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December 24, 2023 8 mins
This year for Christmas, Victoria celebrates by making life a little better for those in need of a Guide and some cheer. Enjoy this final of five special Christmas mini-audio celebrations for Christmas Eve.

"Pick a Card"

It's Christmas Eve and Victoria has someone to visit and share a little magic.

Cast (in order of appearance):
  • Carol: Mary Murphy
  • Victoria Bigglesworth-Hayes: Amber Loverling née Collins
Author: Christopher LongScore: Nico Vettese of the inky pawprint
Sound Design: Daniel Foytik of 9th Story Studios LLC
Art: jesse hawke of the inky pawprint
A 9th Story Studios, LLC Production, All rights reserved. | Foytik, Loverling, Vettese
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THEMES:
"The Lift Arrives, (Opening Theme Music):
"Victoria's Music Box, (Victoria's Theme)"
The Lift Closing Theme Music
Composed and Recorded by Nico Vettese of the inky pawprint
www.wetalkofdreams.com

FX:Sound FX: freesound.org, audioblocks.com
Producer / Editor / Creator: Daniel Foytik
Executive Producers: Amber Loverling, Nico Vettese
Visit The Lift: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Victoria's Twitter

Victoria's Lift and all core characters, places, and situations are property of Daniel Foytik, 9th Story Studios, LLC and may not be used in any form without explicit written permission.
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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Ninth Story Studios, James Story avoice. Welcome to the lift, get
ready to take a ride. Hello, I'm Daniel Foy Tech and I thank

(00:41):
you for joining us for a specialepisode of Victoria's Lyft. Today we're presenting
the final of five mini episodes forChristmas, called a Little Lyft for the
Holidays. Full sized episodes are coming, but until then, let's join Victoria
for today's tale. Pick a Cardby Christopher Long, told by Mary Murphy
and Amber Luverlin Nay Collins. Thankyou all of you for being a part

(01:03):
of Victoria's Christmas celebration. We'll bereturning in the new year. There they

(01:27):
sit waiting to be shuffled into theright configuration to make someone believe they've just
witnessed the impossible. Every year Ipractice one of Larry's tricks for the girl
who comes to visit me. Ifthere is such a thing as a year
here. My jail cell is tricky. It's full of forgeries. The door

(01:53):
which isn't my front door opens toreveal a corridor that doesn't belong there.
Carol, I was married to aman who pretended he could make objects appear
out of thin air. The scale'sdifferent. She's no magician. She's a
tightly wound spring of magic, asorcerer with pigtails. She also happens to

(02:17):
be my tailor. She sits acrossfrom me, noticing the cards are still
in their box. No trick thisyear. There's no hiding my exhaustion from
her. They're getting louder next door. It's hard to focus. I can

(02:43):
always hear their voices taunting me,trying to draw me into that room,
except the door's been locked ever sinceI first arrived. According to Victoria,
that's down to me, not her. Of course, that was me once
the other side of the wall,Me and Larry, back when he was

(03:04):
refusing to accept help and I wasstruggling to hold on to what was left
of him on my darker days.They play out our last argument, the
words I'd said to push him intoplanning his final escape, not with a
hidden lock pick, but with thepainkillers he'd palmed when I wasn't looking.

(03:30):
How would that I show you atrick? Instead, she presents me with
the banned deck. Pick a card, any card. Muscle memory kicks in.
Larry took me through so many trickswe'd be in a hotel room somewhere,
and he'd ask me if I wasready for the next one. Don't
show it to me. Turning mycard over, I find she somehow turned

(03:53):
it into an envelope with my nameon. That's Larry's handwriting. How did
you do that? Sorry, Carol, A magician never reveals their secrets.
Now go on open it. Ido, as untold ever the good assistant.

(04:15):
Inside it is a Christmas card.I don't recognize the bright, cheerful
illustration. I don't understand that's thelast Christmas card Lawrence sent you. Oh
it's not. I don't think I'llever forget that card. Larry couldn't leave
the apartment by our lost Christmas together. That's why when he asked, I

(04:40):
had to go out and buy onefor him. I got home to find
him sleeping, Or so I'd thought, until I saw the pills scattered over
the bit. It was always goodat misdirection. Please, Carol, read
it just once. Victoria's eyes lookas old and patient as the stars as

(05:04):
I skeptically skimmed down the shaky words. I take my breath away. I
read them again. I read themuntil my tears make it difficult to see.
When did he write this on theday he couldn't face putting you through
the pain any more. Only hehid the card too well. Once a

(05:27):
magician, always a magician. Isuppose that's why you never found it.
That's why you didn't know. Sherubs her hands together, places some on
mine. Now, are you readyfor the clever bit? Close your eyes
and hold on to that card tightly. Try to remember Larry, remember your

(05:49):
happiest memories together. The card inmy grip starts to shift. It becomes
smaller, colder as I remember Rosson stage, the laughter, the wonder,
the applause. Tedda a key tothat pesky lock door you've never been

(06:15):
able to pick open. The littleSorcerer smiles and shrugs. It's not that
I didn't enjoy the tricks every year. You just look like you needed a
little help. Thank you, thankyou so much. She gives me a
quick, tight hug, Happy Christmas, Carol, and with that she leaves

(06:39):
me alone. I keep Larry's lostmessage clutched tightly in my trembling hand,
feeling ready now to face whatever's waitingfor me in that room, Feeling ready
to go home. This has tobe magic, of course, it all
feels so impossible. Thank you toour supporters for making the show possible.

(07:21):
Today's episode featured Mary Murphy as Caroland Amber Leveling as Victoria. Today's custom
score was created by our resident composer, Niko Vedes of the Inky Pop Print.
Artwork is by Jesse Hawk of theInky Pop Print. Our author is
Christopher Long. Story editor and produceris Daniel Foytek of Ninth Story Studios.

(07:42):
Until next time, keep your musicbox wound, be kind to those you
meet, and remember that a liftcan appear anywhere, at any time.
Merry Christmas for
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