S1 E17: It’s All Just A Game

Kenzie Tartaglione:

The content warning for this episode includes infidelity, physical assault, blood, broken bones, and vomiting noises.

Kenzie (MC):

Farrow stands in the hallway, expression going from shocked to resigned as they realize, in their haste to get out of the Blackthorn Manor, after finding Ryan Bishop’s smashed camera, that they’ve run right into all the people they have been doing their darndest to avoid for months. The realization and recognition on William Hook’s face is too much for Farrow to pass up and so before they even think about the repercussions of what they’re about to say, you all hear.

Ashley Westover (Farrow Smith):

Hey, dad.

Kenzie (MC):

Sawyer, even though the house around you is loud with music and talking, this hallway seems to close in, a defeaning silence bringing on a ringing in your ears as this sense of claustrophobia surrounds you.

Brennan Sawyer:

I’ll strut forward, like push passed people and get towards Farrow.

Brennan (Sawyer Hook):

What the hell are you talking about?

Ashley:

Farrow’s eyes have just been locked on William this whole time and at your approach, they instinctively take a step back and look over to you and their jaw sets in a way that you can’t tell if it’s like disgust or fear or confusion, but there looks to be a big mix of emotions. And they turn to you with these green eyes that – very familiar, now that you’re putting some pieces together – and they look at you and they look back over at William and the kinda take in the group and hold up the smashed camera and they go,

Ashley (Farrow):

I’m just taking an interest in the family business. What? You didn’t know about me?

Ashley:

And then I look back at William.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s face just becomes like a deep red.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dad, what – what’s happening?

Kenzie (William Hook):

Nothing that should be happening.

Brennan (Sawyer):

This is a joke, right?

Kenzie (William):

Wish it was one.

Ashley:

Farrow looks to be visibly shaking with anger.

Mads McDonough:

As this conversation is happening, Adam and Caleb are standing next to each other where Sawyer left them just a moment before. Caleb is trying to understand what is going on right now, trying to get a read on Farrow, on William, on Sawyer. He looks next to him to Adam,

Mads (Caleb Moore):

We didn’t… this is new, right? You guys kept a lot from me but not this – you didn’t know about this, right?

Kenzie (Adam Moore):

Uh, no, this is definitely new because guess what, little brother? Somebody broke the treaty.

Mads (Caleb):

The – the – the what?

Kenzie (Adam):

Two kids per family, right? That’s what the rules say.

Ashley:

Farrow turns over and says,

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah and I ended up being the spare.

Mads:

Caleb’s eyes go wide and his jaw sets a little bit. He glances to Adam and then to Farrow and shakes his head a little bit.

Mads (Caleb):

What is – what does this mean? What…?

Mads:

He looks at William.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Can we do this somewhere else?

Kenzie (MC):

Gabriel starts laughing but not like in an unrestrained laughter type of way, in a way that makes everybody feel pretty uncomfortable and just says,

Kenzie (Gabriel Duncan):

Well, if that isn’t the biggest secret of them all. I think there’s definitely something we need to talk about. How about we move this somewhere a little bit more quiet.

Ashley:

Farrow’s face does pale a little bit at that.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s just eyeballing his dad.

Kenzie (MC):

Gabriel says,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Kid, you’re not in trouble for existing. You are maybe in a little bit of trouble for stealing. But that’s really not what I’m concerned about at the moment.

Kenzie (MC):

Bast speaks up and says,

Kenzie (Bast Duncan):

I think Ivy should be here for this conversation.

Kenzie (MC):

And Adam goes,

Kenzie (Adam):

I’ll go get her!

Mads (Caleb):

I think I saw her go upstairs.

Kenzie (MC):

Gabriel puts a firm hand out to stop Adam and there’s a small, very, very tense smile on his face, which is odd for a face that’s usually full of joy and excitement and openness and he goes,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

I will retrieve her.

Kenzie (MC):

And leaves and walks out of this little corridor. Ivy, I think you are halfway to sleep when you hear,

Kenzie (Kai):

Ivy, someone’s knocking.

April Consalo (Ivy Sawyer):

(sighs) Jesus Christ. Um, okay, one second. Just like be quiet.

April:

Ivy goes and opens her doors. See her dad.

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Bambolina.

April (Ivy):

What’s wrong?

Kenzie (Gabriel):

I need you to come downstairs to have a conversation with the rest of your friends.

April:

Ivy looks over her shoulder toward Kai, looks back at her dad.

April (Ivy):

Uh, yeah, give me like fifteen seconds.

Kenzie (MC):

Your dad leans over to where you looked and just says,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Kai, I think it would be best for you to find another way out of my daughter’s bedroom. Your preferred method perhaps.

Kenzie (MC):

And then he just kinda nods at the window.

April:

Ivy kinda bites back a smile.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, that would be best.

Kenzie (MC):

She had pulled the covers over her entire face when you had said hold back a bit and then she kinda just throws them off and sits up and Gabriel says,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

But maybe get your grandfather.

Kenzie (Kai):

That’ll take way too long.

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Fine! Fine, go out the window. Knock on the door in five minutes. Wyatt wanted to know about anything that affects the treaty and he’s going to want to know about this.

April:

Ivy looks around her room and grabs a real shirt, throws it on and says,

April (Ivy):

Uh, okay see you in five.

Kenzie (MC):

And Kai like, literally with no effort, jumps out your bedroom window. The only thing Gabriel says to you as he leads you through the upper parts of your house to the lower part is,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Well, you have a new friend, I think.

April (Ivy):

Let’s not talk about it right now.

Kenzie (MC):

As Gabriel had left to go find Ivy, Bast, no as amused as his husband, had looked at William, not at Farrow, but at William and said,

Kenzie (Bast):

You have so much of an explanation to give. And if you think you’re leaving this house without giving one, you’re mistaken.

Kenzie (MC):

And then he looks at Sawyer and says,

Kenzie (Bast):

I think you deserve this explanation as well if you want to hear it.

Brennan:

Sawyer is gripping his left arm and kinda shutting in on himself.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I don’t even know what the fuck is going on right now.

Kenzie (Bast):

I think your dad made a stupid decision and I think we’re now dealing with the repercussions. And unfortunately that affects you. And I have made a promise to my daughter to stop keeping secrets. I’m going to extend that promise to you.

Ashley:

When Bast starts talking about William making mistakes and things, Farrow’s jaw is already like clenched but their fists also flex a little bit. They look like they are just so, so mad about everything that everyone is saying.

Kenzie (MC):

Looks at Sawyer, looks at Caleb, looks at Adam, looks at William.

Kenzie (Bast):

I think we’ve kept our kids out of this for far too long. It’s kinda on them now so I thing that whatever you have to say to me, you should have to say to them.

Kenzie (MC):

And William just, this entire time, has looked as if he’s seen a ghost. As if he has been transported into a different reality that he never expected to be in. Half open mouth as if he’s trying to speak and just cannot find any word to say.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dad? Does Mom know?

Ashley:

Farrow laughs.

Brennan:

And Sawyer will shoot you like an absolutely fucking disgusted look.

Mads:

Caleb’s going to step forward and kinda crowd up into Sawyer’s personal space enough that he can rest the side of his body and part of his chest against Sawyer’s back and then try and entwine their hands together and give like a really solid squeeze to his palm and then dart over with a glance to Bast and William.

Mads (Caleb):

I think we can talk about this in a private place, now.

Kenzie (Bast):

You’ve got the right idea Caleb. How about we move this elsewhere?

Ashley (Farrow):

The room I just came from is empty.

Kenzie (MC):

There is a scary yet humored chuckle from Bast as you say that and his eyes dart to the camera that you’re holding and then back up to you and says,

Kenzie (Bast):

I guess it’s empty but it’s not far enough away from the rest of these people. Let’s move elsewhere.

Ashley:

Farrow rolls their shoulders back and goes,

Ashley (Farrow):

Alright.

Kenzie (MC):

He looks at William and he’s like,

Kenzie (Bast):

Your progeny seem to be okay with coming, are you?

Kenzie (MC):

William’s eyes just like seek the ground and he takes a few steps towards in the way that Bast is leading which is down the hall, up the big staircase, into what Sawyer would know and probably Caleb as well, just seemingly having in your childhood been in this house – down a hallways that nears ivy’s room but if you go past Ivy’s room, you will reach Bast and Gabriel’s room. But right before that there is a sitting room of sorts and it’s not necessarily set up as a sitting room. It depends on what they’re using it for. It is more of like a communal space for people of Gabriel and Bast’s like personal circle to gather when they feel the need to gather. And so, Bast walks down this hallway and pushes open these double wooden doors into a room that almost looks like a war room in the sense that it has a long table and chairs around it and nothing much else. And Bast says,

Kenzie (Bast):

I think this is private enough. But, I’m going to have to exploit this privacy and I think Ely should be involved William. I don’t think this is a conversation we have without your wife.

Ashley:

Farrow’s face kinda frowns in disapproval at that. It’s an odd expression, you guys probably wouldn’t quite get yet, but whenever Ely is brought up, they frown and they look kind of sad. But also, they’re just biting their tongue about something.

Kenzie (MC):

And William says,

Kenzie (William):

You don’t think that we could have one other secret between us.

Kenzie (MC):

And Bast says,

Kenzie (Bast):

I think we’re too far past secrets at this point, William. I think we know all about each other that we need to know. And we should know all of the details a well.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Would you stop smiling?

Ashley:

Farrow looks over at Sawyer and they say,

Ashley (Farrow):

Sorry, but seeing a piece of shit squirm like this is really entertaining.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I was talking to Bast.

Brennan:

And I take a step past Farrow towards Bast.

Mads:

Caleb is essentially attached to Sawyer right now.

Kenzie (MC):

Bast directs his attention to you, Sawyer, and says,

Kenzie (Bast):

Sorry. I thought it was more inviting if I put on a smile for this.

Kenzie (MC):

And you see it disappear from his face.

Kenzie (Bast):

But this is an insanely serious matter. And I am not taking it lightly.

April:

Ivy enters with Gabriel and looks around at everyone’s expressions and the tension is so thick, can’t miss it.

April (Ivy):

Okay, what the fuck’s going on now?

Kenzie (MC):

And as you say that, you look around the room and you see, you recognize everybody in here and then there’s Farrow, this new kid.

April (Ivy):

Hey, Farrow?

April:

Ivy looks at Bast.

April (Ivy):

What is this about?

Kenzie (MC):

Ivy, you are making one of your late night excursions to Sawyer’s house where you are used to climbing up the side of their house and jumping through his window and scaring him. As you are jogging up their driveway, through the fully frontal windows of this house, you see Sawyer in their little sitting room by their kitchen, playing with Annabelle.

April:

I smile to myself because I also love Annabelle. But she’s kinda ruining my surprise here so I like climb up the side of the house and get up to Sawyer’s window. A thing I’ve done a million times before. And I just start banging on it to see if that will like get his attention.

Kenzie (MC):

You do that for a while, you can see in the room and it looks empty and you can just see the lights from the cages and the tanks on the side of the wall that he has. But no one comes to open the window.

April:

I roll my eyes and just kinda mutter under my breath,

April (Ivy):

Humans here nothing.

April:

And I jimmy open the window and climb inside, close it and then I just like look inside his tanks and say hello to all the various amphibians I know.

Kenzie (MC):

Yeah you see the little axolotl you found for him.

April:

I blow a little kiss to the axolotl and then I just lounge on his bed and like go through my phone. I’ll send Sawyer a text that just says,

April (Ivy):

What’s up?

Kenzie (MC):

You are currently at Natalie’s house and you get a text that just says

Brennan (Sawyer):

Chillin’ at Natalie’s. What about you?

April:

Ivy immediately jumps off of the bed. She looks around the room and then runs and locks his door and then texts him back.

April (Ivy):

Are you fucking with me?

Brennan:

Look up at Natalie.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh fuck. Did I fuck up? What did I say?

Brennan:

And then I’ll send a text,

Brennan (Sawyer):

About what?

April (Ivy):

Are you not at home?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Should I be?

April:

Ivy opens Sawyer’s window and shuts it much more quietly this time and then very, with like all of her vampire agility, jumps off the window and lands very softly and quietly in the grass. And she, clinging to the side of the house, makes her way over to the window, as hidden as possible, and peers inside to where she saw Annabelle and thought Sawyer.

Kenzie (MC):

You see Annabelle’s face facing you and you see the back of what looks like Sawyer.

April:

Ivy like sinks down against the side of the house and texts Sawyer,

April (Ivy):

I swear I am looking at you in your house right now.

Brennan:

You get a phone call.

April:

Ivy’s phone is always on silent. Doesn’t make it any easier to find it when she’s constantly leaving it. She picks up and as quietly as possible just says,

April (Ivy):

Sawyer, Sawyer, what the fuck?

Brennan (Sawyer):

(out of breath) I’m running home right now! Is there a doppelganger? What’s happening?

April (Ivy):

I don’t – I literally don’t know. But they’re like –

April:

Ivy kinda peers into the window again.

April (Ivy):

They’re playing with Annabelle.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh my god! Get inside!

April (Ivy):

I’m going inside but maybe stop screaming so I have some element of surprise.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’ll be there soon!

April:

Ivy thinks for a second and then actually goes back up into Sawyer’s room. She goes through his room and unlocks the door. She takes her shoes off, pads barefoot down the hall, down the steps.

Kenzie (MC):

As you are coming down the steps, you can see Annabelle and this person and while when you look at the back of them they look like Sawyer, they don’t sound like Sawyer.

April:

Ivy kinda pauses on the steps for a second. Annabelle doesn’t seem to be in danger.

Kenzie (MC):

She’s laughing and talking.

April:

Ivy sends a quick text to Sawyer that says,

April (Ivy):

Anabelle is okay.

Brennan:

Sawyer checks his phone and kinda comes to a stop on the road just like (vomits). Keeps running.

April:

Ivy gets down to the base of the steps and gets pretty close to this person and just says,

April (Ivy):

Hello?

Ashley:

When you say that the person who’s head was kinda down, they look up, they heard your voice but they didn’t hear where it came from. And as they’re body shifts, you see that Farrow looks up and around and also reveals that their rat Beauregard is currently in a princess outfit and Annabelle has some of the dolly clothes laid out. And Farrow looks around for a second and then goes back to Annabelle and says,

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah, you’re doing a great job. Make sure you don’t tie it too tight. Beauregard looks lovely. I think he’s going to have a great time at the tea party.

April (Ivy):

Hi!?

Ashley:

They jump and turn around and see you and they go,

Ashley (Farrow):

Oh! Hi? Are you a – did we get our babysitting days mixed up?

April (Ivy):

No, I’m just – I was coming over to hang with Sawyer but he’s not here. He’s not here. I didn’t know you babysat for the Hooks.

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah! Mrs. Hook’s real nice. I’m new to town so she’s kinda enough to give me a job.

April (Ivy):

Right, yeah.

Ashley (Farrow):

You’re –

April (Ivy):

Ivy Duncan, yeah.

Ashley (Farrow):

Ivy Duncan. Yeah, sorry, there’s a lot of people and a lot of names.

April (Ivy):

No, it’s fine. We’ve met though, right?

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah, I think we have homeroom together.

April (Ivy):

You’re –

Ashley (Farrow):

Farrow.

April (Ivy):

Farrow, yeah! Nice to meet you. Just one second. I just have to send a text.

April:

Ivy in all caps, texts Sawyer,

April (Ivy):

FALSE ALARM. IT’S FARO.

April:

Mispelled.

April (Ivy):

FROM HOMEROOM. I SWEAR TO GOD THEY LOOKED JUST LIKE YOU FROM BEHIND. BABYSITTING?

Brennan:

Sawyer doesn’t respond and just reads his phone and stops and starts (breathing heavily). Just like wheezing. Defeatedly turns around and starts trudging back to Natalie’s.

April:

Ivy sends one more text which is,

April (Ivy):

Also, I’m at your house lol. When will you be home?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I guess I can come home now.

Brennan:

And I’ll begrudgingly turn back around and start walking home.

April:

Ivy hearts that and then looks back up at Farrow.

April (Ivy):

So, how did you meet Mrs. Hook?

Ashley (Farrow):

We just ran into each other in the square. Beauregard got loose and Annabelle here was kind enough to keep an eye on my little rat to keep him from getting run over by anything and we just got to chatting.

April:

Ivy squats down to get to Annabelle’s level and says,

April (Ivy):

You did? Of course you did. You’re so good at keeping track of things.

Kenzie (Annabelle Hook):

Yeah I didn’t really realize that I liked the mouse and then I liked the mouse!

April:

Ivy grins up at Farrow and then looks back at Annabelle and says,

April (Ivy):

Well, it looks like you’re having a great time. And Beauregard?

Ashley (Farrow):

Beauregard, yeah.

April:

She kinda looks questioningly at Farrow.

April (Ivy):

And Beauregard looks beautiful.

Kenzie (Annabelle):

I didn’t know that mouses liked wearing dresses. But this one does!

April (Ivy):

I didn’t know that either. That’s pretty sick.

April:

And she winks at Farrow.

Kenzie (Annabelle):

Farrow’s really cool and they let me pet their mouse the first time I met them. And now they’re here and I get to play with their mouse.

Ashley:

Farrow leans over to Ivy and whispers,

Ashley (Farrow):

I was supposed to put her to bed like an hour ago please don’t tell Mrs. Hook.

April (Ivy):

Don’t worry. I won’t. I’m a much worse babysitter than you, trust me.

April:

I’m imagining that Annabelle has these little piggytails all over and Ivy kinda just twiddles on and is like,

April (Ivy):

Annabelle? Do you know what time it is?

Kenzie (Annabelle):

You mean like time for a movie?

April (Ivy):

Mmmm. The movie behind your eyelids!

Kenzie (Annabelle):

No! I don’t want to go to bed!

April (Ivy):

Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Kenzie (Annabelle):

Ivy! You’re not my babysitter, you don’t have to – you don’t get to put me to bed!

April:

Ivy holds her up so that they’re at eye-level to each other and says,

April (Ivy):

I’m not your babysitter. I’m your sister. So what I say goes.

Kenzie (MC):

She scrunches up her face as much as it can and she goes,

Kenzie (Annabelle):

I don’t like that!

April:

Ivy touches their noses together.

April (Ivy):

Yes you do.

Kenzie (Annabelle):

I’ll go to bed if – will Beauregard go to bed with me?

Ashley (Farrow):

Hmmm. Well Beauregard likes sleeping in his own bed but how about after you get in your jammies, Beauregard and I come up and read you a bedtime story?

Kenzie (Annabelle):

I will not make Beauregard sleep where he doesn’t want to sleep, so, yeah! Okay!

April (Ivy):

I think that’s very fair of you Annabelle.

April:

Ivy kinda hands her off like a sack of flour to Farrow.

Ashley:

Farrow takes Annabelle and then looks back and says,

Ashley (Farrow):

I didn’t know you guys were sisters. That’s cool.

April (Ivy):

Not really. But basically.

Ashley:

They nod and say,

Ashley (Farrow):

Well, I’m gonna actually do my job now but it was nice to meet you… again I guess.

April (Ivy):

Nice to meet you for real. Also –

April:

Ivy kinda whispers around Annabelle.

April (Ivy):

-once you put her to bed, you can get out of here. Sawyer’s on his way back and between the two of us, we can watch over her.

Ashley:

Farrow hesitates a moment and says,

Ashley (Farrow):

Uh, I don’t know. I mean, I told Mrs. Hook I’d be here for –

Ashley:

And they look at the clock.

Ashley (Farrow):

-At least another hour or two when she gets back. I don’t want to make a bad impression or anything.

April (Ivy):

Oh! I mean you can stay if you want. I just – you didn’t have to if you had other places to be.

Ashley (Farrow):

I have nothing to do around here yet. If you have any suggestions though about cool places to check out. So far there’s the gas station that I’ve seen?

April (Ivy):

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the gas station. Sawyer and Caleb love that gas station.

Ashley (Farrow):

It’s a gas station…

April (Ivy):

I don’t understand them, honestly.

April:

Ivy doesn’t want to invite Farrow to hang out with her and Sawyer so she kinda like hesitates for a second,

April (Ivy):

Okay! Well, if you do need me, I will be in Sawyer’s room. Just chillin.’ So, you let me know.

Brennan:

You get a text.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What’s the record for the fastest mile?

April:

Ivy just responds,

April (Ivy):

You definitely don’t hold it.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I think I’m gonna pass out.

April:

Ivy looks up at Farrow and says,

April (Ivy):

Actually, I’m gonna go meet Sawyer so, yeah, better if you stayed here.

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah I’ll either be up with Annabelle in her room or down here, you know, just waiting for Mrs. Hook, so you need anyting from me here, I guess?

April (Ivy):

Oh no, I don’t. I’m gonna go!

Ashley (Farrow):

Okay, bye.

Kenzie (MC):

Farrow takes Annabelle up to her room and starts to get her ready for bed. Ivy, Sawyer is not even like ten feet away from the front of his driveway when you get to him.

Brennan (Sawyer):

(wheezing)

April (Ivy):

Oh my god. Are you actually dying?

Brennan (Sawyer):

My legs are jelly.

April (Ivy):

You ran here from Natalie’s?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, my whole body is tingling.

April (Ivy):

In a good way or a bad way?

Brennan (Sawyer):

In a horrible, light-headed way.

Brennan:

Drenched in sweat by the way.

April (Ivy):

You’re disgusting.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I sweat, okay? I have to wear undershirts some times because my armpits get too sweaty and I’m afraid that it’s going to pit through my single shirt so I got to wear a shirt under it but then it pits through both of them. You know I’m already insecure about my sweatiness!

April (Ivy):

I actually thought you wore those undershirts because you’re insecure about your body shape so that makes me feel a little happier for you actually.

Brennan (Sawyer):

It’s just my sweat.

Brennan:

And I’ll walk by you.

April (Ivy):

Did you know Farrow – has Farrow babysat for you before?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Uh… no? But I’m not really going to complain about it because normally I’m the one babysitting and I actually got to go do stuff tonight. So, if there’s a new person in town –

April:

Ivy raises her eyebrows.

April (Ivy):

What kind of stuff?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Played three games of Tic-Tac-Toe and then we got bored and then we played Connect Four for about two and a half hours and then yeah we kinda just sat there and I tried to come up with conversations for a while.

April:

Ivy just stares at Sawyer.

April (Ivy):

You are actually hopeless.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What? It was fun.

April (Ivy):

I’m glad you had a good time.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I need water.

April (Ivy):

And maybe a shower. I was thinking maybe we could watch “The Breakfast Club.”

Brennan (Sawyer):

Sure, yeah!

April (Ivy):

Maybe we could cuddle a bit?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Give me like twenty minutes ‘cause I gotta feed everybody.

April (Ivy):

Oh my god! I’ve been waiting for you for forever. Okay, that’s fine.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh my god! I literally ran as fast as probably humanly possible.

Kenzie (MC):

Farrow as you’re walking out of Annabelle’s bedroom from putting her to bed and reading her a story, you hear the sound the sound of “The Breakfast Club,” coming from Sawyer’s room.

Ashley:

Farrow has never seen that movie. I hear a movie and they take a deep breath because every time they see Ely, or Annabelle it’s hard. And they just start heading back down and they text Mrs. Hook just asking for a time update ‘cause they are now antsy to get out of the house, now that Sawyer’s back.

Kenzie (MC):

Do you mention in this text that Sawyer is back?

Ashley:

No I think Farrow just says,

Ashley (Farrow):

Hey, Mrs. Hook. Annabelle’s been down since her bed time.

Ashley:

Complete lie.

Ashley (Farrow):

Just wanted to make sure that you’re still getting home in a few minutes. Gotta get some homework done.

Ashley:

And then a smiley face.

Kenzie (MC):

Sawyer you get a text that says,

Kenzie (William):

When are you going to be home?

Kenzie (MC):

From your father.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Home now. Ivy do you want popcorn or anything?

April (Ivy):

Yeah, that sounds good.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Okay, I’ll be right back.

Kenzie (MC):

As you come down the stairs, Sawyer, you hear the ding of a phone go off and Farrow, you get a text from Mrs. Hook that says,

Kenzie (Ely Hook):

If Sawyer’s home, you’re okay to leave but we’ll pay you the full amount, no worries.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What’s up?

Brennan:

And I’ll start walking into the kitchen.

Ashley:

They look up and see Sawyer.

Ashley (Farrow):

Oh, hey! Didn’t realize you were home.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s opening the fridge.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Did you have a good time?

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah, Anabelle’s super chill. Probably the nicest four-year-old I ever met.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, she’s the coolest ever. Did you meet George?

Ashley (Farrow):

I did meet George. I met George and the whole crew which I think includes Darcy? Boo-Boo? Is it Boo-Boo?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I don’t know at this point, there’s like three hundred of them. Yeah, she’s been collecting squishmallows, that’s kinda been her thing lately. I don’t know where she gets that from. We got some leftover food, we got some pasta in the fridge if you want some. I’m just gonna make some popcorn though.

Ashley (Farrow):

Actually your mom just said whenever you got home, I could head out so I’ll probably head out now.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Okay… we’re watching Breakfast Club if you want to watch.

Ashley (Farrow):

Is that like a YouTube series?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah (laughs) right.

Ashley (Farrow):

They’re genuinely confused.

Brennan (Sawyer):

You’re funny.

Ashley (Farrow):

Sorry, I’m not up to date on all the different streaming things.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Like The Break – The Breakfast Club, the movie from the eighties.

Ashley (Farrow):

Oh yeah! I never really got into any eighties movies. I don’t like -

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, but you know The Breakfast Club.

Brennan:

And Sawyer will just like thrust his fist into the air.

Ashley:

Farrow looks at him like,

Ashley (Farrow):

Is that a reference? I don’t know…

Brennan (Sawyer):

A geek, you know, a jock.

Ashley (Farrow):

It sounds cool.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I couldn’t make the lamp, I couldn’t make the lamp! You know what I mean? I got an F.

Ashley (Farrow):

Sawyer, I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re saying right now.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well, if you haven’t seen it then you gotta stay and watch it!

Ashley:

Their face goes sheet white and they go,

Ashley (Farrow):

Uh, well, you know, I – I should really – I have homework to do.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I mean, it’s like an hour and a half movie. It’s not super long. But that’s cool. Again, do you want anything before – if you’re goingto bounce out, do you want like, I don’t know, I don’t know what we got. My mom buys all this organic stuff and I’m just like, “Get Doritos!”

Ashley:

Farrow leans forward and said,

Ashley (Farrow):

I noticed that, which is why I brought Goldfish for Annabelle. I hope your mom doesn’t kill me for that.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I don’t think my mom will even notice but Annabelle is definitely grateful for that.

Ashley (Farrow):

Let me property introduce myself. My name is Farrow Hook.

Mads:

Caleb winces.

April:

Ivy immediately walks over to Sawyer and takes the other side of him that Caleb is not monitoring. And also grabs his other hand.

April (Ivy):

Right.

April:

She immediately stares at William with just a terrible look.

Kenzie (MC):

And William, his response to that is,

Kenzie (William):

That’s not your name.

Ashley (Farrow):

Oh, sorry, my mom is pretty traditional. She likes making the father the one with the inherited surname. Don’t worry, I do plan to change it if you were worried about that.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Who’s your mom?

Ashley (Farrow):

Abigail Smith. He ever mention her?

Brennan:

Sawyer shakes his head.

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah, I live maybe two hours away. You know the bit city. Dad would take trips sometimes.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dad can you just explain?

Ashley:

Farrow crosses their arms and looks over at William.

Kenzie (MC):

William looks from Sawyer to Farrow and to Farrow says,

Kenzie (William):

Your mother and I had an arrangement. You were never supposed to show up here.

Ashley:

Farrow looks like they are physically biting their tongue.

Kenzie (William):

So, what the hell do you think you’re doing in my town?

Ashley (Farrow):

Like I said, just taking an interest in the family business.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dad, can you just explain?

Ashley (Farrow):

What is more to explain, Sawyer? Your dad’s a piece of shit.

Kenzie (MC):

Gabriel says,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

I would like an explanation too, actually. I think we all would. Have you called your wife yet? ‘Cause I will.

Kenzie (William):

I think it’s clear.

Kenzie (MC):

And Bast says,

Kenzie (Bast):

I would like you to make it a little bit clearer for me actually.

Kenzie (MC):

Looking at Farrow,

Kenzie (William):

They were supposed to stay with their mother. There was never a point where they were supposed to show up here and ruin everything we had built. But yes, if you’re asking the most obvious question, I had an affair. And when I found out that she was pregnant, I shut it down. Because I know the rules and Farrow couldn’t exist. So they didn’t. And they don’t as far as I’m concerned.

Ashley:

There are hot, angry tears welling up in Farrow’s eyes but they are just not allowing them to fall. Their arms were crossed and they started squeezing their arms so hard that it’s probably going to leave a bruise.

April:

Ivy looks over at her dad and says,

April (Ivy):

With Annabelle… I see… okay, sorry, I got here a little late. Farrow how long have you known about – what do you know exactly?

Ashley (Farrow):

That William’s my dad?

April (Ivy):

Anything else of note?

Ashley:

They kinda set their jaw and you see them glance down at your mouth for a brief second and they say,

Ashley (Farrow):

Well it’s hard not to know who my dad was because my mom still idolized him for a decade after he left her but I wanted more concrete answers than what he gave me when I reached out a few years ago. Four years to be exact. Right about the time Annabelle was born which probably had to do with the fact that he was such an asshole about it.

Ashley:

They look like they’re about to say something else but they just breathe out quickly and shut their mouth.

Kenzie (MC):

There’s a hard knock on the outside of the door and Gabriel goes,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Oh, fuck.

Kenzie (MC):

And opens the door and Kai’s like,

Kenzie (Kai):

I was knocking on the front door for a while and no one answered so here I am.

April:

Ivy just mouths, “Sorry.”

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Yes, I’m sorry. Come in.

Mads:

In this moment of in between, while people are moving around and Kai is entering, Caleb is going to look down to Sawyer and try and catch his eyes and get a read on how he’s feeling right now.

Brennan:

I think Sawyer, at this point, is so out of body that he’s just – it’s like he’s de-realized at this point. There’s almost a haziness going on with his eyes. He doesn’t know where to focus. He’s looking at Farrow but then looking away. There’s this constant frustration that you can see on his face as he’s looking at everyone’s expression and just ready to lash out at the first person that smiles.

Mads:

Caleb’s just going to squeeze his hand again and sort of let the bottom of his chin against Sawyer’ temple.

Mads (Caleb):

Stay with me.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I just don’t want anyone to tell my mom.

Mads (Caleb):

We can get that when it happens. I don’t think it’s going to happen tonight. We can fix this. We’ll figure it out.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey dad? Could we like step away for like a second.

Kenzie (MC):

He swallows and looks to Bast and Gabriel and says,

Kenzie (William):

If they’ll let us.

Kenzie (MC):

And Gabriel looks at Bast because Bast is about to turn that down entirely and Gabriel says,

Kenzie (Gabriel):

Maybe just a second.

Kenzie (MC):

your dad turns more fully towards you.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s going to walk, kinda just like squeeze Caleb’s hand one last time and let go and look back at Ivy as well and just look froward again and walk towards the door and just wait for his dad.

Kenzie (MC):

He follows and looks at Bast and Gabriel as he leaves and he says,

Kenzie (William):

Do you not understand when family business means family business anymore?

Kenzie (MC):

And Bast says,

Kenzie (Bast):

Our families’ business hasn’t meant family business for about three hundred and fifty years now so, no, your business is my business. But go ahead. I’ll hear whatever you have to say.

Kenzie (MC):

And your dad grimaces and nods and follows you out of the room.

Brennan:

I’m just going to be storming out to the back yard.

Kenzie (MC):

He follows all the way.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s going to kinda just go out into the yard a little bit deeper where the crest of the light from the house kinda starts to fade away.

Brennan (Sawyer):

So what the fuck is happening?

Kenzie (William):

My past coming to catch up with me when I thought it would stay hidden. That’s what’s happening, Sawyer. It never works out how you think it’s going to work out.

Brennan (Sawyer):

So, you cheated on mom?

Kenzie (William):

That’s a harsh way to put it.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What the fuck are you talking about?

Kenzie (William):

I had one affair, Sawyer, and I ran from that woman and came back to your mother so did I cheat on your mother, I don’t know. Yes, in practice, no, in theory.

Brennan (Sawyer):

How long ago?

Kenzie (William):

Do you really need the specifics, Sawyer? Is that what you want?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Why are you talking to me like I’m a fucking stranger?

Kenzie (William):

Because, Sawyer, sometimes I think you are. I have tried for so long to have a relationship with you that has meant something and I have always felt like we’ve never connected and I don’t think that’s your fault. I just think it’s the fact of what we are to one another.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Which is?

Kenzie (William):

You are my son and I love you even if I don’t understand you. But that is why I don’t think that this was something that should ever come into our family. Because I don’t think it’s something that we are ready to handle. And so when it happened, I pushed it as far away from you as I possible could.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What does mom know?

Kenzie (William):

She knows that I was distant for a while. I would not make the assumption that she’s not smart enough to find out that I was having an affair. She does not know that Farrow exists.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I don’t even know what to say to you.

Kenzie (William):

That makes sense ‘cause I don’t know what to say to you because I never expected to have this conversation.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, you fucking mentioned that.

Kenzie (William):

If I had simply cheated on your mother and had a child out of wedlock with another woman, that would be a completely different – we then had your sister and so now there’s not an easy or simple solution to what has occurred.

Brennan (Sawyer):

And what solution are you looking for?

Kenzie (William):

One that allows there to be three children of one house. It’s just not possible because the houses recognize any quote, unquote blood child and I technically have three.

Brennan (Sawyer):

So, what does that mean? Does that mean there needs to be two?

Kenzie (William):

No, it means that Sara Moore is not the only reason that Wildmoore is dying.

Brennan:

I think I’m going to walk forward past my dad and stop.

Brennan (Sawyer):

You owe an explanation to mom without all this fucking craziness. If you’re going to stand your ground on anything, at least make sure that Bast and Gabriel don’t tell her first.

Kenzie (MC):

Can I have you roll to Manipulate an NPC?

Brennan:

That’s a nine.

Kenzie (William):

I promise to tell your mother the truth about this. So, she gets to know that I had an affair…

Kenzie (MC):

And he closes his eyes and he shakes his head and you just hear him mutter,

Kenzie (William):

What am I even talking about…?

Brennan:

As soon as he closes his eyes, I’m going to punch him in the face and Lash Out Physically. Six.

Kenzie (MC):

Your fist connect with his face. It flings it sideways and he pulls a hand up to grasp at the place where you hit him.

Kenzie (William):

Yeah, that’s about what I’m expecting from your mother too.

Brennan:

I’m gonna punch him two more times.

Kenzie (MC):

Okay, roll Lash Out Physically twice.

Brennan:

The first one’s going to be a blow at his face and the other one, I’m just going to try to shove my shoulder into him and like go for a tackle, however I don’t know if Sawyer – William’s a big guy. Yep, that’s a three. And that is a ten.

Kenzie (MC):

Is this an instance in which you think that Sawyer would become his darkest self?

Brennan:

This wouldn’t evoke the Darkest Self because I think this is something that’s almost been anticipated.

Kenzie (MC):

So your dad catches the first punch you throw him and then you just reel back and go to grab him around the waist and tackle him to the ground. As you do, you feel your momentum push him into the ground of the backyard and you feel yourself reel back and not even punching, but you know that scene The Christmas Story, where Ralphie’s just punching that kid? Just completely out of mind. Like not even really punching but just hands slapping down on his face and his neck and where he’s put his hands up to stop you.

Mads:

I think there’s a moment probably just exchanged through body language alone between Caleb and Ivy that like whenever Sawyer leaves, Caleb has to physically restrain himself from trying to follow after him immediately. And Ivy would be able to see he is gripping his bicep so tight that his nails are starting to extend a little bit and just staring intently at the door. It’s enough that like a cough or a motion from Ivy, he would jerk out of it and look at her and then that split second of, “We need to go.”

April:

I think Ivy can also hear them because her senses are heightened with the goo, etcetera and just in general, they aren’t far enough away so Ivy can for sure hear what’s going on and I think that Ivy and Caleb will leave pretty soon after but maybe while they’re still in the house, Ivy hears the first punch and they start running.

Mads:

I would also that when we start leaving, Caleb very quickly turns to look at Adam and says,

Mads (Caleb):

Get, Dad.

Mads:

Before briskly following Ivy.

Ashley:

I’ll say that Farrow looked tempted to follow them out immediately but after Ivy and Caleb left, they looked at their options of being left in a room with Bast and Gabriel or following them and so they follow a few moments after.

Kenzie (MC):

So you get out there and you see Sawyer sitting on the chest of his father and just wailing his hands down on his dad.

April:

Ivy would also be hearing, there’s sorta like grunts and yells every now and then but in between, you’re hearing these kinda grumbled sentences of just like,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Fuck this family. Fuck you.

April:

She like whips out in to the backyard and immediately like goes to rip Sawyer off of his dad.

Mads:

Following suit almost immediately, Caleb, whenever he sees you start to move faster, gets picked up on it as well and is keeping pace with you, with the werewolf speed and also goes for Sawyer.

Kenzie (MC):

There’s enough distraction from Sawyer and just enough of you being a vampire that you’re able to plow through and pick him up and remove him.

April (Ivy):

Sawyer! Sawyer! Okay stop. Just like breathe for a second, okay?

Brennan:

His whole body is shaking and he’s on the verge of tears but none of them are dropping yet.

April (Ivy):

Look, I’m sorry. This is all really fucked up. But we can’t – he’s still your dad, okay? And I can’t have you –

April:

And she just hugs him.

Mads:

Caleb has positioned himself between Ivy, Sawyer and William, with his back facing Ivy and Sawyer, tyring to posture himself in a way, almost like giving them cover. And he’s just boring holes into William’s face right now.

Kenzie (MC):

William is sitting up and wiping his bloody nose and pulling himself up off the ground and he looks at you and he says – and he puts his hand up almost in surrender and is like,

Kenzie (William):

I’m not. I was never going to lay a finger against him.

Brennan:

Sawyer is not hugging you back. His arms are just at his side and you hear in a very quiet whisper,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ivy, make him leave.

April:

Ivy pulls away and makes eye contact with Sawyer.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Make him leave Wildmoore.

April (Ivy):

Sawyer, I don’t – I don’t know if that’s something I should do. There’s like a lot of rules.

Brennan (Sawyer):

That’s okay, I’ll ask your dads.

Brennan:

And I start walking.

April (Ivy):

Sawyer!

Ashley:

Sawyer, as you walk back into the house, you see Farrow kinda standing to the side and they’re just staring at William with this blank expression on their face. Yeah, this is what happens. They glance up at you for a brief second but there’s no emotion behind their eyes.

Brennan:

I stop at Farrow,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Sorry.

Brennan:

And I keep walking.

Ashley:

They’re about to say something but you walk away too quickly for them to put words together.

April:

Ivy looks down at William and says,

April (Ivy):

I think you’re expected back in side.

April:

She spits on him and then she stalks away and sees Farrow and as she approaches them,

April (Ivy):

You couldn’t give us five fucking minutes?

Ashley:

Farrow took an instinctive step back when you approached them but they don’t say anything to you either.

April:

Ivy just follows after Sawyer.

Mads:

Caleb is going to watch this man, this pathetic human man, covered in blood, on the ground, dirt al up his nice little white button up shirt, for his silly little business meeting. And there’s a part of Caleb that like, this instinctual protective part that wants to immediately chase Sawyer inside and make sure that Sawyer is okay, first and foremost. But there is like this justice-like vindication that he feels for such a powerful man to fall so low, so quickly. That he just stares and revels in it for a moment and then glances to the house, sees that Ivy has gone inside, back to William.

Mads (Caleb):

Get up.

Kenzie (MC):

He pulls himself up off of the ground and then kind of steadies his gaze from getting himself back up and looks at you and says,

Kenzie (William):

This is the last thing that I wanted.

Mads (Caleb):

There’s a lot of things that we want, William. There’s a lot of things that we don’t. but you chose this and I think that says a lot about where we are now.

Kenzie (MC):

You see his jaw clench together.

Kenzie (William):

You understand why I will not be able to leave right now.

Mads:

Caleb glances back at the house and there’s this firm set to his jaw. He nods once. And then looks at him and says,

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, Mr. Hook, I think we all understand that. Doesn’t mean we’re going to make it easy on ya though.

Mads:

And then Caleb is going to sidestep around him and walk back inside.

Kenzie (MC):

We are November 9th which is the first game of the hockey season. And this is a big deal for Wildmoore High because while most high schools, the football season is the big sports season, at Wildmoore High, the hockey team is the revered team. While the cheer squad cheered for the football games, that was really only thought of as practice for what really mattered. You weren’t ice girls or ice boys, you weren’t on skates. Wildmoore doesn’t really have the type of budget for that or the talent, but that doesn’t stop you guys from standing outside of the hockey glass, with your pom poms and doing your routines every year. Before the big first game of the hockey season, the Wildmoore High cheer squad is all in the locker room. So, Ivy, Natalie has been avoiding you for a couple weeks. In the aftermath of Homecoming, all you had received from her was a quick text that said,

Kenzie (Natalie):

I’m so sorry I messed with your night.

Kenzie (MC):

And then Coach Samuels had moved her from being one of the bases in your small squad of people – most likely upon her request – to another squad, unfortunately, Alina was now her flier, though whenever you looked at her, she didn’t necessarily seem to enjoy that fact.

April:

Ivy doesn’t look good. The voices, the murmuring in her head have been getting steadily worse over the past few weeks, week and a half. She’s perfectly covered the dark circles under her eyes with concealer but in the right light, you can still see a purple shine, almost as dark as two black eyes. Ivy was never one for sleeping a lot, one of the reasons she often went to visit Sawyer was because she couldn’t sleep, but ever since Halloween, the hours each night have gotten shorter and shorter and for the past forty-eight hours, she hasn’t slept a single second. The irritation is also rising rapidly. All the voices in the locker room, the giggles, the stuff she would normally be participating in was just grating on her nerves. She has her hair in two high pigtails and as she slides on her tiny cheer skirt, she meets Natalie’s eyes for a second, notices that she’s been staring at Ivy. Instead of throwing her a wink as usual, she rolls her eyes and turns away.

April (Ivy):

Alright, bitches. Listen up.

Kenzie (MC):

A bunch of the cheer squad turn to look at you.

April (Ivy):

Not to be cliché but first big game. I hope y’all are ready because we need to be perfect out there.

Kenzie (MC):

This isn’t an uncommon situation in which Ivy speaks for the team, rather than the cheer captain speaks for the team. So, you see out of the corner of your eye, Sydney Samuels, Natalie’s older sister, is standing off to the side with the band on the arm that subscribes her as cheer captain, let’s you do the talking for the room.

April (Ivy):

So, that means, pointed toes. Big smiles. Lots of energy. Lot of y’all are looking real sad today so let’s fucking fix that real quick, okay?

Kenzie (MC):

There’s like a communal, “Yeah!” and clapping and you hear in your head,

Kenzie (Shadow Creature):

How does it feel to be revered by people who don’t know you? Unsatisfactory I would think.

Kenzie (MC):

This is one of the very few times this voice has spoken to you.

April:

Ivy doesn’t react outwardly. She has this huge grin on her face but there’s something dark about it. It’s sharp, there are no roses in her cheeks, her face looks a little drawn, but it only enhances the darkness that’s already there. Ivy’s always been scary hot and turning up the scary also kinda turns up the hot. She’s super intimidating. Without acknowledging the voice, she just rolls her shoulders back and says,

April (Ivy):

Then let’s fucking go!

Kenzie (MC):

There’s a bigger cheer in the room as you lead everybody out of the locker room. You guys are coming in from the visitor’s side of the hockey rink and so you come in through this hallway and you enter and you run around the rink to the home side. And there is a rather larger walkway set aside for the cheer team. So, you direct your entire team to this spot. You see that the stans are full, you do your best to pick our Caleb and Sawyer in the crowd and you do find them. Adam had texted you all earlier with, not necessarily a threat, but just a reminder that you guys were all friends now saying,

Kenzie (Adam):

You guys better be at my came tonight. It’s the first one and you’ve never missed a first one.

Kenzie (MC):

So, Caleb and Sawyer are there in the stands.

Mads:

Caleb just replied to the message, whenever he did get that, with the audio clip of the really distorted crying baby. He’s in the stands with Sawyer and there’s something weird about Caleb, that maybe it’s a territorial thing, a protective thing, especially after the Halloween party, that he has just glued himself to Sawyer’s side. He needs to be touching Sawyer to some degree at all hours. If they’re near each other at all, it usually means that Caleb’s hand is either on his shoulder, or in his hand, or in his back pocket.

Brennan:

Sawyer is like decked to the nines in school gear that the Hook’s had probably bought as soon as he was about to enter into high school. So he’s got like a large spinny hat. He’s got like – I don’t even know what they’re called – what are the triangle sorta pendant things, you know what I’m talking about? But it’s got like Adam’s number on it. He’s got a whole jersey on. He’s painted his face. He’s stoke.

Mads:

The difference between him and Caleb who is smushed up against his side completely, there’s not a speck of room between their thighs touching on the bleacher stands. He’s wearing a T-shirt that just has the school logo on it and then his standard black hoodie over top of it and absolutely nothing else different.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s like,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah!

Brennan:

Just like screaming at the top of his lungs next to Caleb.

Mads:

Caleb seems amused and enamored by this (laughs) but isn’t screaming himself.

Kenzie (MC):

I think that the cheer team definitely comes out before the hockey team and stars doing some routines.

Brennan:

While Ivy was out there with the cheer squad, Sawyer was definitely like lowkey mimicking some moves ‘cause he’s been to their practice.

Kenzie (MC):

Before the announcer comes over the PA and announces the hockey team, announces their numbers, announces their names, announces their positions, each of them skates onto the ice at the same time. What are we going with right now, because currently the chat is…

April:

I was thinking twenty-seven to create a theme with the twenty-seven club and Kurt Cobain and this like cursed boy thing that we’re going with.

Kenzie (MC):

You see Adam’s number, twenty-seven, as he skates onto the ice. The cheer squad comes up and starts doing like an opening cheer after the team has been announces, just like trying to build up some energy. It’s not even the voice is saying anything to you right now, but it’s this concept, this idea, that you’re so much more than any of this.

April:

Ivy looks down at her cheer uniform, the red, the black, the little white sneakers. The red ribbons in her hair. She just feels so annoyed. She just doesn’t want to be there right now. And she looks around at her fellow cheerleaders and their feet are not fucking pointed, they’re being sloppy. Their voices are not projecting enough. It’s like every mistake that every person is making is just like being caught by her eyes. But her brain, instead of feeling foggy and headachy like it has over the past few weeks, it feels crystalline, clear. It’s refracting everything. All these mistakes are just bouncing off each other and building to this growing, gnawing annoyance. Even when she looks over at Sawyer and Caleb, throws them a quick smile, they don’t soothe her like they usually do. She jumps up and lands into a basket and it's not steady enough. Someone’s shoulder kinda checks into her cheekbone.

April (Ivy):

Ahh, fuck.

Kenzie (MC):

I think that this is an interesting moment for Ivy because I don’t think Ivy is usually a flier, and so she decided that she was going to be. And the cheer squad around her is trying to make that happen because she asked for it, but your reaction and the reaction in your head is,

Kenzie (Shadow Creature):

Well, that’s quite disrespectful of them, isn’t it?

Kenzie (MC):

Even though maybe you had maybe only practiced this like three times.

April (Ivy):

You think you can catch me next time?

Kenzie (MC):

Your backspot for this group, Isaiah, says,

Kenzie (Isaiah):

Yeah, we’re doing our best, Ivy. You gotta hit the mark.

April (Ivy):

I hit my mark, Isaiah. Maybe if you weren’t being so sloppy today, I wouldn’t have this fucking bruise next week.

April:

She scrubs at her cheekbone and then without missing a beat, like whirls around and throws a big smile at the crowd.

Kenzie (MC):

All of your moves consequently to this is either in like reaction to a great play or in preparation for like, we’re going to pump them up, type of thing.

April:

Ivy looks to Sydney who is like motioning for people to clear a path so we can do like floor stuff. Ivy skips most people in that line. She watches Natalie go in front of her. Watches Alina go. Although she normally would hold back a little bit more, she just needs to release some of this pent up energy and she launches herself across the floor and does a triple backflip in the air and lands it perfectly.

Kenzie (MC):

The crowd starts going wild because that’s an incredible feat.

Brennan:

Oh, yeah, Sawyer’s going absolutely fucking insane. Like shaking people next to him.

Mads:

Caleb’s about to make a comment on maybe, “isn’t this a little risky? A little unsafe? Should we be worried?” Instead, as he’s about to open his mouth, it’s just a scream of excitement coming from Sawyer right next to him, kinda like shocks him out of it. He is just enraptured watching Sawyer get so fired up over something.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Did you see her!? Did you see that!?

Kenzie (MC):

Ivy as you land that, Sydney comes up to you and says,

Kenzie (Sydney Samuels):

Hey, that was really cool. But we have to have you for the rest of this game and the rest of this season so let’s not push ourselves that far. We’re at a high school hockey game, no one needs to see a triple blackflip, okay?

April:

Ivy rises up on her tiptoes and waves at Sawyer who she can hear over the entire dine of the arena and grinning, hugely, she just says out of the side of her mouth,

April (Ivy):

Don’t fucking tell me when to push myself or not, Sydney. Maybe you should push the rest of your team a little harder.

April:

And then with a flip of her pigtails, skips to the back of the line.

Kenzie (MC):

You see Sydney not take this very well, but understands that you’re all being watched and reigns her reaction in. You hear as a whisper, Adam say,

Kenzie (Adam):

Yo, babe, did you see that thing I just did?

April:

I didn’t, but I blow him a kiss. For the audience and him, very exaggerated kiss.

Kenzie (MC):

He likes jumps over the wall from where they sit onto the ice and like skates towards your side and blows you a kiss back and swings around to get back into position for the game. You all sit and watch a pretty decently paced, balanced hockey game for the first half. But it does look like Adam and the rest of the team are a little bit – they feel a little bit underperforming for this first half and some of them are hanging heads going into the second half even though they’re not far behind. Sydney starts brining everybody together and be like,

Kenzie (Sydney):

Alright, guys! Break time. Let’s go get some water in the locker room. We’ll come back out for the second half and cheer them on as hard as we fucking can!

April:

When Ivy’s in the locker room, she is just almost shaking with this dark energy and by the time she goes out again for the big number, it almost feels like she can’t hear her own inner voice. Like it’s just been replaced with the sounds of the arena and the voice of the dark. For this routine, she’s a base, not the most – not the position that gets her the most attention. Alina, unfortunately is her flier. It’s an older routine. One they established months ago and seeing Alina fly through it so effortlessly, she’s really doing a good job. It’s fucking irking her. They get to a position where Ivy is holding Alina up. Alina’s on one foot, she’s grinning out, having just done an amazing flip and landed it beautifully. Thanks to Ivy catching her. The cheer ringing out over the audience for Alina doesn’t make her feel too good. So, where no one can see, with one sharp nail, Ivy just presses it into Alina’s ankle. Fast enough that she wouldn’t even feel exactly what happened. All she knows is that her leg gives out and there’s no way Ivy could have caught her. She can’t help but feel this sickening joy as she watches almost in slow motion, as Alina crumples to the ground.

Kenzie (MC):

You all see this – and I mean you all because I don’t think Damian would’ve let Farrow miss this game ‘cause it’s got some big vibes that could lead to any of Damian’s possible conspiracies. All you see, is the cheerleading stunt that went wrong. But I don’t think any of you think it was a mistake. You watch Alina hit the ground and you hear her cry of pain and you see a bunch of the cheer squad start running and you see Coach Samuels like pretty much hop the entirety of the stands down to the team as they swarm this girl who’s been hurt. And you see ivy, standing as fine as always.

Mads:

I kinda like nudge into Sawyer next to me.

Mads (Caleb):

Did you see that? I didn’t miss something, did I?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Nope, nope, nope. This is real. This is happening right now. Uhhhhh….

Mads (Caleb):

Should we get down there?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I don’t know.

Mads (Caleb):

Is it going to make it worse?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I feel like it’s going to be worse if we’re down there, right? It’s going to be like weird.

Mads (Caleb):

Maybe we could go to the locker room.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Should I text Ivy?

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kenzie (MC):

It’s kinda weird because if this were an injury within the hockey game, everything would have stopped. But that’s not what happened. The hockey game keeps going. It’s just the cheer squad that has stopped.

April:

The sound that Alina made when her body like hit the ground, is just echoing in Ivy’s head. Over and over. And it’s building with the sound of the audience, the sound of the hockey puck being passed around, the boys yelling, the cheerleaders around her, their concerned chatter. It’s all just building and it’s too much and Ivy walks off and goes into the locker room.

Mads:

I nudge into Sawyer again as I’m starting to stand up and dragging him up with me.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Let’s go! Let’s go!

Mads:

Whenever we make our way, squeezing through the really crowded bleacher, there’s a couple of people that seem a little bit distraught and watching but they’re kinda still paying attention to the hockey game so it’s not enough that us stumbling over them is going to be like too off. But I do make eye contact with where Farrow and Damian are sitting a little bit higher up in the corner of the bleachers. And there’s that split second where my eyes track over to Farrow’s and there’s a hard set to my jaw and then I pitch forward and continue moving through the crowd.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s just looking at one person after the other right in front of us like,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Sorry, sorry. ‘Scuse me. Sorry, sorry. No, no, no, I didn’t spill it. I’m sorry.

Ashley:

If Damian, like, at any point gets super distracted as he is like to do, Farrow is going to do the thing that they do and slip off and follow the trio. Not as sneaky as they usually would be.

Kenzie (MC):

It was pretty much asked of you by Caleb.

Ashley:

For a second, Farrow’s like, is that a challenge? Is he going to bite my head off if I follow? But then then they’re like, probably not.

Mads:

It’s hard to see from that distance and with the lighting and the noise and everything else that’s happening in here but it was this moment of confusion, maybe asking for help. It seemed like Caleb didn’t really know what was going on right now.

Ashley:

I’ll say Farrow does show up maybe like a beat or two after you guys gather just because they have to slip away from Damian.

Kenzie (MC):

The entire cheerleading squad is leaving this section and going back to the locker room after this because this is a pretty big thing. No on is going to do a stunt after somebody just got really hurt. So, while the game continues, you are all following Ivy who is being followed by the rest of the cheer squad. So, when you get to the closed doors of the locker room, you can all hear a lot of arguing. And you can all hear a lot of worry. But you don’t hear Ivy’s voice in this mix at all because Ivy is hearing a completely different conversation.

Kenzie (Shadow Creature):

How’d that feel? Pretty good, right? You have so much power you’ve never tapped into. So much respect that you have never received because people don’t look at you like that and they should. And they could. You feel half the power you could. I can give it to you. That was just a hint.

April:

Ivy watches all the commotion in front of her. No one’s blaming her or really paying attention to her. Ivy had obviously caught Alina before she tumbled. She just listens to this voice and slowly, a small grin just plays across her face.

Kenzie (MC):

And no one is here to stop you. No one is here to persuade you otherwise. You don’t have Adam and his constant, “This voice sucks,” in your ear. You don’t have Kai and her, “You have to believe in yourself,” in your ear. You just have this one voice.

April:

As Ivy looks at Alina’s red, tear-stained face, she feels something click in the back of her brain. She doesn’t feel bad. It did feel good and I think Ivy becomes her Darkest Self.

Kenzie (MC):

I think for consideration in the world that we’ve built and how we play this game, Ivy’s Darkest Self may not actually be seen outside of herself because of what the vampire’s – as a mechanic Darkest Self is and how Ivy is. I think this is a pretty subtle shift.

You guys see Alina like on a stretcher being pulled out because she has broken the lower half of one of her legs and you hear the commiseration of the people inside.

Ashley:

As you guys are talking about maybe being able to get into the girls locker room, Farrow – who is in so many fucking layers right now because it’s so goddamn cold – they say,

Ashley (Farrow):

I can sneak in.

Mads (Caleb):

Ooh!

Brennan (Sawyer):

What the fuck!?

Ashley (Farrow):

Sorry, uh –

Ashley:

Farrow peaks through. There are like a couple guys on the cheer squad, right?

Kenzie (MC):

This locker room is split. It’s portioned off in genders when it needs to be but overall the cheerleading squad just exists together. As you open the door as the paramedics are coming out, Sydney Samuels’ goes,

Kenzie (Sydney):

You’re not supposed to be in here, you’re not part of the cheer squad.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I know every move you guys have.

Mads (Caleb):

He does. We’re looking for Ivy.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah! We’re looking for Ivy.

Kenzie (MC):

You see this expression come across Sydney’s face that is like biting back disdain and she just goes,

Kenzie (Sydney):

Ivy, your friends are here.

April:

Ivy skips up behind Sydney and says,

April (Ivy):

Hey guys! Uh… Farrow? What’s up?

Brennan (Sawyer):

What – uh….

Mads (Caleb):

We didn’t plan this far, um, did you – can we talk to you for a second?

April (Ivy):

Can I leave the locker room?

Mads (Caleb):

Can we just take you outside? Can we do that?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah.

Mads:

I’m looking back and forth between Sydney and Ivy.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, just a little conversation.

Mads (Caleb):

Just for a minute.

April (Ivy):

Syd, I guess we’re done for the day anyway.

Kenzie (Sydney):

Alina’s going to the hospital, I think we’re done for the day, Ivy.

April:

And Ivy like ducks under her arm and walks through the three of you.

Brennan:

Sawyer’s face instantly shifts out of game mode and is like, this is – this is an Ivy that I kinda know, I kinda don’t know. Where it’s like this passive aggressiveness almost and just instantly goes into fix Ivy mode.

Mads:

Caleb is visibly a little annoyed at how blasé Ivy is about everything right now. Especially given – even if we didn’t see anything, we know Ivy could have prevented something bad from happening. So while we don’t know she’s the cause, its just not sitting right and her attitude now? Vile. But he’ll follow, the whole time like holding hands with Sawyer.

Ashley:

Farrow’s just like a couple feet behind, trailing.

April:

Once they get a certain ways away, ivy like spins around, hodling her arms behind her back, tilts her head to the side.

April (Ivy):

So, why’d you guys leave the game?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well, we wanted to just talk to you about what the hell just happened?

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, Ivy, someone broke their leg?

April (Ivy):

Yeah, Alina fell.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, I mean, it’s Alina. That’s really why we’re coming to chat.

April (Ivy):

Yeah and she crumpled in my hands like a piece of paper. It’s not my fault that she literally can’t hold herself up.

Mads (Caleb):

And you could’ve caught her.

April (Ivy):

I can’t do anything if she’s not holding herself up.

Mads (Caleb):

You’re stronger than the entire team combined. You could have held her up, Ivy.

Brennan (Sawyer):

So, there’s no issues right? Just wanted to check because we know you hate her.

April (Ivy):

Yeah and one of the reasons I hate her is she’s a sloppy cheerleader.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’d say that’s like pretty far low on the list of why you hate her.

Mads (Caleb):

So that was it? She fell and you happened to be next to her and you happened to do nothing about it. And that’s it? That’s all what happened?

Kenzie (MC):

I think you can both see that Ivy’s eye aren’t completely clear. There’s a remnant of what you have seen before with Adam in her eyes. It’s not taking over them in any capacity but there’s something different.

April:

Ivy kinda takes a step forward toward Caleb.

April (Ivy):

Caleb, what would you want me to do? If I caught her in front of the entire school, what would that look like? A human wouldn’t be able to do that.

Mads (Caleb):

Is that what you’re so worried about? Getting caught out? Instead of helping someone? Her legs broken! She’s probably done for the rest of the season. This means a lot to her.

April (Ivy):

And she’ll get over it!

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey, guys, hold on. Let’s take a breather.

April (Ivy):

She will get over it. She’s a human. Humans have accidents all the time. It’s not like she’s even going to be – she might not even be out of the season Caleb!

Mads (Caleb):

How do you know that? Also, Ivy, reality check. Most people are humans. You’re half of one. Find yours. Jesus Christ.

April (Ivy):

It just feels like both of you are making this out to be my fault. Have either of you been on the bottom of a cheerleading pyramid? I don’t think so. Things happen.

Brennan (Sawyer):

You feel okay?

April (Ivy):

I feel fine, Sawyer. Thank you. I’d feel a lot better if my best friends would give me some fucking space.

April:

And she just blows past them.

Mads:

For a moment, as she’s turning, I see that shadow pass her eye and my head like pitches forward a little bit. My brow kinda scrunches up and I’ll use my Heightened Senses to see if I can get a read on the creature that I know is inside of her. And if there’s a way I can squash it back down. Whether that be brute force or something else?

Kenzie (MC):

So, roll me your heightened senses.

Mads:

So that is a seven minus one, so a six.

Kenzie (MC):

You see this. And you understand that this is not Ivy. But as it was with Adam, you have not been able to figure out how to possibly weaken it, intercept it, stop it. It seems like the only way to do that is from the person that’s being possessed by this thing. They have to be strong enough to do it. So, as you see that flash, you know there’s just no hope for you to break through.

Mads:

Farrow, you would hear the very audible, deep inhale of breath from Caleb as she stares after Ivy as she walks away. And Sawyer, you would feel his hand clench in yours and his nail starts to prick just a little bit. And under his breath, enough so that the two of you can hear it, but not enough that the general public at this fucking hockey game can, he says,

Mads (Caleb):

It's back.

Kenzie (MC):

Farrow, you saw this. You walked into the teacher’s lounge on Homecoming and saw this happen and while you may not necessarily understand what it is. You know what’s happening.

Ashley:

Farrow looks after Ivy for a moment then turns to Caleb and Sawyer, glancing quickly down at Caleb’s hand and says,

Ashley (Farrow):

So, how dangerous exactly would Ivy combine with that other thing be?

Brennan (Sawyer):

She would probably rib out heads off.

Ashley (Farrow):

Cool.

Mads (Caleb):

I think I’m the only one that can hold her back. It’s annoying enough with my brother and he doesn’t have the strength for it.

Ashley (Farrow):

Do we know what it is?

Mads (Caleb):

We’re going to have to give you a crash course on this another time. But what you need to know now is that it’s everywhere. It’s infected my brother pretty hard and Ivy got some of it now too. I don’t know what to do to stop it though.

Brennan (Sawyer):

We were talking about maybe a little, um, discussion with it, in a safe place. That might need to be tonight.

Mads (Caleb):

I think our best option is Ivy’s house. Soundproof. Kinda bulletproof. I can’t imagine what those vampires get up to.

Ashley:

Farrow like shakes their head for a second and they say,

Ashley (Farrow):

There’s also, you know, the woods. I mean if you guys needed another place, uh, I might be able to – nevermind.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’m worried about doing at Ivy’s house because of possible interference with Bast and Gabriel.

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah, it’s not soundproof to everybody there. Don’t the Moore’s have lots of houses?

Mads (Caleb):

There’s a handful that are abandoned. I mean, Sara’s old place. She’s not here.

Brennan (Sawyer):

That could work. We’d need to stop by Ivy’s room and grab some of her stuff. I think we need to bring Adam. Is there anyone else we should bring?

Mads (Caleb):

If Adam’s there, could he make it worse?

Ashley (Farrow):

Who was the lesbian from Halloween?

Mads (Caleb):

I think Kai could help. I worry that Adam has god intentions for helping Ivy but he’s also infected.

Brennan (Sawyer):

That’s true.

Mads (Caleb):

And if it starts to take over him while we’re trying to fix Ivy, I can’t hold them both down.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Let’s bring Kai though, ‘cause she’s um… I think she’ll know some stuff we don’t know. She’s Wyatt’s granddaughter? Daughter?

Mads (Caleb):

Granddaughter.

Brennan (Sawyer):

So she’s gotta know some sort of protective barrier stuff.

Mads (Caleb):

We could get Naia.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ooof. I don’t know.

Mads (Caleb):

What? You don’t want to gather up all of Ivy’s one night stands in one room?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I just think that could cause some drama, I don’t know. But I’m not opposed!

Mads (Caleb):

I think we’re past drama.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I wish we could bring Sam.

Mads (Caleb):

I wish we could bring Sam.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Naia, Kai, us three. Sara’s abandoned place. Tonight.

Mads (Caleb):

I’ll order pizza. Do one cheese. One pepperoni. Maybe a vegetartian option?

Brennan (Sawyer):

An exorcism!

Ashley (Farrow):

Sawyer?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah.

Ashley (Farrow):

Can I ask you a question, real quick?

Ashley:

And I kinda glance at Caleb in a just the two of us kind of way.

Mads:

Caleb looks at you and then his brows pitch up and he looks at Sawyer and then looks at you again and then looks at where his hands is clasping Sawyer’s. He looks back to you Farrow and you can see this really like – he’s trying to keep a really stern, a very serious face. His brows a little bit furrowed. The side of one of his lips is sucked in, he’s biting at it a little bit. But just for a moment, Farrow, only you see, I can only describe as like a kicked puppy. This pathetic, miserable, little glint in his eyes. It’s like, “No, don’t make me go.” And it is gone as soon as you see it. And he kinda juts his chin up, takes his hand away from Sawyer and crosses his arms over his chest and goes,

Mads (Caleb):

(clear throat) Yeah. Yeah of course. I should start getting the place ready.

Ashley:

Within the brief interactions Farrow and Caleb have had between Sawyer punching his dad and everything else, Farrow has only ever regarded Caleb and looked at them with like respect. Ivy intimidates slash scares Farrow still. Sawyer, there’s mixed feelings but with Caleb, Farrow’s very much so like, “I understand you.” As you walk away, Farrow kinda walks further. Whenever they’re with everyone else, their posture’s very good and they’re like looking everyone in the eye, but whenever it’s just you and Farrow, Sawyer, they’re not so much skittish as they just maybe haven’t made up their mind exactly how to feel because not only do the two of us look alike, but we also look a lot like our dad and so there’s a lot of – it’s just tough. But they take this moment to confide in you and they say,

Ashley (Farrow):

Hey, so, full transparency, when I would babysit Annabelle, after I put her to bed, I would take that time to explore, looking for dirt on William. And I found a door.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Uh-huh.

Ashley (Farrow):

Locks have never been a problem for me and I know that tonight things might get intense so should we prepare?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I was thinking about it. How much do you know?

Ashley (Farrow):

I mean there were some notes down there. Color coded things. I don’t know exactly what all of them do but I got the gist that it’s like defense, right?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah. It’s preventative measures. I’m sorry this is fucking bizarre as shit for me.

Ashley (Farrow):

Yeah, how do you think I feel? I found out vampires exist like just a few weeks ago, my guy.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Holy shit! You didn’t know until like a few weeks ago!?

Ashley (Farrow):

No, I didn’t. I moved here to get shit on William and it kinda spiraled.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh fuck! I thought you would’ve – I though – I figured your mom was like, something. Like some sort of like, I don’t know, witch?

Ashley (Farrow):

Alright, so my mom’s human. Just so I can have this like said clearly, Ivy a vampire. Caleb, werewolf. What are we?

Brennan (Sawyer):

We’re so lame! We have nothing! We’re fucked!

Ashley (Farrow):

We’re just people? I’m not gonna get any powers or anything?

Brennan (Sawyer):

No! We have nothing. We have plants.

Ashley (Farrow):

What the fuck? Why are you friends with these people?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I didn’t really have a choice. But I love them. I love them. I say that but I love them. I just kinda – this is my life!

Ashley:

Farrow puts their face in their hand and they go,

Ashley (Farrow):

Okay, okay, okay.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well, shit, okay. I’ll run you through a quick crash course. I’ve spent the last like – shoot I don’t even know, eight years or something – practicing with these really dangerous, venomous, and poisonous plants. So, we should go to my place.

Ashley (Farrow):

Do you want a knife?

Brennan (Sawyer):

You have a knife?

Ashley:

They look over their shoulder and they reach into their pocket and they just pull out a little pocketknife.

Ashley (Farrow):

I have many knives. Do you need one?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I had a knife, but it got taken a really long time ago. DO you have a switchblade?

Ashley (Farrow):

Back at my house, yeah.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, like anything that is good for humans in real life, that’s what we have.

Ashley (Farrow):

If you have a leather jacket, wear that. It’s basically armor.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Okay, that’s a good point.

Ashley (Farrow):

God, do you just not be prepared all the time? You just kinda go?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Why do you think my voice is like constantly quivering? I’m literally scared all the time.

Ashley:

They take a deep breath, and they go,

Ashley (Farrow):

Okay, so, we’re going to go to your house right now. I’ll get a crash course on your little herb project. I’ll go get the knives from my place.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Leather jackets. What color? Nevermind.

Ashley (Farrow):

Does it matter? Caleb, when is he going over to Aunt Sara’s?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Uh… I don’t know, I’ll put a group chat together. What’s your number? Do I have your number? I forget.

Ashley (Farrow):

I have yours.

Ashley:

And then they just text you their name.

Kenzie (MC):

Farrow had begun tracking Sawyer’s phone and one evening, after finding out that the houses were all meeting up together, saw that Sawyer was heading out of Wildmoore. And being interested in where he was going, Farrow followed. Found themself in the middle of a forest, at night, dark, and hiding amongst the trees. And while it’s hard to hear from where you stand, the scene unfolding in front of you is odd and contentious. You’re quiet in the dark, you’ve had years of practice. But you see these people you’ve been watching for weeks, having what looks like a standoff in the middle of this small clearing, with a mediator of sorts between them? A new man and a young girl who you’ve never come across before. But eventually, what makes Farrow’s eyes widen is the fact that you watch what can only be described as magic happen. You watch this man, open a doorway into what appeared to be solid stone. And you watch the family disappear within and then these two new figures standing outside, holding some sort of vigil, holding guard. And you wait and wait and wait in the dark forest, almost giving up hope anything is going to happen when all of a sudden, the Duncans come sprinting out, disappearing into the night, faster than what should ever be possible. And eventually, the rest of the families appear as well. All heading off in their own separate directions. And the new faces, this man and this girl, looking bewildered, concerned, and on the verge of annoyance, leave, leaving this stone, once more, without a doorway.

Ashley:

When they first arrived to this scene they were like, “Oh, there’s going to be some cult shit. That’s what this is all about. Obviously, these guys are just in a fucking cult.” And then when the new players show up, they take their phone out, flash off, obviously, and take quick little photos for reference of the new people. And then when the stone first creates this doorway, they’re like, it’s dark, what the fuck did I just see? Oh, wait, holy shit, there’s just like a big fucking hallway right there now, okay. And so, then as they watch it disappear again, in their brain, they’re trying to go through every single possible explanation, I guess, for what that could possibly mean, and right as they’re getting to the end of, nope that’s just some weird magic shit. I guess I have to deal with this now, the door opens again and the Duncans sprinting past them, maybe makes them shit themselves a little bit. Their heart definitely at least stops just because they’re already kinda wary of Ivy. Like they saw her climb up a wall and they’re like… that’s not right. That’s not – that shouldn’t happen. And so then the Duncans run past and they’re like mouse just hiding from a fox that ran by or something. But then as everyone else leaves, they wait a little bit longer to make sure there’s no one else there and then they kind of creep out from the underbrush. A little too eagerly run up to the stone and start looking for seams, cracks in the walls or anything that could be like, maybe it is like a weird mechanism. But they put their palm up against it. There’s a moment where they kind have their palm resting against the stone and they go,

Ashley (Farrow):

Open Sesame. No, fuck, that’s dumb. Obviously that’s not going to work. Shit.

Ashley:

And they do take a couple pictures but just the feeling of tryhing to wrap their head around this new information and applying it to everything they’ve seen, they kinda head back to their home base, in a bit of a tizzy. Just sort of like, well, I need to reexamine everything I knew previously. This is fucking weird. And they look back at the stone one last time like

Ashley (Farrow):

That’d be cool if it did open though.

Ashley:

And then they head out.

Kenzie (MC):

I think that though, it opening for you touching it, also brings along the implication of Farrow actually being a Hook. Being part of that family entirely. And there probably is a little bit of wistfulness that maybe you could’ve opened it.

Ashley:

Oh there was definitely like a, like a, maybe I have this magic power too. ‘Cause this is definitely a moment too where they’re like, maybe I can’t open the door but if these families are magic, what can I do? They try not to get excited because excited leads to raised hopes, leads to disappointment, but there is a little spark in them like, oh maybe I can do something. And they try to ignore that but it’s definitely there.

Ashley (Farrow):

I have yours.

Ashley:

And then they just text you their name.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’m not gonna ask.

Ashley (Farrow):

Do you know when Caleb’s going over to make sure the house is safe?

Brennan:

Pull out phone.

Brennan (Sawyer):

When are you going over to make sure the house is safe?

Mads (Caleb):

Now?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Now. Wait should it not be safe? Is it not safe? Should I go with him?

Ashley (Farrow):

You said it was an abandoned house so maybe the floor…

Brennan (Sawyer):

Wait for me!

Brennan:

Send.

Ashley (Farrow):

Also Sawyer, keep in mind, you guys keep name dropping people. I don’t know who the fuck you’re talking about.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Just know that we are two normal, little peas in a really destructive, heinous pod.

Ashley (Farrow):

Fuck.

Brennan (Sawyer):

And all we have are out little pea selves.

Ashley (Farrow):

Fuck.

Kenzie:

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