1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to you stuff you should know from house stuff 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: works dot com. Welcome to the Halloween Podcast. I'm Josh 3 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: the Ghoul Clark. That's right, there's Chuck the Phantom Bryant 4 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: and Jerry the ghoulish Phantom. Great. I think, uh, Darry 5 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: didn't like being called a wraith. No. I think that's 6 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: she didn't know what it means. No, you know, I 7 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: think this tradition is so great and fun. Now. I 8 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 1: think so too, that we are beginning to live alongside 9 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: the Simpsons Street House of Horror. Oh, it's that venerated Huh. 10 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: I think so? I think. I think. I think you're 11 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: I think listeners really look forward to this, well, not 12 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: on that level of like fame, but I think fans 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: of the Simpsons look forward to that each You're just 14 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: as our fans look forward to That's what I'm saying. Um, 15 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: it's one of my favorites obviously both of us. Christmas 16 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: and Halloween are probably two phaves of the year. Am 17 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: I speaking for you? Yeah? But you're speaking correctly, all right. 18 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: I can live with that, you know. I mean, like, 19 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: those are the two that we know we're going to 20 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: be good. All the rest of it's like hit or miss. Yeah, 21 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: for the unknown, unadorned, unadorned, uninitiated, unindoctrinated, unindoctrinated, unexposed, unexposed. 22 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:37,119 Speaker 1: What we do is we we read a scary story 23 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: for Halloween, and last with and Jerry Gussie's at all 24 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: up with special effects. It's like this, that was amazing? 25 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: How about that? That's creepy, Like I'm scared right now. Um. 26 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: And last year we started a tradition where we are 27 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: reading two shorter stories and that's what we're doing again 28 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: this year because I think what happened is, well, remember 29 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: we had a Halloween horror fiction contest. Well, yeah, that 30 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: was great, that's pretty cool. Yeah. Uh and then but 31 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: we started the whole thing out with was it the 32 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: Tomb I think was the first one, and then we 33 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: did bear nice yeah, then the horror fiction contest I think, 34 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: and then I don't know how many of this is. 35 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, we'll have to figure it out, yeah, because 36 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: we'll have to title it whatever annual Halloween Spectacular. Yes, 37 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: which is a different thing that we did once on 38 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: our very short lived web web video series what was 39 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: that called webcast? Webcast? It's so ancient already that we 40 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: can't even remote a live webcast. So you picked out 41 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: this first one, um, and I picked out the second one. Well, first, first, 42 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: hold on, I want to I want to give a 43 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: plug to our buddy, to Grabster, because he hooked us 44 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: up all right. So I don't know if you know 45 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,119 Speaker 1: this or not, but the Grabster knows what he's talking 46 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: about when it comes to horror movies, and um I 47 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: we tweeted to him and said, hey, man, can you 48 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: give us a list of your favorite horror movies of 49 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: all time? And the Grabster said, oh, are you gonna 50 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: read them? But he said yes, let me give me 51 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: a night and I will put it together. And by 52 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: goodness if he didn't put it on his um personal 53 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: site robot viking dot com. The post is some of 54 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: my favorite horror movies and he just went to town. 55 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: What's his number one? It's not listed to Spiria no, 56 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: like he doesn't have them in order, but raw had 57 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: Rex is on their Pontypool Triangle Return of Living Dead 58 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: three and he justifies these. You know, I need to 59 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: see ponty Pool because our buddy Joe Garden is long 60 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: raved about the merits of the people. I've never seen it. 61 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: Either and it's one of those ones. It's like, I 62 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: think it's up on Netflix too. All right, so you 63 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: picked this first one? You want to just set it up? Yes? 64 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: So this is the moon Bog. It's hyphenated two words 65 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: by our friend Howard Phillips Lovecraft, who is still one 66 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: of my favorite writers of all time. Um. Yeah, even 67 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: though you can just go on and on about him 68 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: personally or his writing style or some of the devices 69 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: he used, like other than describing something to saying it 70 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: was indescribable or unnamable, I still love the guy for 71 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: some reason. Uh. And this one is one of his 72 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: um more interesting imaginative ones. Has nothing to do with 73 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: the Cathulu mythos or anything like that. It's just pretty cool. 74 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: It's a neat, little weirdo ancient haunting story about an 75 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: Irish American who who uh doesn't follow the advice of 76 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: the local townspeople. Let's just say that, not right. Are 77 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: you ready? Do you want me to start? Yeah? Without 78 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: further ado, The Moon Bug by H. P. Lovecraft Somewhere 79 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,239 Speaker 1: to what remote and fearsome region I know not. Dennis 80 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: Barry has gone. I was with him the last night 81 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: he lived among men and heard his screams when the 82 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: thing came to him. But all the peasants and police 83 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: and County Meath could never find him or the others, 84 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,799 Speaker 1: though they searched long and far. And now I shudder 85 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: when I hear the frogs piping and swamps, or see 86 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: the moon in lonely places. I had known Dennis Berry 87 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: well in America, where he had grown rich, and had 88 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: congratulated him when he bought back the old castle by 89 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: the bog at Sleepy Kildairy. It was from Kilderie that 90 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: his father had come, and it was there that he 91 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: wished to enjoy his wealth among ancestral scenes. Men of 92 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: his blood had once ruled over Kilderie and built and 93 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: dwelt in the castle. But those days were very remote, 94 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: so that for generations the castle had been empty and decaying. 95 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: After he went to Ireland, Barry wrote me often and 96 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: told me how under his care the Gray Castle was 97 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: rising tower by tower to its ancient splendor, how the 98 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: ivy was climbing slowly over the restored walls as it 99 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: had climbed so many centuries ago, and how the peasants 100 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: blessed him for bringing back the old days with his 101 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: gold from over the sea. But in time there came troubles, 102 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: and the peasants ceased to bless him and fled away instead, 103 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: as from a doom. And then he sent a letter 104 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: and asked me to visit him, for he was lonely 105 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: in the castle, with no one to speak to, save 106 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: the new servants and labors he had brought from the north. 107 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: The bog was the cause of all these troubles, as 108 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: Barry told me the night I came to the castle. 109 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: I had reached Kildery in the summer sunset, as the 110 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: gold of the sky lighted the green of the hills 111 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: and groves and the blue of the bog, where on 112 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: a far islet a strange olden ruin glistened spectral lee. 113 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: That sunset was very beautiful, but peasants at Ballylow had 114 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: warned me against it and said that Kilderi had become accursed, 115 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,679 Speaker 1: so that I almost shuddered to see the high turrets 116 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: of the castle gilded with fire. Barry's motor had met 117 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: me at the Ballylow station, for Kildery is off the railway. 118 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: The villagers had shunned the car and the driver from 119 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: the north, but had whispered to me with pale faces 120 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: when they saw I was going to Kildeery. And that night, 121 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: after our reunion, Barry told me why the peasants had 122 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: gone from Kildrey, because Dennis Barry was to drain the 123 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: great Bog. For all his love of Ireland America had 124 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: not left him untouched, and he hated the beautiful wasted 125 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: space where pete might be cut and the land opened up. 126 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: The legends and superstitions of Kildee did not move him, 127 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: and he laughed when the peasants first refused to help, 128 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: and then cursed him and went away to Ballylow with 129 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: their few belongings as they saw his determination in their place. 130 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: He sent for laborers from the North, and when the 131 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: servants left, he replaced them likewise. But it was lonely 132 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: among strangers, so Barry had asked me to come, all right, 133 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: So we got this guy Dennis, who uh got his 134 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: old fixer up our family castle. You made some some 135 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: moolah back in the States, went over to Ireland to 136 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: fix it up, brought in some I guess people from 137 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: Scotland to help. Friends from the North. Maybe, oh yeah, sure, 138 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 1: I took it to be Greenland for some reason. Interesting uh, 139 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: and everyone in the village. He wants to get rid 140 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: of that bog and drain it. And I put in 141 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: a tennis court and he's like, we could put build 142 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: train tracks there something. And everyone in the village is 143 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 1: going a big mistake. I'm out of here, so as 144 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: buddy comes to visit him, uh, and that's where we are. 145 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 1: When I heard the fears which had driven the people 146 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: from Kildary, I laughed as loudly as my friend had laughed. 147 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: But these fears were the vegas wildest and most absurd character. 148 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: They had to do with some preposterous legend of the 149 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: bog and of a grim guardian spirit that dwelt in 150 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: the strange, old and ruin on the far islet I 151 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: had seen in the sunset. There were tales of dancing 152 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: lights and the dark of the moon, and of chill 153 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: winds when the night was warm, of wraiths in white 154 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: hovering over the waters. But foremost among the weird fancies, 155 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: and alone in its absolute unanimity, was that of the 156 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: curse awaiting him who should dare to touch or drain 157 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: the vast reddish morass. Don't drain the bog. There were secrets, 158 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: said the peasants which must not be uncovered, secrets that 159 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: had lain hidden since the plague came to the children 160 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: of Partholon. In the fabulous years beyond history. In the 161 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: Book of Invaders, it is told that the sons of 162 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: the Greeks were all buried at Talach, but old men 163 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: and kilder. He said, one city was overlooked save by 164 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: its patron, Moon Goddess said that only the wooded hills 165 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: buried it. When the men of Nimed swept down from 166 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: Sathia and their thirty ships. Such were the idle tales 167 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: which had made the villagers leave killdeery, And when I 168 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: heard them, I did not wonder what Dennis Barry had 169 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: refused to listen. He had, however, a great interest in antiquities, 170 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: and proposed to explore the bog thoroughly when it was drained. 171 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: The white ruins on the islet he had often visited, 172 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: But though their age was plainly great, and their contour 173 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: very little like that of most ruins in Ireland, there 174 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: were too dilapidated to tell the days of their glory. 175 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: Now the work of drainage was ready to begin, and 176 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: the laborers from the north were soon to strip the 177 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: forbidden bog of its green moss and red heather and kill, 178 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: the tiny shelf paved streamlets, and quiet blue pools fringed 179 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: with brushes. After Barry had told me these things, I 180 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: was very drowsy, for the travels of the day had 181 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: been wearying, and my host had talked. Late into the night, 182 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: a man servant shoot me into my room, which was 183 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: in a remote tower, overlooking the village and the plain 184 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 1: at the edge of the bog and the bog itself, 185 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: so that I could see from my windows in the 186 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: moonlight the silent roofs from which the peasants had fled 187 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: now sheltered the laborers from the north, and to the 188 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: parish church with his antique spire, and far out across 189 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: the brooding bog, the remote olden ruin on the islet 190 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: gleaming whitened spectral. Just as I dropped asleep, I fancied 191 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: I heard faint sounds from the distance, sounds that were 192 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: wild and half musical, and stirred me with a weird 193 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: excitement which colored my dreams. But when I awaked next morning, 194 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 1: I felt it had all been a dream, for the 195 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: visions I had seen were more wonderful than any sound 196 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: of wild pipes in the night. Influenced by the legends 197 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 1: that Barry had related, my mind had, in slumber hovered 198 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: around a stately city in a green valley, where marble 199 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: streets and statues, villas and temples, carvings and inscriptions all 200 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: spoke in certain tones the glory that was Greece. When 201 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: I told this dream to Barry, we both laughed, but 202 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: I laughed the louder because he was perplexed about his 203 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 1: laborers from the North. For the sixth time. They had 204 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:00,199 Speaker 1: all overslept, waking very slowly and dazedly, and at thing 205 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: as if they had not rested, although they were known 206 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: to have gone early to bed the night before. So 207 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: the Scottish labors are getting drunk, they're they're oversleeping, they're 208 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: slacking off, and this guy's having visions huh. Yeah. And 209 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: the whole thing is this, there's this legend that under 210 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: the bog there's a stone city that was covered over 211 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: uh with this bog ancient Greece, and that yeah, that 212 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 1: was an ancient Greek city in Ireland. And that um, 213 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: if you dig up the bog, it's gonna be big 214 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: tool because the city is supernatural, say the least man. 215 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: That's getting good. You're ready again? Yes? Are you ready, listener? Yes, okay. 216 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: That morning and afternoon I wandered alone through the sun 217 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: gilded village and talked now and then with idle laborers, 218 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: for Barry was busy with the final plans for beginning 219 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: his work of drainage. The laborers were not as happy 220 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: as they might have been, from most of them seemed 221 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: uneasy over some dream which they had had yet, which 222 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: they tried in vain to remember. I told them of 223 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: my dream, but they were not interested till I spoke 224 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: of the weird sounds I thought I had heard. Then 225 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: they looked oddly at me and said that they seemed 226 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: to remember weird sounds too. In the evening, Barry dined 227 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: with me and announced that he would begin the drainage 228 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: in two days. I was glad, for although I disliked 229 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: to see the moss and the heather, and the little 230 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: streams and lakes depart, I had a growing wish to 231 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: discern the ancient secrets the deep matted pete might hide. 232 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: And that night my dreams of piping flutes and marble 233 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: parastyles came to a sudden and disquieting end. For upon 234 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: the city in the valley I saw a pestilence descend, 235 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: and then a frightful avalanche of wooded slopes that covered 236 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: the dead bodies in the streets, and left unburied only 237 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: the temple of Artemness on the high peak, where the 238 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 1: aged moon Priestess Cliss lay cold and silent, with a 239 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: crown of ivory on her silver head. I have said 240 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 1: that I awake suddenly and in a arm. For some 241 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: time I could not tell whether I was waking or sleeping, 242 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: for the sounds of flutes still rang shrilly in my ears. 243 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,239 Speaker 1: But when I saw on the floor the icy moonbeams 244 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: and the outlines of the lattice Gothic window, I decided 245 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: I must be awake, and in the castle at Kildary. 246 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: Then I heard a clock from some remote landing below 247 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: strike the hour of two, and I knew I was awake. 248 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: It's still There came that monotonous piping from afar wild 249 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: weird airs that made me think of some dance of 250 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: fawns on distant manless. It would not let me sleep, 251 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: and in in patience I sprang up and paced the floor. 252 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: Only by chance did I go to the north window 253 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: and look out upon the silent village and the plane 254 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: at the edge of the ball. I had no wish 255 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: to gaze abroad, for I wanted to sleep, But the 256 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: flutes tormented me, and I had to see or do something. 257 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: How could I have suspected the thing I was to 258 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: behold there in the moonlight that flooded the spacious plane 259 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: was a spectacle which no mortal, having seen it, could 260 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: ever forget. To the sound of reedy pipes that echoed 261 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: over the bog. They're glided silently and eerily, a mixed 262 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: throng of swaying figures, reeling through such a revel as 263 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: the Sicilians may have danced to Demeter in the old 264 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: days under the harvest mood. Besides cy, in the wide plane, 265 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: the golden moonlight, the shadowy moving forms, and above all 266 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: the shrill, monotonous piping produced an effect which almost paralyzed me. 267 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: Yet I noted, amidst my fear, that half of these tireless, 268 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: mechanical dancers were the laborers whom I had thought asleep, 269 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: whilst the other half were strange airy beings in white, 270 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: half in determinate in nature, but suggesting pale, wistful naiads 271 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: from the haunted fountains of the Bog. I do not 272 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: know how long I gazed at the site from the 273 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: lonely turret window before I dropped suddenly in a dreamless swoon, 274 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: out of which the high sun of morning aroused me. 275 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: Things are getting real, Phil, So he's like seeing these 276 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: like weird, ghostly zombie like laborers and white creatures. And 277 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: to lay off the opium. Do they have opium in Ireland? Sure? 278 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: Are you? Kidne me? He needs to lay off? All right? 279 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: Here we go. My first impulse on awakening was to 280 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: communicate all my fears and observations to Dennis Barry. But 281 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: as I saw the sunlight glowing through the latticed east window, 282 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: I became sure that there was no reality in what 283 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: I thought I had seen. I am given to strange phantasms, 284 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: yet am never weak enough to believe in them. So 285 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: on this occasion contented myself with questioning the laborers, who 286 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: slept very late and recalled nothing of the previous night 287 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: save misty dreams of shrill sounds. This matter of the 288 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: spectral piping harassed me greatly, and I wondered if the 289 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: crickets of autumn had come before their time to vex 290 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: the night and haunt the visions of men. Later in 291 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: the day, I watched Barry in the window, pouring over 292 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: his plans for the great work which was to begin 293 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: on the morrow, and for the first time felt a 294 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: touch of the same kind of fear that had driven 295 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: the peasants away. For some unknown reason, I dreaded the 296 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: thought of disturbing the ancient bog and its sunless secrets, 297 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: and pictured terrible sights lying black under the unmeasured depth 298 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: of age. Old Pete. That these secrets should be brought 299 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: to light seems injudicious, and I began to wish for 300 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: an excuse to leave the castle in the village. I 301 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: went so far as to talk casually to Bury on 302 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 1: the subject, but did not dare continue after he gave 303 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: his resounding laugh. So I was silent when the sun 304 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 1: set fulgently over the far hills, and killed reblazed alread 305 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: and gold in a flame. That seemed a portent. So 306 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:33,360 Speaker 1: he brought it up to his buddy, and he kind 307 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: of got made fun of. I think right whether the 308 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 1: events of that night were of reality or illusion, I 309 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: shall never ascertain. Certainly they transcend anything we dream of 310 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: in nature and the universe. Yet in no formal fashion 311 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: can I explain those disappearances which were known to all men. 312 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: After it was over, I retired, erie and full of dread, 313 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: and for a long time could not sleep, and the 314 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: uncanny silence of the tower. It was very dark, for 315 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: although the sky was clear, the moon was now well 316 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: in the wane, would not rise till the small hours. 317 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: I thought as I lay there, of Dennis Berry, and 318 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: of what would befall that bog when the day came, 319 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: and found myself almost frantic with an impulse to rush 320 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: out into the night, take Berry Scar and drive madly 321 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 1: to Ballyloch, out of the menaced lands. But before my 322 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: fears could crystallize in action, I'd fallen asleep and gazed 323 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: in dreams upon the city in the valley, cold and dead, 324 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 1: under a shroud of hideous shadow. Probably it was the 325 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: shrill piping that awaked me. Yet that piping was not 326 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: what I noticed first. When I opened my eyes. I 327 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: was lying with my back to the east window, overlooking 328 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: the bog where the waning moon would rise, and therefore 329 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 1: expected to see light cast on the opposite wall before me, 330 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:51,959 Speaker 1: but I had not looked for such a sight as 331 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: now appeared. Light indeed glowed on the panels ahead, but 332 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: it was not any light that the moon gives. Terrible 333 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: and piercing was the shad a to ruddy refulgence that 334 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: streamed through the gothic window, and the whole chamber was 335 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: brilliant with a splendor, intense and unearthly. My immediate actions 336 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 1: were peculiar for such a situation, but it is only 337 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: entails that a man does the dramatic and foreseen thing. 338 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: Instead of looking out across the bog towards the source 339 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: of the new light, I kept my eyes from the 340 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: window and panic fear, and clumsily drew on my clothing 341 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: with some dazed idea of escape. I remember seizing my 342 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: revolver and hat, but before it was over, I had 343 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 1: lost them both, without firing the one or donning the other. 344 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,640 Speaker 1: After a time, the fascination of the red radiance overcame 345 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 1: my fright, and I crept to the east window and 346 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: looked out, whilst the maddening, incessant piping wine and reverberated 347 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 1: through the castle and over all of the village. Over 348 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 1: the bog was a day lousee of flaring light, scarlet 349 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: and sinister, and pouring from the strange olden ruin on 350 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: the far islet. The aspect of that ruin I cannot describe. 351 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: I must have been mad, for it seemed to rise majestic, 352 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: an undecayed, splendid and column cintured, the flame, reflecting marble 353 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: of its intabulature, piercing the sky like the apex of 354 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: a temple on a mountaintop. Flute shrieked, and drums began 355 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: to beat, and as I watched, an awe and terror, 356 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: I thought I saw a dark, salted form silhouetted grotesquely 357 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,640 Speaker 1: against the vision of marble and the Pilgians. The effect 358 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 1: was titanic, altogether unthinkable, and I might have stared indefinitely 359 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: had not the sound of the piping seemed to grow 360 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: stronger at my left. Trembling with the care oddly mixed 361 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,719 Speaker 1: with ecstasy, I crossed the circular room to the north window, 362 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,159 Speaker 1: from which I could see the village and the plane 363 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: at the edge of the bog. There my eyes dilated 364 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: again with a wild wonder as great as if I 365 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: had not just turned from a scene beyond the pale 366 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: of nature, For on the ghastly red litten plane was 367 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: moving a procession of beans in such manner as none 368 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: ever saw before, save in nightmares. That is not a 369 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: parade of fun happening outside this window, is it. It's 370 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: not alrighty, This is scary. This is getting pretty bad. 371 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: Half gliding, half floating in the air, the white clad 372 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: bog Graiths were slowly retreating towards the still waters and 373 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:16,480 Speaker 1: the island, ruin and fantastic formations suggesting some ancient and 374 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: solemn ceremonial dance. Their waving translucent arms, guided by the 375 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: detestable piping of those unseen flutes, beckoned in uncanny rhythm 376 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: to a throng of lurching laborers, who followed doglike with blind, brainless, 377 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: floundering steps, as if dragged by a clumsy but resistless 378 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: demon will. As the Naiads neared the bog without altering 379 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: their course, a new line of stumbling stragglers zig zagged 380 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: drunkenly out of the castle from some door far below 381 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: my window, groped sightlessly across the courtyard and through the 382 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: intervening bit of village, and joined the floundering column of 383 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: laborers on the plane. Despite their distance below me, I 384 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: at once knew they were the servants brought from the north, 385 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: where I recognized the ugly and unwieldy form of the cook, 386 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 1: whose very absurdness had now become unutterably tragic. The flutes 387 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: piped horribly, and again I heard the beating of the 388 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 1: drums from the direction of the island ruin. Then silently 389 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: and gracefully, the Naiads reached the water and melted one 390 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: by one into the ancient bog, while the line of followers, 391 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: never checking their speed, splashed awkwardly after them and vanished, 392 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 1: mixed a tiny vortex of unwholesome bubbles which I could 393 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 1: barely see in the scarlet light, And as the last 394 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: pathetic straggler, the fat cook sank heavily out of sight 395 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: in that sullen pool, the flutes and the drums grew silent, 396 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: the blinding red rays from the ruins snapped instantaneously out, 397 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: leaving the village of Doom lone and desolate, and the 398 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: wan beams of a new risen moon. So basically, this 399 00:22:55,640 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: guy is looking outside and everybody is following some wraiths 400 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: into the bog. That's right, And there's some mad piping 401 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: and drumming going on, and this guy's basically losing it. Yeah, 402 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: I get the sense that is getting louder and more intense. 403 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: A you're gonna take us home and taking us home, 404 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: you're ready, let's do it. My condition was now one 405 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: of indescribable chaos, not knowing whether I was mad or saying, 406 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: sleeping or waking. I was saved only by a merciful numbness. 407 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: I believe I did ridiculous things, such as offering prayers 408 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:33,239 Speaker 1: to Artemis, Latona, Demeter, Persephone, and Pluton. All that I 409 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: recalled of a classic youth came to my lips. As 410 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: the horrors of the situation roused my deepest superstitions. I 411 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: felt that I had witnessed the death of a whole village, 412 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: and knew I was alone in the castle with Dennis Barry, 413 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: whose boldness had brought down a doom. As I thought 414 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,119 Speaker 1: of him, new terrorists convulsed me, and I fell to 415 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: the floor, not fainting, but physically helpless. Then I felt 416 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: the icy blast from the east window, where the moon 417 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: had risen, and beg in to hear the shrieks in 418 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: the castle far below me. Soon those shrieks had attained 419 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,199 Speaker 1: a magnitude and quality which cannot be written it, and 420 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: which makes me faint as I think of them. All 421 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: I can say is that they came from something I 422 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: had known as a friend at some time during the 423 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: shocking period. The cold wind and the screaming must have 424 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: roused me, for my next impression is of racing madly 425 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: through inky rooms and corridors, and out across the courtyard 426 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: into the hideous night. They found me at dawn, wandering 427 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 1: mindless near bally Low. But what unhinged me was utterly 428 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: not of any of the horrors I had seen or 429 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: heard before. What I muttered about as I came slowly 430 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: out of the shadows was a pair of fantastic incidents 431 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: which occurred in my flight, incidents of no significance, yet 432 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: which haunt me unceasingly when I am alone in certain 433 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: marshy places are in the moonlight. As I fled from 434 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 1: that cursed castle along the bog's edge, I heard a 435 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: new sound, common, yet unlike any I had heard before. 436 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: It killed the stagnant waters, lately quite devoid of animal life, 437 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,439 Speaker 1: now teemed with horde of slimy, enormous frogs which piped 438 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: shrilly and incessantly, and turned strangely out of keeping with 439 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: their size. They glistened bloated in green and the moonbeams, 440 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: and seemed to gaze up at the font of light. 441 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: I followed the gaze of one very fat and ugly frog, 442 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: and saw the second of the things which drove my 443 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 1: senses away. Stretching directly from the strange olden ruin on 444 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 1: the far islet to the waning moon. My eyes seemed 445 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: to trace a beam of faint, quivering radiance, having no 446 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: reflection in the waters of the ball, and upward along 447 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,360 Speaker 1: that pallid path, my fevered fancy pictured a thin shadow, 448 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: slowly writhing, a vague, contorted shadow, struggling as if drawn 449 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: by unseen demons. Crazed as I was, I saw in 450 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: that awful shadow a monstrous resemblance, a nauseous, unbelievable caricature, 451 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: of blasphemous effigy of him who had been Dennis Berry, 452 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: whoa the end man. He can he can paint a picture, Kenny, 453 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: he knows what he's doing. Boy, that is good stuff. 454 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,160 Speaker 1: He used the word eldredge in this once, and he's 455 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 1: still knocked it out of the park. Yeah, and he 456 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 1: did a good job of describing things instead of just 457 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: saying it cannot be described very creepy. Well done, sir, 458 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: Well done, sir. So part one is over, so let's 459 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 1: take a break and come back and read story number 460 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: two for Halloween Spectacular. Chuck, I just want to point out, 461 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: did you notice the awesome Halloween jingle made for us, 462 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: specifically by our composer friends on begin Pretty awesome? Agreed, 463 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 1: really helps set the mood. Yeah, thanks a lot, John, 464 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: and Jerry didn't have to do it. She's delighted about. 465 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: Way to go, Jerry. All right. The second story is 466 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 1: actually contemporary, which is unusual for us, But um, I 467 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: email the author because you can just do that these days, 468 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: and he said, yeah, read it. That's great. That's pretty 469 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 1: nice of them. So his name is Peter the Peter D. Niverville. 470 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: It's a great name, and the story is called The 471 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: Petting Zoo, and I liked it because it tied in 472 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,640 Speaker 1: with our Spiders episode and it is quite creepy. It's 473 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: creep and we're gonna actually have a character voice because 474 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: we have to do voices in this one. I was 475 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: wondering if you're gonna want to do that. Yeah, man, 476 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 1: you're gonna play Johnson, I'll play the old man. Yes, 477 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: I got that. And uh, we're gonna have um our 478 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: video Ninja for stuff. Mom never told you Annie he 479 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:05,199 Speaker 1: was an actor to do the old lady to do 480 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: old man. I can't remember his name, the old man's wife. 481 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: So yes, yeah, so we need to thank Annie for that. 482 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: Um here we go with the petting Zoo. At first, 483 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,440 Speaker 1: Johnson thought it was a joke. Speeding down the country road, 484 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: the crude sign was only a blur, but it was 485 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: that one word, slowing down. He swung the car onto 486 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: the paved shoulder. In the rear view mirror, he could 487 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 1: see it clearly. The sign was tacked to a stick 488 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: that was stuck in the ground just beyond the paved shoulder. 489 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: Shifting the car into reverse, Johnson jim the accelerator down. 490 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: The tires squealed, and loose gravel flew As he tore 491 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 1: back up the road screeched into a halt. Johnson stared 492 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: at the faded handwriting Ellsworth's famous spider petting Zoo five 493 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: miles next right. It's spiders fascinated Johnson. One summer when 494 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: he was eight, a large golden black spider had taken 495 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 1: up residence underneath the shingles by the back door. Every morning, 496 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: Johnson would gather up ants in a jar from a 497 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: nest and the scrubby woods behind his house. One by one, 498 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: he would drop the wriggling insects into the web with 499 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: lightning speed. The spider would spring from her hiding place 500 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: and race towards the victim, sinking her fangs into the ant. 501 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: She would retreat, waiting for the poison to take effect. 502 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: When the aunt slowly stopped struggling, she would climb back 503 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: down and delicately wrap her prey in a white shroud. 504 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: This continued until one day his mother caught him. What 505 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 1: a cruel little boy you are, she scolded between clenched 506 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 1: teeth as she pummeled his backside. He could still feel 507 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: the shame of being spanked. Years later, In a rare 508 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: moment of remorse, Johnson wondered what it was like for 509 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: the ant, trapped helpless waiting for the spider to return. 510 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: Did they know fear or horror? Or was that something 511 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: only humans experienced. The insect brain was too small, he 512 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: told himself, or so he hoped. Five miles, thought Johnson. 513 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: This side trip might only add another half hour or 514 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: so to his journey. He would still have time once 515 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: he got to his motel to have a shower. The 516 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: dinner meeting with a buyer from the supermarket Jane wasn't 517 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: until six o'clock, and it was only four now. Coasting forward, 518 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 1: Johnson scanned the road looking for the turn off. About 519 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: one hundred yards ahead, he saw a lane that intersected 520 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: with the highway. Flicking on his turn signally, shot a 521 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: quick glance at his watch. If I don't find it 522 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: in fifteen minutes, he promised himself, I'll turn back. Accelerating smoothly, 523 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: he turned onto a well paved secondary road with deep 524 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 1: ditches on either side. Punching the buttons on the CD player, 525 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: he stretched his arms, settling back into the soft leather 526 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: seat As a throbbing beat of the music filled his car. 527 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: Is mood lightened an unexpected adventure in an otherwise boring day. 528 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 1: Johnson hated his job, endless meetings with bad food and 529 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: balding byres, too many drinks, and too many hangovers. He 530 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 1: was packing on the pounds too. I have to get 531 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: back to the gym, he reminded himself. The only redeeming 532 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,040 Speaker 1: feature of his job was that he was good at it. 533 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: Top sails ripped for the last three years. I should 534 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: have been an actor, he told himself. Instead, I'm selling 535 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: toilet paper and tampons to these turkeys. As the needle 536 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: on the spitometer crept higher and higher than neatly kept 537 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 1: fields and freshly painted houses became a blur. Mile after 538 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: miles slipped by, Johnson felt that he and the car 539 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: had become one, soaring like a hawk on a summer breeze. 540 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: But his mood soon soured. The condition of the road deteriorated. 541 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: Asphalt gave way to chip seal, which gave way to 542 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 1: gravel and finally ended up his dirt. Johnson jumped on 543 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: the brakes when a huge pothole emerged in the center 544 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: of the road, cursing the delay, checked his watch again. 545 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,960 Speaker 1: It was almost five. The long drive down the country 546 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: road had doled his sense of time. I'd better turn around, 547 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: he cautioned himself, as he studied the road ahead, looking 548 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: for a safe place to make a U turn, And 549 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 1: he saw it, an old farmhouse stepped back from the road. 550 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: If it hadn't been for the pothole, he would have 551 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: missed it completely. By the mailbox, a freshly painted sign 552 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: read Ellsworth's famous spider petting Zoo open year round, all 553 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: visitors welcomed. This must be the place, he concluded. Carefully 554 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: turning up the heavily redded lane, Johnson wondered what he 555 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: would find. Perhaps one of the locals playing a joke 556 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: on the tourists, he mused. Tall grass slapped at the 557 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: bottom of the car, and rusted barbed wire clung to 558 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: rotted posts that ran alongside the lane. In the untilled fields, 559 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: scrubby bushes had sprung up like mushrooms. Johnson tried to 560 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: imagine what the farm looked like in better days, but 561 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: it was impossible. When he reached the top of the hill, 562 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: the farmhouse looked even more Decrepit blistered paint hung from 563 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 1: the wooden shingles, and there was a disturbing sag in 564 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: the middle of the roof. But once it had been 565 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: the side garden was now occupied by tall thistles and 566 00:32:56,520 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: a massive tangled timbers, indicating the former site of the barn. 567 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: Except for the glass still being intact in the windows, 568 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: the house looked abandoned. Where is everybody? Thought Johnson in 569 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: response to his question, an old woman dressed in a 570 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: black skirt and a woolen sweater stepped out the side door. 571 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: It's never a good sign by the way she was 572 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 1: gnarled and withered, like the lone apple tree that stood 573 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: in the yard. Johnson guests, she must have been at 574 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:28,440 Speaker 1: least seventy, maybe even eighty years old. She spat, turning 575 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 1: off the radio and rolling down the car window. He replied, 576 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 1: is this the petting zoo? That's what the sign says, 577 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:38,800 Speaker 1: don't it. Ignoring her rudeness, Johnson continued, are you open, 578 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 1: I'll get Jake Key out back chopping wood. He watched 579 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 1: as she shuffled down a dirt path and disappeared around 580 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: the corner of the house. Charming, thought Johnson. Opening the 581 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 1: car door, he stepped out. Despite the poverty, the farm 582 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: had a certain rustic appeal, which reminded him of the 583 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: house that he grew up in in the country. But 584 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: there was something odd, something missing. Where are the flies? 585 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: Thought Johnson. On most farms, the low buzz of the 586 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:07,959 Speaker 1: black swarms was constant, but here there was none. Except 587 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: for the moaning of the wind. It was quiet. Perhaps 588 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 1: it was the lack of animals, he thought, or maybe 589 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:15,759 Speaker 1: it was the stiff breeze at the top of the 590 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: hill that kept them at bay. Glancing at his watch, 591 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: he frowned. It was after five o'clock. If he did 592 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 1: not get back on the road soon, he would be 593 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: late for his appointment. Either that or skip his shower 594 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:28,760 Speaker 1: after driving all day, Johnson did not want to skip 595 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 1: the soothing ritual. Taking one last look around, he reached 596 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: for the handle of the car door. Just then the 597 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: old woman reappeared, and behind her and even more wizened 598 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 1: up old man wearing faded blue overalls and a nicotine 599 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:43,960 Speaker 1: stained undershirt. Stopping at the corner of the house, the 600 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,720 Speaker 1: old man spat out a long jet of chewing tobacco 601 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:49,400 Speaker 1: onto the ground. Wiping his mouth with the back of 602 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: his hand. He paused momentarily to study Johnson. Speaking to 603 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: the old woman, he said in a low tone, thought, 604 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:59,800 Speaker 1: I heard a car come up. Wants to see your spatters, 605 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 1: she said, before she turned away and went back to 606 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 1: the farmhouse, letting the screen door slam behind her. You 607 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,879 Speaker 1: want to see my spiders, young fellow. Sure, if you're 608 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:13,320 Speaker 1: open how much? Looking over Johnson's luxury car, he scratched 609 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 1: his ruddy face and said fifty, that's ridiculous. Strugging his shoulders, 610 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: the old man said, take it or leave it. I 611 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 1: got work to do, and then he spat out another 612 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 1: long jet of chewing tobacco and turned to go So 613 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 1: this guy, he's a sales chimp. Yeah, he's the part 614 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 1: I was born to play. Apparently I'm nailing it. He's 615 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 1: he's traveling in his luxury car. He's a spider dude 616 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: because he's to torture ants in a spider webs. Not 617 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: that he has super powers bestowed to him by a 618 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:51,280 Speaker 1: radioactive spider, No, but it's he's made the big mistake 619 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 1: of going to see this redneck spider farm. Yeah, spinning, 620 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:59,480 Speaker 1: chewing tobacco. Are you talking to a stranger indicates the 621 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 1: presence of a redneck? Yeah, so did the overalls. Yeah alright, 622 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: so back to the petting zoo. I can't leave now 623 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,919 Speaker 1: after coming all this way, thought Johnson. Taking another quick 624 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:16,920 Speaker 1: glance at his watch, he said, irritably, alright, alright, but 625 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: this better be good. See that sounds just like me, 626 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: it does. The old man smirked and licked his lips 627 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 1: as Johnson whipped out a crisp fifty dollar bill from 628 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,080 Speaker 1: his wallet. Johnson did not like the old man's greedy 629 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 1: look and hastily shoved his wallet back in his pants pocket. Thanks, 630 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 1: said the old man, sarcastically, snatching the bill from Johnson's hand, 631 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: looking it over carefully, he folded it up neatly, stuck 632 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: it in his pocket, and said, follow me. The old 633 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:47,600 Speaker 1: man led Johnson down an overgrown path to a shed 634 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,359 Speaker 1: at the back of the farmhouse. Inside, the dim glow 635 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: of fluorescent tubes highlighted the dozen plywood shelves that ran 636 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: along the walls. In contrast to the rest of the farm, 637 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:00,719 Speaker 1: the shed was neat, almost antiseptic in appearance. Sitting on 638 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:04,280 Speaker 1: each shelf was a glass terrarium filled with twigs and rocks. 639 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: In the case closest to Johnson, a small garden spider 640 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: was spinning a web in the corner. That's an orb spider, 641 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 1: said the old man, said Johnson, annoyed by the interruption. 642 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: You know spiders a bit, replied Johnson. I used to 643 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 1: study them when I was a kid. I bet you're 644 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 1: the type that like defeat him. Yeah, catch bugs, drop 645 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: him in. See what happens? Fun, ain't it? Suddenly Johnson 646 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 1: was uncomfortable. How did he guess my secret, he wondered. 647 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:38,040 Speaker 1: Johnson felt the warm rush of blood to his neck 648 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:41,040 Speaker 1: and ears as he started to blush. No need to 649 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:45,280 Speaker 1: be a shame, young fellow. All kids do it. It's natural. 650 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:49,839 Speaker 1: Trying to change the topic, Johnson asked, you you've been 651 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 1: at this long keeping spiders. Yeah, I've been at it 652 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:58,400 Speaker 1: a while. Most folks scared of spiders. Not me. Me 653 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 1: and spider Gilon feel good. Johnson turned back to watch 654 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:05,400 Speaker 1: a large black spider in another case sucking up the 655 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 1: half digested slurry of its latest victim. Trying to be polite, 656 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 1: Johnson asked, but you don't give many visitors here, being 657 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:16,839 Speaker 1: so far from the highway. Donate him, said the old man. 658 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: This is just a sideline. Pausing for effect, he added, 659 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 1: I breed him. Johnson looked puzzled for the college, explained 660 00:38:25,719 --> 00:38:28,839 Speaker 1: the old man. They use him for research. Does it 661 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:33,839 Speaker 1: pay well? Good enough? Uh? They don't know squat about spiders, 662 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:36,719 Speaker 1: said the old man, spinning on the floor. Johnson looked 663 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:38,959 Speaker 1: down and saw that a streak of the sticky black 664 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,840 Speaker 1: tobacco had splashed on his shoes. I've been doing research 665 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:46,000 Speaker 1: on my own, said the old man proudly. Spatters are 666 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:51,120 Speaker 1: just like any other creator. Cows, horses, dogs, They're all 667 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 1: the same breed. The best with the best, and you 668 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:58,680 Speaker 1: get the best or the The old man's voice trailed 669 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 1: off as he started to laugh. There was something about 670 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,319 Speaker 1: his tone that made Johnson uneasy. You want to see 671 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:10,439 Speaker 1: him a prize winner. Johnson looked around. Oh, she ain't here. 672 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 1: I keep her in the barn. She kind of makes 673 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:16,960 Speaker 1: he's created nervous. I can't say he's blames him. He 674 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:19,319 Speaker 1: won't see her. The way the old man said it, 675 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:23,880 Speaker 1: the question sounded more like a challenge. Johnson hesitated. He 676 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 1: wanted to say no, but he could not let the 677 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:29,720 Speaker 1: old man see that he was afraid. Sure, answered Johnson, 678 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,560 Speaker 1: What could it be, he asked himself, A tarantula. With 679 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:35,840 Speaker 1: the old man in front, they went down a lesser 680 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,160 Speaker 1: used path to a small barn behind a stand of 681 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:41,320 Speaker 1: trees that made it invisible from the farmhouse. A shiny 682 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:44,120 Speaker 1: new lock on a rusted hask yielded to the old 683 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:47,400 Speaker 1: man's key. I don't like kids messing with the stuff. 684 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,480 Speaker 1: The ancient wooden door swung open. Inside it was pitch black. 685 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:56,480 Speaker 1: Johnson hesitated, what was it that made him apprehensive? His 686 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,759 Speaker 1: mouth felt dry and he tried to swallow. Going in 687 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:02,400 Speaker 1: to him the old man as he shoved Johnson through 688 00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 1: the door, Stumbling on a raised sill, Johnson fell to 689 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:09,839 Speaker 1: one knee, ripping his pants. Damn it, he cursed. He's 690 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:13,480 Speaker 1: a light switch ahead, are you, the old man reassured him. Jase, 691 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 1: pull the string. The stench of moldy hay made Johnson gag. 692 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,319 Speaker 1: Where is it the spider, he called out. He's in 693 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:26,439 Speaker 1: the back. He can't miss her. Where is the light? 694 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,239 Speaker 1: Right and funny? Can't you see it? Mocked the old man. 695 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:33,279 Speaker 1: Johnson stretched out his hand. At first he could not 696 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:36,919 Speaker 1: feel anything. Then, slowly groping the air in, he caught 697 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 1: hold of it. Johnson's heart leapt in relief. But there 698 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 1: was something strange. The line didn't feel like a string. 699 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: It was sticky. Like pulling the line, Johnson knew he 700 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 1: had made a mistake. Something rustled in the rafters above him, 701 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:55,200 Speaker 1: and bits of straw floated down. Johnson bolted for the opening. 702 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:59,279 Speaker 1: Enjoy yourself, cackled the old man as he slammed the door. 703 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,960 Speaker 1: Unlocked it. Let me out, Let me out, shouted Johnson. 704 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: Pounding on the door. Let me out you a buzzard, 705 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 1: But it was no use. The dried out wooden door 706 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:11,720 Speaker 1: was like iron. Pausing to catch his breath, his fist throbbing, 707 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:15,439 Speaker 1: Johnson looked around slowly, his eyes grew accustomed to the dark, 708 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:18,000 Speaker 1: but appeared to be a black chasm, was, in fact 709 00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:20,880 Speaker 1: the side entrance to the barn. There must be another 710 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 1: way out, he thought, But where in the gloom He 711 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:27,000 Speaker 1: could see that beyond the entryway there was a large 712 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:29,839 Speaker 1: open space, and beyond that a boarded up window through 713 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 1: which thin shafts of sunlight streamed. Great, all I have 714 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:35,320 Speaker 1: to do is cross the barn, pull off one or 715 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:37,879 Speaker 1: two of those boards, and climb out, thought Johnson. Then 716 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,959 Speaker 1: I'll show that old man fifty bucks. He'll wish i'd 717 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:45,000 Speaker 1: never stopped. Then he heard another rustle overhead, and straw 718 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:48,520 Speaker 1: floated down. Who is it? Who's there? He called out. 719 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:51,719 Speaker 1: I'll bet it's that old man, thought Johnson. He thinks 720 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:54,879 Speaker 1: he's gonna scare me. Sure you just keep that up, 721 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:57,440 Speaker 1: old man, Johnson called out again. Let's see how much 722 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:00,320 Speaker 1: laughing you do when I bashed your face in Again, 723 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:03,560 Speaker 1: that's just totally me. But first, I've got to get 724 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:07,319 Speaker 1: to that window. Be careful, he cautioned himself. This barn 725 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:09,560 Speaker 1: must be full of junk. I don't want to fall 726 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:12,359 Speaker 1: down and get hurt. Despite the heat and the bar 727 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:15,120 Speaker 1: and he shivered, licking the sweat off his upper lips. 728 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:18,320 Speaker 1: Johnson slowly picked his way across the wide wooden plank 729 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:21,879 Speaker 1: barn floor, being careful not to trip. Shadows of old 730 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:25,000 Speaker 1: machinery and tools loomed around him. A leather harness that 731 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 1: hung from the wall looked like a hangman's noose. There 732 00:42:28,239 --> 00:42:31,319 Speaker 1: was a peculiar smell too. It reminded him of a 733 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,640 Speaker 1: package of chicken that he once left in the trunk 734 00:42:33,680 --> 00:42:36,120 Speaker 1: of his car in a hot summer day. It was 735 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:40,480 Speaker 1: the sickly sweet scent of rotten meat. Oh gross, muttered Johnson. 736 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:44,240 Speaker 1: There's a dead animal in here. In less than a minute, 737 00:42:44,239 --> 00:42:46,080 Speaker 1: he had crossed the barn and was standing in front 738 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 1: of the boarded up window blocking his exit, where three 739 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:52,799 Speaker 1: boards nailed haphazardly into the frame. Either the old man 740 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:54,960 Speaker 1: was too weak or too lazy to drive them all 741 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:58,200 Speaker 1: the way in, concluded Johnson. I can probably pull them 742 00:42:58,239 --> 00:43:03,520 Speaker 1: off with my bare hands. He smiled triumphantly. All right, 743 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: So Johnson has been locked in the barn. It smells 744 00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:09,319 Speaker 1: like chicken. It smells like rotting chicken. Uh, there's a 745 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:11,399 Speaker 1: leather harness hanging from the wall. So I think I'd 746 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:13,360 Speaker 1: be glad at this point that the old man left. 747 00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:15,759 Speaker 1: At least I would think there would be some sort 748 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:18,000 Speaker 1: of deliverance like thing going on here. Yeah, I mean 749 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:22,239 Speaker 1: he shoved him. The guys ripped his jeans. Sure there 750 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: was like that was hostile. It was very hostile. All right, 751 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:30,120 Speaker 1: here we go. The first board was half rotted and 752 00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:32,640 Speaker 1: fell apart in his hands. Light streamed in as it 753 00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:35,200 Speaker 1: came away from the frame. Then he shifted his attention 754 00:43:35,239 --> 00:43:37,359 Speaker 1: to the second one, the board in the middle. If 755 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:39,839 Speaker 1: he could get this one off, he could easily climb out. 756 00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: But this board wouldn't be so easy. It was like 757 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 1: the old door of the barn, dried out and tough 758 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:47,920 Speaker 1: as steel. Gripping the board with both hands, he began 759 00:43:47,960 --> 00:43:51,120 Speaker 1: pulling the nails, squealed in protest, and the board started 760 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 1: to move, only a little bit. Grunted Johnson, the thought 761 00:43:57,000 --> 00:43:59,920 Speaker 1: of throttling old man excited him just a bit further. 762 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:04,720 Speaker 1: Another halp, and he could almost feel his fingers closing 763 00:44:04,719 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 1: around the old Man's scrawn the neck, the eyes bulging, 764 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:14,080 Speaker 1: the tongue sticking out another half inch. Then it stopped. Desperately, 765 00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:16,120 Speaker 1: Johnson yanked at the board, but it was no use. 766 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:19,959 Speaker 1: It would not yield. I need more leverage, he said 767 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:23,840 Speaker 1: to himself and out loud. Balancing on one foot, he 768 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:26,840 Speaker 1: braced his other against the window frame and started pulling again. 769 00:44:27,160 --> 00:44:29,960 Speaker 1: The muscles in his forearms and back bulged. Was restrained 770 00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:32,719 Speaker 1: against the board. Sweat rolled down his forehead and into 771 00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:36,000 Speaker 1: his eyes. Come on, he pleaded with the wood, Come on. 772 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,919 Speaker 1: In this frustration, Johnson did not hear the soft tap 773 00:44:40,160 --> 00:44:44,000 Speaker 1: tap tap on the floor behind him, tap tap tap, 774 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:47,880 Speaker 1: like a blind man with his cane, tap tap tap. 775 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:51,920 Speaker 1: Then it was too late. It struck the force of 776 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:54,920 Speaker 1: the attack. Ramdom faced first against the wall, knocking the 777 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,399 Speaker 1: wind out of him. Warm blood trickled from his nose 778 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:00,439 Speaker 1: and ran down his cheek. What was that ring around? 779 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,280 Speaker 1: Slowly he could see in the light from the window 780 00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:06,080 Speaker 1: his attacker was crouched inside an empty stall along the 781 00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:09,719 Speaker 1: opposite wall, the legs tints ready to spring. It was 782 00:45:09,760 --> 00:45:13,439 Speaker 1: a spider, no doubt, one of the old Man's experiments 783 00:45:13,840 --> 00:45:17,840 Speaker 1: that this was no ordinary spider. It was huge, about 784 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 1: the size of a pit bowl, with legs that extended 785 00:45:20,600 --> 00:45:23,640 Speaker 1: out three or four feet on either side. Its eyes 786 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 1: stared coldly at him. Johnson did a quick tally of 787 00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:30,640 Speaker 1: his injuries. Except for his bloody knows, he was unharmed. 788 00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:33,520 Speaker 1: Perhaps the large size of the creature made it difficult 789 00:45:33,560 --> 00:45:36,560 Speaker 1: for its a mountain attack, he conjectured. Possibly it did 790 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:39,040 Speaker 1: not even recognize him as prey. I'm sure that's it. 791 00:45:39,520 --> 00:45:42,719 Speaker 1: Spiders normally eat moths and insects, he reminded himself, not 792 00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:46,120 Speaker 1: human beings. When he was a kid, Johnson liked to 793 00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:50,359 Speaker 1: throw twigs into a web just to see the spider's reaction. Invariably, 794 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:52,759 Speaker 1: after pouncing on the object, the spider would pluck it 795 00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:54,680 Speaker 1: out of the web, turn it over, and drop it 796 00:45:54,719 --> 00:45:57,440 Speaker 1: on the ground. Johnson hopped, the spider would show the 797 00:45:57,480 --> 00:46:00,680 Speaker 1: same lack of interest from its vantage point at the 798 00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:02,720 Speaker 1: other end of the bar, and the creature seemed puzzled, 799 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:06,799 Speaker 1: unsure of itself. Spiders are cautious, he told himself. It's 800 00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:09,879 Speaker 1: waiting for me to make the next move. Although every 801 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:12,000 Speaker 1: fiber in his body screamed to run, his brain told 802 00:46:12,080 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 1: him to stay still. The spider was too big and 803 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:18,560 Speaker 1: too fast the outrun. You need a weapon, he told himself. 804 00:46:19,120 --> 00:46:21,560 Speaker 1: Quickly looking about, he saw the rotten board from the 805 00:46:21,560 --> 00:46:24,200 Speaker 1: window lying at his feet. It was about two ft long, 806 00:46:24,239 --> 00:46:26,600 Speaker 1: with a jagged point at one end. It'll have to 807 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:30,080 Speaker 1: do slowly. He bent down to pick it up. The 808 00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:33,280 Speaker 1: spider crouched low like a sprinter, ready to strike again. 809 00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:37,240 Speaker 1: Johnson froze his fingers only inches from the board. Easy girl, 810 00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:43,120 Speaker 1: he whispered, softly. Easy. The spider relaxed, but not completely deliberately. 811 00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:47,279 Speaker 1: It began to move forward, cat tat, tat. Johnson was 812 00:46:47,320 --> 00:46:50,799 Speaker 1: amazed by the creature's grace, like a ballerina tiptoeing in 813 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:53,279 Speaker 1: from the darkened wings of a theater. It was a 814 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:56,920 Speaker 1: marvel of beauty and design. The body, covered by fine 815 00:46:56,920 --> 00:46:59,480 Speaker 1: gray hair, had the look of velvet, while the eight 816 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:03,719 Speaker 1: legs extended from the thorax provided speed and balance. As 817 00:47:03,719 --> 00:47:06,839 Speaker 1: it approached Johnson, the spider carefully extended one four leg 818 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:09,719 Speaker 1: toward him. Johnson quickly knocked it away with his hand. 819 00:47:10,200 --> 00:47:12,799 Speaker 1: The creature stopped and cocked its plate sized head to 820 00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:16,319 Speaker 1: one side. The eight eyes looked like black fists. Then 821 00:47:16,360 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 1: the leg came forward again. At the tip, Johnson could 822 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,520 Speaker 1: see the spikelike claw for catching prey. It touched his 823 00:47:22,600 --> 00:47:25,760 Speaker 1: left shoulder through his jacket. He could feel the sharp 824 00:47:25,800 --> 00:47:29,400 Speaker 1: point digging into his skin. Johnson winced and stepped backwards 825 00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:32,040 Speaker 1: to the wall, but there was no place to go. Slowly, 826 00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:35,040 Speaker 1: the other four leg came forward. Johnson recoil, trying to 827 00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:37,359 Speaker 1: ward off the attack with his free arm, but their 828 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:40,200 Speaker 1: creature was too strong. It brushed his arm aside as 829 00:47:40,200 --> 00:47:42,160 Speaker 1: if there were a piece of lint, and planted a 830 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:45,880 Speaker 1: second claw into his other shirts. Johnson cried out, help, help, 831 00:47:46,239 --> 00:47:48,720 Speaker 1: Then the spider reared up on its hind legs, forcing 832 00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:51,239 Speaker 1: Johnson to his knee. For a brief moment, he and 833 00:47:51,239 --> 00:47:54,000 Speaker 1: the creature looked into each other's eyes. It was almost 834 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:56,840 Speaker 1: like love. Then he saw the six inch fangs that 835 00:47:56,920 --> 00:47:59,719 Speaker 1: extended from the head drops A venom gleamed in the 836 00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:03,160 Speaker 1: half light. He watched in fascination as the cruel daggers 837 00:48:03,239 --> 00:48:06,120 Speaker 1: arched high over him. Then he screamed as they plunged 838 00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:09,960 Speaker 1: deeply into his chest. Instantly, white hot pain ripped through 839 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:13,760 Speaker 1: his body. Then it was gone. The spider had retreated 840 00:48:13,760 --> 00:48:16,359 Speaker 1: back to the skull. Johnson knew that he had only 841 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:19,080 Speaker 1: a minute or two before the poison paralyzed him. This 842 00:48:19,239 --> 00:48:22,880 Speaker 1: is it, he said to himself, my only chance. Ignoring 843 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:25,920 Speaker 1: his wounds, Johnson turned back to the window. Grabbing at 844 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:28,760 Speaker 1: the board, he yanked and pulled to no avail. Already 845 00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:31,480 Speaker 1: the venom was having its effect. His hands were numb 846 00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:34,120 Speaker 1: and his arms felt like lead. Gasping for air, he 847 00:48:34,160 --> 00:48:36,719 Speaker 1: threw himself at the boards again and again, but it 848 00:48:36,760 --> 00:48:40,160 Speaker 1: was no use. He was beaten. Great sob shook his 849 00:48:40,200 --> 00:48:42,279 Speaker 1: body as he slumped to the floor. This can't be 850 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:48,120 Speaker 1: happening to me, he protested. It's ridiculous. It is ridiculous. Right, 851 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:50,600 Speaker 1: he's attacked by a spire the size of a pit pull. 852 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:53,759 Speaker 1: I would find that hard to believe. Well, that's why 853 00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:56,880 Speaker 1: you're playing, Johnson thanks. Looking back at the spider, he 854 00:48:56,920 --> 00:48:59,080 Speaker 1: could see that had still not moved. What is she 855 00:48:59,239 --> 00:49:02,239 Speaker 1: waiting for, he wondered, Why did she finish me off? 856 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:06,480 Speaker 1: He soon had his answer. Shimmering like a great overcoat, 857 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:10,799 Speaker 1: there was something on the spider's back. It moved and undulated, 858 00:49:10,840 --> 00:49:14,080 Speaker 1: like a small wave, flowing back and forth. Then a 859 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:16,640 Speaker 1: piece of the wave pulled away and dropped to the floor. 860 00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:20,719 Speaker 1: It was another spider, only a lot smaller, about the 861 00:49:20,760 --> 00:49:24,320 Speaker 1: size of a rat. Johnson recalled that some spiders carry 862 00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:27,880 Speaker 1: their young in their backs. Horrified, he realized that he 863 00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:30,359 Speaker 1: had stumbled into their nursery and it was feeding down. 864 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:34,239 Speaker 1: Another one dropped to the floor, and then another. Soon 865 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:37,759 Speaker 1: there was a long line of spiders slowly crawling towards him. 866 00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:41,200 Speaker 1: Through fading eyesight, he saw the first one reached his 867 00:49:41,280 --> 00:49:44,840 Speaker 1: foot pinitively, its four leg probe the air until it 868 00:49:44,840 --> 00:49:48,160 Speaker 1: found his leg and added it. It was light and delicate, 869 00:49:48,200 --> 00:49:50,960 Speaker 1: like the touch of a child. Johnson opened his mouth 870 00:49:51,000 --> 00:49:55,160 Speaker 1: to screen it. My sound came. The last thing Johnson 871 00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:58,279 Speaker 1: saw before he lost consciousness was a spider tearing a 872 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:00,080 Speaker 1: piece of flesh from the back of his hands. And 873 00:50:01,360 --> 00:50:04,799 Speaker 1: it's curtains for Johnson. Yeah, no more lines for me. 874 00:50:05,280 --> 00:50:08,760 Speaker 1: Baby spiders. That's the size of rats. That's really alpful. 875 00:50:10,560 --> 00:50:12,400 Speaker 1: Back at the farmhouse, the old man picked up the 876 00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:15,080 Speaker 1: whiskey bottle from the kitchen table, poured himself another drink, 877 00:50:15,120 --> 00:50:17,919 Speaker 1: and plopped down on the ancient recliner. How long it take, 878 00:50:18,080 --> 00:50:22,680 Speaker 1: Jake asked the old woman. Not long, he grunted. They 879 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:27,120 Speaker 1: ain't it since Sunday, get sign I chrat mo folks 880 00:50:27,760 --> 00:50:30,960 Speaker 1: now the signs okay? Anyway, we don't need a crowd, 881 00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:34,360 Speaker 1: said the old man, taking a long, hard swallow. What 882 00:50:34,440 --> 00:50:36,720 Speaker 1: you're going to do with his car, she asked, standing 883 00:50:36,719 --> 00:50:39,919 Speaker 1: at the window admiring the now ownerless vehicle. I hear 884 00:50:40,040 --> 00:50:43,960 Speaker 1: young Dougal needs one for running moon Sean. Willing to 885 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:47,800 Speaker 1: pay good price too, said the old man. Won't he asked? Questions, 886 00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:50,800 Speaker 1: wondered the old woman, pouring a drink and easing herself 887 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:54,880 Speaker 1: down onto a dusty couch. Nah, he don't care, snickered 888 00:50:54,880 --> 00:50:59,560 Speaker 1: the old man. I talked to him tomorrow. Meanwhile, pass 889 00:50:59,640 --> 00:51:08,880 Speaker 1: me that remote. Let's see what's on the TV. Boom 890 00:51:09,880 --> 00:51:14,000 Speaker 1: comes down. The whole thing was an indictment and American's 891 00:51:14,040 --> 00:51:20,839 Speaker 1: addiction to television. I think you're right, and America's propensity 892 00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:25,680 Speaker 1: to to shun farm people and a grow giant spiders. 893 00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:31,040 Speaker 1: That's right, man, Everything was represented. It's basically like mom 894 00:51:31,160 --> 00:51:35,439 Speaker 1: apple Pie in baseball team. That's right, all right, that's 895 00:51:35,440 --> 00:51:39,800 Speaker 1: a good one. Good job Johnson, Good job, Peter. I 896 00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:41,840 Speaker 1: don't know what is an old man's name? Is no 897 00:51:41,960 --> 00:51:44,960 Speaker 1: Peter the author, the guy who actually wrote absolutely Yeah, 898 00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:48,600 Speaker 1: great job. And thanks to Annie for providing the counterpart 899 00:51:48,680 --> 00:51:50,919 Speaker 1: to clead us a slight John joke. Thanks to you 900 00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:56,120 Speaker 1: for your redneck man, my spirited redneck. Yeah, all right, 901 00:51:56,160 --> 00:51:58,120 Speaker 1: you got anything else? I think that's pretty great. I 902 00:51:58,160 --> 00:52:01,120 Speaker 1: do have one thing else, all right. Happy Halloween, everybody, 903 00:52:01,360 --> 00:52:08,040 Speaker 1: Happy Halloween. We'll see you next year. For more on 904 00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:10,920 Speaker 1: this and thousands of other topics, visit how stuff works 905 00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:22,719 Speaker 1: dot com.