prequel

TRANSCRIPT: Prequel - Sun and Moon

A PDF version of this transcript is available here.

CONTENT NOTE

Just a quick note, this episode is a prequel, so it’s set about 4 years before the events of season 1. It also contains strong language and material that may not be appropriate for all listeners. Please see the show notes for more information.

A chime sounds.

INT. LARA'S APARTMENT

LARA CAMPBELL takes a few deep breaths.

LARA: Okay, here we go...

She types.

LARA: Dear Rose Boone...

She stops, hits the delete button several times.

LARA: Miss Boone...

She smashes the delete key again.

LARA: Hi, Rose! This is Lara Campbell, from Lara Campbell's Paranormal Services. Elizabeth Fink from Southern Oregon University sent me your resume and said that you were interesting in helping --

Delete, delete.

LARA: Assisting --

Delete, delete, delete.

LARA: Joining me...the team for this project. Please let me know if --

Delete, delete, delete...

LARA: Please contact me at your earliest convenience. Sincerely...

She hesitates. She continues.

LARA: Sincerely, Lara Campbell.

She pauses to read it back, mumbling indistinctly as she does so.

LARA: Is that too many Lara Campbells? No. Yeah. Okay.

Mouse click. A happy-sounding send sound.

A beat.

An incoming message sound. Lara clicks on it.

ROSE (V.O.): Dear Lara, ye --

That's it.

LARA: Huh?

Another incoming message.

ROSE (V.O.): Sorry, accidentally hit send. Yes, sounds great. Please send info.

Lara considers this.

LARA: Okay...

Another incoming message.

ROSE: Sorry, forgot to include updated contact info. Just learned to do emails on my phone, LOL. See below. -- Rose.

Lara drums her fingers on her desk.

LARA: Well, it's not like anyone else applied.

TITLES

"Believer Theme" plays.

JULIE: Believer: Sun and Moon.

INT./EXT. ROSE'S CAR - DAY

Music plays over a car stereo, which drives down a country road.

LARA (V.O.): Dear Rose, I'm so glad you've decided to assist with this case. I've attached all the details, along with a list of supplies that you'll need. The college should have everything available. This case concerns the Corwin Lake House, a small cottage built near Crater Lake in 1919.

The car slows and then parks. Car door opens.

EXT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Outdoor sounds. Music continues from within the car.

LARA (V.O.): It was built by Peter Corwin, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2004, which is when his grand-nephew, Roger Corwin, inherited it.

Rose walks across the dirt. She whistles softly.

ROSE (to herself): Wow. This place is a disaster. Makes sense why I had to bring all the camping stuff.

LARA (V.O.): The House is in considerable disrepair due to a fire a few years back. Since inheriting it, Roger Corwin has tried to renovate or demolish it a few times. Every time, the contractors he hires have to abandon the job before they can start. Once there was a full electrical outage and they couldn't operate any equipment. Another crew all contracted the same mystery illness. A third had so many freak accidents on the site that OSHA shut them down.

ROSE: This is going to be awesome.

She walks back toward the car. She pops the trunk.

Rose groans.

ROSE: This is so much stuff. There's no way I'll use all of this. Right?

LARA (V.O.): Local legend is that the place is haunted. There have been a few attempts to investigate or exorcise the place, but they've all failed. I think I know why.

She sighs and begins lifting heavy objects out of the trunk.

ROSE: Guess I should've expected the long packing list when I saw how long her emails were.

LARA (V.O.): Peter Corwin was involved with the Sun And Moon Club, a tiny occult group in southern Oregon that was loosely related to Aleister Crowley's Order of the Golden Dawn. Please see attached information for Aleister Crowley, occult magician, 1875 - 1947.

A crash as a heavy machine falls to the ground.

ROSE: Uh, let's just hope that wasn't important.

LARA (V.O.): In the 1910s, Crowley attempted something called the Abramelin Operation in a small house near Loch Ness. The ritual is supposed to summon your guardian angel for ultimate knowledge, but he was interrupted. The house has been haunted ever since. I think something similar happened at the Corwin Lake House.

Rose pauses, UNLOCKS her phone.

ROSE: Wait, how many emails did this lady send me?

LARA: See, what the previous investigators missed is that the Sun And Moon Club was obsessed with duality -- the idea that everything in the world is composed of both itself and its opposite. Hence, sun and moon, representing night and day. Everything comes with an opposite.

ROSE: Oh my god, it just keeps going!

LARA (V.O.): So if they did their own Abramelin-style ritual, they would've used two locations.

ROSE: Okay, screw it.

She locks the phone again.

Rose shoulders a big duffle bag and walks across the dirt.

LARA (V.O.): I found a Ley Line that runs from Crater Lake, through the Oregon Vortex, out to the Oregon Caves. The lake is elevated, so its opposite might be a source of water that's underground, right? Well, the Oregon Caves were made by an underground river.

Rose pulls open a very creaky old door and coughs.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Rose walks across creaky wooden floors. She drops the duffle heavily.

LARA (V.O.): Therefore, we need investigators at both locations. You'll go to Corwin Lake House. I'll go to the Oregon Caves. I think I've found a cave that mirrors the layout of Corwin Lake House. We'll each stay the night at our investigation sites and share the data. Together, I think we can figure this out.

Rose unzips the duffle.

ROSE: So I guess I'll sleep on the least charred part of the floor.

LARA (V.O.): Since cell reception is an issue, please see the attached schedule for regular check-ins. At those times, get to a place with cell and internet so we can sync our data. It's vital that we use the same instruments in the same way so all data matches up. Please see attached layout for where to place the following items.

Rose sifts through a pile of electronics.

LARA (V.O.): EVP machine for capturing electronic voice phenomena. Continually scans radio waves for unexplained sounds.

Rose clicks on the EVP machine, which plays static.

ROSE: Fancy radio.

LARA (V.O.): Infrared thermometer. Please scan regularly for cold spots.

Soft beep of the thermometer.

ROSE: 44 degrees. Or should I do it in Celsius? 7 degrees. This whole place is a cold spot.

LARA (V.O.): Most important is the EMF machine. The one I use is slightly larger than usual.

Rose grunts as she slides a heavy machine into place.

LARA (V.O.): This is crucial for early detection of paranormal phenomena, so please treat it with care.

Rose presses several buttons on the machine. It beeps on, then immediately dies.

ROSE: Probably shouldn't have dropped it.

LARA (V.O.): Finally, please leave a recorder rrunning at all times for record-keeping purposes.

ROSE: Oh, right.

Rose digs through the duffle bag. A happy beep-boop sound signals the voice recorder is on.

ROSE: Testing, testing, this is Rose Boone, ready for a creepy weekend at a burnt-out cabin. Over?

She clicks it off, hits rewind, hits play.

ROSE (RECORDER): Ready for a creepy weekend at a --

She clicks it off and rewinds again.

ROSE: Great. Okay.

Beep-boop!

ROSE: Rose Boone, Corwin Lake House, day one. It's about 10 o'clock in the morning. Current temperature readings at forty -- I mean, seven degrees Celsius. Pretty standard for this time of year. This place is barely standing. Everything is covered in ash, there are big gaps in all the walls and ceiling, most of the furniture is gone.

She steps across the wooden floor.

ROSE: It is pretty, though. You can just see the lake from the window. Well, it's a gaping hole, really, but I think it used to be a window.

She takes a deep breath.

ROSE: The place feels...ready. It's quiet, but there's definitely some kind of energy here. It's like it's been waiting for me.

She pulls out a chair and sits.

ROSE: Well, I'm here. Come out, come out, whatever you are. I'm ready too.

EXT. OREGON CAVES - DAY

Lara walks through the woods with NICK, a park ranger. They've been friends a long time.

LARA: Thanks for setting this up, Ranger Nick.

NICK: Can we just stick with Nick?

LARA: In that uniform? Never.

NICK: You parked where I told you, right?

LARA: At a random turnout, like, two miles from here? Yes. Do you need me to go back and cover it with camo netting or something?

NICK: Lara, nobody can know you're here.

LARA: I'm aware.

NICK: Like, really.

LARA: Nick. This is huge for me, you know? If I'm right about this, it's a totally unexplored paranormal phenomenon. Accurate data is crucial.

Nick grunts his acknowledgment. They walk a little more.

NICK: I thought you were working with someone on this.

LARA: Yeah, a student from SOU. Rose something.

NICK: You like her? Like is she good at ghost stuff?

LARA: Oh. I think so. We've just had the one video chat. Interview. Thing. (beat) She's one of those girls who's, like, annoyingly pretty, you know?

NICK (knowingly): Ah.

LARA: Not like that. I just mean she's like...you know that type?

NICK: Really pretty but straight?

LARA: No! Though, probably. She wears a cross. No, just, you know when you meet people and it's like, you know they experience the world totally differently from you, just because they look like that?

NICK: Oh yeah. I know all about that. She's good, though? Knows about caving safety?

LARA: Oh, she's not going in the caves. I sent her to the lake house. I couldn't ask some psych student to crawl down a dark hole for me.

NICK: Should've figured; you have to be practically married before you let someone into your hole.

LARA: Hey!

NICK (mocking): "Oh, Nick, I really like this person but we've been on twenty-seven dates, is that moving too fast if I kiss their cheek?"

LARA: I hate you.

NICK: Then stop calling me.

LARA: No, I'm gonna call you more. It's the only way you'll learn.

He chuckles. They stop. Lara drops her backpack full of gear.

LARA: So that's it, huh?

NICK: That's the entrance.

LARA: It's...small.

NICK: Which is fine, right? Because you're not claustrophobic.

LARA: No, of course not.

NICK: And you've got gear? Rope, lights, coveralls?

LARA: Rope, lights, machines, sleeping bag...

NICK: You're not seriously going to sleep down there, are you?

LARA: Nick, I have to. Just trust me.

NICK: Because there's a reason we don't include these caves in any of the tours. Like, you can't even book a private excursion here.

LARA: I know. I'll be fine.

Nick hesitates. He hits a button on his walkie-talkie.

NICK: Here. Take my radio. In case of an emergency.

LARA: But won't you get in trouble if they hear me on the radio?

NICK: Yes. So don't have an emergency.

LARA: Got it.

She clicks it on and off a few times.

NICK: Just -- leave it off unless you need it, please.

She clicks it off.

LARA: I love it when I get to see your gooey center.

NICK: Yeah. I'm leaving. Stay safe.

LARA: Roger roger, Ranger Nick!

He groans and walks off into the forest.

INT. CAVE - MOMENTS LATER

A wide chamber in the underground cave system. Drips fall from stalactites. There's a distant source of water somewhere. Everything echoes.

Lara grunts with effort as she crawls through the entrance. She scrambles onto the ground.

LARA: Whew. That was tight.

She drags a bag of gear in behind her and rummages through it.

LARA: Okay, recorder, and...

Beep-boop! Same recorder sound from Rose's scenes.

LARA: Lara Campbell, official log, March 16, 2014, approximately 10:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time.

She sets the recorder down and continues going through equipment.

LARA: I am inside the cave. The entrance is tight, a real squeeze. Possible support for a birth canal metaphor. Currently breaking glowsticks for more light.

She breaks a few glowsticks.

LARA: Exact measurements recorded separately, but it looks similar in size to the main room in the Corwin Lake House plans.

A beat. Cave sounds.

LARA: It's...dark. Like, really dark. I mean, you know it's going to be dark in an underground cave, but...wow. (beat) Okay. Let me get some initial readings.

She sets up various gear -- repeat sounds from Rose's previous scene:

EVP machine (static)

LARA: EVP has no signal, as expected.

EMF machine -- makes same start-up noise, then whirs to life.

LARA: EMF also reading at near zero.

The infrared thermometer beeps.

LARA: Seven degrees Celsius. A detailed temperature map will be included with the final packet, but this is standard year-round in the caves.

She takes a few steps and then calls out.

LARA: Is there anyone here? Any entity, any spirit? If there is anyone here, I'd like to know more about you.

She sets up a small metal box.

LARA: This is a highly-tuned, sensitive device you can use to communicate with me, if you choose. Just press this button for yes --

She clicks a button. A high tone sounds.

LARA: And this button for no.

Another button. A low tone this time.

LARA: If you want to talk, just hit either button three times.

She demonstrates, presses the high tone three times in rhythmic succession.

LARA: Okay?

She waits. No response.

LARA: Okay. Well, I'm here if you want to talk. I'm going to set up camp over here. (to herself) And then, I guess I'll just...wait.

She begins setting up gear.

INT. LAKE HOUSE - DAY

Rose tosses rocks across the floor, bored. After a moment, she picks up the recorder.

ROSE: It has been...two hours. No ghosts. It's nice up here, though. (deep breath) Nature. I think I hear a blue jay.

She drums her fingers on the wood floor.

ROSE: I know. Let's try a tarot read. (to the mic) Oh, uh, I left my cross in the car. Just, you know, in case? But you didn't say anything about personal items, and I just started learning to do this so I thought...well, it's all getting recorded.

She shuffles cards.

ROSE: Okay, Lake House. Tell me about yourself.

She flips over three cards.

ROSE: Ooh. The Empress, The Moon, and the Hanged Man. So we have mother earth, the element of illusion and intuition, and a man who waits to change his point of view. So that could mean, let me look it up...

Rose's phone rings. She grabs it.

ROSE: Hello? Oh, Mom. No, I can't talk now, I'm working. It's a job, Mom, what do you think?
(beat)
I know what Dad said. But, you know, what if the Youth Ministry does it without me this year? (rolls eyes)
They'll be fine, Mom. Those kids don't care what I think.
(beat)
Come on, it's one church trip. It's not like I'm trying conjure the...well.

She looks at the tarot cards and trails off.

Unintelligible sounds come through - the person on the other end sounds angry. Rose sighs, having heard this lecture many times.

ROSE: Oh my god, I can spend one spring break away from home. Besides, they need me here, you know the girl running this thing is...she's actually pretty cool. A little uptight, but...
(beat)
No, I broke up with Sandra over a month ago.
(beat)
Well, that's going to be pretty hard, Mom, because as I have told you, I only date women.

Angry sounds again. Rose talks over them.

ROSE: Okay, well I've gotta -- the reception here is -- ughhh!

She hangs up.

ROSE (sarcastic): Oh no, the call dropped.

She notices the microphone.

ROSE: Wait, was this thing on that whole...shit.

She shuts it off.

INT. VIDEO CALL - DAY

A remote VIDEO CALL app rings, then connects with a little bloopy sound.

LARA: Hello? Rose?

ROSE: Hey! Um, is your camera off?

LARA: Sorry, let me just...

ROSE: Oh, there you -- no, now the screen's frozen.

LARA: The reception...
(crackle)
...tty bad.

ROSE: Yeah, it's not great here either.

LARA: Everything okay at the lake house?

ROSE: Yeah, yeah, I drove right up. Are you at the cave? You look...

LARA: What?

ROSE: Um, nothing.

LARA: Oh, yeah, you have to crawl through the mud to get in and out of the cave.

ROSE: I see. Well, the cabin is barely standing. I don't know why anyone's worried about a construction crew when it's literally about to fall over.

LARA: Well, you know, there's debris and...

ROSE: Okay, yes, I know they need to have professionals do it. I was making a joke.

LARA: Oh. Yeah.

ROSE: Listen, um, it's actually really cool up here. There's an energy to it, you know? It just feels so alive. There's definitely a presence here.

LARA: Have you seen anything?

ROSE: No, it's just...a feeling. So what is this thing, anyway? You said something about binding demons?

LARA: That's what the original ritual calls for. You have to bind the 12 Dukes and Kings of Hell before your guardian angel will appear.

ROSE: Okay, but it's not really like a -- like a demon - demon, is it?

LARA: Oh, I don't know.

ROSE: What?

LARA: I mean, I think the Sun and Moon Club -- that's the one Peter Corwin was a part of -- I think they were trying to do something different. I only found a couple snippets of things, but they seem to talk about it in terms of a birth.

ROSE: So it's a baby demon.

LARA: Well, demon is kind of a loaded term.

ROSE: Right.

LARA: But you should be fine. You put up the seals and signs I gave you, right?

ROSE (definitely not): Oh, uh...yeah. Yeah, of course.

LARA: It's in the binder. You went through the whole binder, right? And the PowerPoint presentation?

ROSE (no, she didn't): Yeah, of course I have the binder. It's very comprehensive.

LARA: Well, this is kind of my first big case. I just want to make sure I covered everything.

ROSE: Sure, but, um, what do you want to actually, like, do?

LARA: What?

ROSE: Like are we trying to exorcise this thing, or is it just research? If I make contact with this thing, what should I say?

LARA: You haven't tried to contact it, have you?

ROSE: I thought that's why I was here.

LARA: Well, first I want to make sure I have good data.

ROSE: Can't demons look like any kind of data they want?

LARA: So like I said, demon is kind of a loaded term...

ROSE: So it seems like the best way is to just talk to it.

Lara hesitates.

LARA: Can you...do that?

ROSE: Lara. If you want me to be your partner on this, you're going to have to trust me.

LARA: Yeah...

ROSE: Because that's what you wanted, right? A partner?

LARA: Um.

ROSE: Because that's what you said in the email. And the interview.

LARA: Yeah. Yeah, I do. But, um, you know how to use the machines and everything, right?

ROSE: God. Yes, okay? I know what I'm doing. Everything is fine.

LARA: Okay, well, take a look at the EMF reader, because some of the readings you sent over is a little strange.

ROSE (that's because she made it up): Huh. Weird.

LARA: Connection is probably --
(glitchy static)
So I should head back...what?

ROSE (stifling laughter): Nothing! There's just so much mud on your face.

LARA: Okay, well, like I said --

ROSE: Is it up your nose?

LARA: I'll clean up before the next call.

ROSE: That would help.

LARA (annoyed): It's not really the point, but...

ROSE: Lara. I'm joking. It's cute!

LARA: Oh. Um. Thank you.

ROSE: I'm sorry.

LARA It's -- it's fine.
(static)
-- just gotta go. Wait, you're still recording everything, ri--

The connection breaks off.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Rose grabs the recorder.

ROSE: Oh, shit, the recorder.

She clicks it back on. Beep-boop!

ROSE: Sorry for the break in the recording, it, uh, malfunctioned. All good now.

She sets the recorder down.

ROSE: I mean, if you knew my mom, you'd...forget it. All systems reading normal. Nothing to do but wait.

INT. CAVE - LATER

Drips and echoes. All is quiet.

LARA: Okay, EMF readings holding steady at...almost zero. EVP also picking up zero. Temperature change, none. Just a big, creepy, dark, damp cave. Which is good. This is baseline. If I'm right, things will change soon. Which will be good. Good good.

A beat.

LARA: I wish I'd brought a chair.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - DAY

Rose paces around the burnt-out house.

ROSE: Hello? Helloooo? Anybody here?

A beat.

ROSE: Yeah. Oh -- Tarot cards. Now where were we...

She shuffles the cards. A slight breeze moves through the room.

ROSE: Okay, spirit. Baby demon. Tell me what you are.

The breeze becomes a gust, and the cards fall on the floor.

ROSE: Hey! Ugh, damn it. Let me just...wait.

She picks up the recorder.

ROSE: Rose Boone, Corwin Lake House, 2:13PM. I just dropped my deck of Rider-Waite tarot cards. They all landed face-down except for one.

She takes a few steps on the creaky wooden floor.

ROSE: The Devil.

INT. CAVE

Lara sings to herself, obviously bored.

LARA: I'm in a cave. Iiiii'm in a cave. I'm in a cave trying to meditate. Doot de doo...

Suddenly, the high tone from the yes/no box plays.

LARA: Was that...?

It beeps again.

LARA: The yes/no box.
(to the cave)
Beep three times to...

It beeps again.

LARA: Oh my god.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

Rose paces around.

ROSE: Okay. Okay. The Devil card doesn't really mean the Devil. I mean, it does but it doesn't. It's not like, um...here.

She picks up a book, leafs through the pages.

ROSE: There. Okay. Number fifteen. The Devil. Addiction, attachment, the shadow self. Can also indicate duality, as it depicts a man and a woman chained to the Devil's pedestal. Well, that doesn't really help.
(reads on)
"While the man and woman are chained, a close examination reveals the chains are loose around their necks. They can escape anytime they choose. However, the longer they stay, the more like the Devil they become."

The wind picks up. The windows rattle.

ROSE: Spirit of the House? Is that you?

The wind suddenly dies. Silence.

ROSE: Hello...?

INT. CAVE

Lara dusts herself off.

LARA: Alright. Okay. Press that button, the high tone, for yes, and the low tone for no. Okay?

High tone. Lara squeals.

LARA: Yes! Oh my god. Um, recording's on...let's talk.

High tone again.

LARA: Are you one who is dead?

A beat. The low tone sounds.

LARA: Low tone. No. Are you alive?

Low tone again.

LARA: Do you know that the low tone means no?

Silence.

LARA: Sorry, was that rude?

Silence.

LARA: Wait, don't -- are you neither alive nor dead?

A beat. High tone. Lara sighs, relieved.

LARA: Do you want to be alive?

High tone.

LARA: Do you need my help?

High tone. Lara laughs, almost giddy.

LARA: Okay. Wait. I forgot a question, um... Do you mean me harm?

A beat. The low tone sounds. Then the high tone. Then both, alternating fast, over and over.

There’s a low rumble through the cave. Lara steps back.

LARA: Listen, if I offended you somehow, um...

Suddenly, BATS fill the cave. They swoop through, dozens of them, squeaking and flapping their wings. Lara screams. They fly up, out the chutes at the top of the cave, and are gone.

And then...silence. Lara breathing hard.

LARA: Are you...still there?

Silence.

Lara sinks down onto the sleeping bag.

LARA: Okay. Good data.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

Rose walks toward the rattling windows.

The EVP machine suddenly flips to a new channel. It bursts to life, playing old, creaky HYMNS on the radio. Rose gasps.

ROSE: It is you! Spirit, please. You can talk to me. What if we -- what if we try the cards again? Here. Tell me what you want.

She shuffles the cards. The hymn continues to play.

ROSE: The Fool...The Sun...The Moon. The Sun and Moon Club?

A high tone rings out from the yes/no box, long and clear.

ROSE: Okay. Okay!

The wind picks up again. Rose shouts over the wind, the music, and the ringing high tone.

ROSE: I'll help you! I'm here to help you! Spirit?

And it all stops.

ROSE: I'll help you. It'll be okay.

Soft static from the EVP machine.

INT. VIDEO CALL - EVENING

An app rings, then connects.

LARA: Hi.

ROSE: I think I...talked to it.

LARA: Me too!

ROSE: Really?

LARA: Simultaneous phenomena! Oh, this could be huge.

ROSE: Yeah, I was doing this tarot read --

LARA: Wait, what? We didn't talk about tarot.

ROSE: And this wind picked up, right? Just -- whoosh! Running through the whole place. Because of the gaps in the walls. Right? And it just scattered my tarot deck.

LARA: See, but that's adding divination techniques to just one half of the experiment --

ROSE: Except this one card. The Devil.

A pause.

ROSE: Did you hear me? Is this thing breaking up?

LARA: Yeah. Just, this is a major variable I didn't account for.

ROSE: Oh my god, Lara. I'm telling you I talked to a ghost.

LARA: That claimed to be the Devil.

ROSE: No, no, it's the Devil card. Do you not know Tarot? The actual meaning is much more complex.

LARA: Just...put it in the report, please.

ROSE: I just thought I'd try something. I mean, there's nothing to do, and after the EMF reader broke, I figured --

LARA: Wait, what?!

ROSE: Oh, uh --

LARA: The EMF Reader is broken?

ROSE: I -- it -- something happened in transit.

LARA: Wait, so it's been broken all day? So you have no readings from the lake house at all.

ROSE: I did all the other things.

LARA: EMF is the most reliable measurement tool in the industry. I can't believe -- ugh!

ROSE (annoyed): Look, it was an accident, okay? And we both communicated with spirits anyway today, right? I mean, what happened to you in the cave?

LARA (still sulking): Listen, it's getting dark soon, and this thing will likely be most active at night.

ROSE: Lara...

LARA: It's fine. We'll just record everything and figure it out later. Make sure you have the wards up that I gave you. From the binder.

ROSE: Shouldn't I know what happened on your end?

LARA: We won't have any check-ins overnight because it's too disruptive to get a signal, so we have to make sure we're on the same page now.

ROSE: I have the binder.

LARA: Okay. Just...we don't know what this thing is, or what it wants. It could be dangerous.

ROSE: It didn't feel dangerous to me. More like...desperate.

LARA: Desperate things can be dangerous.

ROSE: I think it just wants our help.

LARA: Well, I think we should be careful and not mess up the data with a bunch of unplanned experiments. Okay?

ROSE: Okay.

LARA: Talk to you in the morning.

Lara disconnects.

ROSE (sarcastic): Looking forward to it.

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

Cave dripping sounds. Machines still going.

Lara shuffles in her sleep bag. She picks up the recorder.

LARA

(whispers)

It's after 11:15 PM. No activity so far.

(beat)

I don’t know why I’m whispering. It’s just...so quiet. And dark. So dark. Oppressive dark. I keep reminding myself that I can breathe.

(Beat)

There’s no difference between day and night down here. It’s just...I didn’t know it could be too dark to sleep, you know? Glad I brought extra lights.

Lara rummages in her bag, pulls out a glowstick. She breaks it, then jumps.

LARA

Oh my god...!

(beat)

Oh. Never mind. I thought I saw...nothing. Never mind. I should try to sleep.

She settles back into the sleeping bag.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - NIGHT

Crickets. Owls. It's a clear night, with all the night animals out and about.

Rose stirs fitfully on a little cot.

She wakes up with a gasp. She takes a moment to get her bearings, realize where she is and that she's safe.

She grabs the recorder.

ROSE

I just had this...dream. God, it was so real. Um. I was walking in this long, flat desert. No trees, no plants, no life. Just silver sand as far as I could see. But there were stars. Not like stars we have here. These were huge, all different colors, bright and...dancing. They were so...I felt like I could see forever. Like if I looked up into those stars I’d see...everything. And as I looked at them I thought I could hear this...song. I could hear the stars sing.

(beat)

But then there was something there. In the desert. It was there but also not there, like an...anti-presence. It had arms that twisted in all directions, and at the center just this infinite...darkness. But it wasn't scary. It was...joyful. Comforting. I was so happy to see it.

(she smiles)

It told me to open my mouth. And then it reached out, and -- and I sang it too. I sang with the stars.

She takes a moment, chuckles softly, reliving the memory.

ROSE

And then it...it said something. Shit, I can't remember. It was important. It said something and then it said..."Look behind you."

Rose turns. She gasps.

She drops the microphone.

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

Lara sleeps fitfully, snores, then jolts awake.

LARA

What...what happened to the lights?

She breathes hard, frightened. She scrambles around in the dark, knocks something over, finally finds an electric lantern and clicks it on.

LARA

Okay...whew.

Something scuffs the ground, a few rocks fall.

LARA

What was that?

Water drips. Somewhere far down the cave system, a rock falls and echoes, echoes, echoes up the various tunnels.

LARA

( calls out)

Is someone there?

(to herself)

I'm going crazy. I had some kind of really weird dream, I...I think. I can't remember.

Suddenly, the HIGH TONE from the yes/no box sounds.

LARA

Hello? Is -- is that you?

No response.

LARA

God. I gotta get all the lights back on. Maybe the duration on them wasn't...

HIGH TONE again.

A beat.

LARA

I need to calibrate that thing.

LOW TONE.

LARA

Oh. Uh, sorry, I --

LOW TONE.

LARA

Okay. Okay! I'm sorry I doubted you. Let's talk.

LOW TONE. LOW TONE. LOW TONE.

FADE TO:

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - NIGHT

Rose breathes, frightened.

ROSE

You're here.

The entity speaks in a soft, strange whisper...

ENTITY

Yes...

ROSE

You can speak.

Silence -- a soft wind blows.

ROSE

Was that you? In my dream?

ENTITY

Rose...no time...

ROSE

How do you know my name?

ENTITY

I want...to be...

ROSE

To be what? What are you?

ENTITY

Not alive. Not dead. It is...excruciating...I want...to be...

ROSE

What do you need?

ENTITY

A vessel...

ROSE

A body?

ENTITY

A vessel...to carry us...to each other...

ROSE

Like a jug?

ENTITY

We are in pieces...two halves...different but the same...

ROSE

Your other half...is it in the cave?

ENTITY

No time, Rose...No time...

ROSE

Wait! Tell me what to do.

ENTITY

I must go...rest...no time...

ROSE

No, don't go!

The wind GUSTS, and night sounds return to normal.

ROSE

Hello? Come back!

No response.

ROSE

Hello?

Silence.

ROSE

The recorder!

Rose picks up the microphone. She shuts it off, then REWINDS quickly. She clicks play. The recorder plays through tinny speakers.

ROSE (RECORDER)

Was that you? In my dream?

The entity's voice is replaced by STATIC.

ROSE

What? No.

ROSE (RECORDER)

How do you know my name?

Static.

ROSE

No. No no no...

ROSE (RECORDER)

To be what? What are --

She clicks stop, then fast-forwards briefly and hits play again.

ROSE (RECORDER)

...do you need?

Static.

ROSE (RECORDER)

A body?

Static.

ROSE

(overlapping recording)

Shit!

ROSE (RECORDER)

Like a jug?

Static.

ROSE

Shit, shit, shit! Why don't any of these stupid machines work?

She clicks stop. She throws the recorder.

She groans in frustration.

ROSE

Lara's gonna kill me.

FADE TO:

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

The repeating LOW TONE fades back in.

LARA

Are you...are you trying to play? Is this a game?

One long, droning LOW TONE.

Lara groans, covers her ears.

LARA

Okay! That's enough!

The drone morphs into a kind of otherworldly HOWL.

Lara screams.

It crescendos and then --

SILENCE.

Lara jolts awake.

LARA

Wait...what?

She scrambles up off the dirt.

LARA

Was that a...dream?

She shivers, suddenly feeling the cold.

LARA

Jesus, it's cold. How did I even get out of the sleeping bag?

She reaches for the sleeping bag, then jolts back. Bugs SKITTER out of it across the floor.

LARA

Gah! Cave crickets. Gross.

She rubs her arms.

LARA

Guess I'm awake now.

She grabs a jacket, shakes it out, then zips it up.

LARA

Maybe the machines got something.

INT. VIDEO CALL - MORNING

The call connects. Both women are exhausted, subdued.

ROSE

Morning.

LARA

Looks like you had an interesting night too.

ROSE

I spoke to it. Again. But for real this time.

LARA

What?

ROSE

It...appeared. Kind of. It knew my name.

LARA

It spoke? Words?

ROSE

Yeah. It says it wants be reunited with its other half.

LARA

Rose, that's incredible. Can you send me the recording?

ROSE

Well, the recorder didn't pick it up.

LARA

What?

ROSE

It's just my voice for some reason.

LARA

And I'm guessing the EMF is still broken.

ROSE

Well...

LARA

So there's no proof.

ROSE

I'm telling you it happened. Isn't that enough?

Lara sighs.

LARA

What did it say?

ROSE

It said...there's no time. And it needs a "vessel" to carry it to its other half.

LARA

A vessel? What, like a jug?

ROSE

I'm not sure. It said that it's half-born, not alive and not dead. It...hates it. Being halfway.

LARA

So I was right. About the Sun and Moon Club. They were trying to birth a new entity. Rose, this is amazing.

ROSE

(preoccupied)

Yeah.

LARA

What is it?

ROSE

I was just thinking...do you know The Origin of Love?

LARA

Oh. That's a deep question.

ROSE

No, it's a story. From Plato, writing about Aristophanes. It says that originally, all humans were made up of two parts, two people fused together. Four hands, four feet, two heads. And they were different genders, like, some of them were two male halves, and some two female halves, some one of each. Every combination.

LARA

Right.

ROSE

Anyway, the gods got mad at them for some reason, I can't remember, and they split them all in half. And that's what humans are now. We're incomplete, walking around looking for the other halves of ourselves. And when two pieces find each other, they know real happiness. Completion.

LARA

Huh.

ROSE

I don't know, this just reminded me of it.

LARA

Two halves that make up one whole.

ROSE

What do you think this thing is, once it's put back together?

LARA

I don't know. I don't know if we should find out.

(beat)

Listen, um, I'm sorry about before. Yesterday. The yelling. I should've been more of a partner.

ROSE

Yeah.

LARA

It's just that you're so...and I'm so...so it's just like...you know?

ROSE

Um...no?

LARA

Sorry, nothing, I'm -- I'm tired. I had this dream.

ROSE

Me too.

LARA

It was terrifying.

ROSE

Oh. Mine was beautiful.

LARA

I think this thing...I don't think its intentions are good.

ROSE

Why? What did it say to you?

LARA

It didn't use words. It was more of a...feeling. I'm thinking we should prepare a banishing ritual. Just in case.

ROSE

What? No!

LARA

Just in case!

ROSE

That's not what it wants.

LARA

I don't think we should do what it wants.

ROSE

It wants to be born. It lives in agony. "Excruciating," it said.

LARA

Rose, if it can speak, then it can lie. This is really dangerous.

ROSE

Well, I think we have to take a chance here.

Lara hesitates.

LARA

How about this. We'll gather materials for a ritual. See what other information you can get. We can regroup around noon and decide what to do then.

ROSE

What do we have to do?

LARA

We each need to find four objects that represent each of the four classical elements. Earth, fire, water, air. And some kind of vessel to hold each one.

ROSE

That's what the spirit wanted. A vessel.

LARA

So we're on the right track, then. After that you need some kind of oil to anoint yourself with. They would've used something called Abramelin oil, but pretty much any kind of water or oil should work.

ROSE

I might actually have something for that. My parents do this kind of faith healing thing.

LARA

Oh. Your parents are, like, preachers?

Thunder rumbles.

ROSE

Yeah, I'm a lesbian psychic with a preacher dad. Can we move along?

It starts to rain.

LARA

Oh, you're a...I didn't...

ROSE

Can we hurry this along? I think there's a storm coming in and the reception's about to get even worse.

LARA

Right. Okay. Next you draw a pentagram on the floor.

ROSE

A pentagram? Aren't those Satanic?

LARA

As much as Tarot is Satanic.

ROSE

Makes sense, I guess.

More thunder.

LARA

Storm's on my end, too.

ROSE

Interesting. Okay, what next?

LARA

You set a strong intention and ask the spirit to leave.

ROSE

Like is there an incantation? Or do we just say, like, "Please leave?"

LARA

(audio glitching)

Listen, the storm is getting...can we...later?

ROSE

What?

LARA

Just get what you can.

(static)

Noon, okay?

ROSE

What? You're breaking up.

LARA

We'll talk at noon.

ROSE

Okay --

(glitching, static)

If we can -- I'm sure it -- okay?

LARA

I'm not --

Static. The line drops.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE - DAY

Rose walks around the uneven floor.

ROSE

Okay, so, vessels. I wonder if there are any old vases or something in here.

She opens a few cabinets.

ROSE

Empty...empty...oh!

She opens a cabinet door a nd a BUNCH OF OLD GLASS JARS AND WINE GLASSES FALL OUT.

ROSE

Jars and wine glasses. That'll work. As long as it's not too...ow! Shit, now I'm bleeding.

She hurries across the floor.

As she does, the EVP MACHINE suddenly clicks on. It searches radio stations and lands on a religious channel:

PREACHER (RADIO)

This is he that came by water and blood --

(static)

-- water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that --

It returns to static.

ROSE

Um...

Stations flip again.

ROSE

I mean, that thing just scans channels randomly, right? That's not...

It flips channels again. A snippet of music. Then, the religious station again:

PREACHER (RADIO)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is --

Static.

ROSE

Is it you? Spirit? Is this how you speak during the day?

Scanning channels again. Thunder rumbles. The machine CLICKS OFF.

ROSE

Flesh...and blood.

She considers. Rain falls.

EXT. OREGON CAVES - DAY

Lara walks through the woods.

LARA

Okay...for the record.

She turns on the recorder with a blip-bloop!

LARA

Gathering elements for a potential banishing ritual. I set out a tray to catch some rain, for water. I'm gonna grab some earth from right outside the opening to help lure the spirit out there. I don't want to light a fire in there, but hopefully an orange glow stick will work. Air is a little tricky, but I was thinking...

A STELLER'S JAY call rings out.

LARA

Bird feathers. Now let me just see if...

She grabs at some twigs.

LARA

I gotta set this down.

Bloop-blip! Recorder is off.

Lara fumbles in the branches of a tree for a few moments.

LARA

Okay, um...jackpot!

An odd, distorted version of the HOWLING SCREAM from last night rings out.

Lara cries out, stumbles backward, and falls into the grass.

LARA

What was that?

She's quiet for a moment. It doesn't repeat. Just the STELLER'S JAY again.

Suddenly, Lara's WALKIE-TALKIE sputters to life.

NICK (RADIO)

Steller's Jays are excellent mimics.

Lara jumps again.

LARA

What -- oh god, the walkie.

She rummages through some things and unclips it.

NICK (RADIO)

Oh yeah, they copy other birds, construction noises...pretty much anything they hear often enough.

LARA

I thought this was off.

NICK (RADIO)

Yeah.

He laughs, apparently talking to someone else. The transmission ends.

LARA

Oh...it is off.

(beat)

Okay, so that was weird.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

Thunder and rain. The storm is beginning in earnest.

Rose sets out a JAR FULL OF PEBBLES.

ROSE

Okay. Jar of rocks for earth. Electronics moved away from the leaky spots in the roof.

ROSE

Microphone still on. This thing has, like, forever batteries.

Water drips. She sets a bucket underneath it.

ROSE

Water. That works.

She sighs, hesitates.

ROSE

For the record, I bandaged my hand. Although I wonder if...no. Using my blood to summon an unknown spiritual entity seems...unwise.

Thunder. Loud. Close. The house shakes.

The EVP machine clicks on. In the static:

ENTITY (RADIO)

I need...to live...

It reverts to static.

ROSE

Um...

On the laptop, a BEEP and then the recorded clip from the previous night plays.

ROSE (RECORDING)

What do you need?

Static in response.

A quick FAST-FORWARD noise, then:

ROSE (RECORDING)

Wait! Tell me what to do.

This repeats, like a skipping record.

ROSE (RECORDING)

Wait! Tell me what to do. Tell me what to do. Tell me what to do.

ROSE

Spirit? This is scaring me...

The thunder hits again, hard, rattling everything. The static and repeating recording continue.

FADE TO:

INT. CAVE - SAME

It's quiet. Just dripping and other cave noises.

Lara drags a piece of CHALK along the ground.

LARA

And there's the pentagram. Okay -- dirt for earth, rain for water, light for fire, feather for air. Prepped some oil earlier, so that's on standby. Walkie-talkie still...off.

She takes a breath. Looks around for a beat.

LARA

So that's...everything. Oh!

She picks up the mic.

LARA

Recorder still running. Everything is set up for the ritual. I'm just waiting for my next check-in call with Rose in a few minutes. Hopefully we can pull this off.

She fidgets. Considers.

LARA

You know, she could be right. About the spirit. It might be benign. I could always try to...connect with it somehow. I guess. See what I can find out. I'm not psychic, but sometimes I get...feelings.

She sets the mic down on the floor, sits.

LARA

Okay, spirit. Half-spirit. I'm open. Tell me what you are.

She takes a deep breath.

BACK TO:

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

Chaos and noise, as before. Rose suddenly CRIES OUT in pain.

ROSE

Aghh! My hand!

She struggles, fights. She FALLS hard onto the ground.

ROSE

No!

Thunder rumbles again.

Rose slides sideways. She IMPACTS some jars and glass bottles.

ROSE

I'm trying to help you!

The EVP machine flips channels.

PREACHER (RADIO)

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven.

It flips channels again.

Rose struggles to her feet. She falls again.

ROSE

How are you doing this?

Thunder. Static. Rattling glass.

The laptop plays again, awkwardly jumping into the middle of a recording.

ROSE (RECORDING)

Number fifteen. The Devil. Addiction, attachment, the shadow self. Can also indicate duality, as it depicts --

Rose struggles to her feet.

ROSE

The laptop. I've got to call Lara.

ROSE (RECORDING)

this infinite...darkness. But it wasn't scary. It was...joyful. Comforting. I was so --

Rose fights her way across the floor, GRUNTING as she goes.

ROSE (RECORDING)

Wait! Tell me --

Rose clicks it off.

ROSE

Okay, okay, video call. Lara.

She clicks. The video call sound rings out. It rings and rings. Then disconnects.

ROSE

No! No!

She clicks again. The ringing begins again.

Thunder. Rattling. A glass jar BURSTS.

ROSE

Come on, come on, come on...

The app rings again.

FADE TO:

EXT. OREGON CAVES - DAY

It's raining, hard. Lara crawls out of the entrance hole, stands, and dusts herself off.

LARA

Well, that was a waste of time. Or it was peaceful. I guess it depends on interpretation.

Soft rumble of thunder.

Lara unlocks her phone, goes to tap something, and -- it instantly connects.

LARA

Rose?

Noise, chaos comes through the phone's speakers.

ROSE (PHONE)

Lara? It's not what we thought. Lara! You need to run.

She screams. The call drops.

LARA

Rose? Rose!

Lara calls back. The phone rings once, then drops.

LARA

Oh my god. Um. Maybe if I go back in and do the ritual --

v A loud RUMBLE. Lara SHOUTS as everything shakes. Rocks fall. She scrambles out of the way.

Lara rights herself, breathing hard.

LARA

The entrance. It's...

She GRUNTS as she tries to pull a few rocks aside.

LARA

It's totally collapsed.

Lara hesitates. She grabs her phone. Blip-bloop! Recording app is on.

LARA

For the record. The entrance tunnel has collapsed. Rose is...something's happening at the lake house. If it needs both of us to end this, then I need to get back inside.

She takes a few steps in the mud.

LARA

I think I have an alternate way in. Those bats get out somehow, right?

She hesitates again. Thunder.

LARA

Yeah. Okay. I'm going in.

Blip-bloop. Recording off. Lara climbs the rocks.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

The call ends. Rose clicks frantically.

ROSE

Lara? Lara!

A recording plays from the laptop again.

ROSE (RECORDING)

it reached out, and -- and I sang it too. I sang --

Rose THROWS the laptop with a grunt. It slams into a wall and breaks.

The EVP machine clicks on.

PREACHER (RADIO)

That which is flesh is --

Rose hits it hard. It statics to silence.

ROSE

No! You can't talk to me. You don't get to do this.

Quiet for a moment. Just rain.

ROSE

Lara said it's about intention. Okay, well, I intend for you to leave.

Thunder again, even louder. The whole house shakes, the glass rattles.

INT. CAVE TUNNEL

Lara CRAWLS through the tunnel, grunting and scrambling.

LARA

(With effort)

Okay, it’s a little bit tight, but -- ugh -- I can do it. I just need to --

Her headlamp thunks into something. It shatters.

LARA

Shit. That was my light. Oh, shit. Okay, I just need to reach into my bag for...I don't have my bag.

She takes a few breaths.

LARA

Okay. I can do this. I can climb in the dark. Right? It's the same as the light except you...don't know what things are. Which is fine. Ohhhh god, why is everything wet?

She keeps crawling, a slow journey through the earth.

LARA

(Sings)

Ohh, Old MacDonald had a cave, E-I-E-I...ow! And on this cave she had a --

She grunts, shifts, pulls through a tight spot.

LARA

Squeeze -- ugh -- E-I-E-I-O. With a -- ouch! Okay -- here and a twist-twist there -- ugh -- here a rock, there a rock, everywhere a -- whoa!

She slips on slick rocks. Scrambling, chaos, rocks moving around.

LARA

Okay, let me just --

She slides to a sudden stop.

LARA

Okay.

She twists, grunts. She can't move.

LARA

Oh. Oh god.

She pushes harder, grunts. No dice.

LARA

Oh god oh god oh god. Okay, no. It's fine. I'm not stuck. I just need to twist my hips that way and put my shoulders through -- ahhhhh!

She stops, takes a moment to catch her breath.

LARA

It's fine. I'll just crawl back. Oh god, it's so dark...

She struggles, scrambles, rocks scatter. She does not move.

LARA

(desperate)

Okay, so...so that doesn't work either.

A beat. A small static CRACKLE.

LARA

The walkie. Oh my god. For emergencies.

She shifts and struggles.

LARA

If I can just get my hand back to...ahhhhhhh okay.

BEEP of a walkie-talkie button.

LARA

Hello? Can anyone hear me? Over?

Silence.

LARA

Hello? Anyone?

Silence.

LARA

Help.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

Thunder. Noise. Rose sits on the floor, whispering to herself.

ROSE

Please go away, please go away, please go away...

The room shakes again.

ROSE

You keep this up and I'll stop saying please!

No response.

ROSE

Come on, Lara. I need you.

INT. CAVE TUNNEL

Lara struggles again, but half-hearted now. She might be giving up.

STATIC and unintelligible noise over the walkie-talkie.

LARA

Hello? Hello! Is someone there?

The static wavers. Rose's voice breaks through.

ROSE (RADIO)

Come on, Lara. I need you.

It statics, then sputters back to silence.

LARA

Rose? Hello? I...

Silence.

LARA

Okay. Okay. I can do this. I...i have to do this, so...Just listen. Don't force it. Deep breath...

She breathes in, then exhales all the way...and suddenly SLIIIIIDES down through the rocks at an alarming rate.

LARA

I made -- ahhhhh!

INT. CAVE - CONTINUOUS

Rocks slip and fall to the ground. Lara tumbles in after them, screaming as she goes. She lands heavily on the ground.

LARA

Owww...

(beat)

Rose. Spirit. Okay.

She crawls into place.

LARA

Okay, spirit. You want me to connect? Let's connect. And then you need to go.

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

As before.

ROSE

Go away, go away, go away...

A ZAP and RUMBLE as LIGHTNING strikes the house. Rose screams.

ROSE

You want to burn the house down? Fine! Just get the fuck out!

INT. CAVE

Lara wheezes. The machines suddenly spring to life, all beeping and alarming at once.

LARA

Okay. I get it. You're half-here. It hurts. I hurt. So just go, be with your other half, whatever, just get out of here!

BATS fly through the cave again.

LARA

Oh for fucks' sake, just go!

The bats fly out.

We hear both women's voices at once.

LARA

Go away!

ROSE

Get out!

Silence. A beat.

LARA

...Spirit? You there?

INT. CORWIN LAKE HOUSE

Sound of fire. Rose coughs.

ROSE

Do you hear me? Just go!

A beat. All is silent, except for the fire and a gentle rain.

ROSE

Oh my god. It worked.

A wood beam CRACKS and tumbles in the fire.

ROSE

And now I should go.

She coughs and hurries out.

INT. VIDEO CALL - LATER

Video call ring. It connects.

ROSE

Lara? Lara! Oh my god!

LARA

Are you okay?

ROSE

Yeah -- yeah.

LARA

Wait...is that the Corwin House?

ROSE

Oh...yeah. The firefighters are on it, but I don't think Mr. Corwin has to worry about demolition anymore.

LARA

And all the equipment's inside?

ROSE

Um...

LARA

I am in so much trouble.

NICK (O.S.)

You're in trouble?!

ROSE

Who's that?

LARA

Oh, I had to call a friend to get me out.

NICK (O.S.)

You think we're still friends after this?!

LARA

He's fine.

ROSE

Listen, Lara, I...I'm just so glad you're okay.

LARA

Yeah. You too. It's weird, when I was in the cave I...I thought I heard you. Is that weird?

ROSE

No, I...I know what you mean. It was like you were here. With me.

A beat. They both speak at once.

LARA

Listen, I'm sorry about --

ROSE

So, about earlier --

The break off and chuckle.

ROSE

Do you want to meet up sometime? Talk about all of this?

LARA

Oh, like a debrief?

ROSE

I was thinking, like, pizza. Or...

LARA

Oh, yeah, um...

ROSE

Unless you're vegan. Though, there's a great vegan place in Ashland.

LARA

That would be...yes. We should do that.

NICK (O.S.)

Seriously? You're doing this right now?

LARA

(whispers)

Shush!

A CRASH on Rose's end.

ROSE

Okay, I think I need to give someone a statement or something.

LARA

Yeah, I should go too.

ROSE

Okay.

LARA

I'll call you?

ROSE

Yeah. Yeah, I would like that.

NICK (O.S.)

Oh my god!!

LARA

See you later.

ROSE

(laughs)

Yeah.

The call ends.

EXT. OREGON CAVES

The rain has stopped. Birds sing in the trees. Lara lays back, sighs happily.

NICK

What happened in there?

LARA

It was amazing.

NICK

Great. Now get out of my damn park.

LARA

Roger roger, Ranger Nick.

Nick groans. Lara laughs, then groans.

LARA

Okay, I might've cracked some ribs.

Nick laughs.

FADE OUT

OUTRO

Thank you for listening to our special Halloween episode. This one was a real adventure to make, and I really appreciate you tuning in to listen. I also continue to appreciate your reviews, tweets, comments, and other support and engagement for this show. It really means a lot.

This show is currently self-funded, and it’s been a tough year, for me as well as, I’m sure, for many of you, so if you’re in a position to do so, your financial support goes a long way. Subscribe monthly on Patreon for access to rewards, perks, and inside information about the show. Go to patreon.com/believerpodcast for more information. You can also purchase tee shirts, stickers, or other merchandise at our TeePublic site.

New episodes are coming soon. Until then...if you’re working in your lab late one night, and your eyes behold a terrible sight? Don’t worry. It’s just the mash. I mean, the Monster Mash. After all, it is a graveyard smash.

Happy Halloween. Bye now.