September 2, 2025 • 30 mins
Can't sleep? Welcome back to another bone-chilling episode of the Nighttime Scary Tales Podcast. This is where your deepest nightmares come to life.
Tune in for a mix of spine-tingling horror fiction, terrifying paranormal encounters, and bone-rattling true crime stories that blur the line between nightmare and reality. We'll dive into the darkest corners of the supernatural, from ghostly sightings to otherworldly encounters that will leave you frozen in fear. These stories will haunt your mind far longer than that weird noise in your attic. We'll keep you on the edge of your seat, with your heart racing, as each tale tightens its grip on your imagination. After listening, we'd love to hear your thoughts—leave a review on your preferred podcast platform and let us know what sent shivers down your spine.
Subscribe so you don't miss any of the horrifying tales we have coming your way. So, sit back, unwind, and brace yourself for a chilling experience. Keep your lights on and your doors locked. Sweet dreams...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nighttime-scary-tales--6704938/support.
Welcome to another episode of the Nighttime Scary Tales Podcast, where we explore the dark side of storytelling. Tonight, prepare for spine-chilling tales featuring original horror stories, eerie supernatural encounters, and real-life crime that reveals the darker aspects of human nature. Each story is designed to keep you on the edge of your seat long after it ends. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your most chilling moments by leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. More haunting stories are coming, so keep your lights on and your doors locked. Sweet dreams… if you can find them!
Tune in for a mix of spine-tingling horror fiction, terrifying paranormal encounters, and bone-rattling true crime stories that blur the line between nightmare and reality. We'll dive into the darkest corners of the supernatural, from ghostly sightings to otherworldly encounters that will leave you frozen in fear. These stories will haunt your mind far longer than that weird noise in your attic. We'll keep you on the edge of your seat, with your heart racing, as each tale tightens its grip on your imagination. After listening, we'd love to hear your thoughts—leave a review on your preferred podcast platform and let us know what sent shivers down your spine.
Subscribe so you don't miss any of the horrifying tales we have coming your way. So, sit back, unwind, and brace yourself for a chilling experience. Keep your lights on and your doors locked. Sweet dreams...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nighttime-scary-tales--6704938/support.
Welcome to another episode of the Nighttime Scary Tales Podcast, where we explore the dark side of storytelling. Tonight, prepare for spine-chilling tales featuring original horror stories, eerie supernatural encounters, and real-life crime that reveals the darker aspects of human nature. Each story is designed to keep you on the edge of your seat long after it ends. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your most chilling moments by leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. More haunting stories are coming, so keep your lights on and your doors locked. Sweet dreams… if you can find them!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
After yesterday's chaos, my time at work today was surprisingly peaceful. However,
the knowledge that I would be meeting my manager later
on hung over me like a specter. On my way
to the sock Puppets cage, I picked up my backpack,
which I had left next to the restroom's door yesterday.
I by no means wanted to go in there alone,
(00:36):
so I just hurriedly snatched it up from the ground
and got on my way. After my routine with mister Scratch,
I went for the stagecoach to see Nathan. I have
noticed that whenever I would come to visit him, he
would drop his usual gloomy and grim demeanor and take
on a more lively personality. I've grown very fond of
(00:57):
him over these last few days. Huge motivation for me
to keep doing what I'm doing, And even though he
keeps denying that there's a way of saving him, I've
made it clear that I won't stop trying. I brought
him some candy as always, and a book for him
to entertain himself. You're spoiling me, he said with a
grin as he unwrapped a piece of bubble gum. No,
(01:20):
but seriously, thanks you don't always have to bring me stuff, though,
you know I appreciate the company most. I smiled at him, before,
in a more serious manner, informing him about Dale's invitation.
Nathan thought for a while, pensively chewing on his gum.
I looked at him attentively, just sitting and talking to him.
(01:44):
It's pretty obvious to me why Dale would like him
so much. Nathan might be disheveled and smelly due to
him being forced to stay on the carriage, but it
doesn't obscure his good looks. He is very handsome in
a fragile, soft way. I know it sounds stupid, but
I cannot stop comparing his eyes to that of a cow.
(02:05):
They look so gentle and soulful. Something about him makes
me feel like if I touch him, he might shatter
like a piece of very fine, thin glass. He's the
kind of person one cannot help I feel protective of.
There's no use in denying it. I was torn back
into reality by a loud pop. I flinched, and Nathan
(02:25):
grinned at me as he licked up the remains of
the bubblegum which had burst on his face. Did that
startle you? He asked? With a mischievous smirk. A little bit,
I admitted, So what do you think? He leaned back
in his seat and sighed deeply. If you'd asked me
before this happened, I would have probably said there was
(02:47):
no need to be worried. But it happened, and I'm
stuck here. We both know what he did to me.
I don't know him anymore. Maybe I never did. I
can't tell if he's gonna try and do something to you,
but it's definitely possible. Don't be like me and let
your guard down. I nodded. I won't, I uttered, dryly,
(03:10):
staring off into the distance. Could you do me a favor? Sure,
Nathan replied, chewing with an open mouth.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I took the laurel iron nail and silver earrings out
of my backpack and handed them to him. Please hold
these for a little while and tell me how they feel.
Nathan looked a bit confused, but eventually nodded. He fondled
the bay leaves for a bit, turning the twig to
either side as if to study it. When he was done,
(03:41):
he focused on the nail, pinching himself with it a
couple times before putting it aside to examine the silver.
They're pretty, he said, holding up the ear rings. They
look like tiny leaves. That's cute. Did any of these
hurt you in a way? Offered Nathan shook his head. No,
(04:03):
why would they It's just some twig and nail and
some earrings.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Is there like.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Anything special about them? Did I miss it? No? No,
they're fine, I muttered. This didn't make any sense, although
I might be reading into it too much, but when
I held that twig, I kind of wanted to break
it for a moment, he added, with a pensive look
(04:30):
on his face. Don't ask me why. It was just
like like an instinct or something. At exactly eight PM,
I rang the doorbell to Dale's apartment. It was in
a nice, large building, which in a way reminded me
of my own home, except that it was way more
spacious and clean. One could immediately tell whoever lived in
(04:53):
there had money. I had taken all possible precautions. I
had informed every single one of my coworkers where I
would spend my evening. Bought a bottle of whiskey at
the corner store where I already got the chocolate and tobacco.
A few days prior, and even brought my own reusable
plastic cup just in case i'd need it. My manager
(05:15):
opened only seconds after me ringing the doorbell, almost like
he had been standing right behind the door waiting for
me to arrive. He was looking less uptight than usual.
Maybe the alcohol he had quite obviously already been consuming
prior to my arrival had made him loosen up a bit,
but he actually greeted me with a smile. I can't
(05:36):
believe you actually came, he said, sounding genuinely surprised. I
thought you'd stand me up. I really did. I'm a
lady of honor, I replied, I keep my promises. He
stood by and gestured for me to come in. His
apartment was roomy, but kind of empty from the looks
of it. Dale had always struck me as a simple guy,
(05:57):
so it didn't come as a shock to me that
he had no use for all this space. Remembering that,
according to Nathan, they had once lived in here together,
I couldn't help but wonder if it had actually felt
alive and homely.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
At some point, Dale led.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Me into the living room, where he invited me to
take a seat. I plopped down on the large black
leather couch he had pointed at, placing the whiskey I
had brought on the small table in front of it. Hey, awesome,
and Dale muttered at the sight. I'll go get some glasses.
You'll only need one for yourself, I stated, producing the
plastic cut from my bag. Colossie, he commented with a smirk.
(06:38):
He vanished into the kitchen for a few seconds before returning, Well,
I get it. You've been spending an awful lot of
time with Nathan after all. He sat down and placed
the glass he had brought on the table before, with
some effort, opening my whiskey bottle. I watched attentively as
he poured each of us a drink and then placed
the bottle back on the table. Had he tampered with it,
(07:02):
I would have noticed. Dale raised his glass to me
before emptying it in one swift gulp. So why am
I here? Exactly? I inquired. We're going to play a game,
he said, grabbing the bottle to refill his glass once more.
We're going to play twenty questions, but I've changed the
rules a little bit. You may ask me absolutely anything.
(07:25):
My eyes widened, like yes or no questions? Or will
I be getting actual answers depends on the question. Also,
there's another option, can't tell you ask me something and
I either respond with yes, no, a more detailed answer,
or by shaking my head. That would mean that I
am unable to give you any answer at all. So
(07:47):
it means neither yes nor no, nor anything in between.
Oh and by the way, the same rules apply for me.
I can also ask you stuff that clear, I nodded,
still beachless, sweet, Should we do a test round or
jump right into the serious business. That'd be your chance
to ask something silly test round? I quickly replied, okay,
(08:11):
fair you star, Oh all right.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Um.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
My voice trailed off as I tried to think of
a good first question. This was awesome, but I had
a feeling I shouldn't start with anything too heavy. Anything
funny would do. Six inches, Dale suddenly said, before taking
a sip of his whiskey. It took me a while
to catch on, dude, I wasn't going to ask that,
and you know it, I hissed, how much does you drink?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Already?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Good question, my manager muttered, Now, to be honest, I
don't know, but there's an empty wine bottle in the trash,
so that should tell you quite a lot my turn.
He thought for a few seconds before asking, do you
like Nathan? Yes, I replied, nodding, Yeah, right, who doesn't? Okay,
(09:00):
should we get started for real? Then I nodded once again,
and Dale motioned for me to begin. Have you, in
the past, or at any given point in time, tried
to poison me or succeeded in an attempt to do so?
Dale smiled softly, No, he answered. I was a bit
taken aback, but also relieved. I guess I really can't
(09:21):
hold my liquor. Swallowing my apprehension, I uttered, Okay, your turn.
What's your name? I frowned, Leah, You know it's Leah.
Why would you ask that to check if you know
my turn? Why do you have the words no return
tattooed on your back? I shot him a weird look.
(09:44):
But before I could ask how he knew of my tattoos,
he added, I found an older photo of you in
a bikini and a participation register for a swimming contest.
I researched all of my employees backgrounds extensively, so I sighed,
it's a long story. The night's young, and I've got
time don't make up excuses. Well, all right, I used
(10:07):
to be a complete cry baby. The tattoo is to
remind me that whining is useless once a certain point
has been reached, you know how like when you're going
to ride on a roller coaster and you don't actually
want to, but there's people in line behind you, so
you just sit down in the wagon and all you
can think about is how scared you are, but you
can't go back out. You've missed your chance to chicken
(10:28):
out because now the thing has started moving. Then you
realize it's pointless to be frightened now because now whatever
is going to happen will happen. There's no escape, you know,
no return. And Dale was staring at me with an intensity.
I hadn't thought him to be capable of you keep
saying you but you do mean yourself, right, he asked,
(10:51):
in a surprisingly gentle tone. Is that how you stopped
being afraid? You were sitting in a roller coaster wagon
knowing that you can't stop anything from happening to you anymore,
so you just decided to enjoy the moment.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I shrugged.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I think so there was this feeling of inevitability, you know,
something about it was insanely thrilling. Apparently that's what it
took for me to realize that sometimes things that seem
scary aren't actually a threat. You know, it works the
other way round, too, right. For some reason, that sounded
like a warning.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I do.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Also, you just wasted two questions. The next thing I
want to know is you forced you to poison Nathan.
Dale stared into his glass for what seemed like an
eternity before slowly shaking his head. Can't tell, he said, huskily. Okay,
then next one. What's stopping you from telling me these things?
(11:47):
To this, he actually responded, something terrible would happen if
I did. I mean something really, really, really bad. I
can't tell you what, but you can just about guess
how bad it would be bad enough for you to
poison your lover, I muttered. Dale nodded my turn. Why
(12:08):
are you so obsessed with finding out what's going on here?
I mean you could hand in your notice to quit tomorrow,
get the hell out of here and never come back.
I'm too invested, I stated truthfully. I want to help Nathan.
I think there's a way of saving him. I can
sense it. I also want to help all the others. Plus,
I'm curious. I think I think I've reached the point
(12:31):
of no return, is what I'm saying. You haven't, Dale
muttered sternly. I ignored him. So, next one, how many
people have you turned into predators already?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Just one?
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Just Nathan, no one else.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I raised a brow.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I had not expected that, however, Dale wasn't done yet.
If you were to ask me how many got turned
by the ones before me, the answer would be a
different one. Yes, but I know that there's eight pretenders,
so it'd be eight people, right if we're counting the
coachman as only one person. Dale slowly shook his head.
Can't tell, he whispered. Now, I truly was beyond confused.
(13:20):
My turn, he added. After a short pause, he asked,
did you notice anything changing about yourself lately? I nodded,
I did, I answered, in a quiet voice. Dale let
go of a soft side. For a split second, he
looked like he was going to say something, but he
simply motioned for me to take my turn. What's behind
(13:43):
the locked door in the men's restroom on the outskirts
of Hollywood. Dale shook his head and took a sip
of his whiskey can't tell. He mouthed, fine, well, how
do I get in there?
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Then?
Speaker 1 (13:55):
If I were you, he began leaning forward, looking me
in the eyes, I'd pray it never comes to that.
To be honest, I'd never thought you'd find out about
it at all. Snoop around the rest of the park
as much as you want, but stay the hell away
from that door. It's for your own good. In a
lighter tone, he added, also, that was my turn. Just now,
(14:18):
let's see, is there a person in the park you
really care about?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
I mean, obviously I care about all of my coworkers,
and most of the pretenders too. I see, what about
the laughing cowboy?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
What about him?
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Dang it, we just wasted one question each. Dale groaned
in frustration. This is hard when you're tipsy. Tipsy, dude,
you were all already tipsy when I got here. Now
you're simply hammered. Yeah, you're right. What I wanted to
ask was do you care about him? I frowned, weird
(14:56):
thing to ask, Yeah, sure I do, but not anymore
than for the other pretenders.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Are you lying? No? I have no reason to. Dale
looked at.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Me with the narrowed eyes, I really do think you're lying. Yeah,
well whatever, man, that's another question gone by the way.
So it's my turn. Why do you never talk to Nathan?
He deserves closure in my opinion, Dale suddenly grew very stern.
He deserves so much more than that. But see, when
(15:27):
you've stolen a person's entire life from someone you love,
at that you don't want to think about it, and
you most certainly don't want to look him in the eyes.
At least I don't. He wouldn't understand. But back then,
I just there there. He began to stutter, and his
voice trailed off. There was no other way, he finally whispered,
(15:50):
before raising his glass to his lips and gulping down
its remaining contents. What do you think of me? He
then asked, looking up at me with weary bloodshe I
took a deep breath before answering, I think you're not
what you seem. I think somewhere deep down you're a
(16:10):
good person. Never mind scratch that. Maybe not good, but
like chaotic, neutral or something. You hide behind booze, your
douchey attitude and dirty.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Jokes, but you do it all to uphold your.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Smug, tough Devil may Care front. I let go of
a sigh and tilted my head. All in all, I
do think you're not a complete asshole, even though you're
not making it easy, I swallowed before asking my next question.
Am I right? Dale stared at me for a little while. Yeah,
(16:44):
you are, he finally said, But you forgot something really important.
I'm a guy who follows orders. Also, I'm a family man.
Make of that what you will. He straightened up in
his seat. I'm next. When looking into a mirror, is
it your reflection you see or someone else's? Uh? I?
(17:07):
I didn't know how to answer that. I instinctively remembered
the strange incident yesterday and how for a second the
reflection in that bathroom mirror had not felt.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Like my own.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
You're hesitating, Tail remarked. It usually feels like mine, but
yesterday it was different for a moment, I finally replied.
My manager nodded. He reached out to grab the bottle,
but I quickly pulled it away from him. Let's take
a slow for now, I told him, and to my surprise,
he listened and sat back. Why are you asking me
(17:40):
these weird questions? I inquired to find out if it started, yet,
he said dryly, quietly, something in his voice a shiver
down my spine. It shouldn't have, he went on. I
did nothing to trigger it, but for some reason you're affected.
Be it only a very subtle way, and don't waste
(18:02):
a question on what kind of process it is I'm
talking about. You know he was right. I knew. Am
I going to be okay? I asked, finding myself afraid
of the response for the first time since I had
met him. Dale gave me a genuinely reassuring smile. That depends,
(18:24):
but I'll try my best to keep you the way
you are right now. Feel free to keep on investigating.
I can assure you it's got little to do with it.
He closed his eyes, taking some time to think. Do
you have a history of getting screwed over by people?
Or is this the first time? He suddenly asked, very bluntly.
I flinched. What I stammered, I don't understand. Dale shook
(18:49):
his head. Never mind, I shouldn't have asked that. It's
still my turn. I think, could you give Nathan something
from me? It's uh, it's as plushy he sat it
since he was a kid, and it's still lying around here.
I want him to have it back. Maybe it'll help
him feel less lonely. At the very least it'll stop
staring at me with its hateful, accusing little eyes. Sure,
(19:13):
I'll bring him the plushy, I said, unable to suppress
a slight smile. Dale got up and walked over to
the pantry, returning with a stuffed stork, which he threw
at me. I caught at midair, and he sat back down.
I admit I was a bit worried. He had seemed
rather wobbly on his feet. Why are you helping me
(19:33):
all of a sudden Visit't it obvious it's about Nathan.
As unlikely as it seems, you might find a way
to release him. After all, you did find out about
the restroom. Who knows what you can do. I'm unable
to help it anyway. As I said, stuff will happen
if I try. But you you're not bound by anything. I
(19:56):
watch him, you know, and I see when you come.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
To visit him.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Whatever it is you're doing, I think it's working at
least one thing's for sure. The more you know, the
more confident you are that there's a way of saving him,
and This confidence is what makes him happy. So please,
for the love of God, keep it up. This had
caught me off guard. I stared at him with wide,
incredulous eyes. How do I know I can trust you?
(20:23):
You don't? Still? I hope you will. It'll be much
easier for the both of us. Also, you've got only
four questions left? Can you try to use them a
little more wisely? I nodded and bit my lip. Who
was standing behind me on Halloween night last year, I uttered,
holding his gaze expectantly. Upper management, Dale said with a
(20:45):
dry chuckle. We who now claim ownership of this land
are aware of and willing to pay the price.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
What does that mean?
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I can't tell you exactly, but it means I have
to obey. It means everyone in my family has to.
Is there something in the park I should be particularly
scared of that I should avoid. My voice had grown
low with nervousness. There is, but I can't tell you what.
(21:17):
Suddenly I noticed something weird. Why are we even playing
this game? I mean, you could just answer my questions
the normal way. Upper management would know. I'm not sure how,
but they always know what I'm doing. They're watching me
when they think I might do something stupid, but for
some reason, the concept of games is beyond them. When
(21:37):
I say that something's just a game, they'll think nothing
of it. That's because everything that can be said in
a game can simply be a lie. Half truths and
lies confuse them. So yeah, I still have to be
careful though. That's why I can't answer all of your questions.
My last question, is there anything else you think might
(21:58):
help me, like some useful piece of advice? Dale gave
me a thin smile, Iron laurel, silver, sage, salt, and
red verbena. Those are your best friends. We continue to
stare at one another for a little while before my
(22:20):
manager spoke up once again. You seem to be really
into this, so I didn't want to interrupt you. But
I've got like five more questions. But there isn't a
lot I want to know, though, Just one thing. He paused,
and I tilted my head.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
What is it? I breathed.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Dale had taken his empty glass and was now fumbling
around with it, tracing its brim with the tips of
his fingers. It was almost hypnotic. He finally looked up
at me and asked, in a slow, empty tone, do
you know that you're being watched whenever you're at the park.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
I didn't know how to respond.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
I stared at him in shocking confusion, before finally regaining
my composure.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Surely, being watched.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Was not the most absurd thing out of everything I
knew happened around the park. So why was I so
unsettled by that thought?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
I see?
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Dale finally said. My reaction had apparently been enough of
an answer. Suddenly he grew very silent, his expression darkened.
He murmured something about excusing himself to go to the bathroom.
I merely nodded and stayed in my seat. I remember
thinking that he sure was taking some time. Then, only
(23:34):
seconds after I had finished that thought, I heard the gunshot.
The moment the sound pierced my ears, I entered a weird,
surprisingly controlled state of panic. I was scared shitless, but
I wasn't frozen in place. I shot up and ran
to the door I had seen Dale enter only a
few minutes ago. I tore it open and found my
(23:57):
manager cowering on the floor inside and lying next to him.
He was bleeding from his upper arm and pressing his
hand on the wound, his face contorted in agony.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
What did you do?
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I shouted, rushing up to him and heaving him to
his feet. He was heavy and I had trouble holding
him upright, but at least he didn't fight it. Holy hell,
damn it. Where's your car keys? We need to get
you to the hospital. Dale groaned in pain, but vehemently
shook his head. No, no hospital. My parents will freak
out if they find out about this. Please just take
(24:30):
me into the living room, I complied, and carefully walked
him over to the couch. He slowly lowered himself down
on it. What the hell was that just now? I hissed.
My hands were coated in his blood, and I was shaking.
I hated Dale a little bit for being so calm.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
All.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
I'll explain later. You've got to help me take off
my shirt. I need to check the bullets stuck in
my arm. I shook my head in disbelief, but eventually
assisted Dale and pulling his long sleeve caught and shirt
over his head. The moment it came off and revealed
his upper body, though I couldn't help it let out
a sharp scream. The skin on his chest, left arm,
(25:11):
and stomach were covered in large, long cuts in various
stages of healing. Some were fresh, red and scabby, others
looking like they had already healed years ago, as there
was nothing but thin white scars left of them. The
gashes even overlapped in several places. Still, the words they
(25:32):
were forming were legible. It was the same sentence covered
into his flesh, over and over again. My name is Dale.
He looked up at me with glazed, hooded eyes. In
case I forget, he mouthed. The rest of the night
passed in a bit of a daze. I found that
(25:53):
the bullet, in fact, wasn't stuck in his arm, for
it had only grazed him. I later discovered it stuck
in one of the bathroom walls. He told me where
I could find his first aid kit, and I spent
about fifteen minutes carefully bandaging his arm. When I asked
him why he had wounded himself, he told me he
didn't know. Apparently he had lost control over his body
(26:15):
in front of the mirror for a second, and the
next thing he had known was that he had a
bullet wound in his arm, presumably having acquired the gun
from its usual spot in the dresser outside the bathroom, door.
He seemed disturbingly unfazed by this, and when I asked
him why, he said something about how this happened quite
(26:36):
a lot amongst members of his family. He had returned
to his quiet former self, the talkative Dale from earlier
having vanished. I asked if it was Upper Management who
did this to him, but he just chuckled dryly without
giving any definitive answer. I urged him to at least
see a doctor in the morning, to which he thankfully,
(26:57):
albeit reluctantly, complied. I really hope he's going to be
all right until then. According to Dale, this had only
happened to him once before, namely when he had lost
control at the age of sixteen and ended up stabbing
his hand with a fork. I wonder if these fits
are a way of Upper Management to punish people whenever
(27:17):
they're giving out too much information about them. Whatever these
beings are that are controlling him and his family, they
have to be pretty damn sadistic to do this to them.
I waited until Dale went to sleep before getting on
my way home, not before taking another look at his arm, though,
to my relief, we found that the bleeding had stopped.
(27:38):
We had agreed that I would take the gun with
me and return it to him at the park the
following day so he could keep it in his office
for emergencies. He said he really didn't want it around
his home for a couple of days, which I found
perfectly understandable. Before I left, however, Dale told me one
last thing. Checked the dresser in the hallway. There's a
(27:59):
press for you in there, he mumbled into his pillow.
I want you to have it.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (28:05):
I inquired. You'll know when you see it. You've seen
it before.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
I know you have.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
He paused to let out a yawn before adding drowsily,
Little Birdie told me. I did as he told me.
At first, I couldn't spot anything familiar in any of
the drawers until I came across a certain object lying
on top a bunch of magazines in the lowermost one.
It was the old wood handled revolver. I had arranged
(28:33):
with Mitchell to pick me up after two hours. I
had figured that would be enough, and it turns out
I was right. When I stepped outside Dale's apartment building,
I found his car parked right in front of it
on the sidewalk. I got in and plopped down on
the passenger seat, sinking into the cushions with a deep sigh.
Your ride's been awaiting, my lady, my colleague greeted me jokingly.
(28:58):
I was getting a bit worried already. Seriously, I'm basically
your personal chauffeur. At this point, he instantly fell silent
when he laid eyes on the red stain on my shirt.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Oh holy hell, what happened? Are you all right?
Speaker 1 (29:11):
It's not my blood, I explained before you ask Dale's
fine as well. Okay, maybe not entirely, but that's not
because of me. I was too tired to explain everything
that had happened to him in detail, but I gave
him a vague rundown of what had happened. Mitchell's main
concern was whether I was feeling okay after all this stress,
(29:32):
but I assured him that I was all right and
that my manager was the one to worry about. I
didn't tell him about Dale's gift or Nathan's stuffed animal,
though perhaps it was because I was too exhausted, or
maybe I simply wasn't in the mood to hear his opinion.
In hindsight, I would have loved to ask a Dale
so many other questions. It feels just like taking a test.
(29:55):
The best thing's always coming to mind when it's already over.
Maybe I'll get another check. Chants to ask him these
things on a different occasion. Then again, who knows if
you'll answer either way. I returned home with a borrowed gun,
a stork plushy, and the mysterious ornate revolver. I think
I've never gotten this much out of any of my
(30:16):
interactions with my manager before.
After yesterday's chaos, my time at work today was surprisingly peaceful. However,
the knowledge that I would be meeting my manager later
on hung over me like a specter. On my way
to the sock Puppets cage, I picked up my backpack,
which I had left next to the restroom's door yesterday.
I by no means wanted to go in there alone,
(00:36):
so I just hurriedly snatched it up from the ground
and got on my way. After my routine with mister Scratch,
I went for the stagecoach to see Nathan. I have
noticed that whenever I would come to visit him, he
would drop his usual gloomy and grim demeanor and take
on a more lively personality. I've grown very fond of
(00:57):
him over these last few days. Huge motivation for me
to keep doing what I'm doing, And even though he
keeps denying that there's a way of saving him, I've
made it clear that I won't stop trying. I brought
him some candy as always, and a book for him
to entertain himself. You're spoiling me, he said with a
grin as he unwrapped a piece of bubble gum. No,
(01:20):
but seriously, thanks you don't always have to bring me stuff, though,
you know I appreciate the company most. I smiled at him, before,
in a more serious manner, informing him about Dale's invitation.
Nathan thought for a while, pensively chewing on his gum.
I looked at him attentively, just sitting and talking to him.
(01:44):
It's pretty obvious to me why Dale would like him
so much. Nathan might be disheveled and smelly due to
him being forced to stay on the carriage, but it
doesn't obscure his good looks. He is very handsome in
a fragile, soft way. I know it sounds stupid, but
I cannot stop comparing his eyes to that of a cow.
(02:05):
They look so gentle and soulful. Something about him makes
me feel like if I touch him, he might shatter
like a piece of very fine, thin glass. He's the
kind of person one cannot help I feel protective of.
There's no use in denying it. I was torn back
into reality by a loud pop. I flinched, and Nathan
(02:25):
grinned at me as he licked up the remains of
the bubblegum which had burst on his face. Did that
startle you? He asked? With a mischievous smirk. A little bit,
I admitted, So what do you think? He leaned back
in his seat and sighed deeply. If you'd asked me
before this happened, I would have probably said there was
(02:47):
no need to be worried. But it happened, and I'm
stuck here. We both know what he did to me.
I don't know him anymore. Maybe I never did. I
can't tell if he's gonna try and do something to you,
but it's definitely possible. Don't be like me and let
your guard down. I nodded. I won't, I uttered, dryly,
(03:10):
staring off into the distance. Could you do me a favor? Sure,
Nathan replied, chewing with an open mouth.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I took the laurel iron nail and silver earrings out
of my backpack and handed them to him. Please hold
these for a little while and tell me how they feel.
Nathan looked a bit confused, but eventually nodded. He fondled
the bay leaves for a bit, turning the twig to
either side as if to study it. When he was done,
(03:41):
he focused on the nail, pinching himself with it a
couple times before putting it aside to examine the silver.
They're pretty, he said, holding up the ear rings. They
look like tiny leaves. That's cute. Did any of these
hurt you in a way? Offered Nathan shook his head. No,
(04:03):
why would they It's just some twig and nail and
some earrings.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Is there like.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Anything special about them? Did I miss it? No? No,
they're fine, I muttered. This didn't make any sense, although
I might be reading into it too much, but when
I held that twig, I kind of wanted to break
it for a moment, he added, with a pensive look
(04:30):
on his face. Don't ask me why. It was just
like like an instinct or something. At exactly eight PM,
I rang the doorbell to Dale's apartment. It was in
a nice, large building, which in a way reminded me
of my own home, except that it was way more
spacious and clean. One could immediately tell whoever lived in
(04:53):
there had money. I had taken all possible precautions. I
had informed every single one of my coworkers where I
would spend my evening. Bought a bottle of whiskey at
the corner store where I already got the chocolate and tobacco.
A few days prior, and even brought my own reusable
plastic cup just in case i'd need it. My manager
(05:15):
opened only seconds after me ringing the doorbell, almost like
he had been standing right behind the door waiting for
me to arrive. He was looking less uptight than usual.
Maybe the alcohol he had quite obviously already been consuming
prior to my arrival had made him loosen up a bit,
but he actually greeted me with a smile. I can't
(05:36):
believe you actually came, he said, sounding genuinely surprised. I
thought you'd stand me up. I really did. I'm a
lady of honor, I replied, I keep my promises. He
stood by and gestured for me to come in. His
apartment was roomy, but kind of empty from the looks
of it. Dale had always struck me as a simple guy,
(05:57):
so it didn't come as a shock to me that
he had no use for all this space. Remembering that,
according to Nathan, they had once lived in here together,
I couldn't help but wonder if it had actually felt
alive and homely.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
At some point, Dale led.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Me into the living room, where he invited me to
take a seat. I plopped down on the large black
leather couch he had pointed at, placing the whiskey I
had brought on the small table in front of it. Hey, awesome,
and Dale muttered at the sight. I'll go get some glasses.
You'll only need one for yourself, I stated, producing the
plastic cut from my bag. Colossie, he commented with a smirk.
(06:38):
He vanished into the kitchen for a few seconds before returning, Well,
I get it. You've been spending an awful lot of
time with Nathan after all. He sat down and placed
the glass he had brought on the table before, with
some effort, opening my whiskey bottle. I watched attentively as
he poured each of us a drink and then placed
the bottle back on the table. Had he tampered with it,
(07:02):
I would have noticed. Dale raised his glass to me
before emptying it in one swift gulp. So why am
I here? Exactly? I inquired. We're going to play a game,
he said, grabbing the bottle to refill his glass once more.
We're going to play twenty questions, but I've changed the
rules a little bit. You may ask me absolutely anything.
(07:25):
My eyes widened, like yes or no questions? Or will
I be getting actual answers depends on the question. Also,
there's another option, can't tell you ask me something and
I either respond with yes, no, a more detailed answer,
or by shaking my head. That would mean that I
am unable to give you any answer at all. So
(07:47):
it means neither yes nor no, nor anything in between.
Oh and by the way, the same rules apply for me.
I can also ask you stuff that clear, I nodded,
still beachless, sweet, Should we do a test round or
jump right into the serious business. That'd be your chance
to ask something silly test round? I quickly replied, okay,
(08:11):
fair you star, Oh all right.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Um.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
My voice trailed off as I tried to think of
a good first question. This was awesome, but I had
a feeling I shouldn't start with anything too heavy. Anything
funny would do. Six inches, Dale suddenly said, before taking
a sip of his whiskey. It took me a while
to catch on, dude, I wasn't going to ask that,
and you know it, I hissed, how much does you drink?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Already?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Good question, my manager muttered, Now, to be honest, I
don't know, but there's an empty wine bottle in the trash,
so that should tell you quite a lot my turn.
He thought for a few seconds before asking, do you
like Nathan? Yes, I replied, nodding, Yeah, right, who doesn't? Okay,
(09:00):
should we get started for real? Then I nodded once again,
and Dale motioned for me to begin. Have you, in
the past, or at any given point in time, tried
to poison me or succeeded in an attempt to do so?
Dale smiled softly, No, he answered. I was a bit
taken aback, but also relieved. I guess I really can't
(09:21):
hold my liquor. Swallowing my apprehension, I uttered, Okay, your turn.
What's your name? I frowned, Leah, You know it's Leah.
Why would you ask that to check if you know
my turn? Why do you have the words no return
tattooed on your back? I shot him a weird look.
(09:44):
But before I could ask how he knew of my tattoos,
he added, I found an older photo of you in
a bikini and a participation register for a swimming contest.
I researched all of my employees backgrounds extensively, so I sighed,
it's a long story. The night's young, and I've got
time don't make up excuses. Well, all right, I used
(10:07):
to be a complete cry baby. The tattoo is to
remind me that whining is useless once a certain point
has been reached, you know how like when you're going
to ride on a roller coaster and you don't actually
want to, but there's people in line behind you, so
you just sit down in the wagon and all you
can think about is how scared you are, but you
can't go back out. You've missed your chance to chicken
(10:28):
out because now the thing has started moving. Then you
realize it's pointless to be frightened now because now whatever
is going to happen will happen. There's no escape, you know,
no return. And Dale was staring at me with an intensity.
I hadn't thought him to be capable of you keep
saying you but you do mean yourself, right, he asked,
(10:51):
in a surprisingly gentle tone. Is that how you stopped
being afraid? You were sitting in a roller coaster wagon
knowing that you can't stop anything from happening to you anymore,
so you just decided to enjoy the moment.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I shrugged.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I think so there was this feeling of inevitability, you know,
something about it was insanely thrilling. Apparently that's what it
took for me to realize that sometimes things that seem
scary aren't actually a threat. You know, it works the
other way round, too, right. For some reason, that sounded
like a warning.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I do.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Also, you just wasted two questions. The next thing I
want to know is you forced you to poison Nathan.
Dale stared into his glass for what seemed like an
eternity before slowly shaking his head. Can't tell, he said, huskily. Okay,
then next one. What's stopping you from telling me these things?
(11:47):
To this, he actually responded, something terrible would happen if
I did. I mean something really, really, really bad. I
can't tell you what, but you can just about guess
how bad it would be bad enough for you to
poison your lover, I muttered. Dale nodded my turn. Why
(12:08):
are you so obsessed with finding out what's going on here?
I mean you could hand in your notice to quit tomorrow,
get the hell out of here and never come back.
I'm too invested, I stated truthfully. I want to help Nathan.
I think there's a way of saving him. I can
sense it. I also want to help all the others. Plus,
I'm curious. I think I think I've reached the point
(12:31):
of no return, is what I'm saying. You haven't, Dale
muttered sternly. I ignored him. So, next one, how many
people have you turned into predators already?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Just one?
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Just Nathan, no one else.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I raised a brow.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I had not expected that, however, Dale wasn't done yet.
If you were to ask me how many got turned
by the ones before me, the answer would be a
different one. Yes, but I know that there's eight pretenders,
so it'd be eight people, right if we're counting the
coachman as only one person. Dale slowly shook his head.
Can't tell, he whispered. Now, I truly was beyond confused.
(13:20):
My turn, he added. After a short pause, he asked,
did you notice anything changing about yourself lately? I nodded,
I did, I answered, in a quiet voice. Dale let
go of a soft side. For a split second, he
looked like he was going to say something, but he
simply motioned for me to take my turn. What's behind
(13:43):
the locked door in the men's restroom on the outskirts
of Hollywood. Dale shook his head and took a sip
of his whiskey can't tell. He mouthed, fine, well, how
do I get in there?
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Then?
Speaker 1 (13:55):
If I were you, he began leaning forward, looking me
in the eyes, I'd pray it never comes to that.
To be honest, I'd never thought you'd find out about
it at all. Snoop around the rest of the park
as much as you want, but stay the hell away
from that door. It's for your own good. In a
lighter tone, he added, also, that was my turn. Just now,
(14:18):
let's see, is there a person in the park you
really care about?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
I mean, obviously I care about all of my coworkers,
and most of the pretenders too. I see, what about
the laughing cowboy?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
What about him?
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Dang it, we just wasted one question each. Dale groaned
in frustration. This is hard when you're tipsy. Tipsy, dude,
you were all already tipsy when I got here. Now
you're simply hammered. Yeah, you're right. What I wanted to
ask was do you care about him? I frowned, weird
(14:56):
thing to ask, Yeah, sure I do, but not anymore
than for the other pretenders.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Are you lying? No? I have no reason to. Dale
looked at.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Me with the narrowed eyes, I really do think you're lying. Yeah,
well whatever, man, that's another question gone by the way.
So it's my turn. Why do you never talk to Nathan?
He deserves closure in my opinion, Dale suddenly grew very stern.
He deserves so much more than that. But see, when
(15:27):
you've stolen a person's entire life from someone you love,
at that you don't want to think about it, and
you most certainly don't want to look him in the eyes.
At least I don't. He wouldn't understand. But back then,
I just there there. He began to stutter, and his
voice trailed off. There was no other way, he finally whispered,
(15:50):
before raising his glass to his lips and gulping down
its remaining contents. What do you think of me? He
then asked, looking up at me with weary bloodshe I
took a deep breath before answering, I think you're not
what you seem. I think somewhere deep down you're a
(16:10):
good person. Never mind scratch that. Maybe not good, but
like chaotic, neutral or something. You hide behind booze, your
douchey attitude and dirty.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Jokes, but you do it all to uphold your.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Smug, tough Devil may Care front. I let go of
a sigh and tilted my head. All in all, I
do think you're not a complete asshole, even though you're
not making it easy, I swallowed before asking my next question.
Am I right? Dale stared at me for a little while. Yeah,
(16:44):
you are, he finally said, But you forgot something really important.
I'm a guy who follows orders. Also, I'm a family man.
Make of that what you will. He straightened up in
his seat. I'm next. When looking into a mirror, is
it your reflection you see or someone else's? Uh? I?
(17:07):
I didn't know how to answer that. I instinctively remembered
the strange incident yesterday and how for a second the
reflection in that bathroom mirror had not felt.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Like my own.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
You're hesitating, Tail remarked. It usually feels like mine, but
yesterday it was different for a moment, I finally replied.
My manager nodded. He reached out to grab the bottle,
but I quickly pulled it away from him. Let's take
a slow for now, I told him, and to my surprise,
he listened and sat back. Why are you asking me
(17:40):
these weird questions? I inquired to find out if it started, yet,
he said dryly, quietly, something in his voice a shiver
down my spine. It shouldn't have, he went on. I
did nothing to trigger it, but for some reason you're affected.
Be it only a very subtle way, and don't waste
(18:02):
a question on what kind of process it is I'm
talking about. You know he was right. I knew. Am
I going to be okay? I asked, finding myself afraid
of the response for the first time since I had
met him. Dale gave me a genuinely reassuring smile. That depends,
(18:24):
but I'll try my best to keep you the way
you are right now. Feel free to keep on investigating.
I can assure you it's got little to do with it.
He closed his eyes, taking some time to think. Do
you have a history of getting screwed over by people?
Or is this the first time? He suddenly asked, very bluntly.
I flinched. What I stammered, I don't understand. Dale shook
(18:49):
his head. Never mind, I shouldn't have asked that. It's
still my turn. I think, could you give Nathan something
from me? It's uh, it's as plushy he sat it
since he was a kid, and it's still lying around here.
I want him to have it back. Maybe it'll help
him feel less lonely. At the very least it'll stop
staring at me with its hateful, accusing little eyes. Sure,
(19:13):
I'll bring him the plushy, I said, unable to suppress
a slight smile. Dale got up and walked over to
the pantry, returning with a stuffed stork, which he threw
at me. I caught at midair, and he sat back down.
I admit I was a bit worried. He had seemed
rather wobbly on his feet. Why are you helping me
(19:33):
all of a sudden Visit't it obvious it's about Nathan.
As unlikely as it seems, you might find a way
to release him. After all, you did find out about
the restroom. Who knows what you can do. I'm unable
to help it anyway. As I said, stuff will happen
if I try. But you you're not bound by anything. I
(19:56):
watch him, you know, and I see when you come.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
To visit him.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Whatever it is you're doing, I think it's working at
least one thing's for sure. The more you know, the
more confident you are that there's a way of saving him,
and This confidence is what makes him happy. So please,
for the love of God, keep it up. This had
caught me off guard. I stared at him with wide,
incredulous eyes. How do I know I can trust you?
(20:23):
You don't? Still? I hope you will. It'll be much
easier for the both of us. Also, you've got only
four questions left? Can you try to use them a
little more wisely? I nodded and bit my lip. Who
was standing behind me on Halloween night last year, I uttered,
holding his gaze expectantly. Upper management, Dale said with a
(20:45):
dry chuckle. We who now claim ownership of this land
are aware of and willing to pay the price.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
What does that mean?
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I can't tell you exactly, but it means I have
to obey. It means everyone in my family has to.
Is there something in the park I should be particularly
scared of that I should avoid. My voice had grown
low with nervousness. There is, but I can't tell you what.
(21:17):
Suddenly I noticed something weird. Why are we even playing
this game? I mean, you could just answer my questions
the normal way. Upper management would know. I'm not sure how,
but they always know what I'm doing. They're watching me
when they think I might do something stupid, but for
some reason, the concept of games is beyond them. When
(21:37):
I say that something's just a game, they'll think nothing
of it. That's because everything that can be said in
a game can simply be a lie. Half truths and
lies confuse them. So yeah, I still have to be
careful though. That's why I can't answer all of your questions.
My last question, is there anything else you think might
(21:58):
help me, like some useful piece of advice? Dale gave
me a thin smile, Iron laurel, silver, sage, salt, and
red verbena. Those are your best friends. We continue to
stare at one another for a little while before my
(22:20):
manager spoke up once again. You seem to be really
into this, so I didn't want to interrupt you. But
I've got like five more questions. But there isn't a
lot I want to know, though, Just one thing. He paused,
and I tilted my head.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
What is it? I breathed.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Dale had taken his empty glass and was now fumbling
around with it, tracing its brim with the tips of
his fingers. It was almost hypnotic. He finally looked up
at me and asked, in a slow, empty tone, do
you know that you're being watched whenever you're at the park.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
I didn't know how to respond.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
I stared at him in shocking confusion, before finally regaining
my composure.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Surely, being watched.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Was not the most absurd thing out of everything I
knew happened around the park. So why was I so
unsettled by that thought?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
I see?
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Dale finally said. My reaction had apparently been enough of
an answer. Suddenly he grew very silent, his expression darkened.
He murmured something about excusing himself to go to the bathroom.
I merely nodded and stayed in my seat. I remember
thinking that he sure was taking some time. Then, only
(23:34):
seconds after I had finished that thought, I heard the gunshot.
The moment the sound pierced my ears, I entered a weird,
surprisingly controlled state of panic. I was scared shitless, but
I wasn't frozen in place. I shot up and ran
to the door I had seen Dale enter only a
few minutes ago. I tore it open and found my
(23:57):
manager cowering on the floor inside and lying next to him.
He was bleeding from his upper arm and pressing his
hand on the wound, his face contorted in agony.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
What did you do?
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I shouted, rushing up to him and heaving him to
his feet. He was heavy and I had trouble holding
him upright, but at least he didn't fight it. Holy hell,
damn it. Where's your car keys? We need to get
you to the hospital. Dale groaned in pain, but vehemently
shook his head. No, no hospital. My parents will freak
out if they find out about this. Please just take
(24:30):
me into the living room, I complied, and carefully walked
him over to the couch. He slowly lowered himself down
on it. What the hell was that just now? I hissed.
My hands were coated in his blood, and I was shaking.
I hated Dale a little bit for being so calm.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
All.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
I'll explain later. You've got to help me take off
my shirt. I need to check the bullets stuck in
my arm. I shook my head in disbelief, but eventually
assisted Dale and pulling his long sleeve caught and shirt
over his head. The moment it came off and revealed
his upper body, though I couldn't help it let out
a sharp scream. The skin on his chest, left arm,
(25:11):
and stomach were covered in large, long cuts in various
stages of healing. Some were fresh, red and scabby, others
looking like they had already healed years ago, as there
was nothing but thin white scars left of them. The
gashes even overlapped in several places. Still, the words they
(25:32):
were forming were legible. It was the same sentence covered
into his flesh, over and over again. My name is Dale.
He looked up at me with glazed, hooded eyes. In
case I forget, he mouthed. The rest of the night
passed in a bit of a daze. I found that
(25:53):
the bullet, in fact, wasn't stuck in his arm, for
it had only grazed him. I later discovered it stuck
in one of the bathroom walls. He told me where
I could find his first aid kit, and I spent
about fifteen minutes carefully bandaging his arm. When I asked
him why he had wounded himself, he told me he
didn't know. Apparently he had lost control over his body
(26:15):
in front of the mirror for a second, and the
next thing he had known was that he had a
bullet wound in his arm, presumably having acquired the gun
from its usual spot in the dresser outside the bathroom, door.
He seemed disturbingly unfazed by this, and when I asked
him why, he said something about how this happened quite
(26:36):
a lot amongst members of his family. He had returned
to his quiet former self, the talkative Dale from earlier
having vanished. I asked if it was Upper Management who
did this to him, but he just chuckled dryly without
giving any definitive answer. I urged him to at least
see a doctor in the morning, to which he thankfully,
(26:57):
albeit reluctantly, complied. I really hope he's going to be
all right until then. According to Dale, this had only
happened to him once before, namely when he had lost
control at the age of sixteen and ended up stabbing
his hand with a fork. I wonder if these fits
are a way of Upper Management to punish people whenever
(27:17):
they're giving out too much information about them. Whatever these
beings are that are controlling him and his family, they
have to be pretty damn sadistic to do this to them.
I waited until Dale went to sleep before getting on
my way home, not before taking another look at his arm, though,
to my relief, we found that the bleeding had stopped.
(27:38):
We had agreed that I would take the gun with
me and return it to him at the park the
following day so he could keep it in his office
for emergencies. He said he really didn't want it around
his home for a couple of days, which I found
perfectly understandable. Before I left, however, Dale told me one
last thing. Checked the dresser in the hallway. There's a
(27:59):
press for you in there, he mumbled into his pillow.
I want you to have it.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (28:05):
I inquired. You'll know when you see it. You've seen
it before.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
I know you have.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
He paused to let out a yawn before adding drowsily,
Little Birdie told me. I did as he told me.
At first, I couldn't spot anything familiar in any of
the drawers until I came across a certain object lying
on top a bunch of magazines in the lowermost one.
It was the old wood handled revolver. I had arranged
(28:33):
with Mitchell to pick me up after two hours. I
had figured that would be enough, and it turns out
I was right. When I stepped outside Dale's apartment building,
I found his car parked right in front of it
on the sidewalk. I got in and plopped down on
the passenger seat, sinking into the cushions with a deep sigh.
Your ride's been awaiting, my lady, my colleague greeted me jokingly.
(28:58):
I was getting a bit worried already. Seriously, I'm basically
your personal chauffeur. At this point, he instantly fell silent
when he laid eyes on the red stain on my shirt.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Oh holy hell, what happened? Are you all right?
Speaker 1 (29:11):
It's not my blood, I explained before you ask Dale's
fine as well. Okay, maybe not entirely, but that's not
because of me. I was too tired to explain everything
that had happened to him in detail, but I gave
him a vague rundown of what had happened. Mitchell's main
concern was whether I was feeling okay after all this stress,
(29:32):
but I assured him that I was all right and
that my manager was the one to worry about. I
didn't tell him about Dale's gift or Nathan's stuffed animal,
though perhaps it was because I was too exhausted, or
maybe I simply wasn't in the mood to hear his opinion.
In hindsight, I would have loved to ask a Dale
so many other questions. It feels just like taking a test.
(29:55):
The best thing's always coming to mind when it's already over.
Maybe I'll get another check. Chants to ask him these
things on a different occasion. Then again, who knows if
you'll answer either way. I returned home with a borrowed gun,
a stork plushy, and the mysterious ornate revolver. I think
I've never gotten this much out of any of my
(30:16):
interactions with my manager before.
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