[Music fades in – whimsical flute]
[Music fades out– whimsical flute]
ELOISE: It is March 18th, 1949. They're loonier than I could have ever imagined. Lord almighty.
(SFX: Telephone rings)
(SFX: Footsteps)
(SFX: Telephone picked up)
ELOISE: Yes, this is her. Theres been a murder. Singing for who!? It won’t be to the boys in blue just yet. I just don’t have enough. you think they’d believe me? My hits mean nothing without evidence. The recording was too muddled, something in the forest made it spit and spaz. It was fuzzy like something trying to speak to me or I must have hit a spell of radio waves from some show on air. but it was garbled and off-putting. I’ll be in contact, thanks Louie. If there's any Fuzz I can count on it’s you. Getting the C.I.A involved is probably for the best. most certainly, great first assignment from the big boss. Do you really think they’ll hire me after this? Groovy, yeah, that’s the word.
(SFX: Telephone placed on receiver)
(SFX: Footsteps)
ELOISE: What a cluster f***. Oh gosh, apologies for my French. This is wearing at me.
(SFX: Pillow on face)
ELOISE: (muffled) A murder!
(SFX: Pillow thrown)
ELOISE: I can't begin to understand, these people are so friendly. A real bunch of oddballs, but a real community. I'm visiting the church today. I'll see Reuben there. Something to do with-
(SFX: recording cuts off)
(SFX: recording continues)
(SFX: footsteps and whispers)
REUBEN: A recording device?
ELOISE: Yes, I got it at auction for a decent price. It came from the trenches of a German camp in France.
REUBEN: I see. German made?
ELOISE: English actually.
REUBEN: Well damn, I may as well have been the one to fairy it away.
ELOISE: Funny, you've got some experience being fairy’ed away as well.
REUBEN: That's quite the understatement.
ELOISE: What was it like?
REUBEN: Careful doll. It's a scary can of worms you want to open.
ELOISE: What or whom is in that forest?
REUBEN: It's just a bunch of trees. I just needed some time and, by golly Pete, Ted seems to enjoy well enough.
ELOISE: That's not my question, Mr. Casey. I saw your shelves. They looked suspiciously like gifts from a child. You and Ms Casey are childless.
REUBEN: That... that good old boy Georgie gave them to us.
ELOISE: Let me be frank with you. They came from somewhere, and it's not that boy. I have been there, understand?
REUBEN: They aren't anything.
ELOISE: They are. And if I'm correct, you might be more dangerous than you thought. You were let free for a reason.
REUBEN: They are nothing woman. Stop pressing it.
ELOISE: Mr. Casey. It could be something, whatever or whomever you found in that forest, it could spell disaster for you.
REUBEN: Let me pray in peace. Maebh was right. You are nothing but trouble. You and the fuzz are nothing but interlopers. Leave us be.
ELOISE: Mr. Casey. I've been there.
REUBEN: Been where? Because you've been nothing but in my business, in this Community’s business.
ELOISE: I understand. But Mr. Casey, there's a world out there. You must have seen it gone for seven days. That is enough time to go beyond the line. You saw the magic, right?
REUBEN: What are you getting at? Jiminy crickets, I saw nothing but woods. Nothing but trees. Nothing but the grass under my boot and-
ELOISE: The faces in the trees! I saw them when I was a little girl. I received little presents. I was friends with a crow when I was little and I'd feed it and it would bring back gifts. But before I realized it, I had accepted a gift from something else. It looked just like the Crows gifts left there, innocently a little wooden button. I took it, put it in my jar of gifts. One night I heard something. A simple tune that lured me from my bed into the forest. I was gone for seven days.
(SFX: whistles a small tune)
ELOISE: Yes, that's it. It was small. Right.
REUBEN: Could fit in palm of my hand and it’s
ELOISE: it's eyes, right?
REUBEN: Like the void.
ELOISE: It's had such a weird way with words, too. I could understand what I was saying, but. All the notes that left were illegible, like Shakespearean.
REUBEN: It's middle English. They came right before Shakespeare's time. Right about during the era Christian Crusades onto the Holy Land.
ELOISE: Gosh, just chock full of fun facts huh.
REUBEN: Had all the time in the world 10 years ago. I've forgotten most of everything we learned for trivia nights, but every once in a while, something just pops in my head.
ELOISE: That's probably how you charmed that bugga’.
REUBEN: Bugger. Yeah, that's a great way to describe it.
ELOISE: But you must know, I put great importance on this, it's going to try to take you. It's tried to take me.
REUBEN: But you're here.
ELOISE: Yes, my family moved due to my father receiving an opportunity in the Big Apple. I haven't heard from it in years. Moving away from any local forest or any forest larger than Central Park really seemed to keep it away. I'll admit I was cautious about coming back to a community with a forest as deep and rich in history, but I haven't had any problems since.
REUBEN: I see. I'll talk with Maebh. I moved here to make her happy. The house has been in her family for over 40 years now. It's her home, her life, her history.
ELOISE: I understand. But truly, you will only be safe if you flee from here. Take a few years to let it all dissipate to let it forget about you and move on.
REUBEN: I understand.
(SFX: Church doors open and many people file in)
(SFX: recording device is kicked and slides under the pew)
GEORGIE: May I sit here, Mr. Casey?
REUBEN: Yes, Sir. Be my guest.
GEORGIE: Thank you. Are you the mistress?
ELOISE: No, no, young man. I'm the private investigator Mrs. Casey hired.
REUBEN: Who's been saying I have a mistress?
GEORGIE: Miss Maloney.
REUBEN: Interesting. I'll be sure to give her a piece of my mind when we're done with this.
(SFX: Journal opened and written in)
ELOISE: Mr. Casey.
REUBEN: He wouldn't.
(SFX: page ripped and crumpled up)
REUBEN: You saw it. She's really-
EDWIN: -gone! We must be rid of these creatures for too long have they plagued us, driven us to lunacy. (continues speaking under)
ELOISE: What is he on about?
GEORGIE: He's talking about the neighbors.
ELOISE: Who are the neighbors?
GEORGIE: The creatures in the woods. They like to follow people they like or dislike. It depends.
ELOISE: Have you seen them?
GEORGIE: They don't like to come into the church.
ELOISE: Are they nice to you?
GEORGIE: Yeah, I like Mr. Gubbins the best. He's funny, likes to spread gossip like Miss Moloney. She isn't at the service, though. She's usually always in the first row.
ELOISE:She's probably sick. What will the town do with Mr. Casey?
REUBEN: Now don't go making a mountain out of a mole hill.
ELOISE: I'm not doing anything.
GEORGIE: They’ll lock him in a box for a while.
ELOISE: A box?
EDWIN: It’s time. And for once, we won't need to submit any maintenance requests to see you, Mr. Reuben Casey.
(SFX: crowd laughs)
REUBEN: Apologies, Maebh needed some reassurance that I still followed my faith.
Edwin: That's fine. Save us trouble. We need you to wait for the priest to come. Come join me in the prayer room.
(SFX: church pew creaks)
(SFX: two pairs of footsteps walk away)
ELOISE: Where are they taking him?
GEORGIE: The prayer room, didn't you hear?
ELOISE: Yes, but why?
GEORGIE: Because he's in trouble with the neighbors, they need to make sure Mr. Casey is Mr. Casey. They did that with Miss O'Higgin. Before they... they well... They put Ms. O’Higgin in a box after, after...
ELOISE: What did they do, Georgie? Really think, I can help make this place safer so that they don't need to put people in boxes.
GEORGIE: The boxes. They hit it 7 times on each side, 14 strikes. The box was brown. Hardwood. It was heavy looking too. The inside looked like it was made of deer hide. It wiggled around, side to side. Took four men to hold it down. I could hear the cries through the dirt. It was... It was... The bell. The box was connected to a bell. It rang and rang 73 times. It stopped ringing after Day 2. Ms. O’Higgins is in the box.
ELOISE: Thank you, kid. I need to go pray. Excuse me.
GEORGIE: The prayer room is being used though.
ELOISE: Yes it is.
(SFX: footsteps and clothing shuffling)
(SFX: recording cut off)
[Music – whimsical flute jingle]
(SFX: cassette tape ejected)
Narrator: This concludes the analysis of tape #4. Found on Spotify, Apple podcast, Amazon Music and many more. Stay informed by following us on Instagram, Facebook and Blue Sky at what lies in wait underscore A as in alpha dot D as in delta. To share your insights, please use our secure contact e-mail. What lies in wait A as in alpha D as in delta at gmail.com. Eloise McCrea and Crocus is voiced by Madison Masterilli. Ruben Casey is voiced by Brian Parker. Georgie Walsh is voiced by Christian Marshall. Edwin O'Hagan is voiced by Cameron Driggers. What lies in wait is produced by Arch Pingel and Yvianca Robinson. Written by Arch Pingel, casted by Kelly Tanner. Scheduled and managed by Yvianca Robinson. Promoted by Jared Colls, engineered by June Ogden. This episode was produced by Yvianca Robinson. Your engagement is vital to our continued pursuit of the truth. Until the next briefing, ensure the operational security of these confidential files.
(SFX: cassette tape ejected)