About this Episode:
Episode Transcript:
Kenzie Tartaglione:
Hello everybody! It’s Kenzie here. Thank you all so much for listening to our show! We are very excited to announce a little update… our first pieces of merch! If you head over to our website, queerpg.com, you can check out all our new stuff! We have queerpg logo stickers and pins, AND something fun for season one. We have Wildmoore High Wyverns notebooks. They come in three different designs so head on over there to check it out! We are selling these through Society6 so if you go to our website, under the shop tab, you’ll see the notebook. Clicking on it will redirect you so that you can purchase! Again, thank you guys so much for your support and enjoy the episode!
The content warning for this episode includes blood, drinking blood, snakes, drug use, and alcoholism.
Kenzie (MC):
Ivy you are knelt on the floor of your room. It’s a room that you gave up a long time ago. The wood trim is a deep brown. The walls are a royal purple. The sconces are dark and elegant. The carpet is a heavy gray and plush. And in front of you is a miniature, to scale, and perfectly sculpted dollhouse of Blackthorn Manor. It’s about a decade prior to our present time, just after your fifth birthday.
Kenzie (Gabriel Duncan):
Bambolina.
Kenzie (MC):
Gabriel’s singsong voice travels up the staircase and down the halls to find you.
Kenzie (Bast Duncan):
Ivy can you come here please?
April Consalo (Ivy Duncan):
Just a few more minutes, Papa?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
We want to talk to you!
April (Ivy):
(sighs) Okay.
April:
I stand up and slightly adjust one doll in the dollhouse. Take a step back and look at it. Nod. And then head over to my dads.
Kenzie (MC):
You find you way down the hallways towards their voices. They weren’t speaking loud. You already have pretty significantly better hearing than most kids your age. And you find them standing next to each other in the large foyer, which to your little five year old body, seems massive. And you come down the stairs and once you hit the second to last step, Gabriel pulls you in and kisses your head and he picks you up and swings you around the foyer before he swoops into the little sitting room, placing you on one of the many rather uncomfortable lounges. These were made to show off, uh, decoration, not necessarily for a lot of use. Bast walks in and looks at you and says,
Kenzie (Bast):
Are you hungry?
April (Ivy):
Maybe. Just a little.
Kenzie (Bast):
Hungry for…?
April (Ivy):
Well…am I… could I have some?
Kenzie (Bast):
You can have some.
April:
I like jump up and down and clap my little hands together.
Kenzie (MC):
He goes over to this cart, which you’re not supposed to touch without their permission, and pours into this light purple plastic kids cup, a dark kind of thick liquid. And into these elegant crystal wine glasses, some for himself and Gabriel and he brings it over and he sits down in a chair opposite you, elbows on his thighs.
Kenzie (Bast):
Okay. Here you go.
April:
I take it and immediately like sit back so that my feet are dangling off the edge of the couch and I drink from my little cup.
Kenzie (MC):
Since you’re so young, Bast and Gabriel have taken it upon themselves to help, well, this is new for all of you, but help figure out your needs versus what their needs are. And so its been this, almost like a little game played where you always get asked, they don’t just hand it to you, you always get asked. They’re trying to figure out if you can tell what hunger you have. And working through that has been kind of a fun game, ‘cause you get a fun treat at the end of the day.
Bast presses his hands against his pants and kind of smooths them out. And say,
Kenzie (Bast):
Okay. This is going to sound like a lot.
Kenzie (MC):
And Gabriel jumps in.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
So if you’re confused you can ask us questions. And you don’t have to remember everything right now, bambolina.
April (Ivy):
Okay.
Kenzie (Bast):
We want to tell you about the heart of Wildmoore.
April (Ivy):
The heart. But Wildmoore’s not a person!
Kenzie (Bast):
I know. It is a fun name for what keeps Wildmoore going.
Kenzie (MC):
And he reaches out and he kinda pokes your chest.
Kenzie (Bast):
Your heart keeps your body working. And Wildmoore has something like a heart that does the same for it. And we, your Papa and I have a very important job and you will some day too. We protect the heart.
April (Ivy):
How do we do that?
Kenzie (Bast):
So there is a piece of the heart that we have been in charge of for a very, very, very long time. And you know your friends? Adam and Sawyer. Their families also work to protect the heart.
April (Ivy):
Why do we need to protect it?
Kenzie (Bast):
Well, its kinda like why we don’t tell anybody what we have in these cups here.
April (Ivy):
Because that’s dangerous.
Kenzie (Bast):
Yes. And so if we have to protect it because if somebody else found out about it and decided to use it, it could be very dangerous.
April (Ivy):
So I get to be a protector too.
Kenzie (Bast):
When you’re a little older, yes. But we wanted to tell you now so that you would know what was to come.
April:
Ivy kind of like sits up a little bit and she’s emptied her cup now
April (Ivy):
I think I’m old enough right now. Papa? Don’t you think I’m old enough?
Kenzie (MC):
They both smile.
April (Ivy):
But you’re not gonna let me protect it?
Kenzie (Bast):
Well, its not currently our turn to protect it. Every house has a time and they get – they get assigned to protect it. We’re next but the next ceremony, in order for us to get the piece of the heart is not until you are fifteen.
April (Ivy):
So when I’m fifteen, I’ll be old enough then?
Kenzie (Bast):
You will and you will get the heart to protect.
April (Ivy):
Wow.
Kenzie (Bast):
It’s a big job.
April (Ivy):
And Adam and Sawyer, do they… will they protect it with me?
Kenzie (Bast):
In a way. But, it won’t be there turn to actually be the protect of it. They’ll help in other ways.
April (Ivy):
It’ll just be my turn.
Kenzie (Bast):
Yeah.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
You know, bambolina, I was the first protector.
April (Ivy):
Ever? Wow.
April:
She like jumps off the couch and crawls up into Gabriel’s lap.
April (Ivy):
That’s really cool.
Kenzie (Bast):
It is a great responsibility. And its very important. But we – we’ll be around still to help you if you need it.
April (Ivy):
‘Cause you and Dad are going to be around forever.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Forever.
April:
She like kicks her legs a bit and cuddles up to Gabriel.
Kenzie (MC):
He holds you closer, arms around you, hugging you.
April (Ivy):
That’s good. I want to be around forever with you guys.
Kenzie (MC):
Gabriel and Bast share a look between themselves.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
We want that too.
Kenzie (Bast):
You know what is even more exciting though?
April (Ivy):
What?
Kenzie (Bast):
Is the day that you get to go see the heart.
April (Ivy):
Am I old enough to see the heart?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
No.
April (Ivy):
(deep sigh)
Kenzie (Bast):
But do you want to hear about it?
April:
Ivy rolls her eyes.
April (Ivy):
I guess so.
Kenzie (Bast):
It sits directly underneath Wildmoore and it is a magical place.
April (Ivy):
Its under the ground?
Kenzie (Bast):
It’s under the ground. Deep within the ground.
April (Ivy):
Papa?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Yeah?
April (Ivy):
What is it?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
It is a fountain.
April (Ivy):
A fountain? Do we… get to go in it?
Kenzie (MC):
Looks at Bast. Looks back to you.
<h5?Kenzie (Gabriel):I don’t think anybody has ever asked that question before.
April (Ivy):
I’m the first? Like Papa!
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Yes, just like me.
April (Ivy):
Will I get to go there when it’s my turn?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Yes. And you will get to see it and you will get to see how beautiful it is and how there are these lights all around it that seem to come from nowhere. And the magic swirls through the air.
April:
Ivy like sighs and looks at Bast.
April (Ivy):
Fifteen is so long from now.
Kenzie (Bast):
It is ten years.
April (Ivy):
That’s long!
Kenzie (Bast):
I assure you that after you’ve lived as many years as I have, ten years goes by in a flash.
April (Ivy):
(sighs)
Kenzie (Bast):
You seem sad, Ivy. Is it just because you want to see it now and you are not patient.
Kenzie (MC):
And he kinda tries to like tickle you a little bit.
April (Ivy):
I am patient! I just… I want to see the heart. It makes me feel special to think about it.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
You’re special without the heart.
April (Ivy):
Really?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Bambolina, you are possibly the most special little girl in the entire world.
April:
Ivy smiles and reaches up and touches her dad’s beard.
April (Ivy):
Hmm. Okay.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
You know one day, me and you, we’re going to see the whole world too.
April (Ivy):
The whole world?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
The whole world. There’s going to be so much time for us to spend together. And it is going to be beautiful because you are going to get to see all the places that I lived and that I grew up. And all the places that your Dad grew up.
April (Ivy):
Will I get to see your dads too?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Our families are long, long gone passed.
April (Ivy):
Oh. But we have – we still have a family.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Yeah! We do! And all of the people that come in and come out of this house are part of that family. We have a big family.
April (Ivy):
Yeah! (laughs) The biggest.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
We have to make our own families sometimes.
April (Ivy):
Does that mean that Sawyer’s family and Adam’s family are our family too?
Kenzie (Bast):
That is a bit of a harder question to answer. Our families are connected in a way that makes us very close to one another. But the same reason there’s only one protector of the heart at a time, which will be you next, is the same reason, that we don’t really consider them family. That doesn’t mean that they’re not your friends.
April (Ivy):
I don’t think you’re right.
Kenzie (Bast):
You know what? You do get to choose for yourself and maybe when you become the protector of the heart, you will change things and you will be family.
April (Ivy):
I’m gonna do that. When I get to be the protector, Sawyer’s family and Adam’s family, we’re all gonna be a family. And they’re gonna be my family and I’m gonna – I’m gonna choose them.
Kenzie (Bast):
You have very big aspirations, Ivy, that I do hope come true.
April (Ivy):
What’s aspiration?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
That was quite a big word, Bast.
Kenzie (Bast):
It means that you have big plans.
April (Ivy):
Yeah!
Kenzie (Bast):
We will be around to see them happen.
April (Ivy):
Can I show you something now?
Kenzie (Bast):
Of course. What is it?
April (Ivy):
Okay, so, I – so the dolls that you got me. The ones that look like everyone that we know. I’ve been putting their clothes on each other and (laughs) it looks really good. I think you will like it.
April:
And Ivy grabs her dads hands and yanks them out of their chairs and leads them up the stairs to her dollhouse.
Kenzie (MC):
They follow you, exuberantly playing along, up the stairs, down the hallway to your room and looking at the little version of their house.
April:
And she explains to them all the various, complicated, nonsensical plots that she’s come up with. With all the different rooms and all of her aunts and uncles and cousins and friends. If you look in the miniature version of Ivy’s room, you’ll see, the Moore siblings and Sawyer and Ivy dolls all sitting in a little circle together.
Kenzie (MC):
Gabriel squats down to look closer and he says,
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Well you know that, um, you always play away but they can come here and you can have this little playdate that you’ve made here if you like.
April (Ivy):
But I – I thought – I thought only our aunts and uncles could come here.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Ivy this is your home. Your friends are allowed.
April (Ivy):
Like now?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Do you want to have a playdate now?
April (Ivy):
Yeah!
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Right after you had a birthday party?
April (Ivy):
Yeah!
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Okay, I’ll call.
April (Ivy):
Okay, go! Go!
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Okay, okay!
Kenzie (MC):
And he gets up and he kinda um dances out of the room. Bast sits on the edge of your bed and pats it.
April:
Ivy like hops up next to him.
Kenzie (Bast):
Ivy this is not the only day that we will talk about this because it is a lot of responsibility.
April (Ivy):
About the heart.
Kenzie (Bast):
Yes. Not about your playdate. About the heart, yes. And you don’t have to worry about it right now, but we wanted you to know it was coming and we will always be there to support you and help you. But you still need to be careful.
April (Ivy):
Be careful of what, Daddy?
Kenzie (Bast):
With who you share things with. Like you know that we keep a secret here and that your friends already know the secret.
April (Ivy):
Mm-hmm.
Kenzie (Bast):
You know that. But there are some things that come with that, that you need to careful about whether you tell them or not. And if you ever wonder if you’re allowd to tell them something, you can ask us, but, we just need to be careful because we love you. And we want to protect you because you’re our heart!
April (Ivy):
I’ll be careful.
Kenzie (Bast):
I will go make sure Papa is calling your friends.
April (Ivy):
Okay!
Kenzie (Bast):
I love you very much.
Kenzie (MC):
And he kisses you on the top of the head.
April (Ivy):
I love you!
April:
And she hops down off the bed and starts cleaning her room. Considers this like this little dress-up crown and very solemnly puts it on her head and then gets back to straightening up.
Kenzie (MC):
Sawyer, you are eight. It’s a Saturday in the middle of summer. The sun is bright through the wall of windows that is the front of your house. Your mother is outside, lounging by the pool. You can see the top of her hat through the door onto the back patio. I think that you probably have some type of tank or a cage or pet in front of you.
Brennan Hershock:
I’d imagine that there was a garter snake that kept coming up and then my dad would grab it and chuck it over the fence. But it would always come back so eventually I just picked it up and brought it inside, put it in a cage.
Kenzie (MC):
You’re cleaning out your garter snakes little cage when the doorbell rings. And through the front windows you can see Adam peering in through the window. And Ivy waving. And Adam’s little sibling standing a few stpes back, looking just up at your house. You can see that there are three bikes tossed haphazardly into the yard next to the door.
Brennan:
I’ll like extend my hand and do like the wave in to all of them if they can see me.
Kenzie (MC):
They can see you and Adam reaches up and turns the knob and pushes the unlocked door.
Kenzie (Adam Moore):
Hey! Uh, we’re going to the creek. You comin’?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Uh, yeah! Uh, do you wanna – I just – do you wanna look at my garter snake real quick?
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah.
Brennan (Sawyer Hook):
Well come here.
Kenzie (Adam):
Okay.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I gotta find something to feed it with and I think it eats like – I think I need to find a possum or a raccoon.
Kenzie (Adam):
Wouldn’t that be like really big for that?
Brennan (Sawyer):
No –
Kenzie (Adam):
Can I hold it?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Ahhh, sure. I think snakes can unhinge their jaws and then eat things that are like three hundred thousand times bigger than them so I think a raccoon – if I fed it one raccoon, it would be fine fore like ever.
April:
Ivy runs over and is like,
April (Ivy):
I can unhinge my jaw too. See?
April:
And she does.
Kenzie (MC):
Adam goes,
Kenzie (Adam):
I was actually going to -
Kenzie (MC):
And he kinda like pushes the snakes head so like its – its jaw opens and its fangs descend. And he was like,
Kenzie (Adam):
I was gonna see if you could mirror that. If you could be like that.
April (Ivy):
I can do that. Here. Look.
April:
And Ivy like shoots her fangs out.
Mads McDonough:
I come up and approach the group now as well. And I look at Ivy like,
Mads (Caleb Moore):
How do you do that?
April (Ivy):
I don’t really know.
April:
She kinda has like a little bit of a lisp because her fangs are bigger than her baby teeth.
Mads (Caleb):
Does it hurt?
April (Ivy):
No. It kinda feels good.
Mads:
I try to mimic it.
Brennan:
Sawyer crosses his arms. Kinda looks at you. Looks at the snake.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I’m pretty sure that they like milk snakes from the teeth. They like pull on the teeth like that.
Kenzie (MC):
Adam reaches out to try and pull on one of Ivy’s teeth.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hold on, let me get a cup.
April (Ivy):
Ow! You can’t – nothing – no, I don’t –
Kenzie (Adam):
It’s not coming out.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I don’t think we’re doing it well enough! We gotta test it.
April (Ivy):
No milk comes out.
Mads (Caleb):
Why would milk come from there?
Brennan:
I get the cup, bring it over underneath the tooth.
April (Ivy):
Uch, uch. I don’t even like milk.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Try to like mentally like force all of your energy into the tooth.
April:
Ivy’s like scrunching er eyebrows so hard. I mean her fangs are already out, there’s nothing more for her to do.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Hold on, Adam. Hold on. Let me try. Am I pulling your tooth out or is this -?
April (Ivy):
Ow!
Brennan (Sawyer):
Sorry.
Kenzie (Adam):
Hey Ivy are you gonna like – like the rest of your teeth – are you gonna like lose your fangs and grow new ones?
April:
Ivy has never thought of this before (laughs). For a second she kind of like really thinks about it
April (Ivy):
I don’t… know.
Mads (Caleb):
If you lose them we could turn your teeth into necklaces like you do with the shark teeth.
April (Ivy):
But I only have two.
Kenzie (Adam):
So that means that I wear one and you wear one.
April (Ivy):
Okay.
Mads (Caleb):
Why do you get it?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah I want a tooth.
April (Ivy):
‘Cause we’re the oldest. Heh-heh.
Mads (Caleb):
Why would you even want your own tooth? You already have more teeth.
April (Ivy):
It’s my tooth! I grew it!
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay but if I’m the one that pulls it out, does that mean I get it?
April (Ivy):
No! Definitely not. If you pull it out I – I – I’ll bite you.
Brennan (Sawyer):
How would you –
Mads (Caleb):
But you won’t have teeth.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, you wouldn’t have teeth. Exactly.
Mads (Caleb):
You wouldn’t have any teeth.
April (Ivy):
Sawyer!
April:
And she like marches up to him and tries to take the snake away from him.
Brennan (Sawyer):
No!
April (Ivy):
Give me the snake, Sawyer.
Brennan:
I have the snake wrapped around my hand.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I’m not gonna take your teeth!
April (Ivy):
Okay then I’m not gonna take your snake.
Brennan (Sawyer):
You couldn’t take my snake if you wanted to take my snake.
Mads (Caleb):
Can I take your snake?
Kenzie (Adam):
Put the snake away, we’re going to the creek.
Mads (Caleb):
But I wanted to touch the snake.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Alright.
Brennan:
And I’ll put the snake away.
April (Ivy):
I’m sure there will be more snakes at the creek.
Brennan:
Lock the age. This cage is like a cage with holes in it. Like its just dirt picked up from outside and like a couple of rocks and like dried leaves. But there are definite holes that are big enough for a snake to get through in this cage.
Mads:
I sit like a wire cage?
Brennan:
Oh, it’s a wire cage. Yeah. It’s the first cage that I found in the garage.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Alright, I think its locked up safe and tight.
April (Ivy):
Okay, let’s go!
Kenzie (William Hook):
Hey, what are all these kids doing in my house!?
Kenzie (MC):
And you see Mr. Hook walk into the kitchen area where you all are.
Mads:
I hide behind Adam.
Kenzie (William):
You have multiplied.
Brennan:
I grab the snake cage and start to slowly take it off the counter behind me.
Kenzie (William):
What’s everybody up to today?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Nothing, Dad. We’re just uh we’re going to go play outside.
April (Ivy):
Yeah, we’re going to go outside.
Kenzie (William):
Oof, you know what? Really sorry but Sawyer can’t today?
April (Ivy):
What?
Brennan (Sawyer):
What!?
April (Ivy):
Why not?
Mads (Caleb):
What?
Kenzie (MC):
He places his hand on your shoulder, Sawyer. Kinda gives everybody else a kind smile.
Kenzie (William):
Maybe… maybe tomorrow, guys.
Kenzie (MC):
And Adam with the like the confidence in his voice as if he’s telling Mr. Hook how things are going to go.
Kenzie (Adam):
Just for a little bit!
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, Dad, just for a little bit.
Kenzie (William):
Sorry, bud, got some family stuff today. You guys come back and get him tomorrow.
April:
Ivy looks at both of the Moores and rolls her eyes.
April (Ivy):
Fine.
Kenzie (MC):
Adam narrows his eyes and just stares at Mr. Hook and the room is quiet as if there’s like this standoff happening. And then he shrugs.
Kenzie (Adam):
Alright, see you later, Sawyer!
Brennan (Sawyer):
Sorry, guys, I’ll see you tomorrow.
April (Ivy):
Bye, Sawyer.
Mads (Caleb):
Bye, snake.
Brennan:
I turn around.
Kenzie (William):
Snake? What snake?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Uh…
Brennan:
I’ll hold up the cage. Is there a snake in that cage still?
Kenzie (MC):
It is still in the cage currently.
Brennan:
Okay. Okay.
Kenzie (William):
Okay – I don’t know – mm-mmm – we’re gonna get a tank for that.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I figured it would be better in a cage than just like getting chucked over the fence every day.
Kenzie (William):
Well, if we’re keeping the snake, its going in a cage is can’t escape from Sawyer! Look at this!
Brennan (Sawyer):
Get out. Get out while you can.
Kenzie (William):
Okay, well then we’re putting it outside, you man. If you’re trying to coerce the snake to go around the house, its going outside.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Fine. Ivy!
April (Ivy):
Yeah?
Brennan:
And I’ll run to the door.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Just take the snake. Take the snake.
April (Ivy):
Okay, oh my god. Okay.
April:
She like holds out the bottom of her T-shirt so its like a bowl and lets him drop the snake in their.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Just hold onto it ‘til tomorrow, okay?
April (Ivy):
Okay, fine.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Good. See its gone Dad!
Kenzie (MC):
He’s looking – has seen this whole thing happen.
Kenzie (William):
Great, bud! Alright, say goodbye to your friends!
Brennan (Sawyer):
Bye.
Mads (Caleb):
Bye.
April (Ivy):
Bye.
April:
Ivy’s like holding the shirt bowl tight against her as if that hides the snake.
April (Ivy):
Okay. Sorry about your snake.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, it’s a real shame.
Kenzie (Adam):
Okay, guys, come on!
Mads (Caleb):
Can I touch the snake now?
April (Ivy):
Okay, hold on.
Mads (Caleb):
Okay.
April:
She like opens a little pocket.
Mads:
I rub a finger along the top of the snake’s little head.
April (Ivy):
It’s kinda cute actually.
Mads (Caleb):
It’s really cute
Kenzie (MC):
Mr. Hook walks up to the door and says,
Kenzie (William):
Okay, bye guys!
April (Ivy):
Okay. Okay! Goodbye
Kenzie (MC):
And shut the front door behind you guys.
Brennan (Sawyer):
(groans)
Kenzie (MC):
Sawyer, he ruffles your hair.
Kenzie (William):
Sorry kiddo, but I had some plans for us today. You already got rid of your snake but go put the cage back in the garage. I’ll wait for you down here.
Brennan (Sawyer):
(groans)
Brennan:
And I’ll do that all the way to the garage.
Brennan (Sawyer):
(groans)
Brennan:
Walking all the way back with no cage.
Kenzie (William):
Okay, so there’s some stuff your mother and I have been waiting to share with you. We would’ve preferred to wait until you’re a bit older but Adam and Ivy are your best friends and so it’s become more important that you know now.
Kenzie (MC):
Kinda beckons you to follow him into the office that is at the back of the house.
Brennan:
I’ll follow him and have this look on my face like, this must be a big deal because I am not allowed in the office.
Kenzie (MC):
Full length windows span one wall. The other holds shelves of books and files. And another as a couple pieces of modern art. He shuts the door behind you as you come in.
Kenzie (William):
You know that Ivy is not like us?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, I – I guess. She’s not like weird.
Kenzie (William):
No, I mean…
Brennan (Sawyer):
Like the teeth?
Kenzie (William):
Yes. I mean the teeth.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah. Yeah.
Kenzie (MC):
He has kinda strolled over to the window and is casually looking out.
Kenzie (William):
Our families have a long history together but there’s always been an imbalance. In their eyes we are weak.
Kenzie (MC):
And you watch him take out his phone and press the screen and curtains roll down from the top of the windows extending to the floor, blocking out not only the sunlight but the view from anybody who, uh, would wish to see in or out of the office. He turns around and faces you again.
Brennan:
Sawyer gulps and is now – his body posture is really super tight in on himself because not only is like a very intimidating room, but now its just isolated with him and his dad? Yeah, he’s definitely – arms kinda locked in on himself right now.
Kenzie (William):
Well the thing that Adam might not yet know is that he’s also not like us.
Brennan (Sawyer):
He’s gonna grow really long teeth?
Kenzie (William):
Adam will possibly grow really long teeth as well as floppy ears and a tail.
Brennan (Sawyer):
What? No – no. Is he gonna be like a dog?
Kenzie (William):
The Moores – their bloodline is cursed?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Uh-huh.
Brennan:
And I’m like waiting for my dad to smile and pretend this is joke.
Kenzie (MC):
He has a very serious face on.
Kenzie (William):
That curse can be very dangerous. Both of these families have strength that give them – or could give them – an upper hand against us. So we have had to take our own precautions.
Brennan (Sawyer):
What? Uh… this sounds – this is – this is a joke?
Kenzie (William):
This is not a joke Sawyer, this is gonna be your life.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Is this why you make me watch all these war movies?
Kenzie (William):
No.
Brennan (Sawyer):
You just like those…oh.
Kenzie (William):
We’re not going to talk about movies right now.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (MC):
He runs his fingers along the frame of one of the pieces of artwork that’s to the left of the door into this room. And right before you eyes, you watch as a small square of the wall slides away and a panel appears. And he presses his hand against it and there’s one quiet beep. And then a section of the bookshelf, about as wide as a door, slides out of the book shelf and out of sight, revealing a stairwell lit with bright fluorescent lights.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Woah. Superhero cave.
Kenzie (William):
The Moores have their secrets, the Duncans theirs, and we have ours. What is very important for you to understand Sawyer, is that this is a family secret. Not a joint family secret but our family secret. What you are about to learn will not leave your lips. Not in the presence of anyone but me or your mother.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So, I can never bring this up to anyone?
Kenzie (William):
Absolutely under no circumstances.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (MC):
For the first time in this room, he smiles.
Kenzie (William):
That’s my boy, I knew you were ready.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Is this like our hero lair?
Kenzie (William):
I wouldn’t call it a hero lair. It is more of a –
Brennan (Sawyer):
We’re not the villains!
Kenzie (William):
No, no, not a villain lair either. It’s kinda like a bunker.
Brennan (Sawyer):
That’s so less cool than like a hero lair.
Brennan:
I’ll lag just a step or two behind him and start down the stairs, the bookcase closed behind you. And at the bottom of the stairs is another door. And when your father reaches the bottom, there’s another wall panel that your father places his hand against, and this time there’s a loud click as if like a large metal lock is opening and then your dad pushes the door open into a large room.
Kenzie (MC):
And the first thing you is the smell. Earthy. Plants. Dirt. And the next thing you notice are the rows upon rows of plants and hanging lamps directing warm light down on them. And your dad spreads his arms out.
Kenzie (William):
This is our protection.
Brennan (Sawyer):
A bunch of plants?
Kenzie (William):
These plants have a purpose. These plants have ways of bringing the Duncans and the Moores more to our… level. Our family has been working on cultivating these plants for years. We have developed new strands with different purposes. We have developed different uses and ways to use them. This is work that has taken years and years and generations of our family to come to this point.
Brennan (Sawyer):
And, um, is this like new chore? Like I have to start watering these?
Kenzie (MC):
He looks just like these are absolutely not the questions he expected you to be asking and is a little bit let down by your lack of exuberance.
Brennan (Sawyer):
‘Cause I’m just saying a super, super lair where I have to then just like water plants…
Kenzie (William):
There is an irrigation system. You don’t have to –
Brennan (Sawyer):
Oh, okay.
Kenzie (William):
-water the plants. You need to learn about the plants and possibly help your mother in the development of the plants if you so desire, which I hope you do, since you are going to be the heir of this family.
Brennan (Sawyer):
The what?
Kenzie (William):
The heir. You’re our one and only kid – what do you – this is your inheritance, Sawyer.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah. I uh, that’s cool. Why do we need these though? Should I like be afraid?
Kenzie (William):
I don’t think you should be afraid. I think you should be wary. I don’t expect at any point your friends to harm you. But there have been past incidences, so we have taken strides to try to alleviate anything like that happening again. This is just in case. Just in case either of the other houses decides to use the power that they wield in ways that have not been agreed upon. In case they decide to use them against us. Which is not something we foresee; it is something we take precaution in case of.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So, I learn about these plants as a precaution and then I would have these plants to kill my friends… ‘Cause I don’t want to hurt them.
Kenzie (William):
I know. But that doesn’t mean one day they won’t accidentally hurt you.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Like, oh man, then like, what about the Moores, like are their parents going to hurt me? Or what about Big D and Little D are they gonna hurt me?
Kenzie (William):
The way the curse works is generational and inherited. You already know about the artifact that we work to protect. Adam’s aunt is currently the holder of that artifact, because she also is the bearer of the curse. In this new generation, Adam is the bearer of the curse.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Which turns him into a dog?
Kenzie (William):
A wolf. There are a few years until that happens. As for the Duncans, I am less worried about them because of their age and the fact that anything they do that brings notice to them, can also completely ruin this town.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay. So, the curse or like, does everybody know or…?
Kenzie (William):
I am unaware if the Moores have informed Adam of this or not and it is not our place to inform him of that.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Man, I was just tugging on teeth here.
Kenzie (William):
You were doing what?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Nothing.
Kenzie (William):
Uh-huh, no. Sawyer go back. What were you doing?
Brennan (Sawyer):
I brought the snake in and we tried to milk it. I tried to milk a snake! I’m the snake!
Kenzie (William):
You were tugging on your own teeth?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Mm-hmm.
Kenzie (William):
Sawyer, you know how you said they weren’t weird?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Mm-hmm.
Kenzie (William):
Mm-hmm.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So, not a villain’s lait.
Kenzie (William):
Not a villain’s lair. A lair to protect our family. A lair is the wrong word. We should not be using that word.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So like a plantery.
Kenzie (William):
An underground greenhouse?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Isn’t that what I said?
Kenzie (William):
I didn’t realize you were going to become so anxious about this.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Well, no, I’m fine! I can handle this.
Kenzie (William):
I think you can.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, I’m – I’m an heir. And heirs are adults. And adults have to keep secrest or else they die.
Kenzie (William):
No, no, no, bud, settle down. You’re not gonna die.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I’m not gonna die if I protect the underground greenhouse from my friends.
Kenzie (William):
I wish your mother was here.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Should I go get her?
Kenzie (William):
Maybe if I take you through and tell you what these things do you will be less inclined to have this freak out that you’re having right now.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah.
Kenzie (MC):
He leads you down one row and he points out this plant that is almost in like these large parts like it’s kinda like a bush size. And he says,
Kenzie (William):
This is called artemisia or silverleaf. And this is specifically in use when it comes to the Duncans, against people of vampiric nature. Being in the vicinity of this plant causes fatigue and weakness which is a fairly harmless side effect. If this I used topically, it becomes more dangerous, it pulls the blood from their body and starts this process that we call desiccation.
Brennan (Sawyer):
What?
Kenzie (William):
Which does not kill them. It does not kill them, Sawyer. But it sends them into a state of petrification. It is a long process and it is meant for an enduring period of time. So, not to kill but to render harmless for an extend period of time. Blood will bring them back from this state.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So, this plant causes defecation to petrimations by taking blood and making them go limp noodle.
Kenzie (William):
Only if it is used topically. If it’s just in the vicinity, all it does is it weakens them. Which is how we use it. That’s the way we use it because we are not trying to kill anyone. So, let me tell you’re the third part of this plant. If any vampire were to ingest it, they would fall into a deep sleep. If the vampire has no blood, or little to no fresh blood flowing through their body, they will die. So, do not let them eat it.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Oh my god. This is like – this is just like snakes, right?
Kenzie (William):
How’s it like snakes? Tell me.
Brennan (Sawyer):
It’s like eaten for them is like getting bit by a poisonous snake. And then sometimes snakes or spiders sometimes do it, or there’s like icky goo on certain frogs that’ll if you eat it or if you touch it, different stuff happens. And a lot of times its like poison and then you die. But this one doesn’t kill them.
Kenzie (William):
As long as they don’t eat it.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Can I like have a notepad?
Kenzie (William):
Sawyer before any of this is actually something you will need to be worried about using, you will have spent a lot of time here with me or with your mother and it will become second nature. I promise you. You also are not allowed to be down here without one of us. You are not allowed to take anything out of this room unless we say so. So, I don’t think you need to worry about it. It is information though, that you need to have so we are giving it to you.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (William):
This is not an impending doom that is coming right now. We are just trying to prepare you for your future.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (William):
Okay. Now this plant –
Kenzie (MC):
And he turns to this green leafed plant with bulbous flowers. And you notice that there are many of these plants around the room and they come in different colors. And he says,
Kenzie (William):
This plant is called – it’s a little bit too on the nose for my liking – but its called wolfbane. Which has a multitude of effects based off of the color and the form its used. So, for our purposes, the yellow version is the least lethal. It paralyzes. It’s a tranquilizer of sorts. That is the only one we really concern ourselves with. The powdered form of this though is a little bit more dangerous because it causes hallucinations and while that’s not dangerous necessarily for the person it is causing the hallucinations for, it can be dangerous for anyone around the wolf that has consumed it in that form. So, we try to stay away from the powdered form of this yellow wolfsbane as much as we possibly can.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So, that one can hurt me?
Kenzie (William):
It just – if a wolf is hallucinating, we don’t know – we can’t anticipate its next movement, so it could be dangerous for anyone around it.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I can touch these, right?
Kenzie (William):
You can touch these. You’ll be fine.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Brennan:
Sawyer goes from like a stick figure to like slouching down a little bit.
Kenzie (William):
The purple one here –
Kenzie (MC):
And your dad touches it to show you that you can touch it.
Kenzie (William):
-is our most experimental. It is something that over the years our family has kind of created and it is finnicky and not ready for use. It causes either the wolf to be stuck in a state in between their state of transformation – so half person, half wolf – or to unexpectedly shift between their states of being. We don’t know yet what causes the differentiation, but we are working on figuring that out. Maybe – maybe you’ll be the one to crack the code.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Oh, maybe.
Kenzie (William):
I don’t think that you’re love for reptiles and the sort could be that different from you developing a love for plants. I think that those are – those could be similar likes for you. And you know what? I think this would be a great way for you to, you know, spend some more time with your mom. And you guys can work on a project together.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah. Uh… maybye. I’ll –
Brennan:
I’ll walk up to one of the plants and like grab one of the leaves between my fingers and just kind of rub gently.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Hi, plant. Deadly plant.
Kenzie (William):
That one is not deadly. So that’s the orange one. Oranges one causes, um, asthma-like symptoms but if ingested in a large amount can cause unconsciousness, possibly forcing someone into a coma-like state.
Brennan (Sawyer):
What’s coma-like?
Kenzie (William):
Coma-like is when you are unconscious for an extended period of time and are unresponsive to outside forces.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay, so, okay, partially dead.
Kenzie (William):
The next one, last but not least, is the blue one. There is only one effect of this one. It kills. Do not touch this one.
Brennan (Sawyer):
If I –
Kenzie (William):
You won’t die! I’m telling you, you are not allowed to use this one.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay, but if I’m like – if I accidentally brush up against it, like my shoulder, not meaning to touch it -
Kenzie (William):
You will live.
Brennan (Sawyer):
-But no –
Kenzie (William):
You’re not a wolf.
Brennan (Sawyer):
But what if my shoulder goes up against like Adam’s and then Adam now is infected by my shoulder and then, and then –
Kenzie (William):
No, no, no, no, no. These - only if they are eaten or if they get into the bloodstream. Wolfbane to the touch will not – you know what? We’re not even going to attempt it. Don’t let anybody but yourself touch these.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I don’t want to bring anyone down here.
Kenzie (William):
You should never bring anyone down here.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, I don’t want to.
Kenzie (William):
Um, I think what will make you feel better is over here.
Kenzie (MC):
And he brings you into the back of this room and there is like a wall of fridges with glass fronts like you see at a gas station. There are little vials inside of it and they all have little labels on them.
Kenzie (William):
Some of the effects of these plants have antidotes, ways to turn back time. And some do not. But these are the antidotes for the reactions that these could cause.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (William):
I need you to understand that we are not actively trying to kill anyone here, Sawyer. We simply need to protect ourselves so if the worst comes to worst, there is something we can do to make sure we are safe.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Because we’re not cursed.
Kenzie (William):
Correct.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So what’s wrong with us? Why are we doing all of this?
Kenzie (William):
Sometimes the things you inherit aren’t the things you ever would have wished for.
Brennan:
Sawyer looks back at all the plants. Back at his dad.
Kenzie (William):
You have to find a way to make of it the best that you can. And we – one of our ancestors ended up in this place and helped start the town and made some deals and made some friends and made some enemies and we now, hundreds of years later, have to deal with those choices in any way that we can.
Brennan (Sawyer):
That’s a lot of time.
Kenzie (William):
That’s a lot of time.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So I won’t have to worry about this for a while though?
Kenzie (William):
Correct. And hopefully never. Because I have never had to actively use any of this.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Oh, you haven’t?
Kenzie (William):
Nope.
Brennan (Sawyer):
(sighs)
Kenzie (William):
It’s just something we have to cultivate and keep going.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (William):
I bet you wish it was just a chore and you had to water the plants, don’t ya?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Um… I wish it was like a superhero lair and you were showing me a cool car or something.
Kenzie (MC):
Like awkwardly pats you on the back, a little bit too hard.
Kenzie (William):
Hey, bud, you know, listen, you’ll get used to it, I promise. It takes some getting used to but you’ll get used to it. It’s all good.
Brennan (Sawyer):
All good. All good. Why does this one smell like skunk?
Kenzie (William):
Yeah, that one is probably on its way into the garbage.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Well I like this wall!
Brennan:
And I point to the antidotes.
Kenzie (William):
I figured you would. That’s something you can also help your mother with if you don’t want to do the experimenting of the plant type of situation, you could – you could maybe science some stuff of with her for antidote related things.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah. This is something I have to do?
Kenzie (William):
Well, it’s something we’ve all had to do whether we’ve liked it or not. And I think, uh, I think that’ll become clear once time goes on. Once you get older I think’ll become clearer why this is an important, uh, investment of our time.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Can we go get sandwiches or something now?
Kenzie (William):
Yeah! You wann go to Joes?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah!
Kenzie (William):
Milkshakes?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yep!
Kenzie (William):
Let’s do it, bud.
Brennan:
Sawyer walks out with his dad and like, that tension of his arms just kinda rubbing up – you know his hand rubbing up and down his left bicep, it doesn’t really go away. And I’ll run up and just look out at my mom.
Kenzie (Ely):
Hi, sweetheart!
Brennan:
And my face is kinda like just getting some blood back.
Brennan (Sawyer):
We’re going to go get sandwiches!
Kenzie (MC):
She raises this fun glass with this multicolored liquid in it and a little umbrella.
Kenzie (Ely):
Okay, have fun!
Brennan (Sawyer):
You don’t want to come?
Kenzie (Ely):
I didn’t know it was an invitation for me. Do you want me to come?
Brennan:
I’ll look to my dad.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Sure!
Kenzie (Ely):
Alright, it’ll be a little family outing on this wonderful little Sunday – Saturday afternoon.
Brennan:
I’ll walk back to my dad.
Brennan (Sawyer):
She’s kinda slurring her words again.
Kenzie (William):
Ah, she’s fine. Don’t worry about it.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay. Cool. Um… so when do I have to start doing all of this?
Kenzie (William):
As soon as you want to. But at some point you’re going to have to at least learn a little bit about it. I see you’re hesitant, I see you’re hesitant, we’re going to work on it.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Kenzie (William):
We’ll give you some time to process because it feels like you’re not processing this and then we’ll get ya back down there and it’ll all be good. You got this. I know you’re ready for this.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I can still play with everybody tomorrow, right?
Kenzie (William):
Oh, yeah! Of course. Creek day.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Hey, dad?
Kenzie (William):
Yeah.
Brennan (Sawyer):
You don’t like hate them, do you?
Kenzie (William):
Hates a strong word.
Brennan:
Sawyer just kinda nods.
Kenzie (MC):
Caleb you are halfway through sixth grade with mixed feelings about being home in Wildmoore for your extended winter break from school. An evergreen wreath adorns your front door. The house smells of pine and cinnamon sticks and holly and berries from the log that is burning in the fireplace downstairs. It is only after five but it has already grown dark as it does in the winter months and through your door you can hear jazz music drifting up the stairs.
Mads:
Caleb is in his room, just finishing up a raid. I am on a call with Sam and a handful of other people in our guild and I finally – I got talked into running the tank on this run. Usually I’m DPS and its just been brutal trying to organize this group. This is why I like being DPS. I don’t want to be the one calling the shots. I just want to be along for the ride. I don’t want to have to worry about healing anyone either. But he tank is the one that has to run through first and gallivant and its just so… tacky. But I’m just finishing this up. I’m on this call and we are grinding through the last combat session of this big boss battle that we’ve been trying to through for the past week I’ve been home. And we’re just whittling it down, just, just, just enough until Sam, who is running healer, disconnects from the call. The game server – it blacks out completely on their end and the entire team – I start to take so much AOE damage that its insane. I’m screaming for Sam, realizing that they’re not their and now everyone else is realizing that they’re not there and we god own so fast. So fast.
And we’re sitting in the respawn room and Sam hops back online.
Kenzie (Sam):
Hey, guys…
Mads (Caleb):
Hey, Sam.
Kenzie (Sam):
Yeah, so I’m really sorry about that. Um… my Uncle Tom’s over and he thought that he could fit one more Christmas light thing into the wall outlet and it shot all the breakers in the house.
Mads (Caleb):
Your Uncle Tommy is a buffoon.
Kenzie (Sam):
Yeah, Grandma’s called him that before a lot too.
Mads (Caleb):
She is right on the money, bud.
Kenzie (Sam):
I’m sorry. We lose?
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah. It’s okay. You know what, my tanking was rusty. I haven’t done that since we first started – I’m sorry, guys. I wasn’t leading that the best, um, I’ll work on it more. When can we get back on and do this? I think my parents are going to try and set something up over the next couple of days but like if I can figure something out in advance I can pretend I had an assignment due or something over break and just kinda get on here instead.
Kenzie (MC):
I think there’s a cacophony of voices in your headset just complaining about the holiday. Everyone celebrating different holidays and the fact that like for four weeks, no one is available. And Sam’s like,
Kenzie (Sam):
That’s like a really long time, guys.
Mads (Caleb):
We could try like maybe in January? But you know my Wi-Fi in the dorms are crap.
Kenzie (Sam):
Yeah, um, you all sure that you can’t like do it next week?
Kenzie (MC):
And everybody’s just kina like,
Kenzie (Player #1):
No, no man, sorry. Not available.
Kenzie (Player #2):
I know it sucks, dude. We’ll get ‘em next time.
Kenzie (MC):
And somebody clicks out and then just one by one everybody clicks out of the server except for Sam.
Kenzie (Sam):
Uh, kinda ruined that. I feel it.
Mads (Caleb):
No, you didn’t. You couldn’t have helped – Tommy’s insane, Sam. On a good day. And I don’t even like tanking that much. How about we get on – what are you doing on Tuesday? We can just hop on and run that lower level one. They just increased the drops for it too. They had that one, the circle that boosts your immunity to poison damage.
Kenzie (Sam):
Yeah.
Mads (Caleb):
I think that’ll be really, really, really good moving forward.
Kenzie (Sam):
Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah.
Kenzie (Sam):
I can do Tuesday.
Mads (Caleb):
Are you good to heal for that? We could just pawn into a room and find another tank for ourselves.
Kenzie (Sam):
Okay, yeah, I actually kinda like being the healer.
Mads (Caleb):
You’re good at it.
Kenzie (Sam):
Okay, cool! Um, I gotta go eat dinner um and see if Uncle Tommy’s gonna try to beat me again in how much mashed potatoes we can eat. Last time he threw up.
Mads (Caleb):
I never want to meet your Uncle Tommy in person and I mean that in the nicest way possible.
Kenzie (Sam):
Yeah, most people – well that’s not true I don’t really know about his life. But, my dad says that Uncle Tommy used to be the life of the party. I don’t know what that means.
Mads (Caleb):
I think that means that he has problems.
Kenzie (Sam):
I think that’s very clear.
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah.
Kenzie (Sam):
Why don’t they just say that? Why don’t they just say Uncle Tommy has problems? Not Uncle Tommy used to be the life of the party, you know?
Mads (Caleb):
Adults are stupid. They like to say lots of things that are nice but are actually really mean. It’d be so much easier if they just said what they meant, right?
Kenzie (Sam):
It’d be so much easter – yeah, yeah, I’m coming! Yeah, I’ll be there in a second! I think I gotta go.
Mads (Caleb):
That’s okay. I’ll talk to you on Tuesday?
Kenzie (Sam):
Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah, Tuesday. Tuesday.
Mads (Caleb):
Okay.
Kenzie (Sam):
Looking forward to it!
Mads (Caleb):
Bye.
Kenzie (Sam):
Bye, Caleb.
Mads:
Click.
Kenzie (MC):
Disconnects. And as you take your headset off, you hear,
Kenzie (Adam):
You’re just telling me now!
Kenzie (MC):
Just yelled from your brother’s room.
Mads (Caleb):
What?
Kenzie (MC):
And then you just hear,
Kenzie (Sharon Moore):
Sshhhh, Adam. Quiet.
Mads:
I ease the headphones off of my head the rest of the way and put them on my desk and then I am going to turn on some music in my room, just whatever I was listening to while I was going through this raid. Just continuing to play. I’ll turn it up a little bit so that I can scooch back out of my desk chair and step through my bedroom, avoiding the really squeaky floorboards that are there and using the music to cover up the fact that I’m moving. And I’m going to open my door up just a little bit more.
Kenzie (MC):
As you do that, Jasper shoots inside your room.
Mads (Caleb):
(gasps) Jazzy you’re going to kill me one day.
Kenzie (Jasper):
Mrrrow.
Mads (Caleb):
You’re going to kill me Jazzy. Jazzy you’re going to kill me. Get on the bed just hang on, I’m trying to snoop.
Kenzie (MC):
Jumps up on the bed and walks around in a little circle. Kneads the dough on the comforter.
Mads:
I turn around. I take a picture. I zoom in really, really, really close so you can only see a square of his little round head, his nose, and his mouth like half-ppened in a meow. And I’ll send that to Sam.
Kenzie (Adam):
You tell me that I’m going to become a monster and I’m supposed to be quiet about it?
Mads:
I’m walking into the hallways. I’m going to be as quiet as possible though. I want to know what’s going on.
Kenzie (MC):
You hear your mom say,
Kenzie (Sharon):
You are not going to become a monster, Adam. It’s just something you will have to learn to control and live with like anything else.
Mads:
I’ll try and peek in the room if I can.
Kenzie (MC):
The door is not closed all the way, there’s a crack in it and looking through you can see that Adam is standing up and your mom is actually – you can see her back close to the door. And your dad is sitting on his bed and he’s kind of standing up, pacing. You hear your dad say,
Kenzie (Sharon):
It’s an inherited blessing, Adam. But it will take some getting used to.
Kenzie (Adam):
So, what? Just like randomly, anywhere, I’m just gonna pooof dog.
Kenzie (MC):
And your mom goes,
Kenzie (Sharon):
It’s a wolf and no, you don’t just poof.
Mads:
Caleb is a geek, through and through, super nerds, hoards comic books, plays video games, has started to dabble in tabletop games as well. Are they talking about my brother being a werewolf?
Kenzie (MC):
I think that that is an assumption that Caleb can make. I mean, his other friend is a vampire so it’s not like a massive jump of conclusions to make.
Mads:
But like she’s always known. Like her dads are like old. My mother just goes on business trips and my dad works in the woods and sometimes with the town. And my brother just plays sports. He’s not… he’s not like – I love him, he’s so fucking cool. But he’s like kinda of boring. He’s a little oatmeal of the bunch. He’s kinda – he’s great. He’s super funny. He’s like really good – he’s really good at anything he puts his mind to. He’s super ambitious. He’s not like weird though.
Kenzie (Sharon):
It's gonna happen when you go through puberty.
Kenzie (Adam):
Okay, well, we don’t really need to talk about that again, Mom.
Kenzie (MC):
And I think as Adam turns around to walk back towards his mom. He sees you through the doorway and makes eye contact with you. And his eyes widen.
Mads:
I hold eye contact with him and then I look like I’m about to back away but I stay and I just go, I mouth,
Mads (Caleb):
What the hell?
Kenzie (MC):
He goes,
Kenzie (Adam):
Come in here.
Kenzie (MC):
And of course, he does it in front of your parents and your mom turns around and sees you.
Mads:
I try to backflip, somersault away out of the door. But I’m not coordinated like my brother is so I just hit the door.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Caleb, just come in here.
Mads (Caleb):
Ow. Ow that really hurt.
Kenzie (Sharon):
You were going to find out one way or another. Come in.
Mads:
I stand up. I open the door the rest of the way because I smacked it with my fucking head. I’m holding my head.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Be careful, please.
Mads (Caleb):
I’m so careful.
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad says,
Kenzie (Daniel Moore):
We weren’t leaving you out, we just wanted to tell your brother first and then we would have told all – both of you, okay? This wasn’t like a secret… well it is a secret, but not amongst us.
Kenzie (MC):
And Adam goes,
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah, well I think I would’ve liked him being here actually because this is insane/
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah this is really weird. I only heard like part of that but what I did hear, doesn’t seem good. It doesn’t seem –
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah, yeah, Caleb! Apparently, werewolves are real and I’m gonna be one.
Kenzie (MC):
Your mother is just holding her head.
Mads (Caleb):
We have a cat! Wait, wait we have a cat. Adam are you going to eat Jasper!
Kenzie (Adam):
I don’t want to eat Jasper!
Mads (Caleb):
Please don’t eat my cat!
Kenzie (Adam):
Mom, am I gonna eat Jasper?
Kenzie (Sharon):
No, you’re not gonna eat Jasper. No. Everybody please settle down. You’re acting like this is the end of the world. You know your Aunt Sarah?
Mads (Caleb):
What happened to Aunt Sarah?
Kenzie (Sharon):
No, she’s fine. You saw her like a week ago! She’s fine.
Mads:
I look at Adam.
Mads (Caleb):
Are you gonna eat Sarah?
Kenzie (Adam):
Mom, I don’t want to eat my aunt!
Mads (Caleb):
Please don’t eat Sarah!
Kenzie (Daniel):
Boys, be quiet. Please. Let your mother finish.
Kenzie (Sharon):
No one is going to eat anybody. Sarah is also – well we don’t really like the term werewolf. It belies a sort of unfortunate circumstance. This is an inheritance we have. You hold the wolf inside of you. It is a blessing almost. It is, uh, something to be like excited about. To be proud of to hold that power. Your Aunt Sarah is a wolf. And she’s perfectly fine.
Mads (Caleb):
How… how long has she…?
Kenzie (Daniel):
Since we were kids.
Mads (Caleb):
She… but she doesn’t look. Wait, Dad, are you?
Kenzie (Daniel):
No. It went to Sarah and then to your brother. Not to me.
Mads (Caleb):
So I’m – I’m – I’m clear.
Kenzie (Daniel):
You’re – you – it goes to one person in every generation.
Mads (Caleb):
Oh god.
Kenzie (Adam):
Okay, well I don’t really think that’s fair, because honestly I think we should bot have to go through it because that’s the fair thing, right?
Mads (Caleb):
I’m good with this. I think this is great, actually, that –
Kenzie (Adam):
No! Caleb, you were just on my side a minute ago.
Mads (Caleb):
I know and now I’m really good with not being there. I think you got this. I think you can do this. You’re like super strong already. I mean, like, werewolves –
Kenzie (Adam):
Well, yeah (laughs).
Mads (Caleb):
-they’re like strong, right? They’re strong.
Mads:
I’m looking at my dad for confirmation.
Kenzie (Adam):
Like yeah, yeah, I’m gonna be like super strong, right?
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah, you’ll be like super strong.
Kenzie (Adam):
Like more strong than I am now?
Kenzie (MC):
And he crosses his arms over his chest. And your mom is like,
Kenzie (Sharon):
Yes, it comes with certain abilities, yes. But it also comes with certain detriments which is why we have to work on your demeanor and how to calm yourself down and how to take stock of a situation and make sure that, uh, you will be safe being in it because while it is controllable, it is also – it can come up and surprise you sometimes.
Mads (Caleb):
Mom doesn’t like you have any control.
Kenzie (Adam):
Okay, you know what Caleb!?
Mads (Caleb):
(laughs)
Kenzie (Adam):
You can leave. Because like I wanted you here a few minutes ago and now you’re just really not helping.
Mads (Caleb):
(laughs)
Kenzie (Adam):
So like I’m gonna be like dope strong.
Mads (Caleb):
Okay, but can he – I know about werewolves. I don’t know about this wolf – this what – what wolf we’re working with here. Whenever the moon comes out do you transform? If you bite someone do you turn them into a wolf? Wait, how is in inherited? I thought you had to be bitten by a werewolf.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Well, like I said –
Mads (Caleb):
What about silver?
Kenzie (Sharon):
-it’s not a werewolf. It’s not a werewolf.
Mads (Caleb):
If you’re allergic to silver now, I want your necklace.
Kenzie (Adam):
Uh, I have it for like at least two more years because puberty doesn’t hit until you’re thirteen, right mom?
Kenzie (Sharon):
That’s not really exactly how that works.
Kenzie (Adam):
But I have like two years though, right?
Kenzie (Sharon):
Yeah, Adam, you have two years. This is not a werewolf situation. It doesn’t have any connection to the moon, silver bullets are not going to – well silver bullets could kill you because, uh, its just ‘cause it’s a bullet, going into your body. So how about you don’t get shot? Let’s not talk about you getting shot. And three, it’s a wolf. Your aunt looks like a wolf when she’s in wolf form. You probably will not look like her. You will look like your wolf.
Mads (Caleb):
What does?
Kenzie (Sharon):
Daniel, why am I the one explaining this?
Kenzie (Daniel):
You’re just better at it.
Mads (Caleb):
So, in two years, Adam’s going to turn into a wolf slash person. Wolf-person. And –
Kenzie (Daniel):
No, he will be able to just turn into a wolf, not a wolf person, a wolf.
Mads (Caleb):
I don’t need to take him on walks do I?
Kenzie (Daniel):
No, Caleb, your brother is not a pet.
Mads (Caleb):
Debatable. But like, that’s it? He just becomes a wolf sometimes and then that’s it.
Kenzie (Daniel):
Well, um, he will – because he has the wolf, he’ll be the one who’s also – after Ivy’s turn and after the Hooks turn, Sawyer’s go at it – will probably still be around to be the keeper of the artifact for his turn.
Mads (Caleb):
Wait, the keeper, the what?
Kenzie (Daniel):
Caleb it would be really helpful that when we –
Mads (Caleb):
I –
Kenzie (Daniel):
-had family meetings you listened.
Mads (Caleb):
-super listen all the time in every family meeting.
Mads:
I say with sweat running down my face because I never listen in family meetings.
Kenzie (Adam):
He didn’t listen –
Mads (Caleb):
Shut up!
Kenzie (Adam):
-‘cause he’s not cool enough to, uh –
Mads (Caleb):
Oh my god
Kenzie (Adam):
-be the keeper of the artifact.
Mads (Caleb):
-you’re going to turn into a dog.
Kenzie (Adam):
That’s a pretty dope name.
Mads (Caleb):
You are going to smell like wet dog every day.
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah! It’s gonna be so cool.
Mads (Caleb):
Every time you shower.
Kenzie (Adam):
I’ve decided its gonna be cool, okay Caleb?
Mads (Caleb):
You’re going to be so gross and icky and no girl is going to want to flirt with you.
Kenzie (Adam):
I think you would find that that is incorrect.
Mads (Caleb):
You’ve got two years of flirting capabilities and then you’re dog breath.
Kenzie (Adam):
I think that being a wolf is going to give me an implicit advantage when it comes to dating actually. ‘Cause I’m gonna have that like – that like confidence and –
Mads (Caleb):
Intelligence.
Kenzie (Adam):
You know what, Caleb, get out of my room.
Mads (Caleb):
Make me.
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad stands up from the bed,
Kenzie (Daniel):
Okay. Okay. This is not something to fight over. Caleb, the stone that our families are sltaed to protect, please tell me you remember just a smidgen of that conversation.
Mads (Caleb):
Mmmm… It’s –
Kenzie (Daniel):
Very glad you are not the one who’s inheriting it.
Mads (Caleb):
Like the philosopher’s stone. Like from the story, kinda, right? Like it just – it has magical properties, and we need to protect it and that’s why our families are in this town. That’s it right. I got it.
Kenzie (Daniel):
That’s about as vague as you could possibly get but I’m glad you remember that much.
Mads (Caleb):
Adam, what do you remember?
Kenzie (Adam):
That the stone is like part of the fountain of youth and the only reason this town exists is because it exists and that I, one day, will have to have the insane responsibility of making sure that it doesn’t leave the town limits and it doesn’t get stolen or broken or harmed in any way, so that this town doesn’t crumble to the fucking ground.
Mads (Caleb):
Philospher’s Stone. I got it.
Kenzie (MC):
Your parents look slightly defeated.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Okay, Adam, do you have any more questions?
Kenzie (Adam):
No! I mean its fine that my world just got turned upside down but I guess I’m gonna be a wolf and I think its actually kinda cool, so I’m good. When does my training start?
Kenzie (Sharon):
It’s not going to be training like you think it is.
Kenzie (MC):
He’s like,
Kenzie (Adam):
So I’m not gonna learn like how to like fight people? Like that’s not –
Kenzie (Sharon):
No. No. We’re trying to avoid you getting into a fight because that could trigger the transformation.
Kenzie (Adam):
Alright well that’s less cool. But alright.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Okay, dinner is in an hour and a half. We’ll let you simmer in this.
Kenzie (MC):
She exits the room first and your dad kinda gives Adam a little punch on the arm and goes,
Kenzie (Daniel):
I think you got it, Adam. You’ve always been good at what you set your mind to. I think you can handle this no problem.
Kenzie (MC):
And Adam kinda gets a little sheepish for a moment and is just like,
Kenzie (Adam):
Oh, uh, thanks dad.
Kenzie (MC):
And you dad leaves. And Adam walks over and kinda drops onto his bed.
Mads:
I sit on the floor.
Mads (Caleb):
You do realize that you just said fuck in front of mom and dad and they didn’t react at all.
Kenzie (Adam):
(laughs)
Mads (Caleb):
I don’t think you’re ever going to be able to get away with that ever again.
Kenzie (Adam):
I think that maybe I’m the favorite.
Mads (Caleb):
I think you’ve always been the favorite – eh, do you see yourself? Do you hear yourself?
Kenzie (Adam):
You’re not like mad, right?
Mads (Caleb):
No.
Kenzie (Adam):
You don’t want to be a wolf just a little bit?
Mads:
I like scrunch my legs up so I can hold my arms around them.
Mads (Caleb):
I don’t know. It seems like a lot of responsibility and like I don’t know, this town is great and all – I mean the Duncans are here and the Hooks and I mean,
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah.
Mads (Caleb):
-home but –
Kenzie (Adam):
I mean you probably don’t want to be here for forever.
Mads (Caleb):
People know me as something that I’m not here. And they’re doing better! They’re tyring, you know – but there’s some people, the way that they look at me when we go to the grocery store with mom. I don’t know, sometimes I just –
Mads:
I put my head down a little bit so I’m not looking at him, because I cannot look at him when I’m saying this.
Mads (Caleb):
Sometimes I just think about what it would be like to go somewhere where no one knows who I am or what family I came from. And they’d just get to meet me. I wonder what they’d think of me like that. Don’t laugh.
Kenzie (Adam):
I’m not gonna laugh. I think that if that’s what you want, I’m glad that it’s me and not you.
Mads (Caleb):
You’re not like sad, are you?
Kenzie (Adam):
No, um, I’m not trying to make this – I’m not trying to compare it to your stuff ‘cause I can’t even imagine, but like I am a little worried that becoming a wolf is going to make me a different person.
Mads (Caleb):
I don’t know how to tell you this in a way that you’re going to be able to really understand it but I think its going to take a lot more than wolf to make you not as much of a meathead.
Kenzie (Adam):
Okay –
Mads (Caleb):
(laughs)
Kenzie (Adam):
I was trying to have like a nice moment, Caleb, but that’s fine.
Mads (Caleb):
You’re going to be fine, stupid.
Kenzie (Adam):
You think? (sighs) ‘Cause its actually a lot. And like I – I’m kinda like excited about it and its kinda really cool but it’s also a lot.
Mads (Caleb):
You’re Adam Moore. You can literally anything. I have seen you through a fricking video that Sawyer sent me, climb the flagpole at school so you could hang your boxers on the top of it. Yeah –
Kenzie (Adam):
I did do that. Mm-hmm.
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah, you looked so stupid. But you did it.
Kenzie (Adam):
Hey, I think some people found it endearing.
Mads (Caleb):
I think some people found it funny that your ass was hanging out the entire time.
Kenzie (Adam):
I think some people liked my butt.
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah, well, those are the people that are going to like you and your weird wolf breath too. You’ll be fine.
Kenzie (Adam):
You think somebody’s going to like my weird wolf breath.
Mads (Caleb):
Shut up! Yeah, whatever, ugh.
Kenzie (Adam):
What color do you think I’m gonna be? ‘Cause I wanna be red –
Mads (Caleb):
You wanna be red? (laughs)
Kenzie (Adam):
Not like red, like orange
Mads (Caleb):
Orange!
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah, like an orange-brown wolf.
Mads (Caleb):
Your hair I dark brown.
Kenzie (Adam):
No one said it had to be my hair color. What if I’m white?
Mads (Caleb):
Why would you be – you’re not albino?
Kenzie (Adam):
Who said that –
Mads (Caleb):
It’s gonna look like whatever your hair looks like.
Kenzie (Adam):
How do you know?
Mads (Caleb):
And probably like, I don’t know, maybe if you have – like you have those moles on your face and the few that are on your chest and the one that’s on your back. I wonder if they’ll be spots.
Kenzie (Adam):
A spotted brown wolf? So I’d look like a cheetah?
Mads (Caleb):
I don’t know. I’ve never actually seen a wolf -
Kenzie (Adam):
I haven’t either.
Mads (Caleb):
- in person before.
Kenzie (Adam):
You’re gonna soon. You know what I can do in the morning? I can turn into a wolf and come lick your face.
Mads (Caleb):
Eww!
Kenzie (Adam):
I’m gonna do it!
Mads (Caleb):
If you come and lick my face, I’m gonna punch you.
Kenzie (Adam):
You’re not gonna be able to catch me. I’m gonna be so fast.
Mads (Caleb):
I’m gonna kick you in your stupid wolf mouth.
Kenzie (Adam):
I’ll eat your cat.
Mads (Caleb):
Oh my god! If you touch Jasper –
Kenzie (Adam):
I’ll do it.
Mads (Caleb):
I will-
Kenzie (Adam):
Don’t push me Caleb, I’ll do it
Mads (Caleb):
I will – did we decide if silvers actually a thing that can hurt you or not?
Kenzie (Adam):
I think mom said no.
Mads (Caleb):
‘Cause I’m gonna get so much silver jewelry. Do you think that you’ll like howl at the moon?
Kenzie (Adam):
I don’t know if I’ll have to but I’m gonna. How big do you think – like – how big are wolves? Am I gonna be huge?
Mads (Caleb):
I mean, the ones in movies get like twice their size. But they’re like wolf-people.
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah. It sounds like I’m gonna be a wolf.
Mads (Caleb):
They said wolf.
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah.
Mads (Caleb):
The ones that are in the movies are wolf-people and they stand on their weird legs. Like their legs are weird and their arms are weird and their chest is like a barrel chest all of a sudden and their all like hunched over and creepy. And they have like glowing red eyes. Are you gonna have glowing red eyes?
Kenzie (Adam):
I don’t want to have glowing red eyes.
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah, that’s kinda creepy. When you go howl at the moon for the first time, can I come?
Kenzie (Adam):
Yeah. You know if I’m big enough and you stay the little scrawny prawn that you are, I could give you a ride to go howl at the moon.
Mads (Caleb):
I’m gonna ignore the fact that you just called me a scrawny prawn because it actually would be really cool if I could ride a wolf.
Kenzie (Adam):
That would be so dope! We could go on nighttime excursion.
Mads (Caleb):
That would be really cool though actually. I think that would be really cool.
Kenzie (Adam):
Alright that’s going to be so much fun. I’m gonna get Jasper and apologize for even pretending that I’m going to eat him.
Mads (Caleb):
Please. I think he’s already scared of you. That one time that you stepped on his tail.
Kenzie (Adam):
I didn’t mean to.
Mads (Caleb):
But like cats remember things, okay? They’re not like dogs and forget things.
Kenzie (Adam):
All of these digs and these jokes are going to have to stop.
Mads (Caleb):
Oh, these digs? Are you like digging in the back yard?
Kenzie (Adam):
I’m going to find Jasper!
Mads (Caleb):
like a dumb little dog? Oh my god.
Kenzie (MC):
And he leaves-
Mads (Caleb):
Don’t hurt my cat!
Kenzie (MC):
-his bedroom and leaves you sitting on the floor of his bedroom.
Mads:
I sit here for a minute longer, take a deep breath, look around at my brother’s walls. There’s like a band poster that is my favorite band, but he actually – it was his favorite band first. And there’s a poster for a movie that I got to go to the premiere with him for because he was so into it. And there’s one for some random sports team. I look up to him but I can’t get on with everything that he likes, okay? He really is a jock through and through.
I stand up, I walk out, and I go down the hallway. I start to walk downstairs, to where my parents are.
Kenzie (MC):
As you pass your bedroom, you see Adam lying back on your bed and holding Jasper in the air like flying him around like he’s an airplane.
Mads:
I roll my eyes, laugh a little under my breath and then keep walking.
Kenzie (MC):
None of you have ever been physically in Wildmoore’s Heart. It has been a sort of fairytale, an untouchable legend for you your entire lives. It was also something that your parents had to deal with and not you. There had always been a padding of years until it became your responsibility and this year though, the year that Ivy would become the holder, kinda snuck up on you and now its not even going to be easy. What usually entails a small ceremony, a place of safe-keeping, has become one of the biggest scandals in the three family’s history.
Sawyer, it is chaos in your home. You’ve pretty much had to sprint, holding Annabelle in your arms, quickly following your parents home and you now stand in the entrance hallway. Your mother has kicked off her heels, Annabelle is crying, your dad is rushing into the study. And you hear your mom yell,
Kenzie (Ely):
Leave the blue, William. That will only exacerbate the impending explosion.
Kenzie (MC):
And you hear the beep, you hear the bookcase move from the study and your just stuck in this whirlwind in the middle of your house as your parents are running every which way. Looks like they’re packing bags almost and you’re just holding your sister.
Brennan:
Rush my sister up the stairs. Simultaneously on the stairs, I’ll pull out my phone and text in a group chat with both Ivy and Caleb and say – and just put a bunch of question marks and then a send. I’ll run into my sisters room and plop her down on the bed.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay, so, just, what do you want to do?
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Why is everybody yelling?
Brennan (Sawyer):
We’re just figuring some stuff out. Don’t worry about them. Do you want to play with something?
Kenzie (Annabelle):
I’m kinda tired.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Do you want to take a nap/
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Can I get my PJs on?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah, yeah. Let me – I’ll turn on your noise maker and then yeah, we can get you set up and cozy in bed.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Okay (sniffs).
Brennan (Sawyer):
Let me get your night light.
Kenzie (MC):
Kinda rubs at her nose.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
(sniffs) Sawyer, why are Mommy and Daddy mad?
Brennan:
I’ll go over and kneel down next to her and go into one of the nearby drawers and just take out some PJs, start helping her into them
Brennan (Sawyer):
They’re just dealing with adult stuff that – they’re not mad at you.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
I know but it was scary. Everybody was yelling in – at dinner.
Brennan (Sawyer):
I know. It’s nothing to be really all that freaked out about. They’re just kinda – I know its scary when people raise their voices and everything. It’s even scary for me sometimes, but um, you and me we’ll be fine. I’ll look after ya.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Okay.
Kenzie (MC):
And she wraps her arm around your neck and hugs you.
Brennan:
I’ll hug her back.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Don’t worry about Mom and Dad.
Kenzie (MC):
You hear,
Kenzie (William):
Sawyer, come on!
Brennan:
And I’ll pull back away from her hug and I’ll lead her to her bed, ick her up, put her in the bed, pull the covers over her. The covers are just like – she’s in a bed that’s way – it just dwarfs her. She’s just such a little presence in it.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Um, you have your iPad over here. You can watch you videos and you can – remember you can always text me.
Brennan:
And I’ll show her and I’ll push in like Messages and go to my number and I’m sure its like my number and Mom and Dad in the iPad.
Kenzie (MC):
When you pull up your messages with her, there’s just a bunch of messages that are like a bunch of different emojis. And there are some with a lot of misspelled words.
Brennan (Sawyer):
So, if you need me, you can text me, okay? Text me when you wake up.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Okay.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Do you want me to put on one of your videos?
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Yeah. Can you put on the unicorn one that you don’t like?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
Kay.
Brennan:
And I’ll know exactly where that is because it’s been routine about a thousand times to put on this damn unicorn video. I’ll kiss her on the forehead.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Love you, kid.
Kenzie (Annabelle):
I love you Sawyer.
Brennan:
And I’ll rush out and slowly close the door and then rush downstairs, almost tripping over one of the last steps and stop as soon as I see my parents.
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad is sitting at the bottom of the stairs. Your mom is in the kitchen and you hear just like a super sweet voice as she has her phone to her ear,
Kenzie (Ely):
Hey, Rebecca. Would you mind coming over and watching Annabelle? Something came up.
Kenzie (MC):
And then theres a pause and then,
Kenzie (Ely):
That’d be great. Thank you so much.
Kenzie (MC):
And your dad reaches out and places something in your hand and it is a dart gun. And he said,
Kenzie (William):
There’s three in there. Make ‘em count if you need ‘em.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Dad, I don’t think – is it really coming to this? I don’t think this is necessary right now.
Kenzie (William):
We don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s yellow. We’re not looking to kill anyone.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Brennan:
And I’ll conceal it sort of just above my butt.
Brennan (Sawyer):
What’s the plan?
Kenzie (William):
We’re going to get in the car. You’re going to see the, uh, heart of Wildmoore for the first time. We’re going to meet the other families there.
Brennan (Sawyer):
And… and then, what? War?
Kenzie (William):
All we’re going to do is check on it. We don’t know what we’re going to find seeing as the stone has apparently been taken out of Wildmoore for a while. Got some theories about that but we just have to make sure that the heart is okay and I don’t think it is. I just don’t know how aggressive it is going to be between the Duncans and the Moores, okay?
Brennan (Sawyer):
Yeah. We’re all like – all of us like a big family, right? Like this – we’re not blaming anybody, right?
Kenzie (William):
I think this has kind of proven that that’s not the case, bud.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay. Is Mom coming?
Kenzie (Ely):
Yeah, I’m coming.
Kenzie (MC):
She like slings a backpack over her back.
Kenzie (Ely):
Let’s go.
Kenzie (MC):
And your dad rushes out the door into the garage. And they both get into the front of the car. I think this is like an odd way to see your parents because your dad is like the happy go lucky cookout guy and your mom is a little bit of an alcoholic and a partier. They’re usually just kind of chill and loose and like not stressed and the only time you’ve ever seen a moment of them trying to be like really serious about something is when they showed you the greenhouse and when you would go down their and learn some stuff from your mom or from your dad. And this is the first time they feel like they’ve done this before. They seem to be a cohesive unit and they know exactly what they’re doing.
Brennan:
Sawyer attempts to move in a militant fashion, but like sits down inside the back seat of the car, shuts the door, grabs the dart gun from the back of his belt and pull it forward and looks at his parents.
Brennan (Sawyer):
You know, I don’t know if I can shoot this at anyone.
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad starts pulling out and kinda eyes you through the mirror.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Like its way different than just practicing.
Kenzie (William):
I know. I had hoped that you’d never have to do this. Its only for your own protection, okay? You don’t have to do it unless you feel like its necessary. But I want you to have it in case. Remember. Yellow. Tranquilizer. It’s not going to do any damage.
Brennan:
Sawyer buckles up and then instinctually starts squeezing his left arm.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Heh. Okay. And you guys aren’t – like there’s no blue or anything?
Kenzie (William):
I don’t have any of that.
Kenzie (Ely):
Mine’s yellow too!
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad says,
Kenzie (William):
I am not going to lie to you Sawyer. I’ve got liquid artemisia in this. And I will use it against the Duncans if I have to.
Brennan (Sawyer):
If you have to, just don’t shoot Ivy.
Kenzie (William):
I’m hoping its not going to come to that.
Brennan:
Sawyer just like slinks back into his seat.
Kenzie (MC):
Ivy at Blackthron Manor, Gabriel has kind of like cornered Bast in the corner and pressing a finger hard against his chest and says,
Kenzie (Gabriel):
You shouldn’t go.
Kenzie (Bast):
I’m going.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
It’s not safe.
Kenzie (Bast):
I’m going.
Kenzie (MC):
And Gabriel looks like he wants to argue more but doesn’t and says,
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Come, Ivy. It’s time you see what we’ve been trying to preserve all these years.
April (Ivy):
Papa, what – what does this mean? If its gone. What’s going to happen?
Kenzie (Gabriel):
We’ve always associated the Heart of Wildmoore with an actual heart. What happens if you take it out of your chest?
April:
Ivy kinda brings her hand up to her own chest and swallows and,
April (Ivy):
It was supposed to be me. It was supposed – I was ready for it.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
I know. And if we can get it back, it will still be yours. But right now we have to see if what me and your father have thought over the last few years is true.
April (Ivy):
What do you mean?
Kenzie (Bast):
Things are falling apart in Wildmoore, Ivy.
April (Ivy):
I mean this isn’t Adam and Caleb’s fault.
Kenzie (Bast):
No, it’s their aunt’s and their parents but unfortunately, the family has to take responsibility for it.
April (Ivy):
But they – they had no idea. It’s not like Wildmoore going to shit is their fault, like they didn’t know. None of us knew.
Kenzie (Bast):
Well, that’s what we’re going to find out because maybe they did know. And they kept it from you. Like their parents kept it from us.
April (Ivy):
Adam wouldn’t – he wouldn’t – I mean, Caleb couldn’t even… Do you really think they knew?
Kenzie (Bast):
I don’t know.
April (Ivy):
Um, Dad, I have something to tell you.
Kenzie (Bast):
Go ahead.
April (Ivy):
You know earlier, when we were all going to fed before the dinner, I didn’t.
Kenzie (Bast):
Excuse me?
April (Ivy):
I didn’t want to. I’ve been feeling – it’s been making me – I didn’t want – I’m sorry. I don’t know –
Kenzie (Bast):
Ivy, we’ve talked about this. Well, you need to now. You have to be there with us and I am not letting you go there weak.
April (Ivy):
I’m not weak.
Kenzie (Bast):
Weakened.
April:
She stares hard at her dad with her chin up, but she knows to listen to her dad when he speaks to her like that and she can’t help but wonder if her friends would put her in danger.
April (Ivy):
Fine. Fine. I will. I’ll go now.
Kenzie (Bast):
Okay. I mean, you can just take it from the cart if you have to.
April (Ivy):
Okay, I will.
April:
Ivy goes over to where the bottles of blood are and she pops one open and smells it and her whole body tenses up. Her fangs poke down and poke into her bottom lip and she shudders to herself. She never really likes to think about the history of what she is and its completely inescapable every time she feeds. So, she doesn’t. And she pops the cork back in the bottle. Slaps her face a few times. And walks back over to her dad as strongly as she can.
April (Ivy):
Okay, what’s next?
Kenzie (MC):
He reaches out and brushes a piece of your hair back behind your ear and says,
Kenzie (Bast):
Thank you, Ivy. What is next is we got to the Heart of Wildmoore and we see what damage has been done.
Kenzie (MC):
And Gabriel comes speeding down the stairs and says,
Kenzie (Gabriel):
If it is okay, we should just run ourselves. The car will take longer.
April:
Ivy grits her teeth and she’s like,
April (Ivy):
Okay, um, I’m going to need to change my shoes.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Yes, go do that.
April:
She runs up the steps and quickly changes into some sneakers. Takes off her heels and looks over at one of the few pieces of decoration in her room which is a photo of the four of them from childhood. She usually would keep it in a drawer around this time but over the past few days she’s brough it out again and she runs back down the steps and joins her dads.
Kenzie (MC):
Caleb, you are in a car sitting next to our brother who is laughing to himself in the backseat. Your parents are still in the front and your mother has been speaking, reprimanding Adam for minutes now.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Oh, you are so happy with yourself that you have just ruined everything, aren’t you? You can’t keep a single secret anymore.
Kenzie (MC):
And your phone goes off with a group text, with Ivy and Sawyer from Sawyer. A bunch of question marks.
Mads:
I open it up and reply back.
Mads (Caleb):
I don’t know what the fuck is going on. And I’m freaking out.
Mads:
Send it. Glance to the side and look at my brother’s face as he is in hysterics and then send a message.
Mads (Caleb):
Adam is scaring me.
Mads:
Lock my phone and put it away again.
Mads (Caleb):
When were you going to tell me?
Kenzie (Daniel):
The plan was to have it back before you needed to know?
Mads (Caleb):
When did it happen?
Kenzie (Daniel):
Well, we don’t know exactly. We haven’t’ been able to get ahold of your aunt for a better part of a year now.
Mads (Caleb):
How long did you know?
Kenzie (Daniel):
We’ve known for about six months.
Mads (Caleb):
(sighs)
Mads:
I hold my head in my hands and I lean forward onto my knees.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Caleb it was nothing you could’ve done. We were trying to take care of it so you would have an easy transition.
Mads (Caleb):
Easy transition. Story of my fucking life. How long did you know?
Mads:
I turn to the side looking at Adam.
Kenzie (Adam):
(laughing) Just a couple weeks. They thought I didn’t hear them talking about it. What a fucking wild ride, man.
Mads (Caleb):
-really wild. Yeah. Really wild, Adam.
Kenzie (Adam):
And just to think, one time I thought this was going to be my problem and now its yours!
Mads (Caleb):
Yeah, funny, right? It’s funny.
Kenzie (MC):
His head kinda like lolls – like circles around the seat and like kinda looks at you and he goes,
Kenzie (Adam):
And guess what?
Mads (Caleb):
What?
Kenzie (Adam):
Sometimes telling the truth is the best option ‘cause Ivy kissed me.
Mads (Caleb):
What?
Kenzie (Adam):
You just gotta be honest with people, man.
Mads:
Caleb starts to – his vision starts to tunnel as he looks at Adam heads as it lolls around in circles like he’s on something and maybe what he’s on is just being Adam. And there’s this build up of anxiety and stress and fear about what is happening, what they are doing in this car right now, and then it shifts into something harder and something sharper and everything around Adam’s head, that tunnel vision starts to branch out until its like he’s seeing everything in this sharp contrasted detail around his brother’s head. He tries to put his head back in his lap and count to ten and he’s holding his hands around his temples and driving his nails into his skull. They’re starting to sharpen and get worse and he’s trying to breathe – he’s just trying to focus on something on anything that is not what they are doing in this car right now.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Caleb, the wolf is not going to fit in the car.
Mads (Caleb):
I know its not!
Kenzie (Sharon):
Take a breath.
Mads (Caleb):
I know it’s not.
Kenzie (Sharon):
Please.
Mads (Caleb):
I’m trying. I’m trying! I don’t want this. I hate this.
Kenzie (Sharon):
I wish I could tell you I can change it, but this is how it is.
Mads:
The clear focus starts to fade and everything around him dulls back to the normal, the regular again but with what’s happening right now, its just a little too much and he starts to cry, weakly, into his hands. But at least it’s not the wolf crying. It’s just Caleb.
Kenzie (MC):
Everybody is arriving in the forest outside of town. Ivy you and your dads have gotten there first and there’s like a clearing in the middle of the of rest and there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly special about it. Your dads are kinda just looking around. Gabriel’s pacing between trees as you kinda wait for the other families to join you.
April (Ivy):
What exactly are we preparing to do here?
Kenzie (Bast):
We can’t get into the Heart of Wildmoore on our own. We need the other families and we need a friend to let us in. So we are waiting on his arrival.
April (Ivy):
I thought we were the only ones that knew about this.
Kenzie (Bast):
We are not the only ones that know about this. We are the only ones in charge of protecting the Heart itself.
April:
Ivy kinda reels back for a second.
April (Ivy):
You told me no one else could know about this. But, there’s always been other people that know about this?
Kenzie (Bast):
One specific group of people that know about it.
April (Ivy):
And who’s that? Another family?
Kenzie (Bast):
In a sense.
April (Ivy):
God, could you just tell me something straight – something – why are you speaking in riddles?
Kenzie (Bast):
The Heart of Wildmoore –
Kenzie (MC):
And he looks at you and stops and Gabriel stops his pacing.
Kenzie (Bast):
The Heart of Wildmoore is the lifeblood of Wildmoore. It controls its prosperity. It controls its health. We are the protectors of the heart. That was always truth. But it also keeps things out and there are people in charge of protecting the – the best way to put it is – walls and barriers that keep these things out. They ewatch and they keep an eye out.
April (Ivy):
I mean, these things that are being kept out, they can’t be scarier than us, right?
Kenzie (Bast):
They are terrifying.
April:
Ivy’s never heard her dad call anything terrifying and it makes her breath catch in her throat and for a second, she deeply regrets not feeding. She feels very exposed and soft and small.
April (Ivy):
But right now, we’re going to talk to our friends. We’re going to figure it out together.
Kenzie (Bast):
We will see how it goes.
Kenzie (MC):
And there’s a rumbling and you see a car pull up. Sawyer you received the text message from Caleb.
Brennan:
I’ll send back,
Brennan (Sawyer):
Whatever our parents do, us three gotta stick together.
Kenzie (MC):
You pull up and you see in this clearing Ivy, Bast and Gabriel. Your parents turn the car off and step out and walk into the clearing and stand on like the opposite side of the clearing from the Duncans.
Brennan:
I’ve hidden the dart gun again. And I’ll just walk up next to my dad and I’ll slowly like put my phone in my pocket but I’ll try and get Ivy’s attention and kinda like shake the phone a little bit.
April:
Ivy like catches that motion and goes to like pat her pocket and she realizes she doesn’t have her phone.
Brennan:
Sawyer sees that and just purses his lips and nods.
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad says,
Kenzie (William):
Sorry that we’re late. Had to get a sitter for the kid.
Kenzie (MC):
And Bast says,
Kenzie (Bast):
That was probably smart. We don’t know what can happen now that the stone is gone. Did you know?
Kenzie (MC):
Your mom says,
Kenzie (Ely):
It was just as much a surprise to us as it was to you.
Kenzie (MC):
And there’s another rumbling as another car pulls up. The back door opens before the car even stop and Adam tumbles out of it, um, onto the forest floor. And kinda stands up and leans against the tree and he kinda lifts his hand up and waves.
Kenzie (Adam):
Hey, babe!
April:
Ivy like goes to furiously walk towards him and then kinda catches herself.
Kenzie (MC):
You can feel Gabriel’s eyes searing into the back of your head.
April:
Her cheeks are bright red and she just like hisses at him.
April (Ivy):
Do not do this right now.
April:
But even so, her heart kinda thumps a little differently. And she’s worried about him. She’s so worried. She barely even notices anyone else once he’s around. Ivy stares at the way his body is weirdly loose and the way he can’t stop giggling or the way he can’t focus on anything. I am going to stare into the abyss to see what the hell is going on with him.
Kenzie (MC):
Alright, roll me two d6 plus your dark number.
April:
Okay, I got a six, but I have negative one dark so it’s a five.
Kenzie (MC):
As you look at Adam and your heart has this strange thump, you realize that not only did you not feed that night, but its been since the party that you haven’t fed. You are pushing like two weeks. And your ability to focus on anything is starting to leave you. And you’re a little bit concerned that kissing Adam was an impulse that maybe you wouldn’t have made.
The rest of the Moore’s climb out of the car and Caleb’s dad grabs Adam by the collar and kinda shoves him into a tree and says,
Kenzie (Daniel):
Get yourself together.
Kenzie (MC):
And kinda like throws him forward as they kinda of walk up to stand next to the Hooks across
Brennan:
I’m just beaming at my dad as the Moore’s come up and get out of the car, just to see his expression.
Kenzie (MC):
He is watching them very observantly. He is fairly stoic and hasn’t made any moves of aggression.
April:
Can I ask how close are the Duncans and the Hooks right?
Kenzie (MC):
So the Hooks are standing right next to the Moore’s on the opposite side of this clearing from you. It’s not like a massive space so you guys are maybe like – you’re in hearing distance. You could toss a ball to one another type of thing.
April:
Yeah.
Kenzie (MC):
But there’s an obvious divide.
Mads:
Caleb looks like shit by the way. He just looks like shit. Like tear stains, eyes all red, puffy. He just looks like his face looks almost like sallow in a way. It looks like he just got the shit beaten out of him emotionally in this one car ride experience.
April:
He actually looks bad enough that Ivy’s attention is torn away from Adam and she kind of like makes eye contact with him and just raises one eyebrow.
Mads:
He holds your gaze and its just haunted. This firm stare of like nothingness and like he looks pathetic.
Kenzie (MC):
Sharon Moore takes a step forward and you all get a glimpse of a lawyer in a courtroom and she says,
Kenzie (Sharon):
I want it known that if the date neared, we would have informed you. But we were hoping to fix this without making it as big of a deal as it has obviously become. We were hoping to do it quickly. Thought it would be easy. And it has turned out harder than anticipated. But we don’t think that this means we need to start some sort of blood war here. History has shown that that I not necessarily the path for us to take.
Kenzie (MC):
And Gabriel kinda comes up to join the line that you and Bast are in and says,
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Well I think that our agreement stated that a pieces of information concerning the Heart would be shared among all so I don’t see why the rest of our agreement holds up in any fashion. But we are here tonight to check on its current status. Not kill one another.
Kenzie (William):
Well, I think that is a wonderful agreement that we can all take.
Kenzie (MC):
Sawyer dad steps forward with his hands up in a surrendering thing.
Kenzie (William):
I think that’s great. I think its more important to bring the piece of the fountain back here than it is to fight amongst one another. We can figure that bit out at a later date. Perhaps over another wonderful seven course dinner that we didn’t get to finish this evening.
Kenzie (MC):
And Bast says,
Kenzie (Bast):
I don’t think I will be inviting any of you over to my house any time soon.
Kenzie (MC):
And then you hear a new voice.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well this seems like a fun reunion.
Kenzie (MC):
And out of the woods you see this shorter, kinda of rotund, but strong man, stride out of the trees. Next to him is a girl probably only a year or two older than you. She has on cargo shirt and a black muslces shirt that says, “THERE IS NO DEATH,” in white block letters. She has long black tucked behind her ear that is just full of metal rings and bracelets adorn one wrist and she crosses her arms over her chest as they approach.
Kenzie (Bast):
Wyatt.
Kenzie (MC):
Bast says as his only form of greeting.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well, see we all brough the youngins.
Kenzie (MC):
And Bast says,
Kenzie (Bast)
I think its about time that they know exactly what it is that they are becoming a part of.
Kenzie (MC):
And this man called Wyatt gestures to the girl and says,
Kenzie (Wyatt):
This is Kai.
Kenzie (MC):
And Bast says,
Kenzie (Bast)
This is –
Kenzie (MC):
And Wyatt interrupts saying,
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Oh I bet I can guess. Ivy. Sawyer. That is Adam but that is not Adam.
Kenzie (MC):
Sharon Moore says,
Kenzie (Sharon):
Things have changed.
Kenzie (MC):
And Wyatt says,
Kenzie (Wyatt):
As I believe our treatise stipulates, we are meant to be informed of any changes.
Kenzie (MC):
And Gabriel says,
Kenzie (Gabriel):
Well, we would love to inform you of the newest change. Why we called you here tonight? The Moores lost the stone.
Kenzie (MC):
And an honest to god snarl comes out of this girls mouth.
Kenzie (Kai):
That’s why the barriers flickerin’.
Kenzie (MC):
And Wyatt kinda puts a hand up to stop her.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well, that’s not great news, my friends.
Kenzie (MC):
And he strides into the circle and comes near Ivy and puts a hand out.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Sorry we’re meetin’ under these circumstances but nice to meet you. I’m Wyatt.
April (Ivy):
Ivy.
Kenzie (MC):
Put his hand out as if to shake yours.
April:
She takes it and shakes firmly. She tries to tell from temperature, the feeling of his skin, what he is. She can’t really make it out. Her senses are pretty dulled. Ivy looks over at Kai says,
April (Ivy):
Ivy.
Kenzie (Kai):
You heard my name.
April:
As much as Ivy is in a weakened state right now, a girl being rude to her pretty cute and so it kinda throws her off and she just goes,
April (Ivy):
Yeah, I did. Still nice to meet you.
Brennan:
Sawyer is just looking at Ivy like dumbfounded that right now, its like this is not the time (laughs).
April:
And when Kai responds even more rudely, Ivy kinda just like tilts her head to the side and like half smiles for a second.
Brennan:
Sawyer clears his throat.
April:
She hears Sawyer clear his throat, kinda comes back to herself.
Kenzie (MC):
Wyatt turns towards where the Moores and the Hooks are standing,
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Sawyer, not Adam, why don’t you come here? Join us.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Oh god. Okay.
Kenzie (MC):
Your dad kinda like elbows you in the shoulder a little bit like,
Kenzie (William):
Yeah. Yeah.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Okay.
Brennan:
Start walking forward. I’ll puff my chest out a little bit.
Mads:
I look at my mom for reassurance.
Kenzie (MC):
She says,
Kenzie (Sharon):
Well, you are the wolf now.
Mads:
For the first time I look at my mother and I show my teeth at her and then I remember the message that I got from Sawyer and I twist my body away so I’m not facing her anymore and I follow where Sawyer’s walking instead.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Sawyer, nice to meet you. Wyatt.
Kenzie (MC):
Clasps your hand hard.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Nice to meet you, sir.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
And uh, don’t know your name.
Mads (Caleb):
My name is Caleb.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Nice to meet you Caleb.
Mads (Caleb):
Nice to meet you.
Mads:
I shake his hand.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well, there seems to be a lot of tension amidst these adults here. I think that’s unnecessary for what we’re going to do tonight. And you guys seem close. You guys are the next, uh, generation of all of this and, uh, I think a demeanor of amicability is a lot nicer than whatever the hell that’s going on here. Would you agree?
Mads:
I look at Sawyer and then Ivy and I say,
Mads (Caleb):
What exactly is it that we’re doing?
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well, I’m going to let you into, uh, where the Heart is stored and you guys are going to check it out and see how its doing. Which I’m pretty positive is not well, but I just mean, in the grand scheme of things. You are the three that we’re going to be working with now moving forward, mostly. Your parents will still be around but you are, you are taking charge I believe soon, so I think its about time you guys started taking charge of making the decisions for yourselves.
Brennan (Sawyer):
Does that mean we rewrite the rules?
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well, I don’t think you rewrite the rules with me. Those are pretty much set in stone. You will learn them, and they are um, easy to learn. We share information with one another. We all are here to do one job and that is to protect this land. And we don’t kill one another. I think that’s pretty simple. The treatise lays it out in much more formal terms that I don’t really like to use. What you do amongst each other is, uh, your own. But I think that whatever is happening out here –
Kenzie (MC):
And he kinda looks around the circle with just the six adults dagger eyeing one another.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
I think this is a little, uh, well this is how its been forever and it’s getting – I’m getting kind a sick of it to be perfectly honest. So just think about that moving forward alright? Just think about it.
Mads (Caleb):
Its been like this forever?
April (Ivy):
We’re all – we’re all friends.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Yeah, well-
Brennan (Sawyer):
Best friends.
April (Ivy):
Yeah.
Kenzie (Wyatt):
This is a world in which friends are hard to keep. A lot easier to lose. And a lot easier to turn your back on than you’d ever expect. But I’m not here to give you a lecture, I’m just here to state, uh, state an introduction and a greeting for ya. So, there’s that and I guess we better get on with this before the night gets too late
Kenzie (MC):
And he walks over to this like rock face that is growing, protruding out of the ground, surrounded by sparse trees. And he presses his hand to it and he closes his eyes. It almost feels like the forest around you goes completely silent and still. And you see from behind his palm, this bright shining yellow light that starts to spread, creating patterns of spirals and lines cutting through the stone. There’s a low rumbling sound and you kinda see the rock begin to vibrate and shake and then a cacophonous boom as it explodes into shards of rubble and you kinda have to like put your hands up and you’re skin is hit with these stones. And it litters the grass around you and you see what now looks to be an entrance to a cave. And Wyatt turns around, opens his eyes, looks towards you and then your families and says,
Kenzie (Wyatt):
Well, you know the drill. You may pass. We will keep watch.
Kenzie (MC):
And Gabriel steps forward and looks across to the Moores.
Kenzie (Gabriel):
I think it best if you go first.
Kenzie (MC):
And your parents kinda nod in acquiescence and start up forward - dam doing his best to trail behind - and enter first followed by Bast and Gabriel and then followed by the Hooks. And I think as the three of you walk through, Kai has moved up and stationed herself on the other side of this entrance and Wyatt says,
Kenzie (Wyatt):
The Heart used to be a beautiful thing to behold. I fear what it might have become. Good travels.
Kenzie (MC):
And you guys begin to enter the dark mouth of this cave and you see the head of you a couple lights blink on, flashlights. And it’s the only light in these fairly wide but this still claustrophobic feeling of the rock and the earth pressing down upon you as you being to venture toward what you have never seen but only heard out. The Heart of Wildmoore.
Kenzie:
And now it’s time for queer call. Queer call is the point in the show where we give a special shoutout to those listeners who have helped us out a little extra by becoming patrons.
Let’s give it up for a new patron his week! Rachel C!!!!!! Thank you and all of our patrons for your support.
We hoped you enjoyed the episode! If you want to support our show, you can become a patron at patreon.com/queerpg. Becoming a patron allows you access to our exclusive after show, where the cast talks about character insights and their own reactions to the episode, as well as a plethora of other perks. If you like the show, remember to rate and review. And to keep up with queeRPG, make sure you’re following us on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @queerpgpod and on Tumblr at tumbr.com/queerpg. Until next time!
Meet your hosts:
Kenzie Tartaglione
Creator/Producer
