1
00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:03,920
Speaker 1: Twelve Ghosts is a production of I Heeart three D

2
00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,680
Speaker 1: audio and grimm and mild from Aaron Manky Headphones. Recommended

3
00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:26,079
Speaker 1: listener discretion advised. Freeze freeze thou, bitter sky that does

4
00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,800
Speaker 1: not bite so nigh as benefits forgot though thou the

5
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:36,600
Speaker 1: waters swarp thy sting is not so sharp as friend remembered,

6
00:00:36,720 --> 00:01:04,120
Speaker 1: not y. I tend to turn my thoughts often to

7
00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:08,320
Speaker 1: the evergreen. You know, as far back as ancient Egypt,

8
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,840
Speaker 1: people brought them into their homes at the time of

9
00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,800
Speaker 1: the solstice palm rushes to celebrate the return of the

10
00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:20,080
Speaker 1: sun God. They did the same much further north, where

11
00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,560
Speaker 1: at times it must have seemed that the sun would

12
00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:29,880
Speaker 1: never return at all. I knew those winters, hope, springs eternal, yes,

13
00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:35,119
Speaker 1: and thank the gods for that. But we always knew

14
00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,480
Speaker 1: that the spring would arrive again. Was part of a cycle?

15
00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,640
Speaker 1: Does the cycle continue here? In these woods in the bard?

16
00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:51,520
Speaker 1: Is their spring? Beyond this? I suppose I will have

17
00:01:51,600 --> 00:02:02,320
Speaker 1: to wait for an answer. Hello. I don't suppose I

18
00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:14,040
Speaker 1: could come in. It's cold out here. Please dear, come in. Hello,

19
00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:20,440
Speaker 1: I'm Ruby, I'm Annabelle. Where did you come from? That's

20
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,800
Speaker 1: the question of the evening, would you like to sit

21
00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:29,600
Speaker 1: maybe warm up a bit? Sure, you know, Joanie didn't

22
00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,880
Speaker 1: mention this place, maybe she didn't make it out this far.

23
00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:40,280
Speaker 1: I didn't really expect anything beyond the treehouse. Honestly, I

24
00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:44,639
Speaker 1: was pretty committed to staying there. The tree house. Guess

25
00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,080
Speaker 1: it's been there since we were very little. Do tell

26
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,160
Speaker 1: the treehouse looks the same. I mean it looks like

27
00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:00,239
Speaker 1: a treehouse, sturdy within the branches of the biggest oak

28
00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,679
Speaker 1: in the backyard. There's a rope ladder that will take

29
00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,080
Speaker 1: you to a wooden floor, little wooden walls, and a

30
00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,840
Speaker 1: pointy little roof. The last thing Joanie and I really

31
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,960
Speaker 1: liked at the same time with witchcraft. The inside of

32
00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,360
Speaker 1: the tree house still has an old blanket draped casually

33
00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,880
Speaker 1: over an old bookshelf, concealing our collection of magic books

34
00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:28,640
Speaker 1: secretly thrifted over the years. One of Mom's oceanelle gifts

35
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,520
Speaker 1: at boxes sits in the corner containing all the items

36
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,440
Speaker 1: of our mateshief Altar as the classic black Sheep twin.

37
00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,440
Speaker 1: I always liked weird, spooky stuff. Joanie came to witchcraft

38
00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,120
Speaker 1: by way of an affection for nature and a soft

39
00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:49,760
Speaker 1: spot for the power of friendship. Somewhere along the way,

40
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,040
Speaker 1: we decided our being twins gave us special access to

41
00:03:54,120 --> 00:04:00,200
Speaker 1: magic power times too. I used to insist laying my

42
00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,480
Speaker 1: back in the tree house, comforted by the frog song

43
00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:09,400
Speaker 1: in the air love times to Ruby. Joni would correct,

44
00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,440
Speaker 1: knowing it would get her as sisterly grown. That was

45
00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,080
Speaker 1: Janie's whole thing. The spells and stuff we tried were

46
00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:22,680
Speaker 1: never going to work without love. I loved Joanie. We

47
00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,280
Speaker 1: made our big entrance into the world together, and yeah,

48
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,120
Speaker 1: she drove me absolutely crazy, but I always figured we'll

49
00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:34,360
Speaker 1: make our exit together too, And I know Jonie felt

50
00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:40,000
Speaker 1: that way the absolute sap. She never wanted to do cool,

51
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:44,320
Speaker 1: scary spells, nothing that would hurt anybody. Joanie was big

52
00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,839
Speaker 1: on like imbuing our spirits into whatever she could find,

53
00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:53,880
Speaker 1: because then we always have a link to each other. Ruby,

54
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,200
Speaker 1: if you miss me, you can just rub this stone

55
00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,640
Speaker 1: in your pocket and I'll feel it and I'll come

56
00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:05,200
Speaker 1: get okay. I called her Sunshine in a gruff, mean

57
00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,640
Speaker 1: sort of way, but she always grinned about it because

58
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,679
Speaker 1: she knew I meant it. Being twins isn't being copies

59
00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,000
Speaker 1: of one another, it's having another person to pick up

60
00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,760
Speaker 1: what you can't, to be what you lack. Johnny always

61
00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,520
Speaker 1: shone bright enough for the both of us. So the

62
00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:31,080
Speaker 1: stupid treehouse looks the same. But I can feel it

63
00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,400
Speaker 1: when I look out the window. There are phantom splinters

64
00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,520
Speaker 1: in my palm. My fingers itch like they're afraid to

65
00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,919
Speaker 1: slip against wet rope. My tongue braces itself for the

66
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:49,000
Speaker 1: tartness of berries. My cheek feels warm, as if I'm

67
00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:55,680
Speaker 1: basking on sun soaked wood in the summertime. It's not summertime.

68
00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:03,679
Speaker 1: It's December, and my cheeks not be warm. Mom catches

69
00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,719
Speaker 1: me looking out the window, and she squeezes my hand gently.

70
00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,080
Speaker 1: It's the nicest way a hand has ever been squeezed

71
00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,400
Speaker 1: in the history of hand squeezing, and it makes me

72
00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:20,160
Speaker 1: want to rip my hand off. Joanie died in January,

73
00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,760
Speaker 1: which frankly, was a real dick move on her part.

74
00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,120
Speaker 1: I walk around Mom and Dad's house, which was once

75
00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,120
Speaker 1: our house, and I feel like a third wheel to

76
00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,880
Speaker 1: their grief. I turned the corner to fetch another box

77
00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,200
Speaker 1: of Christmas lights for Dad, and I find Mom crying,

78
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,479
Speaker 1: and I don't know how to help. I don't know

79
00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,360
Speaker 1: how to reach out, because what I want to say

80
00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:50,040
Speaker 1: is I wish it had been me. I'm sorry. I

81
00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,599
Speaker 1: don't wish for it in a tangible, violent way that

82
00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:57,120
Speaker 1: I can name. Just my whole life. I felt like

83
00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,200
Speaker 1: I was doing the wrong thing. No matter what I

84
00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,880
Speaker 1: felt like, I didn't know how to connect. I felt

85
00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,400
Speaker 1: sort of nightmare floaty for so long, and I can't

86
00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,200
Speaker 1: catch on to anything. And the only person who made

87
00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:14,560
Speaker 1: me feel okay, the only person who would hear me

88
00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:24,160
Speaker 1: out and really listen, well, you know, Mom, Dad, and

89
00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,880
Speaker 1: I eat dinner and do the dishes and don't know

90
00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,920
Speaker 1: what to talk about. And my eyes are practically burning

91
00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,960
Speaker 1: inside my skull from how hard I'm trying to avoid

92
00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:37,320
Speaker 1: the siren song of the treehouse. Mom fixed up the

93
00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:42,200
Speaker 1: guest room for me. I get it. I get it,

94
00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,720
Speaker 1: and I hate it. I toss and turn on top

95
00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:50,640
Speaker 1: of sheets that don't mean anything to anyone. No one

96
00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,280
Speaker 1: picked these out because they liked them enough to sleep

97
00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,520
Speaker 1: on them on purpose, the fucking guest sheets, and I

98
00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,679
Speaker 1: hate them. I hate these sheets. I hate this room,

99
00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,160
Speaker 1: I hate this house. I hate that I can still

100
00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,280
Speaker 1: somehow see that bullshit treehouse even with my eyes closed,

101
00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,800
Speaker 1: I still can see it. As I pad out into

102
00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,760
Speaker 1: the hallway, I see a soft light spilling from my

103
00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:23,880
Speaker 1: old room. Mom can't help it. She goes in there

104
00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:28,080
Speaker 1: most days to tidy up. She rearranges stuffed animals that

105
00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,360
Speaker 1: haven't been held in years. She cannot bear to turn

106
00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,840
Speaker 1: the light out or close the door behind her. There's

107
00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,600
Speaker 1: always just a little wedge of light cascading onto the

108
00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:44,640
Speaker 1: hallway rug. A shiver recks my spine. It feels like

109
00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:49,960
Speaker 1: a gnarled branch scratching down my skin. It wants me

110
00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,280
Speaker 1: to go into our room. I do my best to

111
00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:59,720
Speaker 1: push the door open as casually as possible, and fuck,

112
00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,199
Speaker 1: it's like stepping out of a time machine. Mom has

113
00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,720
Speaker 1: kept it like a museum exhibit. Every photo and ticket

114
00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,079
Speaker 1: and scrap of paper we ever tacked into the walls,

115
00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:18,360
Speaker 1: every book and color pencil and hairbrush. And another shiver

116
00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,439
Speaker 1: zips up my spine. As my eyes land on the

117
00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:26,440
Speaker 1: dresser for a moment, I feel creaking boards beneath my

118
00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,400
Speaker 1: feet instead of freshly vacuum carpet. The scent of clothes

119
00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:32,320
Speaker 1: is in my nose, and I remember the time Johnie

120
00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,640
Speaker 1: and I fucked up our attempt to create aromatherapy bath salts.

121
00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,960
Speaker 1: Corn starch and corn syrup are not the same thing.

122
00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:46,640
Speaker 1: Pro tip. I approached the dresser and my hands feel

123
00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:51,320
Speaker 1: like they're traveling across a Wuiji board. I haven't been

124
00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:56,200
Speaker 1: here for years, even before Johnnie died. I have not

125
00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,559
Speaker 1: cataloged the notes and drinkets scattered across the surface of

126
00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,319
Speaker 1: the dress, Sir, I have not memorized the necklaces hanging

127
00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:08,720
Speaker 1: from the mirror. My hand lands on a little jeweled

128
00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:13,760
Speaker 1: pineapple dangling from a gold chain. The thing about the

129
00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:18,800
Speaker 1: pineapple necklace, Joanie thought it was funny. We were in

130
00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,600
Speaker 1: some dumb store together wasting time, and Joanie got into

131
00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:28,040
Speaker 1: her head we needed friendship necklaces. We're twins, not friends.

132
00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:34,680
Speaker 1: I scowled. H Jonie paid my surliness no mind scanning

133
00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:41,520
Speaker 1: a display of cheap necklaces. Hey, what's your favorite fruit? What?

134
00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,400
Speaker 1: I like pineapple best, Joni said, dragging the pineapple necklace free.

135
00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:54,200
Speaker 1: What about you? And that was Jonie's power, her constant

136
00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,680
Speaker 1: subtext to me of Hey, I know it's bad and

137
00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,160
Speaker 1: you're scared, but do you want to talk about fruit

138
00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,200
Speaker 1: for a little while. It doesn't always have to be

139
00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:10,640
Speaker 1: so big. Ruby tell me about fruit pear, I grumbled.

140
00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,760
Speaker 1: Joanie took down a necklace with a hideous pear pinned it.

141
00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,520
Speaker 1: She looped it around her neck as she passed me

142
00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:24,880
Speaker 1: the pineapple one. There she smiled, friendship twin fruit necklaces.

143
00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,840
Speaker 1: I put the necklace in the pocket of my pajama

144
00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,840
Speaker 1: bottoms just as I feel another fantom branch scratched me.

145
00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:41,600
Speaker 1: The message seems pretty loud and clear by now. I

146
00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,079
Speaker 1: leave the lights on and the door cracked, and I

147
00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:54,280
Speaker 1: go outside. My bare feet sink a little into the

148
00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,319
Speaker 1: damp earth, and I feel blades of grass spring up

149
00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,360
Speaker 1: between my toes. I crossed the back yard until I'm

150
00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,719
Speaker 1: standing at the tree house ladder. Even though I can

151
00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,160
Speaker 1: see my breath in front of me in the winter air,

152
00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:17,000
Speaker 1: I also see wild flowers dotting the base of the tree.

153
00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,400
Speaker 1: I am certain those are the wild flowers Johnie and

154
00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,360
Speaker 1: I once scattered planet on May Day. All right, so

155
00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:30,120
Speaker 1: the beckoning of the old tree house fandom wild flowers.

156
00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:35,560
Speaker 1: In the middle of December, I climbed the ladder, hope

157
00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:41,040
Speaker 1: and fear taking up equal space inside of me. When

158
00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:45,520
Speaker 1: I reached the top, I don't even flinch at the

159
00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:54,800
Speaker 1: sight before me, Hey, Sunshine from the farthest corner, sitting

160
00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:59,520
Speaker 1: cross leg and glowing faintly. Joanie looks up at me

161
00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,360
Speaker 1: and Okay, that doesn't make my breath catch in my throat.

162
00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,480
Speaker 1: It's one thing to find the ghost of your sister

163
00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,560
Speaker 1: quietly haunting your childhood treehouse, and it's another to get

164
00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,880
Speaker 1: the full force of her eyes on you for the

165
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,800
Speaker 1: first time since you last saw her alive, and then

166
00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:25,520
Speaker 1: she says, fuck you, I can't be Sunshine anymore. I'm

167
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:32,680
Speaker 1: scary now. I appraised Janie's ghostly attire. I guess you

168
00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,440
Speaker 1: really do have to float around for all eternity and

169
00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,760
Speaker 1: whatever you kick the bucket in because Joanie is wearing

170
00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,559
Speaker 1: shorts that I have to assume our khaki. The color

171
00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,559
Speaker 1: scheme is off when you're translucent flip flops and an

172
00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:51,680
Speaker 1: old soft T shirt featuring a smiling cartoon flamingo. I

173
00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:56,599
Speaker 1: know the shirt is blue and the flamingo is pink. Yeah,

174
00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:02,760
Speaker 1: you're terrifying, Janie Huff, spreading her ghostly legs out in

175
00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:08,439
Speaker 1: front of her. Have you been up here the whole time? Yes,

176
00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:13,720
Speaker 1: Jonny cries, throwing her arms up in frustration. I've been

177
00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:18,640
Speaker 1: trying to get your attention. Well, I'm sorry I didn't

178
00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,920
Speaker 1: know all the paranormal signs to watch out for. Joannie

179
00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,840
Speaker 1: cocks her head to one side, looking at me with

180
00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:30,840
Speaker 1: so much incredulous annoyance. I can't help it. I start

181
00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:36,520
Speaker 1: to laugh. Joony jumps up onto her ghost feet. Fuck you,

182
00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:43,040
Speaker 1: I am so scary. But she's laughing too. She's laughing,

183
00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,440
Speaker 1: and damn her, even ghostly pallor looks good on her.

184
00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:54,440
Speaker 1: Is this an unfinished business thing? I don't know, Jonnie size,

185
00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:05,320
Speaker 1: what do you I swallow? What do you want? I

186
00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:11,320
Speaker 1: am fixed with Joanie's eyes, our eyes, and they are

187
00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:16,000
Speaker 1: suddenly as bright and beautiful and furious as I have

188
00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:19,320
Speaker 1: ever seen anything. And this is the first time my

189
00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,920
Speaker 1: specter of a sister has frightened me. What do I want,

190
00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:31,400
Speaker 1: Joanie hisses. I want to go inside our house and

191
00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,200
Speaker 1: fix the ornaments on the tree. And I want to

192
00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,080
Speaker 1: turn the TV off because I bet Dad fell asleep

193
00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,520
Speaker 1: with it on again. And I want to ask Mom

194
00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:45,600
Speaker 1: if she saw that yellow dog on her walk this morning,

195
00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:53,240
Speaker 1: because she loves that dog. And Joanie isn't crying. I'm

196
00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:58,960
Speaker 1: not sure she can, but her voice sounds like it

197
00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,000
Speaker 1: has traveled up her throat through brambles when she says,

198
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:07,680
Speaker 1: I want to leave the treehouse. I want to be alive.

199
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:17,280
Speaker 1: Not a shiver this time, but something warm, something gentle.

200
00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,640
Speaker 1: Guides my hand to the weight in my pocket. Joanie's

201
00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,480
Speaker 1: eyes go wide as I slowly pulled free the pineapple necklace.

202
00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:33,760
Speaker 1: Where did you find that, Joanie asked? It was in

203
00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:39,040
Speaker 1: our room. Do you know where? Joanie drags the chain

204
00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:43,200
Speaker 1: of her pear necklace out from beneath her flamingo T shirt.

205
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:50,160
Speaker 1: You were supposed to have yours on, too, she says, so,

206
00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:56,200
Speaker 1: so quietly, so we can find each other. I stopped

207
00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:02,280
Speaker 1: wanting you to find me. I confess why. I was

208
00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:06,320
Speaker 1: ashamed of not being as good as you. I was

209
00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:11,160
Speaker 1: ashamed of not being happy like you. Johnny looks at

210
00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:16,040
Speaker 1: me for a moment, without breaking eye contact. She lifts

211
00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,920
Speaker 1: the little pair to her lips and gives it a

212
00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:27,280
Speaker 1: soft kiss. I was never ashamed of you. We don't

213
00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:33,680
Speaker 1: talk for a while after that, as the night goes

214
00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,760
Speaker 1: on and begins to fade unto dawn. I have smelled

215
00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:44,560
Speaker 1: every important smell from mine and Janie's history, hot asphalt

216
00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:49,320
Speaker 1: and funnel cakes. In the middle of summer fresh eracers

217
00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,359
Speaker 1: and too sweet body spray we shared at the start

218
00:17:52,400 --> 00:18:00,960
Speaker 1: of the school year. Christmas time, pine trees and sugar

219
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:07,199
Speaker 1: cookies and hope the sun is coming up, and I

220
00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,960
Speaker 1: know Dad is puttering around the kitchen, putting coffee on

221
00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:19,080
Speaker 1: and getting everything ready for pancakes. Joanie loves pancakes, Sunshine.

222
00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,920
Speaker 1: I have an idea. I didn't know ghosts could sniffle,

223
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,000
Speaker 1: but that's sure the sound Joanie makes as she asked,

224
00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:39,720
Speaker 1: what is it the necklaces? What if we trade? Joanie's

225
00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:47,120
Speaker 1: eyes get wide? What look some of that old hocus

226
00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:52,240
Speaker 1: pocus work, didn't it? Otherwise you wouldn't be here. Otherwise

227
00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,760
Speaker 1: I wouldn't have found the necklace. I explained my theory,

228
00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:00,199
Speaker 1: feeling only a little stupid. I think we did. You

229
00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:06,440
Speaker 1: always said the necklaces carry our spirits. Our bodies are

230
00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,960
Speaker 1: more or less the same. Right, if we trade the necklaces,

231
00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:16,240
Speaker 1: we'll swap places. You can go have breakfast with Dad,

232
00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:18,439
Speaker 1: and Mom can tell you about the yellow dog, and

233
00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:25,560
Speaker 1: b Tony stops me. What about you? I smile at her,

234
00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:32,520
Speaker 1: and I'm not even sad. Joony. I'll haunt the treehouse

235
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,479
Speaker 1: and maybe it'll work out. That you can still visit me,

236
00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:40,560
Speaker 1: and maybe it won't and I'll fucking move on or whatever.

237
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:50,879
Speaker 1: But listen, it's okay. I'm okay. I take a breath.

238
00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:56,120
Speaker 1: Johnny doesn't try to cut me off again, even though

239
00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:01,360
Speaker 1: her eyes are shining with impossible tears. She was always

240
00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:05,440
Speaker 1: the one who listened to me. She won't judge me now,

241
00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:12,600
Speaker 1: I know. Come on, I whisper, it's Christmas. Let me

242
00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:20,840
Speaker 1: give you this. Joonie pulls the pair necklace off. For

243
00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,600
Speaker 1: a second, I see her as eleven year old Joanie,

244
00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,520
Speaker 1: clutching our first shared book of spills to her heart,

245
00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:36,320
Speaker 1: a scab on her knee, eyes big with excitement. Love

246
00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:43,000
Speaker 1: time's too, Jonie, I remind her it'll work. She laughs,

247
00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,439
Speaker 1: and this time I see her as the older Joanie

248
00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:55,000
Speaker 1: who almost didn't get to exist. Okay, Jonie says, reaching

249
00:20:55,040 --> 00:21:00,720
Speaker 1: out her hand to me. Okay, I agree, and I

250
00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,240
Speaker 1: slipped my hand into hers. The necklace is rocking against

251
00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:13,720
Speaker 1: one another. At first, it feels like nothing, and then

252
00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:26,479
Speaker 1: I've never melted before, but that's what I think. This

253
00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:31,200
Speaker 1: feels like everything on the edges of me goes soft

254
00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:37,080
Speaker 1: and wobbly, and I don't even feel scared. I feel

255
00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,639
Speaker 1: like an ice cream cone on on hot pavement, and

256
00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,680
Speaker 1: I feel like I'm finally giving my sister something good.

257
00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:56,560
Speaker 1: I blink my own ghostly eyes. Joanie is standing before me,

258
00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:02,399
Speaker 1: fleshy and taking in shop gulps of air. The flamingo

259
00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:06,480
Speaker 1: on her chest is definedly pink, clashing horribly with the

260
00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:13,800
Speaker 1: shining pineapple necklace. Joanie's voice is scratchy, holy smokes like

261
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:19,000
Speaker 1: it doesn't remember how to exist. There is a lightness

262
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:24,000
Speaker 1: and a weightlessness to me I have never known. I

263
00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:27,440
Speaker 1: do not know what exists for me outside of the treehouse,

264
00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,560
Speaker 1: but I am eager to explore in a way I

265
00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:35,320
Speaker 1: never have been. We're not all cut out for the

266
00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:43,880
Speaker 1: same stuff, and that's okay. Joanie stretches her arms overhead,

267
00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:48,600
Speaker 1: relishing the pop and crack of her joints. Go get breakfast,

268
00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:54,600
Speaker 1: I tell her, Gosh, I am hungry. She has the

269
00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,840
Speaker 1: audacity to waggle her eyebrows. It feels like I haven't

270
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:04,560
Speaker 1: eaten in a year. Yeah, I laugh. I love you.

271
00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:12,120
Speaker 1: I love you too. As I watch Jonie climbed down

272
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,080
Speaker 1: the ladder and crossed the backyard and fix her fingers

273
00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:22,240
Speaker 1: to the door handle, she shines bright enough for both

274
00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:34,240
Speaker 1: of us. How wonderful for you both. Well, I didn't

275
00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,719
Speaker 1: know I end up in a howling winter storm, so

276
00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:42,560
Speaker 1: it wasn't all sunshine and lollipops. Yes, well, the bottle

277
00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,119
Speaker 1: can be a bit of a shock when you first arrived.

278
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:50,120
Speaker 1: I'm glad all the same for your fire. I imagine too,

279
00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:56,000
Speaker 1: that you could use a rest. Was it obvious? I've

280
00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:00,520
Speaker 1: just grown accustomed to the rhythm of new arrivals. You

281
00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:06,120
Speaker 1: seem to be good at your job. Well, you're new

282
00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:12,240
Speaker 1: here too, Will you be staying? I haven't decided. Hannahbell

283
00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:17,800
Speaker 1: has been acclamating at her own pace. Now the ninth

284
00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:23,760
Speaker 1: door on the left, up the stairs, lovely, If anyone

285
00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,399
Speaker 1: comes looking for me, you'll show them the way, of course.

286
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:34,600
Speaker 1: Good well, good night to both of you. I'll be

287
00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:43,879
Speaker 1: on my way. You know. I enjoy the company of

288
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:49,360
Speaker 1: all who crossed my threshold. She was a sweet soul, yes,

289
00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,760
Speaker 1: a bright little light. How nice to bask in the

290
00:24:54,920 --> 00:25:18,159
Speaker 1: extra warmth. Twelve Ghosts starring Malcolm McDowell as the Innkeeper

291
00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:23,119
Speaker 1: and Gina Rikiki as Annabelle. Episode nine, Sturdy in the Branches,

292
00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,560
Speaker 1: written by Danny Hurd, with additional writing by Nicholas Takowski.

293
00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,920
Speaker 1: Editing by Chris Childs and Stephen Perez, featuring Paris Starter

294
00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:36,600
Speaker 1: as Ruby. Directed by Nicholas Takowski. Original score and sound

295
00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,720
Speaker 1: design by Chris Childs. Executive producers Aaron Mankey, Matt Frederick,

296
00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:48,000
Speaker 1: Alexander Williams and Nicholas Takowski. Supervising producer Josh Staine. Producers

297
00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:52,399
Speaker 1: Chris Child's and Stephen Perez. Casting by Sunday Bowling C

298
00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:56,040
Speaker 1: s A and Meg Mormon c s A. Production coordinator

299
00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:01,080
Speaker 1: Wayna Calderon. Recorded at Lantern Audio in Atlanta, Georgia, engineered

300
00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:05,440
Speaker 1: by Chris Gardner Arrows Sound and Recording in Ojai, California,

301
00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:10,879
Speaker 1: engineered by Ken Arrows. Twelve Ghosts was created by Nicholas Takowski.

302
00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,479
Speaker 1: That is a production of i Heeart three D Audio

303
00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,520
Speaker 1: and Grim and Mild from Aaron Manky. Learn more about

304
00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,240
Speaker 1: the show at Grim and Mild dot com and find

305
00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,560
Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio by visiting the i

306
00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,919
Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to

307
00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:25,840
Speaker 1: your favorite shows.