The Skylark Bell - Chapter 12, Terror in the Night

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 11 – Terror in the night – Where Scarlet, Meadow Lane, The Skylark Bell, and Farfalla come together in a terrifying way!

Music: Nightbridge by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

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TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 11 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, The Dinner Date, Scarlet made a brief appearance to point out an etching in one of the bricks in the fireplace at Magpie’s house, and the name of the mysterious Farfalla came up again in conversation between Magpie her mother.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 11 – Terror in the night – Where Scarlet, Meadow Lane, and Farfalla come together in a terrifying way!

 So get cozy… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started!

Magpie is walking outside. In the faint moonlight she can tell she is standing by the side of the main road, just outside Pocket.  Behind her, she can hear the tinkling of the bell on Scarlet’s collar ‘jingle, jingle, jingle’. They are walking together, in the dark, heading toward home.  To Magpie’s left is Meadow Lane, the house in the distance completely dark and desolate.  They reach the point where the lane meets the road, and Scarlet starts trotting toward the old, abandoned house.  Magpie, without a second thought, scurries after her.  

Suddenly, Magpie realizes she can no longer hear the bell, even though Scarlet is still running up ahead.  Magpie stops in her tracks and calls out for Scarlet to stop, but there is no sound.  Panicked, she starts running after the cat, and realizes she can’t hear the gravel crunching beneath her feet.  Scarlet stops, just steps from the house, and turns to stare at Magpie, like there is something she wants Magpie to understand.

Feeling apprehensive, Magpie decides to follow the cat, who slowly makes its way to the back of the house.  The cat stands beneath a window and turns to look at Magpie. Magpie approaches cautiously and peers in the window. Inside the house she sees a woman in a wooden rocking chair wearing a long dress with lace trim, two small children sitting on the plank wood floor in front of her. Behind the children is a roaring fire in the fireplace. The woman is reading a book to the children,  and Magpie squints to make out the title: “The Skylark Belle” - Belle, with an E, like the belle of the ball...  how curious! 

Just then, Magpie feels Scarlet brush by her leg. They resume their macabre game of follow the leader and make their way toward the other side of the house. 

Once there, Scarlet steps into a small shed. Glancing back toward the road, Magpie reluctantly follows the cat. The inside of the shed is softly lit by the moonlight filtering through its small windows. There is a workbench below the windows, and on it Magpie can see a large piece of wood that someone has begun whittling into the shape of a bird. Several tools are strewn nearby. Scarlet hops onto the work bench and walks to the far end before sitting next to a small rounded object.  Shuffling carefully toward the cat, Magpie makes her way to the end of the workbench. Squinting, she vaguely makes out the shape of a bell. She can tell there is something etched into the bell but can’t quite make it out in the dark. If she could just hold it and feel its surface with her fingers she might be able to tell what it is… Magpie gingerly stretches her hand out to grab the bell when the cat suddenly jumps toward her, back arched, claws out, its mouth wide open like it is screeching, but of course no sound comes out.  Terrified, Magpie steps back, tripping on a garden tool and falling to the