Ninth Story Studios giving Story a voice. Welcome to the list, Get ready
to take the ride. Hello, I'm Daniel Foytech, and I thank you
for joining us for a special episode of Victoria's Lift and Merry Christmas. Today
we're presenting the sixth chapter of our special ten part mini series by Christopher Long
to those who Thrive in the Dark. This series dives deep into the mythos
of Victoria's world and features Victoria facing ancient gods, faith, folk, ghosts,
monsters, old enemies, and a certain little brother with ulterior motives.
Before we get started today, a big thank you to those of you who
are supporting the show. Those supporting the show at the five dollars a month
level and above will hear these episodes first, since it's you who have made
this project possible. This series will also be released as a novella at the
end of the run, with an expanded story that takes you deeper into our
world. Now, hold on tight, and let's go for a ride into
the shadows on Victoria's Left. Victoria's Left to those who Thrive in the Dark,
Chapter six, Anthropocory by Christopher Long. When it gets this late,
the dark outside these windows can start playing tricks on you. Customers, reflections
get up and walk off down the street by themselves. Car headlights completely disappear
when they pass that corner booth, and sometimes the old railroad crossing near larson
Bridge lowers. Only no train ever comes fast, none that we can see
anyway. I'd love to say it's just Anne when Meadows, but this sort
of thing happens everywhere. A friend of mine snuck into their local theater to
watch a production of Macbeth. The place looked crowded until the lights went up.
Turned out there were only three people there, including her. She said
it was like waking from a dream, only she had to walk home.
I guess all the strangest delusions do have a habit of feeling like they've crept
out of our nightmares. Of course, that's not a hard and fast rule.
Some illusions can be a blessing. There's a woman called Aurora Ashcrop.
He won't have heard of her. She's not famous, she never made the
news. When she was a little girl, her father would take her for
walks in all seasons. They'd trekked through the fields around their little town,
and he'd teach her everything He knew about plants. As she'd gotten older,
the hobby blossomed into a love of botany. Only sadly, Aurora had other
hobbies, ones her father would never have approved of, ones which left her
drowning in threats and debt to dig herself out. She'd harnessed that passion for
plants and started developing some illegal substances of her own devising. She might have
kept going that way, except one night, her elevator wasn't her elevator anymore.
She found a little girl waiting for her. There, all blond curls,
green eyes and questions. The two of them went to a place where
poor Aurora Ashcroft faced some terrible personal nightmares. When it was over, she
destroyed her crop, moved away, changed her name, and used the last
of her drug money to buy an old building where she started a community center
for troubled kids. It wasn't an easy life, yet as she adapted,
it became another kind of botany for her. She was planting young seeds into
good soil, helping them to find the light. She became a fixture in
that town, as respected as any preacher or teacher, as feared as any
authority who stood over those kids, except she knew to show them a little
tenderness. After all, she'd made some of their mistakes herself. Aurora was
given another gift along with her second chance at life. No one knows exactly
why. Every night when she went to bed, she'd dreamt of an endless
garden. She knew every path in shady corner, every tree and flower bed.
She never told anyone about it. It was her secret miracles superpower,
and she used it to escape to a place where she could be the person
she'd always meant to be. She was younger there, healthier and keen eyed,
whereas on the outside she'd become grayer and slower. She'd had a fall
which left her living in a care home, leaving others to run her community
center. Aurora Ashcroft thought the fire had left her life completely until the night
she found herself surprised by an intruder in her dreams. Now, where'd you
come from? She'd never fully understood how her garden worked. She knew it
responded to her presence, she knew it stayed how she had left it,
and she also knew she couldn't do anything too impossible whilst she was there,
which meant no flying, no superhuman strength for weeding, no way of bringing
her father back to see what she'd created. However, she could still be
pretty spry on her young legs, not that it mattered to the cat,
who clearly understood the rules better than she did. It didn't race off exactly.
Instead, it sauntered away, somehow, managing to stay just far enough
ahead that it could occasionally check back to make sure she was following. Hey,
come back here, I asked your question. She followed that cat until
it led her to another unexpected visitor in her garden. You weren't here before.
It was a tree taller than any she'd grown, herself, older than
the ones who'd been waiting for her when she first found this place. Even
in the constant sunlight, it felt dark, grim, hungry, its leaves
reaching to obscure the sun, its roots spreading, trying to conquer as much
soil as possible. She could feel it invading her dreamspace, trying to fill
it completely. Was like you've been here for years. She walked up to
it and gently pressed a hand against its gnarled bar. The habit she picked
up from her father. Why do I know that voice? It's not like
I've spoken to a lot of trees in my time. Oh, don't think
I'm done with you either. This is my true I want some God,
will you look at that? It's just how I remember it? Only Why
did I dream it inside a tree? I don't think we're supposed to or
maybe you are. Oh, next time I'll dream of seatbelts. Where do
all these roots come from? They can't all be from that one tree.
This probably isn't the time to mention that I'm a little out of practice when
it comes to nightmares. No one cares. I'm a stupid bed, not
a bed. Just look like that's who I heard. I'd know that voice
anywhere I am. Now, stop spoiling with fun. I want you lost
your mind prisoner. You're meant to be afraid of me, I'm telling me.
Her voice sounds like it's coming from everywhere. Where is she? We
We don't need to anything except watched you, sir. But it doesn't feel
a lay down here, and it doesn't like the feeling feel what emptiness?
Of course, it feels empty. I opened all the cages be ever eged.
I swear this place wasn't so abstract before. What are you talking about
the definitely weren't holes in the floor to make sense because all these free Oh
that doesn't look good. Maybe you stop. Who's the other kid? Huh?
That must not do anything? Please, we chased you all over the
tree lord before you just let us catch you down here. I didn't let
you catch you can't because I'm ring that Mary is going to be trouble.
There's no way that basement could have held anyone. So you've meant sorry,
why, I'm well, let's see single. Okay, that's it. We
need to put a stop to this. How do we get do? Oh?
Oh, what are you doing down here? I let all the stragglers
go. Merritt was only just getting used to his stolen power. Whereas Aurora
Ashcraft had been looking troubled kids in the eye for almost two thirds of her
life. She knew the pale little boy was stronger than he looked, Yet
she could also see his fear. He could clearly still sense a teacher,
even if they had just landed in front of him, covered in dirt and
leaves and twigs. Who do you think I am? Boy? Your little
friend here told you that I can make myself look like whatever I want.
What's that supposed to make. It means I can look like whatever terrifies you
the most. I believe that would be optiquiss slim me hungry Optimus. Shut
up. You prisoners aren't allowed to speak. I'm here to claim my prize,
your prize. We made a deal. I'm changing. I remembered I
don't makes with snacks. Snacks you certainly looked bite size to me. Well,
you can't eat me, and you can't have any prizes. It's mine.
I've waited so long. You can't have it. No, no matter
how many ten calls you grow, you hear me, you can't have it.
Good riddance, you little Doug. You made it back. I was
starting to wonder where you got too. That was a bust thinking jumping down.
You're like that, miss Ashcraft. If I had any gold stars,
you'd get at least five, maybe even six. Jumped you think I jumped.
Something snuck up on me. And if this wasn't a dream, you'd
be calling an ambulance right now. Don't worry, It's not as far as
it looks. Distances can be treating here, especially at the moment. No
kidding, this place has really gone to the dogs, all the bears,
the bears. It doesn't matter. You might say, we're runding new management.
It's one of the reasons I need your help. I suppose I should
have come to you sooner. Really now, not to rush you, but
is there any charge he could help me get out? I can't see to
slip myself free. And he'll be back as soon as he works out you
tricked him. He has quite the temper. I'm not sure I know how
to untie tree roots. Merritt left us all over there just to torment me.
Great come acause, he laughs. Swalling through floors demon kids would work.
This is turning out to be some dream. I see you've not aged
a day since the last day I saw you. I didn't say the same
sash Book, except you're not falling anyone going around like that, not maybe
himself. Yeah, yeah, I have a record. I don't think i'd
ever have been able to help with this, even when I was younger.
What made you think I could? You used to brag you could make anything
or anywhere. I guess I did a long time ago. I'm hoping you
might also be able to stop something. Bro. Do you mean the tree?
I think you might have left it too late to do much about that.
Time doesn't really work. This all happened in a matter of inner minutes.
Of course, that's got a bit more complicated since I lost my busy
box. You have a music box that controls time? Nepho, my little
brother, just we need to steal it back. There we go. Well,
this dress has certainly seen better days. Maybe I can dream you up
something more modern. I've never tried clothing before. And again, I'd never
dreamed a lift in a tree until tonight. Why do you keep saying that
this isn't a dream, miss Ashcrow, Don't worry. My dreams can be
a bit tricky as well. Your cat over there came into tonight's one.
This tree too white, This tree had grown into your dream. Sure,
that's basically how we found you. If this tree got into your tree,
then whatever that will be started here isn't just letting him into your world.
It's letting him into people's dreams as well. We're going to have to change
our plans, our plans. We need to deal with him first before he
does any more harm. And this is before we tackle your evil little brother
with a temper and steal back your time controlling music box. That's right,
miss Ashcrow, do try to give them. Thank you to our supporters for
making this show and this mini series possible. Today's episode featured Cynthia Loman as
Cuckoo Stone, Our Tales narrator, Ambercollins as Victoria, Louis Pollard as Merit,
and GP Mackenzie as Aurora Ashcroft. Sound design was created by Mattie Ciril
of Snazzy Taper Productions, our newest sound designer, and what an amazing job
she did. Today's custom score was created by our resident composer, Niko Vites
of we Talk of Dreams. Find Nico at wee Talk of Dreams dot com
and streaming on Twitch. Artwork is by Janette Andromeda, illustrator, artist and
all around amazing human. Find her being creative at Jenette Creations dot com.
Our author is Christopher Long. You can find him at Cjlongwords dot com.
Chris has been featured on Victoria's Lift, Shadows at the Door, and The
Wicked Library multiple times. More of his work is available on Amazon. Story
editor and producer is Daniel Floyzeck of Ninth Story Studios LLLC. Until next time,
keep your music box Wound and follow Victoria on Twitter at lift Guide and
of course, Merry Christmas.