hell is
my phone? I laid it right here. Chelsea turns and
reaches for the landline, picks up the receiver and punches

(01:16:31):
nine one one. Then she slams the receiver back into place.
It's dead. Seriously, what is going on here? Chelsea points
to some of us. You folks stay here. I'm going
next door to call nine one one. But as Chelsea
tries to open the front door, Oh, come on, then

(01:16:52):
she points to me, Eileen, the back door. I rushed
to the back door and try it. I can't open it, Chelsea.
Chelsea moves to a window and tries to open it,
with no success. She moves and goes into the den.
Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me. I
walk to the den and find Chelsea freaking out. What

(01:17:15):
is it? She grabs my arm and points to the
small control panel on the screen. It says security system enabled.
The security systems on the windows and the doors are
locked tight. We can't leave and nobody can come in,
and somebody damaged the controls. We can just break a window, right,

(01:17:36):
I asked? Chelsea shakes her head. My dad really sank
money into our security system. The glass is unbreakable. We're
stuck here. I keep calm, but I'm getting scared. Where
are you? Bells Chelsea and I returned to the kitchen
where everybody else is now. Mandy Craven speaks up. We've

(01:17:59):
got a Seth. He's got to be around here, somewhere.
I know he's still pissed off about what happened a
year ago, but I never thought he'd resort to murder.
And then I have another feeling in the pit of
my stomach. I move past the others and head back
to the bathroom. Lisa Walcott is still in there with
the body. I lower myself to look at the neck

(01:18:22):
wound again closer. Now I'm not a doctor, but I'm
smart enough to know that a hook did not do this.
The hook would have pierced the skin and the throat.
I mean, you would have to go right into the
throat itself. Looking closer, I see bite marks. I use

(01:18:44):
logic more often than anything else. In fact, I don't
even believe in God. But I'm going on record and
saying that someone in this house bit this person and
drank up all the blood. There's got to be another
vampire in this house or something else that drinks blood.
What are you doing in here? A voice snaps. I

(01:19:06):
look up to see Seth Bergman nothing. When Lisa sees it, Seth,
She's scared for her life. Seth, please don't kill us.
She begs him. He raises his hook hand to us,
shut up, both of you. Just listen, Seth. We can
get you some help. Lisa utters as she starts crying.

(01:19:27):
I said shut up. Seth screams, where's Mandy? Tell me why?
Lisa demands, really crying now, so you can kill us too.
Seth looks at her with wide eyes. You don't understand.
He's really hysterical now. Suddenly Mandy appears. Seth turns to Mandy.

(01:19:52):
He points to her with his good hand. You I'm
going to kill you. I don't think so, Seth, she purrs.
Mandy hisses loudly, grabs Seth tightly and bites deep into
his neck. He screams as she drinks him quickly. I
don't even have time to move to try and save
him before Mandy throws his drained body to the floor.

(01:20:17):
Looks like Seth was the killer after all, Mandy murmurs
in a morbid tone. Or at least that's what it's
going to look like when I'm all through here. Alan
was there. He had seen what just happened. Why, Mandy,
Why like you even have to ask? Mandy answers scornfully.

(01:20:40):
The accident one year ago. Today, Alan looks confused. But
you're fine, Mandy. You look fine, Mandy laughs insanely. You
think I'm fine, Alan, dear, I am not fine, far
from it. In fact, I'm quite dead. She giggles a little.

(01:21:02):
The chemical spray killed me last Thanksgiving. My coming back
to life was an unexpected side effect. I seemed to
be okay for a few weeks. Then I accidentally cut
my finger and saw that my blood was brown. I
finally realized that my heart wasn't beating, and yet I
was still moving and talking and rotting. Are we learning

(01:21:28):
anything yet? I'm a decaying corpse, a zombie since I
woke up in the hospital Morgue that night. How come
you don't look any different? Then? I demand? Mandy holds
up her unmarked bottle that she's been drinking from for meldehyde.
As long as I drink this shit, much like drinking
living blood, it spreads through my body and preserves me.

(01:21:51):
That's how I don't decay and rot in front of
your faces or stink. I had to stay nicely preserved
so that I can get my revenge. Alan was in
the accident with Seth and me, but he hardly got hurt.
As for Seth, he only lost his hand. It wasn't
exactly fair for them to go on living when I died,

(01:22:12):
now was it? And Seth's pain was nothing compared to
mine that day or now, none of you could possibly imagine.
Chelsea appears you locked us in here, Yeah, bitch, I did,
Mandy shouted. I owe you for denying me a place
on the cheerleading squad, and because your daddy owned Strickfield Chemicals.

(01:22:35):
Daddy didn't tell you, did he He covered up everything
from the accident a year ago. In fact, I drank
up both of your parents when they left for their trip.
She glares at me. Now I'm going to drink up
little Aileen Donnerly here. You have no right to be
on the cheerleading squad, you little fucking mouse. Mandy screams

(01:22:56):
with rage and knocks everybody away from her with strength.
I've only seen bells possess I turn and run. Nowhere
to run, geek, Mandy yells. I find the nearest door
and open it to go down into the basement. Just
as I pull the door shut, Mandy rips it away.
I scream and move, but Mandy shoves me down the stairs.

(01:23:18):
I fall over until I land flat on my back.
I groan and make myself get up. I got all
your phones and destroyed them, Mandy says. I even learned
Chelsea's family security system code. It was all perfect. All
I had to do was get Chelsea to invite me
over for her friend's giving. Now I can kill and

(01:23:41):
drink you all, and you're next. I quickly duck a
wild swing. Then I run over to the fireplace and
pick up a poker to use as a weapon. As
Mandy's almost upon me, I swing and hit her hard
in the face. I scream when I see the left
side of Mandy's face land on the floor at my feet.
Mandy glares at me hatefully. Her right face is dead

(01:24:05):
flesh preserved by fermeldehyde or whatever blood she drinks, and
her left face is bare muscle and skull, with the
eye still in its place. Icky brown blood runs from
her exposed left face and down her clothes. Now, Mandy
hisses loudly and advances menacingly towards me. I turn and run.

(01:24:26):
Mandy's right behind me. Mandy can really run for a
dead girl. I quickly run back upstairs. Come back to
me you four eyed little bitch, Mandy yells. When I
reach the top, I feel hands grab me and pull
me off to the side. Chelsea turns and shoves me
down a hallway. Go As Chelsea's running behind me, she

(01:24:48):
gets tackled by Mandy. Shit. I turn around, but Chelsea
motions for me to go get out of here. Aileen,
all you had to do was give me a place
on the cheerleading squaw. Mandy growls, but no, you give
all the fucking freaks places instead. Mandy and Chelsea are
wrestling on the floor now. As I move away, you're

(01:25:11):
one to talk, Mandy, Chelsea hisses. I turn and see, Yes,
there's a big shotgun hanging above the fireplace. I climb
up on a chair to grab it and return to
help Chelsea. I practically pee my pants when I see
Mandy's got Chelsea flat on her back and Mandy's mouth
is open wide enough to where she can possibly bite

(01:25:32):
off Chelsea's whole head. Chelsea closes her eyes and screams
as Mandy lowers her mouth and Mandy's head explodes all
over Chelsea's face and upper body. Mandy's corpse drops and
the neck area starts pouring more sickly brown blood all
over Chelsea. Oh. Chelsea shrieks, then screams, I drop the

(01:25:58):
shotgun and move to help Chelsea. It's a few hours
later when the police and ambulances are gone. The police
got statements out of all of us. Funny thing. You'd
think we'd lie about what happened here, but Chelsea actually
suggested we all tell the truth. So we all told

(01:26:20):
the truth to the best of our knowledge. The police
didn't really give us a hard time. I'm still wondering
if they believed us or not. None of us were arrested,
but we lost people as a result of Mandy. Anyway,
Chelsea pretty much let all of us go. I know
she still has to clean herself up yet. I've only

(01:26:43):
walked a little ways away from the mere engated community
when someone catches up to me. Hey you, I'm overjoyed now,
Bell's what happened. Bells explains that she had arrived at
Denyer's grill to break up the fight. As it turned out,
the two empires fighting were both parts of rival clans.

(01:27:04):
The clans themselves actually came to the diner. Bell's had
to really work to take out all those vampires and
make sure that nobody human was harmed. She still has
some blood on her. Then she notices, I've got a
little of Mandy's blood on me. What happened to you, Anie?
I tell Bell's everything that happened. Bell's gives me a

(01:27:27):
sympathetic smile. I'm so sorry I didn't make it back.
I'm so glad you're okay. Hugh did pretty good without
me there with you. I smile a little, Yeah, I
guess I did, didn't I. Then I say, I think
Chelsea's pretty upset right now. Bell shrugs best to let

(01:27:50):
her calm down. Then she changes the subject. Looks like
we both never got to have Thanksgiving dinner. How about
we go home, get cleaned up, and get some roasted
turkey at Denoyer's. I smile and sigh. Sounds good to me.
Bells Turkey Terror by Douglas Waltz. My first memory of

(01:28:18):
Thanksgiving was when I was five years old. We were
at my grandfather's house on the shore of Lake Superior
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The snow was falling,
and my father and my uncle Bert were out hunting
for the turkey that would be the Thanksgiving feast. My
uncle had been many times, but it had been my

(01:28:40):
father's first time. Family tradition dictated that all of the
men in the family needed to help with Thanksgiving by
hunting down and shooting the burt that we would all eat.
Hours later, they had come in the door triumphant with
a massive bird in my father's hands. I saw that
he had a huge scratch on his forehead that bled profusely,

(01:29:04):
and the look on his face showed an indescribable fear
that my five year old brain completely understood. It was
the fear of the unknown. With each step of my
boots crunching in the ice covered snow, more memories of
the holidays so precious to my family came to the forefront.

(01:29:26):
I remembered the time that my older cousin, Franklin, went
out with my father and uncle Bert to hunt the
monstrous bird. While they were successful, I could see the
anguish in my cousin's eyes. I assumed that as years
passed it would dim, much like my father's had after
he went on multiple hunts, but it never did. When

(01:29:49):
he turned eighteen, he left the family and went to
live in Traverse City. The next time I saw him
was at his funeral a year after he had left.
No one would discuss what had happened, but I heard
my aunt Norma tell my mother that it had been
a suicide. I kept moving through the icy wasteland that

(01:30:11):
is the Upper Peninsula, or up as it is referred
to anyone who's ever lived there. The other popular term
Upurs was more derogatory and rarely heard when it was
just local folk. I had on a heavy parka thick
woolen mittens, with a pair of gloves under those, and

(01:30:32):
two pairs of thermal socks inside of my heavy boots.
The bitter wind that howled from the nearby lake shore
bit through my clothing like it was nonexistent. I couldn't
begin to imagine what would happen to bear skin in
this weather. My scarf wrapped around my bearded face, and
I had the foresight to put on tinted goggles before

(01:30:55):
I had made out, to accomplish what no one in
my family had ever considered, to end the family tradition
of the hunt. The ancient memory of when I was
eight and went to visit distant relatives for the winter
came without warning. My parents told me it would be
good for me. Twenty years later, my face still flushed

(01:31:19):
red with embarrassment at the thought of the Thanksgiving meal
prepared for me by someone other than my mother and
my aunt's. The same things were there, but just a
little different. The stuffing didn't taste quite right. The mashed
potatoes had no lumps. The gravy needed salt, which I

(01:31:42):
snuck onto my plate when I didn't think anyone else
was watching. But it was the bird, that damitable bird,
sitting in the middle of the table on a huge
white platter. My great uncle Ephraim asked me what my
favorite part of the bird was. I said tentacle, which
caused a nervous titter amongst the people at the table.

(01:32:04):
My youngest cousin, Frederick, laughed that unbearable laugh of his
that sounded like a jackass praying. My aunt Eunice was
quick to come to my rescue and said, I believe
he's referring to the neck. Ephraim nodded sagely and remarked
how that could be mistaken for a tentacle. Luckily for me,

(01:32:26):
my aunt roasted that part when she baked their oddly
shaped turkey. He put it on my plate for me,
and to say I was disappointed in what lay before
me would be an understatement. In place of the smooth,
buttery textured tentacle that I had grown up with, I
was given a dry, boney scrap of meat that wouldn't

(01:32:47):
feed anyone. I still pretended to like it and managed
to take all the meat off of the bony surface.
My charade was complete. A loud, cracking noise to my
left brought me out of my reverie. I spotted a
turkey slowly moving through the underbrush. Its two front tentacles

(01:33:12):
grabbed various low hanging branches in search of tender sprouts
to eat from the trees. I brought up my shotgun
a beast of a ten gage that had belonged to
my father, and let loose with both barrels. The impact
moved me backwards afoot, but I managed to keep myself upright.

(01:33:34):
The creature exploded in a flurry of feathers and red gore,
staining the snow in all directions. I knew I was
nearing the cave. The cave had no name. It was
on the shore of Lake Superior, and water managed to
find its way in and out. According to the tides,

(01:33:54):
the turkeys called it home, and in the entire lineage
of my family, none of us had ever gone into
the cave. There was no need to. The turkeys came
out in search of food, and we would only kill
one a year for our Thanksgiving feast. We appreciated nature's
bounty and never asked questions like why were our turkeys

(01:34:18):
so much bigger than the ones in the store, Why
did ours have the delicious front and back tentacles while
others did not? And the taste? Why was the bird
we harvested every year such a delight to the taste buds,
while ones that other folk raved about, especially the coveted
white meat, tasted like a dry napkin. After my first

(01:34:43):
experience with an outsider Thanksgiving, I just didn't care to
ask any of these questions. I knew it was wrong
and they could have that flavorless tiny fowl. I finally
reached the cave and unpacked my huge bag that had
everything I needed to stop this Thanksgiving madness once and

(01:35:04):
for all. As I laid everything out in the snow
in front of the cave, the final memory that had
brought me to the mouth of this hollow came without warning.
I had been away at graduate school in Kalamazoo, Michigan,
when I received the call from my mother. Without hesitation,

(01:35:25):
I stopped everything I was doing and headed home as
quickly as possible. The southern part of Michigan was experiencing
an unusually warm November, but being from the up I
knew better than to expect the same. When I returned home,
the weather stayed nice until I crossed the Mackinac Bridge.

(01:35:46):
Wind howled across the giant suspension bridge. It felt like
invisible fists were drumming against the metal shell of my car.
There was something in the air giving me warning to
turn around and abandoned my quest. I ignored it over
my duty to family and pressed on, and finally I

(01:36:08):
was home. Apparently in preparation for the Thanksgiving hunt, my
father had taken it upon himself to stake out a
good spot to find the perfect turkey for the celebration.
He was lying on the living room couch, wrapped in
a crocheted afghan that my great grandmother had made so
many years ago. Half of his face was covered in

(01:36:31):
gauze and tape. Blood had managed to seep out in
spots the gaunt, robust man of my childhood had been
reduced to a frail version of his former self. When
I smiled at him, he returned it with a crooked
smile of his own. I found it interesting that the

(01:36:53):
look of fear that he had brought into the house
so many years ago was completely gone, No trace of
it remained, and he took my hand in his. I
glanced at my mother, and her tear stained face told
me all I needed to know. She wasn't even capable

(01:37:13):
of returning the smile I gave her. Then, with his
last breath, he told me what needed to be done.
I kissed his cooling forehead and hugged my mother before
I went to the outbuilding that would have everything I
would need for my mission. When my father and uncle

(01:37:36):
had decided on erecting a few outbuildings around the house,
they discovered that most of the land surrounding the home
was nothing but ledge. Only a few inches of earth
covered a huge mass of rock that would have been
impossible to build anything on. It was what remained of
the dynamite that I had stuffed into a convenient backpack

(01:37:59):
hanging on a rusty hook in the shed. I also
grabbed the huge augur that we would use to make
holes in a nearby pond for fishing. Now these things
lay on the ground before me, and I started the
laborious task of making a line of holes in front
of the cave. Occasionally a turkey would be curious as

(01:38:22):
to my intentions. Then I would stop what I was doing,
grab the ten gage, and turn the bird into a
pile of feathers and gore. After the second time that occurred,
I noticed a small rumbling coming from the black depths
of the cave. There was also a smell that my
brain refused to identify, sickly sweet, like rotted flesh, but

(01:38:49):
something much much worse that my mind could not comprehend.
After an hour and four dead turkeys, I had succeeded
implanting twenty five sticks of dynamite in a tight line.
They were all linked by a single wire that would
lead to a detonator box that I figured out how

(01:39:11):
to use before leaving the house. The rumbling had grown
louder as I toiled in the increasingly warm environment in
front of the cavern. At first I blamed my exertions,
but even in that bitter cold air that flung itself
off the icy cold surface of the majestic Lake Superior.
Not a single bead of sweat appeared on my brow.

(01:39:34):
I took off one of my woolen mittens and the
glove underneath, and held it out in front of me.
The warm air was coming from the cave, and so
was something else, something big. I quickly replaced the glove
and mitten and wound the wire off the spool to

(01:39:55):
take it back to where I had placed the detonator
box out of harm's way. Then a long, fleshy tentacle
snapped out of the cave and wrapped itself around my ankle.
The scarf wrapped firmly around my face muffled my screams
as I struggled to gain a foot to where the
backpack lay. As I felt myself being dragged backwards, I

(01:40:18):
lunged and snapped one of the straps, plunging my hand
into the bag. It came out with a newly sharpened
hatchet my father had always used in beheading the Thanksgiving turkey.
Now I used it to hack at the writhing cord
of flesh that was determined to drag me to the
very depths of Hell itself. Green eyecors splashed my hand

(01:40:42):
and pants As I managed to free myself, I did
not take the time to admire my handiwork. Instead, I
grabbed the spool of wire and ran to the box.
An unearthly scream caught my attention as I wrapped the
wire on the posts of the detonator. My mind tried

(01:41:03):
to understand what I was seeing. I assumed it would
just be a much larger version of the turkeys my
family had been consuming for generations. I couldn't have been
more wrong. While the tentacles had been the familiar green
color of the smaller birds, this wasn't a bird at all.

(01:41:25):
A huge, amorphous blob of sickly white color was using
the tentacles to move slowly across the rough cavern floor.
It resembled an octopus more than anything else, but even
that did not do justice in the description of this
creature before me. Two huge, yellowed eyes stared malevolently at me,

(01:41:48):
and I could feel the pure evil that emanated from
those massive orbs. I pulled the stick out of the
detonator and plunged it down rapidly. The concussive blast sent
me hurling perilously close to the frigid lake, and for
what felt like the briefest of moments, I felt everything

(01:42:12):
go dark. Later, it was the coldness of the lake
air seeping through my scarf that brought me back to
the land of the living. The blast had collapsed the
cave mouth, and there were gobbits of the monster's unnatural
flesh littering the surrounding area. Some of the flesh was

(01:42:35):
actually a blaze, and the smell of it cooking made
my mouth water When I realized what it was that
we had been eating all that time, the unnatural union
of monster and bird. A wave of nausea made my
vision swim with little dots of white light flickering in

(01:42:55):
my field of vision, I saw a rather large version
of the tentacled turkey pecking away at a piece of
the ruined flesh. The trusty ten gage was near the beast,
but another idea leapt into my now addled brain. I
located my father's hatchet and walked up to the bird

(01:43:19):
and sliced off its head in one neat swing of
the weapon. Then I flung it over my shoulder and
made my way back home. After all, it was nearly
Thanksgiving and the family would be expecting their feast. None
of them would realize it was to be our last

(01:43:40):
taste of this delectable animal homecoming. By rob Field's perspective, Bella,
Anie and I couldn't get out of Srickfield High School

(01:44:01):
fast enough. As soon as that bell to end the
school day rang, Ainie and I shot up out of
our seats and we're right out the side doors. We're
really going to do this? Bells, She asks me in
her mousey voice, what get the fuck out of Strickfield
for Thanksgiving? Hugh, damn Betcha. I raise my finger. I

(01:44:21):
haven't even told you the best part. You keep saying
it's going to be a surprise. Well prepare to be surprised, Anie.
I open my mouth to tell her, but it seems
Iine's hearing me speak with the voice of Principal Matthew
van Deste Bella Tabon you stop right there, right there.
I sigh and look up to the cloudy sky and mutter, God,

(01:44:45):
damn it. Then I lower my eyes to see our
esteemed school leader marching right at Ainie and me. I
give him a very toothy smile. Why, Matthew, how the
hell are you today? Principal van des He sticks his
finger right in my face. You are supposed to be
walking to Detention Hall right now. You are not going

(01:45:07):
to just walk on home like you you. I swear
all day every student and teacher has been gawking at
my new outfit and wearing a black leather crop top
that kind of looks like a bra and matching short shorts.
I actually took Inini's advice and wore a pair of
her heeled platform sandals. My long, dirty blonde hair almost

(01:45:29):
flows like a cape in the breeze. I'm still smiling
for him as always. He's undressing me with his eyes.
Thanks to my vampire hearing, I can hear his heart pounding.
Why do you have to be so madly in love
with me, Matthew, I'm thinking, problem is I don't really
have any room to talk. I can't deny there's the

(01:45:50):
very real possibility that I reciprocate his feelings. Heavy sigh,
Why me, well, Matthew, I think we both know I
ain't going anywhere near Detention Hall, I tell him flatly.
Then I raise my finger, but I'll be more than
happy to No, Bella, you have to get back in

(01:46:12):
there and serve it right now. Vandiste tells me I
caught you red handed flipping a teacher off, even if
his back was turned to you. Now I laugh and
flip him off. How many times have I done this
very thing to you? You never once gave me a
detention for it. Yet I flip off that fucking blowhart

(01:46:32):
of a science teacher, and you're gonna send me to
detention for that, please? Van Deiste starts lecturing me. I
move my hands up and into my hair. Now he's
stammering when I'm using my tight body to mesmerize him. Okay,
I admit I'm being a flirt, but I'd be lying
if I said I wasn't enjoying it just as much

(01:46:53):
as him. When I lower my hands, he grabs them
and takes them in his his blue eye meet my
red ones. I actually feel myself softened up and my
face get hot. Damn it, I'm fucking blushing. Then Aine
quickly tells Van Deiste that she's not feeling very well
and that I've got to get her home. I give

(01:47:15):
him my look that says she ain't lying. Come on,
just for today, Matthew, I say, I promise I'll serve
it on Monday after school before going to cheerleading practice.
But I've got to get Einy home. Please. When he
still seems to refuse me, I have no choice. I
lean in and give him a gentle peck on the lips.

(01:47:39):
Bad move, Bella, that just made you blush even more.
But at least Van Deiste is finally letting go of
my hands, only to wrap his arms around me. I
can't help myself and wrap my arms around him. Then
we share a gentle, passionate kiss. When the kiss is done,
we just look at each other. My face is really hot. Now, okay, Bella,

(01:48:04):
since it's Thanksgiving, I'll give you a pass this time.
He glances at Heine. Go ahead and get her home.
Then he does look at her. Hope you get better
over Thanksgiving. Break, Thank you, sir, Heine says Aine, and
I turn away from Van Deiste after wishing him a
happy Thanksgiving. I can tell she's going to give me

(01:48:25):
hell about kissing Vandiste later. How are you feeling, I
ask her. I'll make it home, but I think I've
got a fever. She tells me, I've got one last
treatment I can try that may make you well again.
For a time, but I don't know how long it'll last.
I just wish my body didn't build tolerances against your remedies.

(01:48:47):
Heine complains you and me both. Aine's a trooper and
makes the walk home. We come inside and see Martin's
not here. That's Eine's older brother, always nice when that
motherfucker her ain't home. The way Iiny resents Martin, I've
come to believe he's the reason why she's sick. After
I get Irony upstairs to her bed, I come back

(01:49:09):
downstairs and mix up the last remedy. I can remember
Graham's teaching me from back in the day. Of course,
I'm talking about the late eighteen hundreds, where I'm originally from.
Graham's taught me a lot about using tabon magic. My
older brother, Nicholas wasn't interested in learning from Grahams, and
I tighten my fists at the thought of her. God,

(01:49:31):
damn you, Cassie, I hiss, I fucking hate you. I'm
so fucking glad you're dead. I would tell you about Cassie,
but now's not really the best time. Anyway, she really
wasn't interested in learning from Grahams either, since I was
the little devil in our family. I figured learning from
Grahams would add to my craftiness even more. I learned

(01:49:54):
so much from her, but not nearly enough, since the
day came when Thornton Gillian, powerful master vampire, came hunting
for us. Nicholas got really fucking over confident and thought
he could take down Jillian by himself. I know he
was my older brother, but what an idiot. And Cassie
never lifted a finger to help Nicholas. She even watched

(01:50:17):
as Gillian killed Grahams. Grams and I both tried to
fight him off, as Cassie just walked away. Gillian killed
Gramps and then beat me within an inch of my life.
Thornton Gillian deliberately let me live. He said I would
be the last tabon and for me to go find

(01:50:38):
a husband to rule over me and make babies with.
He told me next time we crossed paths, he would
kill me. Graham's magic lessons came in handy when I
prepared to fight him myself. After months and months of training,
not to mention having to sleep with a female master
vampire just to learn his whereabouts, barely defeated Gillian thanks

(01:51:01):
to the lessons both Grahams and Gram's taught me. But
I was hurt very badly when I fell. Gillian's blood
mixed with my pure Tabon blood and transformed me into
a very unique version of a master vampire. I've lived
for more than one hundred years being all alone except
when I need a man to satisfy my libido. Not

(01:51:24):
only did Gillian's blood amp up my sex drive, it
it made me feral. This is why I dress very
slutty all the time. Then there's all the food I
eat in order to fuel my power, and I am
very powerful. Then I cry, knowing Iiny ain't nearby to

(01:51:45):
see me. Aileen Donnerly is the only real friend I
have right now. I call her Ainy because it's short
for Einstein. Her older brother Martin called her that on
account of her very gifted intelligence. Anyway, we didn't start
off as friends, but the longer the two of us
hung out together and did things, the closer we became,

(01:52:06):
especially when I learned she was sick. In truth, AINI
probably should have been dead months ago. It was the
remedies I learned from Grahams that prolonged her life. I
believe AINI has aids how she got it. I don't know.
She hasn't told me as of yet, but I feel

(01:52:28):
she will when she's ready. Again, I'm quite sure Martin
was responsible. No, he didn't give it to her himself,
but he must have done something that caused her to
become sick. I've never cried for someone the way I'm
crying for AINI not since my grandparents died. And for
the record, we ain't lovers. That's not how our friendship works.

(01:52:52):
I just know I've gotten too close to this mortal,
especially when I said I would never become close to
any mortals after I became a man vampire. But it happened,
you know. I get the crying out of my system
and finish the remedy. This one I remembered out of
Graham's book is the most powerful one yet it's also

(01:53:14):
the last one.

Speaker 2 (01:53:14):
I know.

Speaker 1 (01:53:16):
It's time to give Ainy the remedy and spring the
surprise on her. I head up to her room and
find her waiting for me. You okay, bells, shit, I
never wipe my tears. It's nothing. Iiny here. I created
these new capsules for you. It's powerful stuff. Start off

(01:53:37):
with one and we'll go from there. Ainy obeys and
takes a capsule with water. After minutes have passed, she
starts feeling much better then. I look at her. I'm
taking you home for Thanksgiving. She gives me wide eyes
your house. I nod. I need to go look through
Graham's books for more remedies and possible spells that may

(01:54:00):
help you. I don't know how long this last one
will last, and I don't know any more remedies at all.
Don't worry. We'll be back here in Strickfield in time
to return to school on Monday. Also, I'll make us
a hell of a Thanksgiving dinner, just the way Graham's
used to. We'll just have to do some shopping along
the way. Iine smiles, just a little. Okay, when are

(01:54:25):
we leaving? As soon as possible? If you feel well enough.
She gets out of bed. I'm feeling much better now,
Let's go. Anything beats having to stay here with Martin.
We didn't have any problems getting a rental car. Thankfully,

(01:54:45):
the place we get them never asks for a driver's license,
since neither Iini nor me has one. Neither of us
learned how to drive. Actually, scratch that, when Iini and
I went to Shore City over the summer. I had
to learn and fast. Now I'm driving a good hundred
miles an hour. Seriously, fuck these stupid speed limits. It

(01:55:06):
took a few seconds to get used to this car.
After that it was like riding a bike. No scratch that,
I've never even ridden a bike. Yeah, yeah, I'm not
used to a lot of modern technology. This little devil
is as old school as can be, as Iini will
learn soon. Along the way we made some stops. I

(01:55:26):
had to buy lots and lots of turkeys and plenty
of stuff to make the sides. I promised Iine a
meal like Graham's made, and I'm gonna give it to her.
After driving hundreds of miles, I surprise Iine by turning
off the headlights. Um bells, Iiny mutters. Trust me, I
tell her my house is off the beaten path. Literally.

(01:55:51):
A good five miles later, I turn off the road
and am driving through the grass. Thanks to my vampire vision,
I don't have any problems seeing in the darkness. Whatsoever?
What time is it, I ask Iini takes out her smartphone.
Almost midnight. Are we really going to be off the road.
I'm afraid so you see, my house doesn't have a

(01:56:13):
road or a driveway. Never did I lightly smack her shoulder.
Have faith. It's another fifteen or so minutes of driving
until we're finally there. Wow, there really is a house here,
Heinie asks. It's dark, but I can see how big
it is. It's not a mansion like what those mirrors

(01:56:36):
back in Strickfield have. But this is where Grahams and
Grahams raised me. Also, I was born here. As soon
as we get out of the car, I move around
to Iiny and give her a jar. It lights up
in her hands. It's liquid sunlight. Against Thornton Jillian that night,
it proved to be a very powerful weapon. But in

(01:56:56):
your hands it'll be the brightest lantern you've ever cared.
Don't worry, it won't burn you as long as it
stays in the jar. Where are we bells? She asks me.
This is the area known as Ravenhenge. I tell her
you'll never find it on any map. In fact, the
barriers of invisibility keep it so that outsiders can't see

(01:57:18):
it whatsoever. The only reason you can is because you're
with me. I bring Iiny into the house. The only
way to turn on any lights is to use my
cheap parlor tricks to light torches. Wow, Iiny exclaims, it's
like going back in time. You'd better believe it. Also,

(01:57:39):
your smartphone's the only modern convenience you got here. I'm
surprised you're even getting any signal here anyway. There's no
phone line and no internet. There ain't even TV here.
In fact, the last time I was at this house
was back in eighteen eighty nine. Iiny gulps. I can't
believe you really grew up here, Bells. I mean, it

(01:58:00):
seems like you and your family were cut off from
the rest of the world. Okay, maybe that's the wrong
thing to say and everything, but no, you're right II
I confirm that's exactly what iom Ere Tabon had in
mind when this house was built. Let's just say he's
my gramps, but with a lot of grates in front
of it. I turned to her, So you want me

(01:58:23):
to give you the grand tour? Or are you tired
from the drive. If you need to sleep, I'll take
you to the most comfortable bed you'll ever sleep. On
perspective Aileen, at first, I was contemplating maybe going to bed. However,
I'm actually feeling pretty good. Still. Whatever you whipped up

(01:58:45):
back at my house is still making me feel strong.
I'd love to see your house, Bells. She nods once. Okay,
you're in for quite the tour. Carry your liquid sunlight
with you if you want, but I can light more
torches as we go through the rooms. Will end our
tour in the library. Bell's takes me through one magnificent

(01:59:06):
room after another. The house has two big floors. All
of the bedrooms are upstairs. Much to my surprise, not
everything is old school. For example, the bathrooms we come
by have running water. There are even showers, and a
few of them with tubs in the others. I can
give you a room by one of these bathrooms if

(01:59:26):
you want. This way, you're by a shower, bell said,
seeing my excitement. Yeah, we may be as old school
as old school can be, but we weren't cave people.
I never said you were, I quickly say, I NEI
lighten up, just a little humor on my part. I
could tell Bells was avoiding talking about it. But I

(01:59:47):
have to know you kissed Principal Van dest She sighs.
I know, I'm sorry. She turns to look at me.
I still won't choose him over you, but you still
have feelings for him. I state again, I'm sorry. She
looks me in the face. Now, I'll never understand why

(02:00:09):
we love each other. I'm just one fucking girl at
Strickfield High. I'm the bad schoolgirl, one fucking girl out
of all those others, and he falls in love with me.
Then she cries. I put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Bells,
I really didn't want you to see me like this,
she whispers. As much as I torture that worm of

(02:00:32):
a man, and as much as I try to forget
him by fucking other guys at school, I still care
for him a lot. You know, I told Grahams I'd
never be bound to another man. Know what she said,
Once you've met the one, your fate shall be joined
with his until death do you part. Grahams was wise

(02:00:56):
and many things. She takes her hand off my shoulder,
then turns her back to me and shouts, but why
does my one have to be a fucking worm of
a man? Bell's, I ask, are you okay? She turns
back to me. I just wanted to get us the

(02:01:17):
hell away from that school and not have to serve detention. Plus,
I could tell you weren't feeling good. That's why I
kissed Himione. But fuck, she sighs. Your friendship means far
more to me than being Matthew van Diest's soulmate. I
tighten my fists. Just answer me truthfully, Bell's do you

(02:01:43):
really love him in the same way he loves you?
Tears run down her face again. Yes, she chokes out,
I'm sorry. A long pause, Bell speaks up again once again.
I won't choose him over you, But what if your

(02:02:04):
feelings get to be too strong? I demand sharply. I've
seen how Van Deste looks at you. How long before
you're both ready to come together again, especially when you've
kissed him the way you did again? Van Deste being
with you is forbidden. Bells tightens her fists. Now you

(02:02:25):
think I don't know that, Aileen Donnerly be pissed at me?
All you want? I know. Having Thornton Gillian's blood mixed
with my own gave me a very high libido and
made me feral in a lot of ways. But I
can still think rationally and feel emotions. I didn't want
to feel anything after Jillian killed the rest of my family,

(02:02:49):
and for years I did very well. Then I met
Martin and you. I never imagined we'd become as close
as we are now. We're not lovers, but we've got
a connection between us. Yes, Iini, I fell in love
with our fucking principle. I can't just shut my emotions off.

(02:03:13):
You got pissed at me about it when we face
down that sucubus. Be pissed at me all you want,
but I can't help how I feel. I love him again.
We have a long silence between us. Then I'm crying myself.
And what happens if you finally succeed in curing me?

(02:03:36):
Do you leave Strickfield like you've always wanted? Or is
this your plan? You stay here and never return? Bell's
points very sharply at me. Now, how dare you? She
tightens her fists again. I'm trying to cure you because
it's the right thing to do. Do you honestly think

(02:03:58):
I'd be that fucking cruel? Do you? Is that why
you're so fucking pissed off about Van Deist? You think
I'll just go and share my life with him and
forget all about you? Are you that afraid of losing me, Aileen. Yes,
I fucking hate Strickfield. Hate it. I could have left
any time I wanted, but I remained there because of

(02:04:21):
you and our friendship. What more do you want from me?
Then Bell's backs up against a wall, sinks to a
sitting position, and cries again. I turn and walk away
from Bell's. Why does this happen? She and I have
been with each other for many months since that first

(02:04:43):
wintry night she came to Strickfield. In the beginning, I
wanted her to stay here, to be with my older
brother Martin and keep him honest. But who am I kidding?
There's no keeping mean Martin honest. I tried to be
the supportive and loving sister, but again, he'll always be
mean Martin. I walk outside and eventually leave the property.

(02:05:07):
I still have the liquid sunlight in my hands. Then
I cry again. Bell's is right. I am afraid of
losing her, just like I know I'm losing my life.
Bell's is trying so hard to cure me of my affliction.
That's why she brought me here, right. I know nothing

(02:05:28):
lasts forever, not even life. Have never really had any friends.
I envy my twin cousin Madeline in her circle of friends.
But she does come and see me yet I'm so insecure.
I guess that's how you feel when you've been picked
on all your life, when you got beat up a

(02:05:51):
lot for being smart, when people look at you and
think you're just as bad as your own big brother,
when you end up becoming sick because your big brother
goes to a party and can't keep it in his
pants when some drunk girl throws herself at him. I'm
so raving mad now that I look up at the sky.

(02:06:11):
I fucking hate you, Martin. I fall to my knees,
then on to my side. Then I sob again because
I may have just thrown away the one good thing
in my life. Bell's was the only true friend I
ever had. She's right, though we're not lovers, we just

(02:06:33):
developed a deep bond of friendship between us. I even
wanted to help Bells when she'd go out at night,
so I started making our toys to fight supernatural enemies.
She was even teaching me how to fight. Why do
I mess things up between me and Bells? Just then

(02:06:54):
I hear movement on the grass and quickly sit up Bells?
Is that you. I pick up my liquid sunlight. Who's there?
When I see them, I quickly turn and run. Problem
is being a petite and skinny girl. I'm not very
athletic and I can't run fast. Next thing I know,

(02:07:16):
a hand goes around my mouth and a big, hairy
arm goes around me. Oh my god, the stench. I
can't scream for help as I'm being held against what
I'm thinking is a giant and he really stinks. Next
thing I know, another giant of a man hits me

(02:07:37):
on the head. I groan and am dazed. I'm about
to be placed into his sack and am kicking my
little legs to try and fight back. I get hit
again and fade to black as I'm being dropped into
the sack. I'm so sorry, Bells respective Bella. I finish

(02:08:03):
crying and stand up. I fucking hate it that I
love Van Deste. I can't help the way I feel,
and it's driving a wedge between me and Iiny Graham's
always had lots of advice to give me. In fact,
I know what she'd say to me right now. You
never abandon your true friends, Bella. Likewise, they'll never abandon you,

(02:08:28):
but you did abandon me, didn't you? Iiny? Still, Graham's
words keep echoing in my mind again and again. No,
I gotta find her and talk things out. I gotta
make her understand that she'll never lose me as a friend,
even after I succeed in curing her illness. I walk

(02:08:52):
out the back door and shout, I, Ney, where are you.
I walk out to the barn. I'm surprised it still
looks nicely preserved and is still standing after all these years.
The house too. I walk into the barn, but I
know Iiny hasn't been in here. Then I remember, I

(02:09:15):
have her sent. When you've been around your best friend
long enough, you'll never forget what she smells like, or
her fucking brother, for that matter. I leave the barn
and go out to the big fire pit, which is
where I'm planning to cook all those Thanksgiving turkeys. I
take a nice whiff and have her sent. I look

(02:09:35):
past the vast back yard and start following her. Before long,
I see some bright light and move to it. I
see the jar of liquid sunlight that I gave Iiny,
what the fuck is it doing laying all the way
out here in the grass. I'm about to call out
to her again. When I pick up new sense, I

(02:10:00):
can still smell iiny, but I can also smell.

Speaker 2 (02:10:04):
Uugh.

Speaker 1 (02:10:05):
Yeah, I smell two very stinky sents. I'd rather not
describe the smells. Use your imagination. Being iiny scent is
mixed in, I can only assume something or someone found
and snatched her. Okay, time to bitch up and find

(02:10:26):
my best friend. And I'll tell you, all right, mother
fucking now, that whoever's got Iiny's gonna wish they'd never
been born. Perspective Aileen. I moan a little and finally
manage to shake off the cobwebs as I wake up

(02:10:46):
and see I'm all tied up and gagged on a
cot Where am I? I can see the only source
of light is the big fire pit in the middle
of the best. I can describe it as the equivalent
of a kid. My eyes get wide fast when I
see there are both human and animal bones everywhere. Now

(02:11:09):
I see two very huge things looking at a weathered cookbook.
They're looking at a picture of a turkey. Then one
of them points at me. These things are planning to
have me for Thanksgiving dinner. Seriously, why does life have

(02:11:29):
to be so hard. All I want to do is
live mine. Then I learned monsters are real, and hoped
and prayed they just leave me alone. All I can
think of through all this is how my brother Martin
is an even worse monster than these two. I can
see more of them now. These things are huge. I'm

(02:11:50):
talking as huge as the comic book versions of The
Incredible Hulk work. Yeah. I'm scared of dying, but I
think I'm even more scared of these things. But again,
my older brother scares me more than them. What am
I gonna do here? Calm down, alien, Just think about
this for a minute. Me and Martin calls you Einstein

(02:12:12):
to be cruel, But you've been using that big brain
of yours and making Einstein work for you. Use that
big brain. Now I can see that I'm lying down.
I turn myself over and fall on the floor. Then
I keep turning over until I reach the wall and
can stand up. I have to be careful not to
let those things hear me. Shit. I accidentally knock over

(02:12:36):
something that makes a loud clang. Those things turn to
me and are on me again. One of them lifts
me up by my ropes and holds the knife to
my face, practically the size of a sword. Then he
utters a bunch of groans if he expects me to
understand him. My brain isn't that big. On top of that,

(02:12:58):
I cannot overstate the sting I have to fight back
the urge to puke. God, I am so dead. I
see my opening. When he lowers me, I quickly swing
my legs together, like being on a swing set, and

(02:13:19):
kick at his groin with both feet as hard as
I can. The thing groans in pain and falls to
his knees. I end up on my feet and know
the other one is right behind me. Then I remember
a trick that cousin Madeline does. I drop to my
knees and scurry in between the thing's legs. When he
turns around, I go through his legs again. I spring

(02:13:39):
back to my feet and jump fast. I hear the
thing roaring and coming after me. If I can't find
a way to get free, I'm done for My life.
Can't end like this, Please not like this. Then I
come right to a big open circle that's supposed to
serve as a window. There's a chair right next to it.
I quickly jump up onto the chair and then dive

(02:13:59):
through the window. I hit the dead, overgrown grass below
before I get back up and keep running. Boy do
I ever make that thing mad? He roars really loud.
I have to keep moving. He can't get through the window,
but he can still walk through the doors. And then
both of those things are outside. When one of them
bursts right through, I keep jumping fast until I come

(02:14:23):
to the barn. I duck inside and jump some more
until I find some tall hay to hide in. My
eyes open wide. When I see I came very close
to landing on a sickle, I turn it and start
rubbing the ropes against the blade. Problem is, the blade
is very dull. It's going to take some time to
get through these ropes, and time is not a luxury

(02:14:46):
I have Right now. I hear those things coming in
and have to stop. When they're near where I'm hiding.
They both yell and frustration. Sounds like they're a bit
on the slow side. Myself. Stay calm and work on
the ropes, binding my wrists. My eyes open wide. When

(02:15:06):
I feel those ropes slipping away. Guess they either didn't
tie the rope good enough there or they underestimated how
little I am. Very quietly, I work to untie the
rest of the ropes, wouldn't you know it? No, sooner
do I get the last rope off. One of them
looks in and sees me. He points at me and

(02:15:27):
cries out loud shit. I shriek, actually, more like a
loud mousey wail. I scream. When the thing that saw
me tries jumping on me, I quickly turn over so
he lands flat on his belly. When the other one
tries picking me up again, I swing my legs and
catch him in his groin. Again. He drops me as

(02:15:48):
he's dropping down to his knees. I get up and
run like hell. As soon as I'm about to clear
the barn, one of the things bursts right through it
and almost grabs me. I scream and run with everything
I've got back to the house. I dive through another
window and look around. I keep running through the other
rooms to try looking for another window. Just as I'm

(02:16:11):
about to climb out through one, a big, hairy and
stinky hand grabs me. No. No, Then the thing that
caught me brings me right up to him and screams
right in my face.

Speaker 3 (02:16:27):
Ugh.

Speaker 1 (02:16:28):
He's spitting all over me and his bad breath nearly
makes me pass out. I growl and start kicking and
punching with my little fists and feet. Want to hear
some irony. Back when I was in Strickfield Junior High,
people called me mouse, just like they call my cousin
Madeline today. The difference between me and her was that
I hated it and the other students knew it. Maddie's

(02:16:51):
really laid back and doesn't care one way or another.
I am so mad right now. Then I pull off
another mouse kind of move and bring my feet up
to kick the thing right in the eyes. He screams
and drops me. I get up and run, only to
feel something hit me hard on the back of the head.
Everything's spinning when I fall on my side fast. Then

(02:17:14):
I feel the other thing lifting me up and patting me,
knowing he's finally got me. I'm shaking my head to
clear the cobwebs, but he hit me real good. By
the time I finally shake the cobwebs, I feel a
big stick at my back and heat on my front.

(02:17:38):
Those things have me tied to a big stick and
they're turning me over the fire like a rotisserie. They're
really cooking me alive. I'm so screwed. Hi, guys, what's
for dinner? Then I feel the absolute biggest excitement I've
ever felt in my life, Bells. When the things turn

(02:18:03):
and see Bells, they look at her and start growling happily,
like they struck it rich with another morsel they can eat,
perspective Bella. As soon as those big motherfuckers see me,
I stretch myself to let them hear my bones cracking. Yeah,

(02:18:23):
I'm definitely ready for a fight. Really, you're cooking that
scrawny little thing for your Thanksgiving dinner? Then I chuckle.
There's hardly any meat on those bones, or mine for
that matter. The things roar and come at me as
they stupidly jump, I use my vanpiric powers and warp

(02:18:44):
right to Irony. I quickly break the ropes and snatch
her to me. You came for me, Bells, she squeaks happily. Duh,
I tell her, I promised you a big Thanksgiving dinner,
not that you'd be dinner. Look out, iiny warns me.
I grab her and warp us both to the door.

(02:19:04):
I hand her the liquid sunlight haul asks back to
the house. I'll be right behind you. As soon as
iine turns and runs, I quickly run outside myself. Those
things are hot after me. Now I leap to put
some distance in between me and those things. Before turning
to face them, I give them my evil smirt. You

(02:19:26):
fuckers want this little devil come and get me. Then,
it's been a little bit since I've had a good fight.
They roar and come at me. When the closest one
reaches me, I leap up and pop him hard in
the face. He drops over like a freshly cut tree.
When the other one's on me, I easily lift him

(02:19:46):
up over my head and throw him back into his house. Yeah,
these fuckers are easily four hundred pounds plus and a
good eight feet tall. When they try coming at me again,
I use my cheap parlor tricks and cause wall of
fire to erupt in between me and them. Don't test me, motherfuckers,
I warn them, But they can't understand me, can they?

(02:20:10):
They keep coming for me. I'm just toying with those
things right now. For the record, these two are definitely
dying for all the innocent people they've killed. Yeah, I
saw the human bones in their house. And then there's
the fact that they were gonna eat Irony. The fuckers
come through my firewall, your funeral, I tell them. Suddenly,

(02:20:32):
Irony comes right up beside me. Boy, is she really pissed?
Fuck you, she screams before she heaves the liquid sunlight
at them. The jar shatters on the one's head and
instantly sets him on fire. He screams like he's never
screamed in his life. On instinct, he grabs the other
thing and accidentally sets him on fire. These big lugs

(02:20:55):
are so fucked liquid sunlight's very lethal when out of
the jaw, Ainie and I watch them burn until there's
nothing left, but they're big ass bones. Then Ainie and
me turned to face each other. The fire from the
burning bodies is still making enough light to where it's bright.

(02:21:18):
I'm sorry, Bells, Ainie says, I'm sorry too, I tell her.
Then I take her hands. I won't choose Van Deiste
over you. I told you before. Our friendship is more
important to me and always will be. Then Iini squeezes

(02:21:39):
my hands. I just don't want to lose you, Bells.
You're the only real friend I've got, and you me,
She sighs. I wouldn't be a good friend to you
if I tried keeping you all to myself. I admit
I'm very insecure, but you came for me, so I

(02:22:00):
know and understand. Now I'll never lose you as a friend.
You can go ahead and see where things go with you.
In principal, Van dest just be careful. If he gets
fired over this, there might be a big scandal. Even
you don't need that. That's another reason why I'm not
ultimately pursuing Van Deiste. I tell her I don't want

(02:22:24):
to ruin his life. As far as the average person
is concerned. I'm a teenager, but you need to know bells.
Heine says, either that or leave Strickfield High. I smirk, Well,
since you won't let me leave Strickfield High, you're coming

(02:22:44):
back to Strickfield with me. Ani asks in anticipation, duh,
I gotta bring you back home. Now. Let's get back
to the house and get some rest. Tomorrow's Thanksgiving, and
I don't want you falling asleep during our big feast.
Sounds good, bells. Before we leave, we check the house

(02:23:05):
for any possible survivors. When we don't find any, we
head back outside. I use my cheap parlor tricks to
set the house ablaze. Nobody needs to stumble upon this
home of nightmares ever again. Once it burns to the ground,
it's gone. When we're both satisfied, AINI and I head

(02:23:25):
back to my house, dig In, I tell Iini when
I set the platter with her meal down in front
of her on Thanksgiving afternoon, I was outside at sunrise
and cooking all the turkeys in the big fire pit.
I made the rest of the sides in Graham's kitchen

(02:23:47):
just the way she taught me. I mean, I made
everything from mashed potatoes and gravy, to green beans, to
corn biscuits, and even fresh apple pie for dessert. Iinie
ate more at my table than she probably has ever
before in her life. I also managed to go through

(02:24:08):
the Tabon family library and find Graham's big Book of Remedies.
There are lots and lots of treatments I can whip
up for Iini. I'll be taking the book back to Strickfield.
So far, the new treatment I whipped up for her
yesterday continues to work. I just hope this one will
last long enough to where I can maybe find something

(02:24:31):
much better, or fingers crossed, maybe even a cure. We
spend all of Thanksgiving at my house. On Friday, we
leave Ravenhenge and drive back to Strickfield. We have plenty
of leftovers from our feast. I silently thank Grahams for

(02:24:52):
teaching me the things she did as Ainy and me
talk about things Grahams was right about never abandoning your
true friends. Ainie came back for me when she didn't
have to. Yeah, she probably wanted revenge on those things,
but she came back for me, just like I came
for her. Again, I remember what Graham's told me about friends.

(02:25:18):
You never abandon your true friends Bella. Likewise, they will
never abandon you. Yeah, I know I'm a wicked little devil.
Grahams was the one who named me that. By the way.
Still I feel like I'm becoming more like Graham's than
I want to let on. She couldn't teach me everything

(02:25:38):
she knew, but she taught me good. Just the same.
As for my feelings, I've still got to consider things
with Van dest but I won't risk exploring them, not
if it means losing Aine as a friend, even if
he's not worth her friendship. When we cross into Strickfield,
I'm already feeling how much I hate this village. At

(02:26:02):
the same time, it's home. Speaking of home, we pull
in at the Donnerly House. Yeah, home at last. That's
when I realize that wherever Ainie and I are together,
that's home. Like I said, Ainie and me ain't lovers,

(02:26:28):
and now I'm starting to understand what our connection really is.
Ainie had said what we were in front of her
grandmother last summer in Shore City. I look at my
very best friend and know that we are a family,
the two of us. Yeah. I can bear living in

(02:26:49):
Strickfield for as long as needed, because this village is
where my family is. And like Graham's would tell you,
nothing is more important than your true family. The Real

(02:27:19):
First Thanksgiving by Bruce Hayney. Sarah found herself locked in
a room lit only by a television while her captors
were out. Her time was spent trying to memorize details
of the room for clues to where she was in
hopes that something would be helpful to the police when

(02:27:41):
she escaped. She made a game out of it. She
would close her eyes and repeat every fact she could
about the room. Deep down, she knew it was a waste,
but it kept her sane and kept her mind off
the pain that came from being stuck in one position.
She closed her eyes. The room appears to be painted

(02:28:04):
flat black. There are no lamps or windows that I
can see, and the single door I believe has she
thinks for a moment, four locks on the outside. She
had listened and counted them each time they entered and
exited the room. The bed that I am tied to
is brass. In front of me, sitting on the top
of a cabinet is an old tube style TV, a

(02:28:27):
twenty seven inch possibly. The TV was the closest thing
she had to an exit plan if somehow she got free,
She planned on grabbing that heavy looking thing and smashing
it over anybody's head that got in her way. The
television was left on station KPWN. She felt this was

(02:28:49):
a weak detail, but one of the better ones she had.
It was a local digital antenna channel. It came in clear,
no digital brakes, so she hoped if she got out
that fact, it might help them figure out where she
had been. She had given up on antenna TV. It
never came in well enough where she lived. As far

(02:29:10):
as she could tell, kpw N was a cheapy channel
that mostly played licensed news content, except for in the
middle of the night when they played old movies. That
was her favorite time, a break from all the toxic
political news. When she got there, she had wondered why
it was left on that channel, why have a TV

(02:29:33):
at all? But the purpose became clear. It was to
intimidate her. She figured it out after she repeatedly saw
the news talk about the Thanksgiving killings, how they had
found three bodies already this fall, all missing parts of them,
and what was taken out was replaced with that Thanksgiving

(02:29:53):
Neil Staple stuffing. She believed this was connected to her
situation because of the last thing she always repeated to
herself about. The room behind the television is a large
painting of a ship. The frame is painted gold and
it has a tag with the name of the painting,
the Mayflower. This would be the first Thanksgiving that Dan

(02:30:22):
Mullins didn't spend with his family. He hadn't even seen
his father since the previous one. The crazy thing to
Dan was that he didn't think that telling his parents
that he was an atheist was that big of a deal.
He wasn't keeping it a secret, and it wasn't like
he sat his parents down to come out as one.
It was just a casual conversation regarding some newspiece on television. Yeah, well,

(02:30:48):
I think if you don't say under God when saying
the Pledge of Allegiance, you're not a true American, his
father said, regarding the report about a small group of
people who had gathered to protest the under God part
of the Pledge of Allegiance at that year's Thanksgiving parade.
The person being interviewed had a sign that said which God.

(02:31:09):
His mother just shook her head to show approval of
her husband's opinion before taking a bite of mashed potatoes
and gravy. You do know that under God wasn't a
part of the original pledge, don't you. It wasn't added
until nineteen fifty four, your point, his dad asked, Then
why do we need to say it? Not everyone believes

(02:31:31):
in a God. This is a Christian nation. But is it?
But is it? His dad said back, mockingly, What if
I told you about that? But is it? Shit? You
sound like a teenage girl. Dan always ignored the direct insults.
You know I don't believe in God?

Speaker 2 (02:31:52):
Right?

Speaker 1 (02:31:52):
Do you think I'm not a true American, Dan asked
his father, set down his fork, which had his next
bite of turkey already on it, and stared at him.
What do you mean you don't believe in God? His
father asked, his voice getting louder as he spoke. Of
course you do. We raised you right. Things got ugly

(02:32:14):
from there. The father yelled and Dan yelled back. They
both stood up from the table, and then, for the
first time since Dan was a kid, his father laid
hands on him. He pushed Dan, who stumbled back against
the table, hard enough to cause the pumpkin pie to
slide off and land face down on the floor. That

(02:32:36):
was the breaking point for Dan. I'm twenty years old.
Don't touch me, he said, and then stormed out. He
wasn't hurt physically, but those old memories came flooding back
from his youth when his father would spank him for
minor infractions, or at one time, the last time, when

(02:32:56):
his dad punched him in the stomach for mouthing off
to his mother in his tears. That is how Dan
found himself on the Thanksgiving the following year, with nowhere
to go. Dan didn't have a lot of friends, and
the ones he did have. He felt weird trying to
go to their family meals. He didn't have a girlfriend.
He was still too awkward and struggled with that. Whenever

(02:33:20):
he saw a girl he liked, he would think of
all the reasons that she wouldn't like him. He felt
like he was too thin, and he couldn't find a
style that he thought would please the opposite sex, so
he just wore what felt comfortable to him, a baggy
movie graphic tea and blue jeans. It didn't help that
he had long hair, which he used to hide behind.

(02:33:42):
He never felt comfortable with his face. All of this
kept him from ever approaching a girl. Hell, he thought,
what would I say anyway? So instead of a cozy
family dinner, he would be in public, and instead of
corn on the cob, he would be eating corn that
had been popped, But he would be doing one of

(02:34:02):
his favorite things, going to the movies. Each year, the
ash Street Theater held a three stooges marathon on Thanksgiving
for all the people who didn't have family to spend
it with or didn't celebrate. The poster even said, so hey, losers,
you know, the ones with no family or friends, come

(02:34:23):
down to ash Street Theater on Thanksgiving to see a
three Stooges marathon on grainy sixteen millimeter. Ash Street was
already like a second home to him. Being the film
nerd that Dan was, he had been to the theater
enough times to make friends with the staff and some
of the regulars, some of the only friends he had. Tonight,

(02:34:44):
the box office was being run by Anna, another woman
that Dan figured was way out of his league. She
was a film nerd like he was, but she was
also a punk and Dan knew little about that music
or subculture. Dan wasn't much into music, though he was
starting to collect soundtrack records of his favorite movies. He

(02:35:05):
only had a handful so far. Midsummer Long Legs, a
vintage pressing of Star Wars, Saltburn, and Everything Everywhere. All
at once, Hi, Anna, Dan greeted her. Hey new buttons,
Dan asked, while looking at her acid washed jean jacket
covered in punk rock buttons. Nah just changed out a few. Ah.

(02:35:31):
I noticed they're mostly punk bands. I was checking out
the Sex Pistols last week. Their political stances, while outdated,
combined with their raw sound, make for an interesting record.
Dan said, what did you read a Wikipedia article on them.
I always read about the entertainment. I consume entertainment. That's right,

(02:35:54):
Anna laughed. The sex Pistols are like a novelty band.
If you really want to check out old school British punk,
check out the Damned. They are the real deal, she said,
while pushing a few buttons on her point of purchase tablet.
Twelve bucks for the movie. Okay, I'll check him out,
Dan said, while handing her his card. Large coke and

(02:36:17):
large popcorn, lots of butter. Dan smiled at her and then,
like answering a question she never asked, he added, it's
a holiday, might as well. Anna looked at him with
fake confusion. Is it yes? How do you not know
that it is? It's even on the poster for the marathon.
He looked up at her face. She was grinning. Oh,

(02:36:40):
you're messing with me, of course. Who do you think
made the poster? You're so easy, Dan, Men usually are,
said an old man who had walked into the open doorway.
Anna and Dan looked towards the door to see John Billington,
a short, older man. Dan, who understood the world through film,

(02:37:01):
thought he looked like he had just stepped out of
the nineteen seventies prep school world that was represented in
the Holdovers. He wore a green ivy cord suit jacket
over a sweater vest, and even a vintage Trilby hat.
What Dan asked while grabbing his popcorn and soda from Anna, Nothing,
John said and smiled. One for the show, Anna asked John.

(02:37:25):
With their transaction done, Dan left to enter the theater,
though Anna wouldn't have minded talking to him longer. In
the theater, there was only a handful of other lost souls,
mostly men. He was the youngest by thirty years. He
found his usual spot in the center of the seventh row.

(02:37:45):
It was the spot optimal for sound and picture. The
only time he missed the seat was if Paul had
gotten to it first. He was surprised once again not
to see Paul there. He usually showed up for the comedies.
He had missed the screening of Harold and Maud earlier
that week as well. The old Man came in and
sat in the back row. Dan of course knew who

(02:38:09):
the three Stooges were, but he had never watched them.
It only took a few shorts for him to realize
he was not a fan, and they were showing the
best ones. The first short they showed had Curly's classic
I'm Trying to Think But Nothing Happens bit. But only
an hour into it, Dan was tired of the hijinks
and slapstick routines. He decided to do something he never did.

(02:38:33):
He walked out during the movie. He didn't notice how
much the old man was laughing. He didn't notice that
the old man kept looking at him either. Dan, who
felt invisible, never expected people to pay attention to him,
so he also didn't notice when the old man followed
him out. When he walked out, Anna was leaning on

(02:38:55):
the counter scrolling through her phone. She glanced up to
see who came out, and seeing that it was Dan,
she smiled. Not a three Stooges fan, John walked behind
Dan and made his way outside. I guess not. I
gave it a shot, though. If I can't appreciate it theatrically,
it's probably not for me, he said, right with a

(02:39:19):
slight smile. She added, you have an interesting perspective on things,
do I, Dan asked. He knew he did. He understood
that he had a personality that people thought was odd,
but he didn't know how to change it just felt
too weird to not be authentic to himself. Yeah, that's

(02:39:39):
what I like about you, she offered. Are you coming
to the Texas Chainsaw screening on Saturday? Of course, I'm
not missing the chance to see Toby Hooper's classic on
the big screen. Cool. I got stuck working that night.
Always nice to see you. Yeah, you too, he said
and smiled at her. While trying to think of something

(02:40:01):
else to say back. He couldn't think of anything. It
got awkward. Well, okay, see you Saturday, bye, he said,
while he turned and walked out. He resisted looking back.
He didn't want to see her confused face. The temperature
had dropped, the sun was down for the night, and

(02:40:22):
it was raining. Dan looked at his watch. It was
four forty five. Most people hated how it got dark
so early this time of year, but it didn't bother Dan.
He had always been an indoor kind of guy. Across
the road, he saw the old man. He appeared to
be struggling to walk. Dan watched, trying to decide if

(02:40:45):
he needed help. John glanced his way, then walked a
little more and glanced back after seeing the third time
Dan wasn't coming to his aid, he threw himself on
the ground. Dan saw him fall and ran across the
street to help. Being that most people were already at
their Thanksgiving meals, there wasn't much traffic to worry about. You, okay,

(02:41:08):
Dan asked, I'm fine. I'm fine, just slipped in a puddle,
he offered. Oh, Dan questioned, I've been living in this
darn wet city for seventy five years. He would think
I could handle walking on a wet sidewalk by now, right.
Maybe you need shoes with more tread, Dan offered, Maybe, maybe,

(02:41:30):
he said, then stared at Dan. Dan looked back. He
knew he should be doing something else for the old man.
But what John continued to stare. He wanted Dan to
help him home, but he couldn't be the one to
ask for it. That would be too suspicious. Well, thanks,

(02:41:52):
my name is John. By the way, John held his
hand out. Dan wiped his hand on his pants, worried
that it might be greasy from the popcorn, then shook
his hand. All right, you got it from here, Dan offered,
all managed, John replied, then, for extra measure, added a
bit of an old doe eyed look. This clued Dan in.

(02:42:16):
Do you live near here, Dan asked. Third in Burnside, Oh.
Dan said he knew that area. It was a place
full of people down on their luck that and people
looking to score both drugs and women. Dan didn't go
to that side of town. It made him too sad.

(02:42:37):
The idea of walking with this vulnerable man through all
that was overwhelming to him. Yep, my family has owned
a building there since the turn of the century, and
I'm not talking about the twenty first. Let me help
you get there, Dan offered. We can get a ride share.
It's only half a mile. Yeah, But to be honest,

(02:43:00):
I don't want to walk in that neighborhood. John laughed. Okay, okay,
John offered, I got cash for the ride. It's all right,
it won't be much. I got it. Dan took out
his phone and to his shock, he had an unread
message from his father. He cleared it without reading it,

(02:43:21):
then tapped on the ride chair app. No, no, let
me put in something. Young men don't have the extra
cash to be spending willy nilly, save yours for the
movies and taking out girls. Dan was listening, but not responding.
He was focused on navigating the app to get their
car on the way. Dan wasn't planning on walking him

(02:43:49):
up to his apartment, but John had worked on him
the whole car ride. When we get there, you'll have
to come up. Nobody should eat Thanksgiving dinner alone. Yeah,
I don't know, Dan said, got something better to do.
Maybe go back to the theater and ask that nice
girl out, He asked. No, I don't think she likes

(02:44:11):
me that way. Dan explained, You don't know that won't
know unless you try. John offered, Yeah, but she might
laugh at me. And Ash Street Theater is the best
art theater around here. It's not worth the risk of
losing it by embarrassing myself. That place is a pit. Well,

(02:44:34):
there might be better preserved old theaters and cleaner ones.
But where else can you see Texas Chainsaw on the
big screen or see a retrospective of movies by Jim Jarmish?
Jim jar who Texas Chainsaw? You are a sick boy,
John laughed. I'm just a student of pop culture. Okay,

(02:44:58):
just help me up the stairs, my knees and Bacca
just a little on the cranky side today, John complained, Okay,
Dan said. Dan was startled by the appearance of the
old building he couldn't believe that someone lived in it.
The lack of paint and the old terra cotta stylings
made it obvious that this structure was built a long

(02:45:20):
time ago. After they both got out of the car,
John waved to the ride share driver to go. The
driver took off. Why did you do that, I was
just walking you upstairs, Dan asked, Ah, you can get
another one. I see them driving all over town. Or
I could order you a real, honest to god taxi.

(02:45:41):
John laughed. John lived on the third floor. If there
was an elevator, he didn't mention it. To get to
his place, Dan found himself walking up cracked cement steps
littered with paint chips from the walls that hadn't been
repainted in decades. When they got up the first set
of stairs, out a small flashlight. The light isn't working

(02:46:03):
on the second floor, okay, Dan said, trying not to
let on that he was beginning to feel a bit
creeped out. Dan looked up at the center of the
joining stairwells and saw very little light coming from any
of the floors. The third floor only had one working
light at the far end of the hallway. The paint,

(02:46:24):
while not fresh, had been applied more recently than the stairwell,
though it was an ugly shade of green on the
bottom with white on the top. Something about that combination
made him uneasy. Dan could tell this was the floor
that he lived on because the carpet had a worn
path leading to a few of the rooms. It was

(02:46:47):
like those were the only rooms that had been inhabited
for the last few decades. All right, Dan said, I
should get going. You got it from here, right, I guess.
Thank you for bringing me this far. I'm just just
John stopped and looked at Dan. He had a tear
going down his face. This is the first Thanksgiving since

(02:47:10):
my wife died. I apologize for holding you up. It's
just it doesn't feel right being alone. Dan looked at
John inside, I can come in for a minute. Excellent.
John's mood changed in a second. I do have a
few things. We can have a little feast. I have

(02:47:32):
a pumpkin pie. Dan's mind flashed back to the pumpkin
pie falling on the floor after his dad pushed him
last year. I don't eat pumpkin pie. A short banging
noise was heard to Dan. It sounded like it came
from inside the apartment, one of the other tenants, John explained.

(02:47:55):
Dan didn't quite believe this, but he was already committed,
so he watched as John unlocked his door and then
followed him into the dark apartment. When the lights came on,
Dan felt relief. The apartment was well kept, especially compared
to the rest of the building. Most of the items

(02:48:17):
in the apartment were old but well taken care of.
Much of the furniture was wood, but it shined like
it had been recently cleaned and polished. On one wall
was a large shelf of books that looked old but
in great shape. On another was a large painting of
a ship, and under it, on a little shelf was
the same ship in a bottle. Another thing of interest

(02:48:41):
was a rather large curio cabinet full of things. Can
I check it out, Dan asked, and pointed to the cabinet.
Of course, that's what a curio cabinet is for, though
not many have looked at it over the years. Sadly,
is that a pilgrim hat, Dan asked, pointing to the

(02:49:01):
old hat with a buckle on it. No, John laughed, Sadly,
I just keep that old thing as a reminder to
do your research before collecting. A man sold me that
years ago, claiming that it was an authentic, preserved pilgrim
hat from the people who came over on the Mayflower. Wow.

(02:49:22):
Only problem is that is a damn Puritan hat. The
pilgrim's wearing buckles on their hats thing is a myth
created in the nineteenth century. Still pretty cool? Is it?

Speaker 2 (02:49:34):
Old?

Speaker 1 (02:49:34):
It is? And these other items, Dan asked, Some of
them are family heirlooms, some are general artifacts from the
people that came over on the Mayflower. Wow. So why
the obsession with the Pilgrims, Dan asked. I wouldn't call
it an obsession. I just care about my heritage. Oh, okay,

(02:49:58):
that's cool. Traced your family back to the Mayflower. I'm
a Billington. John Billington is my tenth great grandfather. Oh
and he was like a big deal on that ship.
You could say that he's known as the first of something.
But that's a bigger story. I'll tell you over our feast.

(02:50:19):
Excuse me while I prepare the table, Okay, Dan said.
John walked out of the room. A few moments later,
Dan thought he heard a second voice in the kitchen,
He began to worry and walked to the door to listen. Yes, yes,
he'll be a good guest. Dan wondered who he was
talking to, another loaner at the theater. The other voice asked,

(02:50:45):
what is going on? Dan whispered to himself. This was
the moment he decided to leave. He turned around, only
to discover some kind of smoke or vapor coming through
the vents of the floor. He looked back at the
kitchen door and was thinking about knocking. Then he noticed
that the door had rubber weather stripping around it to

(02:51:08):
seal it off. I'm out, Dan said to himself, and
then made his way to the front door. It was locked.
He turned all the locks, but it wouldn't open. Then
he noticed the keyhole, one of those old school ones
that would need an actual key to turn. At that moment,

(02:51:29):
Dan began to feel lightheaded. Dan fought against the door
until he passed out. Besides memorizing the room, Sarah also
looked around and plotted what she could use to her advantage.
How could she escape? She was handcuffed to a solid

(02:51:51):
bed frame, and even if she got past that obstacle,
there were no windows and the door looked to be
a challenge with its many locks, so she decided that
her only solution was to attack with all she had
when they released her for whatever the next phase of
their plan was. She hoped and prayed that their plan

(02:52:12):
wasn't to just leave her chain to this bed to rot,
or that she would become another dead body on the
street with organs missing. Stop stop, stop, You're not allowed
to think that way, she told herself. All we are
thinking about is escaping, she said to the empty room.
She heard a noise just outside. Fuck, she murmured to herself,

(02:52:36):
hoping they didn't hear her talking about escaping. The first
lock was undone, then the second she breathed in deeply,
then the third, then nothing. She knew there were four
locks and there hadn't been an attempt to open the door.

(02:52:56):
She listened intently nothing. Then she heard the footsteps heading
away from the door. She cursed her bad luck. If
only I could get away from this bed. There's only
one lock holding the door. Fuck, she said out loud.
All day, she had been fighting her tears back from

(02:53:18):
her week in the bed. She learned how weird it
feels to let tears dry on your face because you
can't wipe them away. Oh no, she said, when she
heard the footsteps again and knew she was in trouble.
There was more than one set this time. She listened
as that last lock was turned. She breathed in deeply,

(02:53:41):
and when the door opened, four people marched in, three
males and one female. One of them was John. The
other three appeared to be nearly as old. The names
would never be known to her, but the tall one
was named Isaac, the shore slightly chubby one was named Terry,

(02:54:03):
and the woman was named Mary. All of them wore
stereotypical pilgrim outfits, black clothes with white collars, and their shoes,
as well as the hats that the men were wearing,
of course, had buckles. The woman wore a white bonnet.
Sarah looked them over, just as she had the room,

(02:54:23):
trying to memorize their features. The one in the back, Isaac,
was the one she noticed first because he was carrying
a musket. He was thinner than John and the tallest
of the four. He was clean shaven. She noticed all
of them were. Terry was slightly younger. He wasn't fat

(02:54:45):
per se, but she thought if he had come to
her office, for a general physical. He had just enough
weight that at his age, she would tell him that
he needed to take off that extra fifteen pounds. She
focused her gaze on the w woman next, but was interrupted. Hello, dear,
John said. Her eyes darted over to him. Please don't

(02:55:09):
hurt me. We aren't here to hurt you. You are
our guest of honor. The woman turned around and opened
a drawer of the cabinet that the television was on.
From inside of it, she pulled out a blanket. Terry
stepped next to her to help open it. Inside was
a Native American headdress. Once unwrapped, Mary held it towards Sarah.

(02:55:33):
I can't wear that, Sarah said, you will, or you'll
suffer the consequences. John said. Then he looked over at
the tall one. Unbind her from the bed. She can
join us at our table of thanks. As he unchained
her foot, Sarah began to stretch it and move it
back and forth. She did this for two reasons, one

(02:55:56):
because it hurt in the position she was locked in,
and two she wanted to get her limbs back to
functional so she would be ready to fight. When the
last one was done, she let them help her up
She moved her shoulders a bit and stretched her legs.
She felt semi stable. She smiled at them. They smiled back.

(02:56:20):
Come my, dear Mary said. Sarah punched Mary in the face,
grabbed the blanket and threw it over the tall one
with the gun. Then ran for the television, which she
grabbed just like she imagined she would if given the chance,
and swung it into the slightly chubby man's face. It
wasn't hard enough to break, but from the momentum and weight,

(02:56:42):
she couldn't keep a hold of the TV, so as
he fell, it fell with him. A loud cracking sound
was heard. She thought it was either his skull or
the screen. She hoped it was his skull. She turned
to run, but Isaac had already freedom self from the blanket,
and as she turned, she found her face right in

(02:57:03):
front of the musket barrel. Don't, John yelled, but it
was too late. He was already pulling the trigger. The
musket ball flew through her skull, splattering blood on the
mayflower painting behind where the TV had sat. Her body
dropped to the floor. John shook his head as he

(02:57:26):
watched her blood pull around her lifeless body. It's Thanksgiving,
You fool, you have any idea how hard it's going
to be to get a new guest of honor. John
kicked Sarah's body in frustration. We don't even have any
of the knockout needles left, John complained. When Dan woke up,

(02:57:50):
he found himself chained to a brass bed. The view
in front of him when he woke up was a
television with a cracked scream sitting on top of a cabinet,
and behind that was a large painting of the Mayflower.
Both the TV and the painting had a red substance
on them. Please don't be blood, Dan said, Sorry to

(02:58:13):
say it is a voice said. Dan turned his head
quickly to the right to see John sitting there in
his stereotypical Pilgrim outfit. I see you are awake. I
was afraid we used too much of the gas. Didn't
want you to be late for the Thanksgiving feast. What
is the blood from? Are you going to kill me?

(02:58:36):
Are you the Thanksgiving killers? Why are you dressed like
the stereotype with buckles on your hat and shoes when
you just told me that the Pilgrims didn't really dress
like that. John smiled, then gave a little laugh before
answering the questions. The blood is from the lady that
was in your position last. We didn't plan on killing her,

(02:58:59):
as we don't plan on killing you, that is, if
you cooperate. She did not. And yes, we are the
Thanksgiving killers. You might even say my great great great
great great great great great great grandfather was the original
Thanksgiving killer. Finally, why are we dressed in the stereotypical,

(02:59:24):
inaccurate Pilgrim dress? Well, because fuck the Pilgrims. They were
a pious, unloyal group that killed my kin all those
years ago. What are you talking about, Dan yelled. John
stood up and walked to the door, opened it, and
the three others walked in, each carrying a musket. This time,

(02:59:48):
Mary and Terry had wounds from the Sarah incident. Mary
had a black eye and Terry had a few butterfly
bandages on his face. His nose had taken the brunt
of the abuse. It was swollen and crooked. So the
last one who didn't cooperate was killed? Is that what
you want? The last one? There's been more than one.

(03:00:12):
You've been littering the streets with dead bodies, Dan said,
those well, don't worry about those, they served a different purpose.
I can promise you that you are merely the guest,
the beneficiary of all our hard work. You should be grateful.
Before continuing with Dan, he looked over to his group

(03:00:33):
and said, everything ready, Everything is perfect, The woman said,
then moved towards the cabinet to grab the headdress. Hold off,
Let's get him settled first. John smiled then looked at Dan.
Moment of truth time. Now fight us and you are dead.

(03:00:54):
Go along and you'll have the finest Thanksgiving meal of
your life. Dan didn't struggle as they led him into
the dining room, which was set up with a mixture
of sixteenth century furniture and nineteen fifties style decorations. The

(03:01:15):
old furniture was complimented with paper cut Thanksgiving decorations on
the walls, like you would make in school as a kid.
Mary noticed Dan looking at the decor My grandchildren made
those decorations in school. Aren't they festive? Dan didn't respond,
just stared at the crazy lady, like, how can you

(03:01:37):
pretend everything is normal? The table was a large slab
filled with covered trays, and a cornucopia was the centerpiece.
This was the first horrific thing he saw. It had
fruits and vegetables spilling out of it, as was tradition,
but this one had a human skull in the center

(03:01:58):
that looked as if the flo rush had been removed
with a knife. I made that, John said proudly. Dan
started to struggle to get out of their grip. The
others looked at John, who gave them a nod, and
they hurried Dan to his spot at the table. The
chair was made of thick wood and looked ancient. With

(03:02:19):
its metal and leather straps. The three of them were
able to secure him quickly. Dan had only struggled for
a moment before realizing the futility of his efforts. Not
getting out of that chair, that's for sure. That's what
they call a dunking chair. John looked at Dan, waiting
for him to ask what a dunking chair was. Dan

(03:02:42):
said nothing. You see, they used to have chairs like
that attached to large poles on a pivoting device that
people would use to dunk sinners in the lakes until
they promised not to sin anymore. I feel a bit
bad because a similar thing happened to members of my
kin at Plymouth rock. John again looked at Dan for

(03:03:04):
some kind of response. Dan just sat there, shocked by everything,
trying to accept his fate. John grabbed a gun from
the tall man and put it to Dan's face, who
snapped out of it. I need a little more engagement
from you. You are being a bad dinner guest. Okay, okay,

(03:03:26):
Dan said frantically. John pulled back the hammer of the gun. Okay.
So if I said the first Thanksgiving wasn't the real
first Thanksgiving, what would you say? Oh? That's interesting, Dan offered.
John pressed the gun to Dan's forehead. Do better tell

(03:03:49):
me about it, Dan asked, while he struggled to move
his head away from the barrel of the musket. John
removed the gun from his forehead. Oh, okay, I would
love to tell you about it. Thanks for asking. And
since you thought the pilgrim wore dumb hats like these,
I'm going to assume that you know nothing about the
great ship that brought most people's ancestors here. According to John,

(03:04:17):
the first year after the Pilgrims arrived was a struggle.
They had come in November, which wasn't enough time to
get crops going to prepare for the rapidly approaching winter.
Their arrival in the fall mirrored the situation of the
first English settlement known as Jamestown. Modern archaeology has discovered

(03:04:37):
that to survive their first winter, that settlement had resorted
to cannibalism. John Billington, the first man executed for being
the first murderer, was John's tenth great grandfather and one
of the people who signed the Mayflower Compact. The Billingtons
were not pilgrims. They bought their passage onto the ship

(03:04:59):
to immigrate to a America. John Billington was one of
the best hunters, and his wife Eleanor was known as
a creative cook, so they took on the task of
acquiring and preparing food for the starving and dying pilgrims.
When John went out on that winter day, he already
knew where he was going to hunt. He knew of

(03:05:20):
a place where he had spotted something made of flesh before.
He sat for hours in the cold until a young
member of the nearby Wampa Noag tribe showed up. The
young man didn't notice Billington hiding, so he got to
his work of digging into the hard ground. John could

(03:05:41):
have taken his shot then, but he was curious about
what the boy was doing. After a few minutes, the
boy was able to get a hole big enough to
pull out a few frozen corn cobs. Then he covered
it back up. John knew there was possibly more corn
in that ground, maybe enough to feed his people for

(03:06:02):
a little while, maybe buy him enough time until he
could get a deer, but he took his shot anyway.
The single musket ball hit the young man in the head.
Once the body dropped, John's teenage sons came out from
their hiding spot and made their way to the body.
John followed. They wrapped the young man in a blanket.

(03:06:26):
We are not done with the task yet. Did you
see what he was digging up? Both boys shook their heads. Yes, Francis,
May you go back to the house and grab a
shovel without being seen. Yes. When Francis returned, they dug
up as much of the wampano egg Winter's stash of
corn as they could and added it to the blanket

(03:06:47):
that they were carrying the young man in. This doesn't
feel right, Francis said, When it comes to keeping your
family safe, ill choices sometimes are the only choices ye have.

Speaker 3 (03:07:02):
More scarce to come weekly. Spooky will be right back.

Speaker 1 (03:07:10):
John and his two boys carried the young man to
their cabin, where they laid him on their kitchen table.
Eleanor came into the room, excited at the prospect that
the boys had come home with a deer. When the
blanket was opened, she was mortified. John, what hast thou done?
Eleanor asked? What needed to be done? John replied, how for?

(03:07:36):
What for food? That's cannibalism. Eleanor exclaimed, Calm down, It's
not like thou art eating an englishman. John said, and
then looked to his boys. Go to the temple and
tell them that we secured a deer and that we
shall be having a grand feast at noon tomorrow. Fine,

(03:07:59):
Father Francis said, all right, Father John Junior said. The
two went to leave. Tell them that we won't accept
help in preparation. Tell them we shall prepare it thyselves.
I don't think that will stop them. Tell them it's
our gift to make up for the trouble we have caused.

(03:08:21):
Francis shook his head in understanding he believed that would work.
The Pilgrims weren't big fans of the Billington family, their
religious views weren't the same as theirs, and they refused
to live a life guided by the pilgrim's morality. And
then there was the incident on the Mayflower where young
Francis had shot off a gun on the ship near gunpowder.

(03:08:45):
The gunpowder didn't go off, but it did cause a
fire on the wooden ship. If they weren't such strong
religious minded people, they might have thrown the boy overboard.
After many hours of labor and cooking time, everything was prepared.

(03:09:06):
And if they shall question it, Eleanor asked, they won't
crave to they are starving. John smiled as he looked
upon the spread. It was so large that they had
to borrow a neighbor's table to hold it all. At
the center of the table was a large pile of
cut meat, mostly from the thighs and buttocks of the
young man, whose name they didn't know. There was also

(03:09:30):
a large caldron hanging over their fire that was filled
with corn, kidney chunks, and the brains of the young man.
It was a repellent sounding dish, but the high fat
content of the brain with the sweet smell of the
corn made for an appetizing scent that filled their whole home.

(03:09:51):
Other dishes included cornbread, whole ears of corn, and meat pies.
The pilgrims came and were ecstatic over the meal that
was presented to them. Everyone sat eight, laughed, and told stories.
Many speeches were made thanking the Billington family for acquiring
the meat and preparing such a wonderful meal that they

(03:10:15):
all so desperately needed. So you see, my family owes
a lot to the indigenous people, John said and smiled
at Dan. Every year we have our Thanksgiving so we
can thank the sacrifices of that young man who died

(03:10:38):
so my family and the ungrateful pilgrims could survive through
the winter. Dan stared at him. They never figured it out.
They did, and they killed him for it. About ten
years later, John said, I have never heard about any

(03:10:59):
of this. Dan replied, they covered it up. If you
make it through this, which I think you will, you
are well behaved. Look it up. They hung him for
allegedly shooting a newcomer to the area named John Newcomen
and tagged him with the moniker of the first murderer
in America. Think about it. The man he alleged killed

(03:11:23):
is not on the records anywhere else except this one incident.
And his name is new Comen like newcome Man all bs.
I don't believe John Newcomyn was even a real person.
They found out what he did to save them, and
they killed him for it. Dan stared at him and

(03:11:44):
contemplated the story. Get the head dress, John said. The
woman held out the blanket and Terry helped her unwrap
the headdress. John picked up a beautiful replica of a
chief's headdress and placed it on top of Dan's head
as he struggled against it. Dude, I can't wear this, why,

(03:12:07):
John asked, Because I'm not Native. It's incredibly disrespectful to
their culture and traditions. I disagree. You are here as
a proxy, and this whole meal is to continue our
tradition of celebrating that Native young man who gave his
life was robbed of his life, Dan yelled. John waved

(03:12:30):
his hand at Dan like he had no care for
what he was saying. Are you ready to find out
about the feast you are having? John walked over to
the table, which was filled with silver serving plates, all covered.
He reached for the smallest one first and pulled off
the cover. You're going to love these. These are a

(03:12:51):
rare meat. These are from the person who is supposed
to be in your chair, and they're fresh too. Dan
looked and was horrify by what he was seeing. It's
not every day you get to have bacon covered lady fingers.
John laughed and then reached for the next dish. Here
we have our oldest family recipe, brain stew Dan threw

(03:13:16):
up on himself. The image of floating brain chunks and
kidney pieces in a thick red sauce was too much
for his soft sensibilities. John stared and waited for Dan
to compose himself. He had seen this reaction before. You done,
John asked. Dan just stared with anger and fear in

(03:13:37):
his eyes. There has to be something you like on
this table. John opened another tray. This time it looked
nearly like a ham. Is that ham? Dan asked hopefully. Basically,
it's the upper hind leg of an animal, But that

(03:13:58):
animal is not a pig, in this case, a sacrifice
from a young man named Steve. You know I'm not
eating any of this right. Within a second of this comment,
the two other men put their muskets to the side
of his head. You sure about that, John inquired. Dan

(03:14:19):
didn't respond. He just waited for the horror show to continue.
Other horrific dishes that John showed him included a meat
pie and a bowl of meatballs, all weird looking and
most likely made of humans. Then he was shown a
bowl of creamed corn. Dan prayed that it didn't have

(03:14:40):
any weird secret ingredients in it, because it looked like
it was the only thing he would be willing to
consume if forced. Then they revealed the main course to Dan. Sorry,
no turkey this year, but we did save a leg
for you, Isaac said, before he pulled the cover off
the l largest plate in the center, revealing a human

(03:15:02):
leg prepared to look just like a giant turkey's leg. Dan,
you have outdone yourself, John said to the woman no
cursing at the dinner table. You're right, you're right. John
turned towards Dan. So what shall you be eating first?

(03:15:23):
How can I eat with my hands bound? Dan asked
that old trick, John laughed, you will be unbound for
the meal. It just doesn't feel right enjoying a feast
with one person unable to partake. But let's talk about
consequences before we do that fair, okay, Dan said, all right,

(03:15:47):
so let's get the real bad truth out of the
way first. We, and by we, I mean my lineage,
have been doing this for hundreds of years. Some generations
were more symbolic and didn't engage in the sacrifices and
the captives, but a number have. So just think about
how many people have been in your seat over the years. Well,

(03:16:10):
none of them have ever escaped. The only hope to
survive this is assimilation. We could be your family. Think
about it. You're alone on Thanksgiving. Wouldn't you feel less lonely?
Terry once sat where you sit now? Terry waved at him.

(03:16:31):
That is the only way to survive. I promise you.
We can't just let you go. Know this, human meat
freezes just as well as any animal. We can eat
you next year if we must kill you, if you
try to escape or hurt one of us. As this
is my family, you will suffer an awful fate when

(03:16:53):
it comes to keeping our family safe. Ill choices sometimes
are the only choices ye have. Marry reminded him from
the story of the real first Thanksgiving. Thank you, Ma,
John said, and then grabbed a small covered dish off
the table. The human body is so versatile. Do you

(03:17:13):
remember in grade school when you used to draw turkeys
by tracing your hand? Dan shook his head. Yes. John
smiled and pulled the lid off to show a severed
hand made to look like a kid's drawing of a turkey.
The four top fingers were black and blue, and a
little face was carved into the thumb. This person tried

(03:17:37):
to hurt Terry. You see the coloring to make the
fingers take on the look of feathers. In school, you
just color them with fall colors with your crayons. I
had to be creative, just so you know. All that
bruising was done to the hand while it was still attached.
Oh how, he screamed. Once I had it just right,

(03:17:58):
we removed it while the purse and was still conscious.
So don't. John looked to the woman and then stepped
a few feet away so he wouldn't be cursing at
the table. So don't fuck with me or mine. John
then walked back, made his way to the far side
and sat down unchain him. I'm hungry, let's eat. Isaac

(03:18:22):
walked to Dan, undid the straps that held his arms,
and then went to sit down. Dan looked at him,
and John caught his gaze. His legs too. This all
starts with trust. Isaac did what he asked. John picked
up a plate and put two of the lady fingers
on it, then a scoop of the creamed corn, and

(03:18:44):
handed it to Terry, who added a portion of the
human ham to the plate. John suddenly stood up. He
has to have some of the main course. He took
the plate back and then walked around to the other side,
where he had better access to carve the huge leg.
As he cut into the leg, it revealed moist, perfectly

(03:19:05):
cooked meat. If you didn't know it was human, it
did look appetizing. Once he put the meat on the plate,
he handed it to Mary, who set it down in
front of Dan, next to his utensils. They all stared
at Dan. He looked around, making notes of possible weapons
with his cutlery. They did give him a knife, but

(03:19:27):
they had muskets on the table in front of each
of them. Look at me, John yelled and clapped his hands.
The table is set. Where this goes from here is
on you. We are ready, regardless, John said, and then
gave a shitt eating grin Dan didn't have a plan,
and he knew he needed to buy time, so he

(03:19:50):
took a spoonful from the center of the creamed corn,
making sure not to let his spoon touch any of
the food made from humans. He was just a to
put it in his mouth when he was interrupted. You're
forgetting something, Mary asked what. John shook his head in disapproval.

(03:20:12):
You can't have thanksgiving without thanks We must pray and
thank the Lord for this bounty. They all put their
hands together and stared at Dan. Don't think of doing
anything funny. I can't tell you how many people have
been shot dead because they thought prayer time was the
perfect time to try to escape. Bow your head and pray,

(03:20:33):
or get shot. Dan bowed his head. Mary cleared her throat.
O Lord, our God and heavenly Father, we thank THEE
for this feast, for you are the one that taught
us that you help those who help themselves with thankful hearts.
Let thy blessings rest upon these thy good creatures to

(03:20:55):
our comfort and sustination. And grant we humbly beseech THEE
Good Lord, so our souls may earnestly long after the
food of eternal life. Amen. Amen, The three other faux
pilgrims said. Dan looked back up. They all stared at him.

(03:21:16):
You didn't say amen, Isaac said, I don't believe in
a god. Dan confessed what Isaac said, I Dan started.
John patted Isaac on the back. It's fine. It's fine.
That first native didn't have Christian beliefs either. It's good.
It's good. Dan listened with the spoon still in hand.

(03:21:40):
Without thinking, he put it in his mouth once he
bit down. The first time he knew something wasn't right.
It's good, isn't it. John gave him a shit eating grin.
I always thought plain old cream corn was missing something.
Dan stopped chewing and listened. Just a bit of ground

(03:22:02):
meat and bone marrow to make it extra creamy. John said.
Dan didn't dare swallow, so he spoke with the mouthful
of corn still sitting on his tongue, as the sickening
flavor spread over his taste buds. From what animal, don't worry,
it's fresh. We just picked Paul up last week. Dan's

(03:22:24):
eyes began to water. He was going to get sick swallow.
John said, where did you pick up Paul? He asked,
still holding the food in his mouth, hoping it wasn't
his theater friend who always tried to get the best
seat first the theater. Dan's chest began to heave, like

(03:22:46):
he was going to throw up again. John picked up
his musket and pointed it at Dan. Boy, you're going
to have to get past your gag reflex if you
want to survive this night. Swallow. He looked to Dan,
which showed he was no longer messing around. He was
getting pissed. Dan swallowed. Now was that so bad, John

(03:23:11):
asked with a smile. Dan didn't answer. John looked to
the rest of them. Our guest has eaten. Now we
can follow. Eat up everybody. The faux Pilgrims filled their
plates in a hurry, nearly giddy with excitement to eat
the meal. Dan was surprised at how full they filled
their plates. The three ate greedily. Dan tried not to look. Instead,

(03:23:36):
he studied the room, trying to find anything that would
help him escape. You will be eating more, John said,
if I don't see another bite in the next few minutes,
John pointed his musket at him again. Coblamo, Terry, and
Isaac laughed at this. After that last bite, Dan knew

(03:23:58):
that he wouldn't be consumed any more human flesh, even
if it meant his death. This thought should have broken him,
but it freed him. He realized that death was imminent,
so whatever he did next didn't matter. He could take
whatever risk because he had no delusions that he would survive. Okay,

(03:24:20):
he thought to himself, what is the move. Maybe if
I can't survive, I can at least do some damage.

Speaker 3 (03:24:28):
A sh it was only the wind. You are safe,
weekly spooky, We'll be right back.

Speaker 1 (03:24:38):
Each one of them has a musket in front of them,
and I believe they can only shoot one shot. The
closest to me is the woman. John is the most dangerous,
followed by the tall one. When each of them is
chewing at the same time with more food on their forks.
I grabbed the woman's gun, shoot the tall man, grab
the human leg and throw it at John. Then grabbed

(03:25:01):
the tall man's gun and shoot John. Then there are
just John's and the chubby man's muskets. What stops the
chubby man from shooting me during each phase? Well, he
didn't have an answer for this, but it didn't matter.
Fuck it, Dan said, and then he grabbed the woman's
gun and pointed it at Isaac and fired, but nothing.

(03:25:25):
He forgot to pull back the hammer. As he did this, John,
Terry and Isaac picked up their guns. Dan was able
to get the hammer pulled back and squeezed the trigger
before they could get their guns aimed at him. Being
that muskets are inaccurate and that Dan had never handled
a gun at all, it was no surprise that it
wasn't the brain shot he had hoped for. But it

(03:25:46):
did hit Isaac in the neck, taking a big chunk
out of it and causing blood to cascade out of
the wound. As he fell to the ground and died.
Terry and John shot at Dan, but he had already
made his next move. He let his knees buckle and
drop to the ground just in time. Hell yeah, Dan yelled.

(03:26:06):
Things weren't going as planned, but they were going better.
Their wasted shots meant there was only one live gun left, Isaac's.
Dan tried to grab it, but he held it strong
in his dead arms. John, Terry and Mary surrounded him
and tried to grab at him. Dan grabbed John and
Mary's hands and yanked them down with all his strength,

(03:26:27):
causing them to smash their heads into each other. Then
he grabbed the empty rifle from John's hands and hit
Terry in the head with it, knocking him out. You motherfucker,
John yelled, Wow at the Thanksgiving table, you're going to
talk like that? Ha ha, John mocked. Dan smashed the

(03:26:47):
gun over John's head, knocking him out too, then moved
towards the woman. Even though she was a cannibalistic murderer,
Dan still felt a bit uneasy about smashing the butt
of the rifle into the old woman's face. You were
never good enough to be part of our family, Mary said,
and then she spat at him. Dan smashed her face

(03:27:11):
in with the butt of his gun. Blood poured from
her nose, but this didn't knock her out. She spit
a few teeth out at him and then gave him
a bloody smile. So he swung the gun at the
side of her head, hitting her temple as hard as
he could. This dropped her. A splash to the face

(03:27:34):
with water woke up John, who found himself strapped into
the dunking chair. He looked around the room and saw
that the woman was cuffed to another chair and that
Terry was on the ground. With a slit throat. Choices
had to be made, Dan offered, I was able to
get the cuffs from when you chained me to the
bed to secure her. I tried to search for more rope,

(03:27:57):
but I didn't find any, so I had to slash
Hairry's throat. Call me old fashioned, but I just couldn't
slit an old woman's throat. You are dead, John yelled.
Dan waved his arm dismissively. So this is what's going
to happen. I'm going to leave, and you're going to stay,
stay and starve in front of your elaborate but disgusting feast. No,

(03:28:23):
John yelled, Dan chuckled. Just think about the torture that
will be starving to death while you stare at food
that could have once nourished your body but will be
rotting just as you soon will. That's inhumane, John yelled,

(03:28:43):
So is eating humans. So was that hand Turkey arts
and crafts project you showed me. It's torture, like your
whole clan hasn't been torturing your guests for hundreds of years.
I just wish your great great however many great grand
fucker and his kin would have been the ones to
starve at Plymouth Rock. John slumped in the chair. It's evil, right,

(03:29:09):
Dan said, yes, that's why I'm not doing that. It
would make me as bad as you. Dan said, then
grabbed a cell phone off the table. I called the cops.
John smiled at this. Was that so smart? Of course
it is? Maybe? Why maybe do you want to be

(03:29:33):
known as a cannibal? Why would I be? Because I
will tell them that the big hero ate the meat.
It won't matter that it was forced. You will still
be known as the guy who ate human flesh. Plus
Terry was knocked out when you slit his throat. Do
you think a jury will really consider that to be

(03:29:54):
self defense? Then I'll leave now before they get here,
Dan offered, they'll find you. They'll trace the call to
your cell phone. This phone, Dan said, and then slid
his phone into his pocket, before reaching over the table
and opening one of the silver platters, revealing a different phone. Thankfully,

(03:30:15):
I called with yours. I can't believe your lock pin
was sixteen twenty one, the year the Mayflower landed. It
wasn't too hard to crack. Dan put the lid back down,
So you must excuse me, but I need to get
out o here, don't come on, we can we can
make a deal, John said. Dan pulled out his phone

(03:30:39):
and worked on getting a ride share. As he walked
to the front door and left, the old man yelled
after him, I'll get you while he struggled to try
and get himself out of the straps. When he realized
it was hopeless, he ceased struggling. After a few minutes,
the old man laughed. He knew he was going to jail,

(03:31:00):
no way out of that, but he realized that he
could bring Dan down with him easily enough. All he
would have to do was let the officers know about
the theater. The girl knew who he was, and also
the police could probably press the ride share company for
who went from the theater to there. Now, all that
was left was to decide if that was what he

(03:31:23):
wanted to do. While he waited for the ride, Dan
checked his messages. There were just a few from friends,
but after all he went through, he was focused on
checking that last message from his father that he had
dismissed earlier. It read, son, I am sorry I was

(03:31:47):
wrong to treat you the way I did. Please forgive me,
Please come home for Thanksgiving. During the ride, all Dan
could think about was putting something in his belly that
was normal food. He hated that the last thing he
had ate had human in it, so he went to
the one place he could at eleven thirty pm on

(03:32:08):
a holiday, his parents' house. He had his key still,
so he let himself in. Dan went through the fridge
and made a proper Thanksgiving plate from the leftovers. When
he went to sit down, he saw his father son.
He said, Dad, I'm glad you could make it. It

(03:32:30):
wasn't the same without you. Thanks Behind him, Dan's mother appeared, Son,
so glad you came. How could I miss Thanksgiving with that?
His mother came over and hugged him, Then his father
joined in on the hug. Afterward, the mother and father
prepared their plates and they sat with Dan, breaking bread

(03:32:55):
and smoothing out all of their issues. Dan would never
miss Thanksgiving with it parents ever again. And there you
have it, my spookies, a full Thanksgiving spray of nightmares,
all without having to pass the mashed potatoes or argue

(03:33:18):
about anything except who got the scariest story. I hope
this little holiday tradition of ours keeps you company as
you head into the big day. Whether you're with family, friends,
or just hanging out with us in your earbuds, remember,
no matter how weird your relatives get this year, at

(03:33:41):
least nobody tried to eat you, hunt you, or strap
you to the dinner table. We hope huge thanks to
our brilliant weekly spooky storytellers who help turn Turkey Time
into terror, and of course to you for listening, sharing,
and keeping Halloween in your heart all year long. And

(03:34:05):
make sure you're here next Wednesday when David O'Hanlon brings
us a brand new bit of Thanksgiving fear to spread
until next time, my spookies

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