1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,519 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Welcome's stories all the time. Glad you are here. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,119 Let's get into it. Their parents had been warned about 3 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:16,519 the woods, but they didn't believe stores from the past folklore. 4 00:00:17,039 --> 00:00:20,160 The Caburne Club was quite the exclusive group. You had 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,359 to have inequalifications to join. First, you had to live 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,679 on Colburn Avenue in Shuffert, Michigan. Second, you had to 7 00:00:26,719 --> 00:00:29,359 be in fifth grade at Shufford Elementary. Other kids at 8 00:00:29,399 --> 00:00:31,359 school knew about the Kibern Club, but no one really 9 00:00:31,399 --> 00:00:34,280 knew what it was. All they knew was that Freddy Sanchez, 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,960 Mark Hewett, and Spencer and Maggie Eden were in it, 11 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,920 and they made it sound awesome. Freddie, Mark, Spencer and 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,079 Maggie had all been hanging out since they were toddlers. 13 00:00:43,759 --> 00:00:45,920 Mark had lived on Coburn Avenue since he was born, 14 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:47,840 and the other three had moved into the houses on 15 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:49,759 either side of his some time between the ages of 16 00:00:49,799 --> 00:00:52,560 one and three. There had been no club at first, 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,039 just a group of neighbor kids running around outside together. 18 00:00:55,719 --> 00:00:58,399 But in the third grade Freddy started getting picked on 19 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,159 and in some cases straight up bullet That's when the 20 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,280 Colburn Club started. Mark he won the lottery in the 21 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,280 esoteric hierarchy that determines grade skull popularity. He may have 22 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:10,560 been the most popular kid in all of Shefford Elementary, 23 00:01:10,599 --> 00:01:12,719 but he had not chased the crown, nor did he 24 00:01:12,799 --> 00:01:15,120 care to wear it, and he reigned with humble reluctance. 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,079 He actually despised his popularity somewhat until it became useful. 26 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,000 The Kilburn Club had been his idea after Freddy's bowlings 27 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,159 started at the hands of some kids agreed above them, 28 00:01:25,359 --> 00:01:27,959 Mark enlisted Spencer and Maggie Eden to start bread and 29 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,200 claims that the four of them were in the secretive group. 30 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,439 Spencer and Maggie were paternal twins who had many friends 31 00:01:33,439 --> 00:01:36,560 for that reason alone. They utilized this network to spread 32 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,719 word of the Kilburn Club rapidly. Soon the four started 33 00:01:39,719 --> 00:01:43,280 hearing rumors they had not themselves instigated circulating. The Kilburn 34 00:01:43,359 --> 00:01:45,799 Club gets to stay up until eleven every night. The 35 00:01:45,879 --> 00:01:49,040 Kilburn Club watches our raid in movies every weekend. The 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,599 Kilburne Club members will ruin the lives of any bullers 37 00:01:51,599 --> 00:01:54,799 in the whole school. Of course, all of these were ridiculous, 38 00:01:54,879 --> 00:01:58,879 beaseless claims, but Mark, Spencer and Maggie let them spread. 39 00:01:58,879 --> 00:02:01,920 In the name of protecting fred and the bullying did stop, 40 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,959 not only for Freddy but for all the smaller kids 41 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,840 who had been suffering. Any time a former bully got 42 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:09,639 too nervous to corner a kid or pushed them off 43 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,479 a slide, he or she would tell their friends the 44 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,560 Kilburn Club had threatened to burn down their house, or 45 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,639 kill their dog or something. The teachers and staff eventually 46 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,759 caught wind of the Kilburne Club rumors too, and they 47 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,639 allowed them to perpetuate. The club had solved problems for everyone. 48 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,319 To the real Kilburn Club, being a member of only men, 49 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:28,120 would it had ever meant hanging out in their neighborhood 50 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,080 after school. A stream ran behind their homes, so they 51 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,199 could often be found down there trying to catch frogs 52 00:02:33,199 --> 00:02:35,840 and fish. A fairly dense woods flurish on the other 53 00:02:35,879 --> 00:02:38,240 side of the stream. The kids would play over on 54 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,400 the opposite bank, but never ventured into the trees. Their 55 00:02:41,439 --> 00:02:43,080 parents had told them all how easy it is to 56 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,360 get lost in the woods, but even without this warning 57 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,400 they probably wouldn't have gone too far. Something about those 58 00:02:48,439 --> 00:02:51,960 wood spooked them sometimes, when their conversation would slow, or 59 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,159 they were playing a game like hide, and seco sodines. 60 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,879 They would notice all the bird and insects had stopped chirping. 61 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,000 Even the leaves rustling were fatal like a daisical hiss. 62 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,639 Freddy saw to the rumor that the Coburne Club had 63 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,719 a secret fort hidden in the woods behind their homes. 64 00:03:05,319 --> 00:03:07,639 He had chosen this location for their hypothetical hide up 65 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,360 because he knew none of the other kids would ever 66 00:03:09,439 --> 00:03:11,439 work up for enough to look for it. But the 67 00:03:11,479 --> 00:03:14,080 idea of a head and four fested in four young minds. 68 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,639 Eventually it worked its way into their conversations. Maggie pretended 69 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,000 to shuder dramatica the first time someone brought it up, 70 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,120 but only a week or so later at the conversation 71 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,240 started sounding more like plans. My dad has a bunch 72 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,800 of old boards under the deck, Mark said one afternoon. 73 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,080 The kids had been riding their bikes up and down 74 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:32,840 the street for iOS and had stopped to rest in 75 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,199 the shade of the tree in Freddy's front yard. He 76 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,719 doesn't use them for anything. I bet we could take 77 00:03:37,719 --> 00:03:40,599 some for walls or whatever. Our parents of some wood 78 00:03:40,599 --> 00:03:43,919 in the garage too, Spencer said, big flat boards from 79 00:03:43,919 --> 00:03:46,360 when we tore down our old shed. If we could 80 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,159 get one of those across the stream, I bet it 81 00:03:48,199 --> 00:03:51,199 would be a good roof the resourceful force and brainstorm 82 00:03:51,319 --> 00:03:53,039 like this until they had plans to collect all the 83 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,759 necessary materials, the fear of the woods diminished to a 84 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,479 mere whisper of a memory. They spent the following day 85 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,360 dragging old and in some cases mossy boards down to 86 00:04:02,439 --> 00:04:05,879 the stream. There the kid passed them across assembly line style. 87 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,759 It took the enthusiastic bunch less than an iroy to 88 00:04:08,759 --> 00:04:11,560 have everything where they needed it. They separated into pairs 89 00:04:11,599 --> 00:04:13,639 to find a good place to build their exclusive fort. 90 00:04:14,319 --> 00:04:16,959 Maggie and Freddy undoubtedly found the best place to build. 91 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:19,759 Mark and Spencer thought they had a good one, but 92 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:21,879 they didn't even bring it up. After seeing Maggie and 93 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,720 Freddy's they found a place where two trees had fallen 94 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,199 at a near perfect ninety degree angle, forming a corner. 95 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:29,680 One tree had fallen over the other, which formed a 96 00:04:29,759 --> 00:04:31,959 natural entryway if they were willing to crawl through the 97 00:04:31,959 --> 00:04:35,079 three foot high gap. Spencer pointed out, you won't even 98 00:04:35,079 --> 00:04:36,560 be able to see it from the back because of 99 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,360 the trees, and so the round chical fort was built 100 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,279 structure was just barely tall enough for most of them 101 00:04:42,319 --> 00:04:44,480 to stand in. Freddy had to duck his head a 102 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,040 little bit, but they loved it. The Colburne Club now 103 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,480 had a real secret hide up. One of the rumors 104 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,079 had actually come true. The more time the four kids 105 00:04:53,079 --> 00:04:55,160 spent out in the fort, the more adapted they became 106 00:04:55,199 --> 00:04:58,079 to the woods. The apprehension they had once felt completely 107 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,319 evaporated by the time summer vacation came out around. During 108 00:05:01,319 --> 00:05:03,879 the summer, the colburn kids stopped knocking on one another's doors. 109 00:05:03,879 --> 00:05:06,240 When they were ready to play. They all went straight 110 00:05:06,319 --> 00:05:09,279 to the fort. Sometimes they would bring books on magazines 111 00:05:09,319 --> 00:05:12,000 with them. Freddy brought one particular book they all loved 112 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,959 to look at, especially when it started getting dark. It 113 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,759 was Colvile's Monster Menagerie. It was a fictional encyclopedia of 114 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,600 terrifying beasts and paranormal beings, stuff that would have given 115 00:05:21,639 --> 00:05:24,399 them nightmares even just a year ago, but now fascinated 116 00:05:24,439 --> 00:05:27,680 and titillated them. Eventually, the newness of the fort wore off, 117 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,079 and the children found themselves sitting inside it board. Freddy 118 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,279 suggested we could use some of the extra wood to 119 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,160 try building a dam in the stream. This idea didn't 120 00:05:36,199 --> 00:05:39,560 receive much enthusiasm. It was Mark, in the end who 121 00:05:39,639 --> 00:05:43,480 drafted the winning plan. Mark, despite his popularity, tended to 122 00:05:43,519 --> 00:05:45,319 be the quietest in the group, so when he offered 123 00:05:45,319 --> 00:05:48,240 an idea, of his friends usually listened. We haven't really 124 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,360 explored the woods yet, Mark said. We looked around for 125 00:05:51,399 --> 00:05:53,680 the spot, you know, back when we built this place, 126 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:55,600 but we don't know what else there is around here. 127 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,240 Maybe there's some cool stuff. Each of the children felt 128 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,000 a lingering of apprehension, a ping of something which they 129 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,000 had known before. They each looked to each other for valdation, 130 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,000 but each child was putting on a bray face. No 131 00:06:08,079 --> 00:06:10,439 one wants to beat the downer, so when they each 132 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,720 searched the faces of their friends, all this all was 133 00:06:12,759 --> 00:06:16,120 brave indifference, and thus they decided to leave the safe 134 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,040 little fort and venture into their known Spencer had the 135 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,160 brilliant idea to mark their paths so they could find 136 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,120 their way back to the fort whenever they decided to 137 00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:25,680 end the expedition. The thub came to him after he 138 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,319 looked over his shoulder into the lush, green wilderness behind 139 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,319 them and realized he couldn't see the fault any more, 140 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,240 hadn't their parents warned them about how easily they could 141 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,920 get lost out there. He offered up the first market, 142 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,240 the yellow Michigan Wolverine's baseball cap on his head. Don't 143 00:06:39,319 --> 00:06:43,319 let me forget it, though, he said, it's actually my dad's. Spence. 144 00:06:43,399 --> 00:06:46,680 Maggie chastised him with an exasperated sigh. Did you ask 145 00:06:46,759 --> 00:06:50,040 him before you took it? Spencer, sheepish grin answered for him. 146 00:06:50,319 --> 00:06:52,360 He hung his dad's hat on a branch at I level. 147 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,800 A few minutes later, Maggie started lingering behind. Mark noticed 148 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,519 and called her out. Sorry, it's just do you guys 149 00:06:59,519 --> 00:07:05,120 feel word? She asked? Fridy asked, like what, I don't know. 150 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,800 It's like, Well, for one thing, why is it so quiet? Now? 151 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,399 The whole group stopped to listen, but listen to what 152 00:07:12,199 --> 00:07:15,920 the wrestling leaves above the rattling bushes ahead. There were 153 00:07:15,959 --> 00:07:19,000 no birds to hear, no chitterings, grows darting across the 154 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,240 composting leaves of yesphere. Even the wind seemed hestined to 155 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,639 whisper through the trees like it felt it didn't belong. 156 00:07:25,279 --> 00:07:28,680 The children suddenly felt entirely out of place. Why had 157 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,240 they come out so far. Hadn't they been afraid of 158 00:07:31,279 --> 00:07:34,279 these woods? Wants? There must have been some reason for that. 159 00:07:34,839 --> 00:07:39,120 And then there was the smell futrid. A pure one 160 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,399 might have described it by comparison to a septic tank, 161 00:07:41,519 --> 00:07:43,879 but that would be entirely wrong. The stench of a 162 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,839 septic tank, on the unfortunate occasion when it must be opened, 163 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:51,199 is expected normal. Justify the horrendous odor which poisoned the 164 00:07:51,279 --> 00:07:53,480 natural air of the woods belonged to something which, by 165 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,680 its very nature did not belong, something which had rotten 166 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,199 indicated but could not be absorbed into the ecosystem, something 167 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,519 which nature itself rejected. I think it's time to go back. 168 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,560 Mark spoke for them all. Maggie started to say yeah, 169 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:10,120 let's but a loud crack cut her off cold. Their 170 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,879 four small, ghostly faces turned in the direction of the sound. 171 00:08:13,519 --> 00:08:16,199 The density of the woods muted most distant sounds, which 172 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,399 meant the crack had come from something close, something imminent. 173 00:08:20,199 --> 00:08:22,120 It came from just beyond a grove of short pine 174 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,360 trees elevated by a shallow hil Mark looked at Maggie, 175 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,920 who looked at Spencer, who looked at Freddy. No one moved. 176 00:08:29,319 --> 00:08:31,879 A sizzle of cracking branches preceded the violent rattling of 177 00:08:31,879 --> 00:08:34,120 one of the short pine trees, and the Cleburn club 178 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:35,919 tore off in the direction they thought they had come. 179 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,840 They shouted sporadically, what was that? Did you guys see it? 180 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:43,559 What do we do? Is it coming for us? If 181 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:45,440 it was tailing them, it was unlikely they could have 182 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,240 seen it. The dense trees, with their abundant low branches, 183 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,759 hid everything behind them. Their own pounding, crashing feet made 184 00:08:51,759 --> 00:08:55,440 hearing any pursuing footsteps impossible. Freddy started to worry they 185 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,759 had run the wrong way, until he noticed Maggie's orange 186 00:08:57,759 --> 00:09:00,559 cardigain dangling from a branch ahead. He led the group 187 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,679 in a slight diversion, suddenly recognizing certain landmarks from their 188 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,559 previous path. Maggie stopped to untie the sleeve of her 189 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,679 cardigan from the branch. Spencer slowed to help her, but 190 00:09:09,799 --> 00:09:12,240 she freed to sleeve without his help. The two of 191 00:09:12,279 --> 00:09:14,679 them now tail Mark and Freddy by at least ten yards. 192 00:09:15,279 --> 00:09:18,840 Hey guys wade up. Spencer called ahead. Mark looked back 193 00:09:18,879 --> 00:09:21,840 but showed no signs of slowing down. Spencer heard a 194 00:09:21,879 --> 00:09:24,320 sound to his left the twisting crackle of a falling tree, 195 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,960 and his labor breathing was interrupted by an involuntary screen. 196 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:29,360 He and Maggie heard other trees snap as they were 197 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,519 wounded by their fallen brother, But the feul tree did 198 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,360 not fall into the children's path. It served only to 199 00:09:34,399 --> 00:09:37,799 release energy reserves they had not known they possessed. Somehow, 200 00:09:37,879 --> 00:09:40,919 the sprinting kid to miss Fred's lucky keychain, but stumbled 201 00:09:40,919 --> 00:09:44,200 across Mark's silver cross necklace. That left just one marker 202 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,200 before they reached the fore, Spencer's dad's wolverine's hat. I 203 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:49,759 bet if we cut down here, we'll get to the 204 00:09:49,759 --> 00:09:53,240 stream faster, Mark suggested, pointing down a steep hill. He 205 00:09:53,279 --> 00:09:55,960 was undoubtedly correct, but Spencer's stomach twisted into a knot 206 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,480 at the thought of returning home without his dad's favorite hat. 207 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,799 He shouldn't have taken it in the first place. You guys, 208 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,600 go ahead, he said, I gotta get dad's hat. No, Spencer, 209 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,840 Maggie plaid. She faced him, while the other too shuffled 210 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,279 and slid down the steep grade. We can get the 211 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,879 hat later. That probably won't even notice right away. No, 212 00:10:15,159 --> 00:10:17,360 I got it, then, I'm coming with you. Maggie's ette, 213 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,639 planting a foot for emphasis. Spencer looked into her eyes, 214 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,120 his eyes really, if he ignored the long hair framing them, 215 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,480 his father's eyes too, Only he had never seen so 216 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:32,440 much love in his father's eyes. A frustration danger he recognized. Okay, 217 00:10:32,519 --> 00:10:35,080 you're right, Spencer said. He put out his hand from 218 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,840 Maggie to hold as she started down the grade. He 219 00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:40,399 crouched at the top, assisting her until letting her continue 220 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,200 to hold onto his hand would have dragged him down 221 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,519 to That's when he let go. His sister tumbled and 222 00:10:45,519 --> 00:10:47,399 fell flat on her stomach at the base of the hill. 223 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,559 This hurt Spencer more than it hurt her. What are 224 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:54,919 you doing, Maggie demanded. I have to, was all Spencer said, 225 00:10:54,919 --> 00:10:57,759 before disappearing from the edge of the steep grade. Some 226 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,200 were up there. The remaining free children heard another tree 227 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,159 twist and crack, but this one did not fall. Maggie 228 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,399 continued to cry up for Spencer as Mark and Freddy 229 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,120 half dragged her to the stream. She only crossed it 230 00:11:08,159 --> 00:11:10,360 after Mark accidentally knocked her down on her but in 231 00:11:10,399 --> 00:11:13,200 the middle of the running water, she had refused to cross, 232 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,440 and he had given her only a gentle push, but 233 00:11:15,519 --> 00:11:18,360 she hadn't been expecting yet. Where from the waistand and 234 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,600 from her eyelis to her chin. Maggie crawled up the 235 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,799 bank and waled Spencer's name into the wall of trees 236 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,840 on the other side. This is myles. I hate to interrupt, 237 00:11:26,879 --> 00:11:28,279 but this would be a great time to hit the 238 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,799 like button and subscribe to my channel if you haven't already, 239 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,919 I promise you won't regret it now for the rest 240 00:11:33,919 --> 00:11:36,519 of the story. Sitting on the bank with Freddy and 241 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,919 Mark on either side of her, Maggie began to feel 242 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,039 her hands growing numb. Her fingers became stiff, as if 243 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,879 ninety years had suddenly passed and left her with authritis. 244 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,519 She had never experienced this before, but she knew what 245 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,799 it was. Spencer had once told her about it. It 246 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,360 had happened to him when they were six. Maggie had 247 00:11:53,399 --> 00:11:55,799 woken in the middle of the night with debilitating stomach pain. 248 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:58,360 Their ma'am had rushed her to the hospital, where she 249 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:02,279 had an emergency ependectomy. Spencer told Maggie when she came 250 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,360 home that his hands had gun numb and stiff while 251 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,360 she was at the hospital, likely right around the time 252 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,840 of her surgery. He's in trouble, Maggie said, almost without emotion. 253 00:12:10,519 --> 00:12:11,960 She knew it to be as plain a fact as 254 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,159 her pants were wet. I think it's bad, Her voice cracked. 255 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,960 He'll be all right, Mark assured her, without confidence. Yea, 256 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,519 Max Spencer knows what he's doing. He'll be okay. Freddy 257 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,759 joyn in what did any of them really know what 258 00:12:24,759 --> 00:12:28,360 they were doing? A rustling came from downstream. All three 259 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,759 children instantly bolted to their feet. Mark wanted to run. 260 00:12:32,279 --> 00:12:34,600 He had the strangest feeling about whatever was coming out 261 00:12:34,639 --> 00:12:36,519 of the woods, but he didn't know how to articulate 262 00:12:36,519 --> 00:12:39,440 it to his friends. Maggie's numb hands tingled and blood 263 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,559 rushed back to them. Maybe Spencer would be okay after all. 264 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,919 With a splash, Spencer crossed into the stream and waded 265 00:12:45,919 --> 00:12:49,759 across his dad's yellow Wolverine's cap was situated firmly on 266 00:12:49,879 --> 00:12:52,960 his head. Mighty run to him. He hugged her while 267 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,840 looking over her shoulder at Mark and Freddy. Those boys 268 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,559 didn't like the look they saw in Spencer's eyes. He 269 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,159 looked sort of wild, like y might. Suddenly squeezed Maggie's 270 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,559 had tight enough to snap her neck, but when she 271 00:13:03,639 --> 00:13:06,360 finally pulled away from him, he let her go. Then 272 00:13:06,399 --> 00:13:08,720 he smiled at Mark and Freddy, and every one assumed 273 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,600 he was Okay. I will not insult your intelligence by 274 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,200 trying to convince who Spencer was. O kay. The friend 275 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:16,559 and brother Maggie, Mark, and Freddy had gone into the 276 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:20,000 woods had not returned, Not Philly, not in the way 277 00:13:20,039 --> 00:13:23,440 they knew him anyway. Freddy tripetitiously ventured out to the 278 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,919 fort the next day and found it empty. He had 279 00:13:25,919 --> 00:13:27,799 often been the first of the group to arrive, but 280 00:13:27,879 --> 00:13:29,639 never had to wait more than half an hour or 281 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:31,440 so for at least one of his friends to join. 282 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,480 That day, he killed two eyes looking for Miles, Monster 283 00:13:34,519 --> 00:13:38,399 and Agerie. After thirty more minutes, Freddy decided yesterday's hair 284 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,480 raising pursuit must have scared his friends away. The thing 285 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,480 that had chastem had terrified him in a moment, but 286 00:13:43,519 --> 00:13:46,919 it hadn't bothered him much after that. The woods were expansive, 287 00:13:47,519 --> 00:13:49,759 he thought the odds of them coming across the thing again, 288 00:13:49,879 --> 00:13:53,440 or vice versa, were pretty slim. The whole experience seemed 289 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,720 a little like a dream. Freddy left the fort and 290 00:13:55,799 --> 00:13:59,360 went to Mark's house. Mark answered the door, looking embarrassed. 291 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,320 You want to go to the fort? Friday asked, is 292 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,799 anyone else there? Mark cast in return, no, I've been 293 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,080 alone all morning. Oh well, no, I think I'd rather 294 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,679 stay in to day. You want to play need for speed? 295 00:14:13,279 --> 00:14:16,679 Freddy considered this for a brief moment, nodded, and stepped inside. 296 00:14:17,279 --> 00:14:20,000 They did not see the Eden Twins that day. Then 297 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,039 came the rain. It fell and drove for five days straight, 298 00:14:23,759 --> 00:14:25,879 thunder and lightning. They came off and on, but the 299 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,960 rain fell hard and steady, almost continuously for five days. 300 00:14:29,399 --> 00:14:32,440 On day three, Mark's parents announced spontaneous trip to Cleveland 301 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,159 to visit his uncle's family. Mark didn't want to go, 302 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,639 but he didn't have a choice. He spent much of 303 00:14:37,639 --> 00:14:40,120 the trick thinking about Spencer, wondering what that weird look 304 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,639 in his eyes had been. Often, when he was not 305 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,360 thinking about Spencer, he was thinking about Maggie, hoping she 306 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,440 was okay. Freddy's parents would not let him leave the house. 307 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:50,600 They feared he would get sick if he went out 308 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,960 in the rain. He spent much of the week's stirring 309 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,320 out back windows at the woods, hoping the Colbourn Club's 310 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,919 fort was holding up. He watched the stream rise from 311 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,879 day to day, threatening to spill over. The rain mercifully 312 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,679 ended before it did. On the sixth day, when the 313 00:15:03,679 --> 00:15:06,720 sun started playing peekaboo with their saturated yard, Freddy and 314 00:15:06,799 --> 00:15:08,679 Maggie met in the muddy bank of the furious river 315 00:15:08,759 --> 00:15:11,000 that had been their quiet stream only a few days before, 316 00:15:11,559 --> 00:15:15,960 where spencer. Freddy asked he didn't think Maggie looked very well. 317 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,600 Her face had the same sort of painus as when 318 00:15:18,639 --> 00:15:21,679 she had her appendix removed a few years before. He supposed, 319 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,000 after the lawn very weak, he probably didn't look so 320 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,639 great either. He's still at home, Maggie replied. He didn't 321 00:15:27,639 --> 00:15:30,200 want to come out. He hasn't really left his room 322 00:15:30,279 --> 00:15:34,879 much since the woods, you know, Freddy asked why. I 323 00:15:34,919 --> 00:15:38,320 don't know. I guess he's sick. He won't really talk 324 00:15:38,399 --> 00:15:40,840 to me. Whenever I try to talk to him, he 325 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,919 gets really mad and tells me to go away from him. 326 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,399 I had mom and Dad say he's not eating anything, 327 00:15:45,519 --> 00:15:47,159 but I hear him get up at night and get 328 00:15:47,159 --> 00:15:50,000 into the fridge. He's been eating all the lunch meat. 329 00:15:50,679 --> 00:15:52,480 Maybe he's just in a bad mood because of all 330 00:15:52,519 --> 00:15:55,759 the rain, Freddy offered, I don't think so. I think 331 00:15:55,759 --> 00:15:58,440 he has to do with what happened in the woods. Freddy, 332 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,000 what was that chase us? Freddy shrugged. He had pondered 333 00:16:03,039 --> 00:16:06,080 this often during the five days of involuntary isolation. He 334 00:16:06,159 --> 00:16:08,360 wished he hadn't read that monster book the day after 335 00:16:08,399 --> 00:16:11,120 the chase. It had put all sorts of ideas into 336 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,080 his head. Well, I think whatever it was did something 337 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:17,159 to Spencer. He's just not himself and his room sticks. 338 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,159 It smells really bad even outside it like by the 339 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,600 door when Mark's back. Let's try talking to Spencer together, 340 00:16:24,279 --> 00:16:28,159 all of us, Freddy suggested. Mardy agreed. The two of 341 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,519 them spent the rest of the afternoon amelessly wandering the 342 00:16:30,559 --> 00:16:32,480 loose bank of the stream, checking out where it had 343 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:36,200 eroded away, leaving clay streak slopes. Mark returned the following day, 344 00:16:36,279 --> 00:16:40,399 the day Spencer disappeared, the stream still raged. It didn't 345 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,159 come up as high as at the day before, but 346 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,080 the water was still far too violent to cross. Maggie 347 00:16:45,159 --> 00:16:47,480 had been crying when she found Mark and Freddy observing 348 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:51,120 the stream together. She said Spencer had left before breakfast. 349 00:16:51,799 --> 00:16:54,279 She wanted to know if they had seen him. Freddy 350 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,159 said he hadn't, and I literally just got back from 351 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,559 visiting my uncle, said Mark. They stood in a triangle, 352 00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:02,919 looking at each other, wondering what the next right move 353 00:17:02,919 --> 00:17:05,640 could be. You should probably tell your parents. We don't 354 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,880 know where he is, Freddy pointed out. Okay, Wick and 355 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,160 Maggie was interrupted by one of those twisting cracks they 356 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,799 had heard the day chase through the woods. Freddy, the 357 00:17:13,839 --> 00:17:15,799 only one facing the woods at the time, screamed and 358 00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:18,880 stumbled back. Mark and Maggie turned just in time to 359 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,400 see a tall tree, still vibrant with life, tip over 360 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,160 and crashed into the stream. Most of its leafy fingers 361 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,440 landed on their bank. The trunks dressed across the dangerous water, 362 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:31,960 creating a bridge. Braddy stammered, how did it? The bank 363 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:36,680 must have eroded away under the roots, Mark speculated Spencer. 364 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,480 Maggie said, she took a few steps forward and stopped. 365 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,480 Did you see him? Mark asked, I, I don't know. 366 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,440 Let's go tell your parents. Freddy recommended once more. No, 367 00:17:48,759 --> 00:17:52,559 it was him, He's right over there. Before either Freddy 368 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,559 or Mark could stop her, Maggie was off. She caught 369 00:17:55,559 --> 00:17:57,240 her way through the leaves of the fallen tree until 370 00:17:57,279 --> 00:18:00,519 she found the solid center. She used branches to herself 371 00:18:00,559 --> 00:18:03,079 up until she was over the water. Then she had 372 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,799 to crawl across the smooth trunk on off wars. Mark 373 00:18:05,839 --> 00:18:09,160 and Freddy left with no other choice, copied her. Maggie 374 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,000 ran off in the direction she had seen the flash 375 00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:13,480 of yellow, the same shade as her father's favorite hat. 376 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,359 Spencer was there. She knew it, probably thanks to whatever 377 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,400 neurological and had made her hands going on before she 378 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,480 suddenly halted. She had thought Freddy and Mark were right 379 00:18:23,519 --> 00:18:26,160 behind her. Had she run too fast for them to follow? 380 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,160 Surely she thought she would be able to hear them soon, 381 00:18:29,759 --> 00:18:32,559 but she felt so alone. The thick still air began 382 00:18:32,559 --> 00:18:35,359 to poke at her nose with something hostile. She recognized 383 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,880 her from standing outside Spencer's room. With extreme trepidation, she 384 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:42,319 called Spencer, Sir, He look over there, and I'll keep 385 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,599 looking this way, Mark instructed Freddy. Freddy obeyed. He broke 386 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,240 away at an angle, constantly looking over his shoulder like 387 00:18:49,279 --> 00:18:51,000 an owl to make sure Mark was in clear sight 388 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:55,039 at all times. Maggie, he whispered harshly. The woods were 389 00:18:55,039 --> 00:18:57,799 so quiet again. He wondered where all the birds and 390 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:01,160 animals he normally heard from his yardware, Freddy found out 391 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,119 a little further than a tree which had been directly 392 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,319 in front of him, shifted left. In his vision, he 393 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,160 saw Maggie just beyond it. He called her name, then 394 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,960 turned and shouted for Mark. When his eyes fell on 395 00:19:11,039 --> 00:19:13,559 Maggie again, she was looking at him. A look of 396 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,119 lost bewilderment blew up her eyes and made Freddy wonder 397 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,519 she was really seeing him at all. One of the 398 00:19:18,519 --> 00:19:21,359 trees behind her moved. A shape stepped away from the 399 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,519 tree it had been sheltering behind, and Freddy saw it 400 00:19:23,519 --> 00:19:26,640 wasn't a tree at all. Maggie, watch out, he screamed. 401 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,319 It was far thinner than most of the trees, but 402 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:32,200 nearly as tall. Freddy didn't know of any animal that 403 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:35,079 could grow so tall. Clusters of what he had thought 404 00:19:35,079 --> 00:19:38,240 were dead branches were actually the creature's long fingers dangling 405 00:19:38,279 --> 00:19:41,359 down nearest knotted knees. The deast looked like a skeleton 406 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,279 wrapped in a giant, wet paper bag. Freddy had been 407 00:19:44,279 --> 00:19:47,119 messfully spared a good look at his face. When Maggie 408 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,200 turned to see what Freddy was screaming about. It took 409 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,640 an enormous step back and vanished into the foliage. You goat, 410 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,400 Is she good? Mark asked as he caught up. His 411 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,039 breathing slowed by an immediate fraction when he saw Maggie 412 00:19:59,039 --> 00:20:02,079 looking daze but an hurt. Geez, I thought she was 413 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:04,079 going to get scorched by another tree away, He screened 414 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:09,039 at her. There was was, Maggie asked, you saw it too, 415 00:20:09,319 --> 00:20:13,839 A monster? The fort? Where is the fort? Right over there? 416 00:20:13,839 --> 00:20:16,640 I'm pretty sure it, Mark said, He pointed back to 417 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,279 where he had come from. All three of them ran. 418 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,519 Mark was sure what Freddy and Maggie were talking about 419 00:20:23,079 --> 00:20:26,279 a monster, but he ran all the same. The mention 420 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,519 of the fort made him crave its familiarity, the false 421 00:20:28,519 --> 00:20:31,400 sense of security. The fallen tree, which had formed their 422 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,519 fort's entrance, peered ahead. Mark scooped the air next to 423 00:20:34,519 --> 00:20:36,920 his ready air, gesturing for Freddy and Maggie to hurry 424 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,720 on ahead. They passed him in each duft for the entrance. 425 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,240 Mark stayed up for a few seconds on his own 426 00:20:42,279 --> 00:20:45,240 so he could listen for any signs of approach. Then 427 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,279 he crawled into the fort backwards. Freddy planted the spare 428 00:20:48,279 --> 00:20:50,240 board they sometimes used to cover the entrance into the 429 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,839 dirt by the opening. He hoped whatever they were running 430 00:20:52,839 --> 00:20:55,440 from relied on site and not say smell or heat. 431 00:20:56,079 --> 00:20:58,000 Some of the monsters from the book track prey with 432 00:20:58,039 --> 00:21:00,839 those senses. The one he saw had been so huge that, 433 00:21:00,839 --> 00:21:03,319 despite its weak looking frame, he imagined it would make 434 00:21:03,319 --> 00:21:05,759 easy work of this so called for it. So what 435 00:21:05,839 --> 00:21:09,960 did you guys see, Mark asked, I don't know. I 436 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,480 barely saw it before it disappeared, Maggie replied. Freddy was 437 00:21:13,519 --> 00:21:16,119 too busy flipping through the pages of Miles Monster and Adjury. 438 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,799 He uttered a victorious grunt, then spun the book of 439 00:21:18,839 --> 00:21:21,240 Round to show his friends he had opened to her 440 00:21:21,279 --> 00:21:23,839 page that showed a horrible looking creature that was practically 441 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,680 just bones and teeth the sunken yellow orbs and its 442 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,359 skull could barely be cold eyes, more like floating bobs 443 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:32,359 of pale light. This was an artist's rendering, of course, 444 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,880 but Maggie thought she recognized the skeletal legs. They looked 445 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,359 eerily similar to what she had seen disappearing into the 446 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:42,559 brush Windigo. Freddy stated, I think this is what's after us. 447 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:44,720 I think it's been waiting for us out there in 448 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,640 the woods. I thought all that stuff was fake, Maggie said. Then, 449 00:21:48,759 --> 00:21:51,279 badding await hears, she asked, what would you dispense her? 450 00:21:51,799 --> 00:21:53,839 She couldn't look away from the picture in the book. 451 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:56,720 Freddy noticed her frozen gaze and turned the picture back 452 00:21:56,759 --> 00:21:59,400 to himself for her benefit. It might have gotten him 453 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,559 that day we all go got chased. It might have, 454 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,599 you know, possessed him. It's like a demon. That was 455 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,440 when he started acting weird, right, Mark said, more than asked. 456 00:22:08,839 --> 00:22:12,240 Maggie nodded. Guys, if it is a wendigo, this is bad, 457 00:22:12,839 --> 00:22:15,759 Freddy sounded out to words. But very little is known 458 00:22:15,799 --> 00:22:17,839 about how to defeat a wendigoer since it is both 459 00:22:17,839 --> 00:22:21,240 a physical body and a spiritual form, simply destroying the 460 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:23,920 body will not kill the wendigo. So how do we 461 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,119 find it? How do we get it out of Spencer? 462 00:22:26,759 --> 00:22:30,640 Maggie asked worriedly. Freddy held up a finger. Hah man, 463 00:22:31,319 --> 00:22:34,599 okay here it is. They are countless rituals and customs 464 00:22:34,599 --> 00:22:39,680 for peepee preventing ha lon okay here. Some allies, such 465 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:42,440 as silver are known to repel wendigo's, and in two 466 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,880 recorded cases, have even expelled them. From those possessed. Mark 467 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,079 was fingering his necklace under his shirt and pulled it 468 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,960 out at the mention of silver, he began to examine it, 469 00:22:51,039 --> 00:22:52,920 but he had no idea what he might be looking for. 470 00:22:53,599 --> 00:22:56,799 Is that made of silver? Maggie asked, now, sounding hopeful. 471 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:59,720 I'm not sure. I think so. It's a family thing. 472 00:22:59,799 --> 00:23:01,599 I think my dad said it was real silver when 473 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:03,880 he gave it to me. Maybe we could wait. Sah 474 00:23:04,039 --> 00:23:07,519 h Freddy crutch freel low and went still. Maggie in 475 00:23:07,599 --> 00:23:11,279 mock froze. Something was outside the fort. The board above 476 00:23:11,279 --> 00:23:13,839 them grown to something leaned down on it. It was 477 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:16,400 trying to find a way in or make one. The 478 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,519 evil sench became more powerful than ever. The children held 479 00:23:19,519 --> 00:23:21,799 their breath, both out of fear and unwilliness to suck 480 00:23:21,839 --> 00:23:24,519 down the taint to day, the wide flat board that 481 00:23:24,559 --> 00:23:28,319 comprised their roof buckled one single triangular splinter crack and 482 00:23:28,319 --> 00:23:32,400 split away. Then the pressure was relieved. Large footsteps backed 483 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,279 away from the fort, then fitted to nothing. Before anyone 484 00:23:35,319 --> 00:23:37,640 could speak, a rapid rush of smaller foots that came 485 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,400 running back to the fort. They came from the same 486 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,480 direction as the big ones had left, but there was 487 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:44,519 no way they could have belonged to the same creature. 488 00:23:45,079 --> 00:23:47,880 The footsteps started around the fort, then with a hissing slide, 489 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:50,960 something thumped against the board of blocking the entrance and 490 00:23:51,039 --> 00:23:54,359 Knapto pounded twice and the board flopped over. Even before 491 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,519 they could recognize him, Spencer into the fort. His face 492 00:23:57,559 --> 00:24:00,119 looked to me, stated beneath his dad's wolverines had and 493 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,960 he smelt like decades of death. Mark nervously said, hey, Spence. 494 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:08,240 Spencer lunged to him, clawing, gnashing his teeth. He knocked 495 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,000 Mark onto his back and snapped at him. Mark screamed. 496 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,480 The others moved to help as they clamored for purchase 497 00:24:14,519 --> 00:24:17,160 on Spencer's clothes. He bit down on a Handmark raised 498 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,559 in defense. Long needle sharp teeth that did not belong 499 00:24:20,599 --> 00:24:22,440 to a little boy pierce through the flesh and muscle 500 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,480 of Mark's palm from both sides. He howled in agony 501 00:24:25,519 --> 00:24:28,759 as blood painted Spencer's face and spirts. Freddy hid him 502 00:24:28,759 --> 00:24:30,440 in the back of the head with the thick monster book, 503 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,160 and Spencer other thing that looked like him lunged at 504 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,920 Freddy instead. He knocked the book out of Freddy's hand 505 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,960 with one casual swoop. The other hand was close behind, 506 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:42,720 grabbing Freddy's limpress. Before he could react, it brought Freddy's 507 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,240 hand to its math. An effel a see bit his 508 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:47,480 pinky ring finger clean off in one horrific chomp. Freddy 509 00:24:47,519 --> 00:24:50,039 did not scream or cry out. He fell back and 510 00:24:50,079 --> 00:24:52,359 looked down at what was left of his hand in disbelieving. 511 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:54,839 All blood shot out from his stumps like a double 512 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,119 Bowel's squirt gun. The creature, wearing Spencer's face opened wide 513 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,960 for another greedy bite. Maggie he threw herself at it. 514 00:25:01,559 --> 00:25:04,039 She and Spencer were roughly the same size, so the 515 00:25:04,079 --> 00:25:06,000 full weight of her body knocked to clear away from 516 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,400 her friends. But from there the creature had all the advantage. 517 00:25:10,039 --> 00:25:12,440 Rather than push her off of itself, it hugged her tight, 518 00:25:12,519 --> 00:25:15,440 squeezed her until she couldn't breathe. She felt its mouth 519 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,000 open against her collar bone. The wicker points of its 520 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,759 teeth pricked her in a dozen places. She braced for 521 00:25:20,839 --> 00:25:23,920 the terrible bite, unable to fight against it. What Maggie 522 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:25,680 had not seen was that while the creature had been 523 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,240 occupied with Freddy, Mark had recovered some of his wit. 524 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,359 When Maggie knocked a creature over. Mark had slipped his 525 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,160 silver cross necklace over his head. He now held it 526 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,519 out in front of him, the chain hot. When Mark 527 00:25:36,559 --> 00:25:38,519 saw Maggie couldn't get away, he dropped to the ground 528 00:25:38,559 --> 00:25:41,640 beside the struggling bodies. He ripped Spencer's hat off the 529 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,680 thing's pronny head and got its attention. Before its teeth 530 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,839 could pierce Maggie's flesh, Mark shoved the necklace down and 531 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,720 round the thing's head. It reacted instantly, screeching and writhing. 532 00:25:51,319 --> 00:25:54,720 It released Maggie and she scrambled back towards Friddy. The 533 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,039 thing that looked like Spencer screeched and ribbed until it 534 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,200 turned purple. It clutched at the silver necklace, but every 535 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,279 time you tried to pull it off, its bastic movements 536 00:26:02,279 --> 00:26:04,839 caught the necklace on its neck or its ears. Little 537 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:07,160 tufts of smoke started rising from its skin wherever the 538 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:10,279 metal touched it. Mark grabbed its shirt and started pushing 539 00:26:10,279 --> 00:26:12,960 it toward the opening. Maggie saw what he was doing 540 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,519 and joined Freddy just kept staring at his hand. Gave 541 00:26:16,559 --> 00:26:19,319 me back my brother, Maggie screamed at the agonized creature. 542 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,480 Give him back, or we'll kill you. One of Spencer's 543 00:26:22,519 --> 00:26:25,240 bony hands made a pass at her face. It got 544 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,119 caught in her hair. She uttered a terrified squeak, but 545 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,279 Mark easily pulled on its arm and removed the hand 546 00:26:30,319 --> 00:26:33,519 from her hair. Mark and Maggie together managed to push 547 00:26:33,519 --> 00:26:36,279 the stinking thing through the opening out of Therefore, it 548 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,119 howled and screeched, the sound echoing once it was outside. 549 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,559 They watched it through the opening as it scrambled to 550 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:44,279 its feet and stumbled away. Once it was out of sight, 551 00:26:44,319 --> 00:26:47,519 they listened. Soon the agonized cries so painful they could 552 00:26:47,559 --> 00:26:50,119 almost make you feel sorry for the creature faded to silence, 553 00:26:50,759 --> 00:26:53,319 but the children didn't dare celebrate until the horrible smell 554 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:57,039 faded to Now, their attention turned to Freddy. Mak's own 555 00:26:57,039 --> 00:26:59,559 hand had already stopped bleeding for the most part, he 556 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,920 was luck Freddy continued to lose blood and grotesque spots, 557 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,319 and his face had turned gray. We need to get 558 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,640 him to his parents, Mark said, obviously, Freddy. Freddy listen. 559 00:27:09,839 --> 00:27:13,279 Maggie baked. She could get no reaction from him. She 560 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:15,839 thought about vampires, another monster from the Big Book that 561 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,640 might have saved their lives. She wondered if that thing, 562 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,119 the windgo or whatever it was, might have turned Freddy 563 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,559 with its bite, but she decided that couldn't be the 564 00:27:23,559 --> 00:27:25,519 case because Mark had also been bitten, and she saw 565 00:27:25,599 --> 00:27:29,119 nothing but grim determination on his flushed face. Mark took 566 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,839 his shirt off and tore off a strip he had 567 00:27:31,839 --> 00:27:34,440 seen this in a movie. He tied the shirt tightly 568 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,279 around Freddy's bleeding hand, then tied the strip around his own. 569 00:27:37,839 --> 00:27:40,920 Help me lift him, Mark said. He and Maggie worked 570 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,079 together to carry and drag Freddy out of the fort. 571 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,000 He seemed only vaguely aware of anything happening to or 572 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:48,759 around him. They led him to the stream with some difficulty, 573 00:27:48,799 --> 00:27:51,480 then stopped. They gazed across a fallen tree which had 574 00:27:51,519 --> 00:27:53,400 allowed them to cross, and full she entered the trap 575 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,799 laid for them in the woods. How are we going 576 00:27:55,839 --> 00:27:59,359 to get him across, Maggie asked. Mark looked up and 577 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,240 down the stream. He saw, miraculously, Freddy's mom crouched d 578 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:07,640 over one of her garden beds. Missess Sanchez, missus Sanchez, 579 00:28:08,279 --> 00:28:11,759 marky yelled across the stream. She didn't hear him. She 580 00:28:11,799 --> 00:28:14,519 had head funds on him. As bobbing to music, Freddy 581 00:28:14,559 --> 00:28:17,599 faulted and almost fell. Maggie joined Mark and yelling for 582 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:21,880 Freddy's mother. The combined voices finally got her attention. Missess 583 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,319 Sanchez aided Mark and Maggie and helping Freddy cross the 584 00:28:24,319 --> 00:28:26,240 fallen tree, then ran him up to the house in 585 00:28:26,279 --> 00:28:29,400 her arms. The Sanchez his family car was squealing out 586 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,359 of the driver. Before Maggie and MARKI even made it 587 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:35,039 up to the houses. Friddy would be okay without any 588 00:28:35,079 --> 00:28:39,599 immediate threat, Marks adrenaline waned suddenly, his hand hurt. But 589 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:42,880 I'm hay, I hate to leave you right now, but 590 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:44,599 I kind of he saw. Maggie had clutched into a 591 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,319 seated position and the grass and was crying. Go was 592 00:28:47,359 --> 00:28:50,039 all she said. She looked up at her own house, 593 00:28:50,359 --> 00:28:52,519 wondering what she would say when she saw her parents. 594 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,680 What would she tell them about Spencer? Was he dead? 595 00:28:56,359 --> 00:29:00,799 Maggie luck Mark suddenly shouted his voice practically turned her 596 00:29:00,839 --> 00:29:03,160 head for her back the way they had come. Some 597 00:29:03,359 --> 00:29:06,480 leaves were rustling getting pushed aside. Mark helped Maggie to 598 00:29:06,519 --> 00:29:09,119 her feet and they prepped to run. Spencer's hat was 599 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,480 the first thing they saw, then the rest of him 600 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,920 emerged from the woods, Mark and Maggie started running. Guys wait. 601 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,519 Spencer's voice, clear and confused, came after them. Mark kept running, 602 00:29:20,519 --> 00:29:24,440 but Maggie stopped. She turned her Twin's face didn't look 603 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:28,000 shriveled and prunish anymore. His skin looked vibrant and normal. 604 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:32,160 Around his neck dangled marks over necklace. It didn't appear 605 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,240 to bother him in the slightest Spencer, is that really you? 606 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,240 Maggie called across the stream, Mark Nes stopped and turned 607 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,559 back to When Spence across the fallen tree, enjoined his sister. 608 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,720 They embraced. Maggie smelt sweat and out and the stale 609 00:29:45,759 --> 00:29:48,359 odor of days without a shower. What to her in 610 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,359 that moment, those smells were wonderful. They were the smells 611 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,440 of her brother. When Nickleburn Club returned to school entering 612 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,920 the sixth grade, now their reputation didn't seem to matter 613 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,240 any more. Something changed with the transition from ellament Tory 614 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,960 School to middle school. Nobody cared if they were in 615 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:05,680 an exclusive club or had a hidden fort. The only 616 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:08,480 thing anyone seemed to pay attention to regarding the former 617 00:30:08,519 --> 00:30:12,240 club was Freddy's missing fingers. So the former Colbern Club 618 00:30:12,279 --> 00:30:15,599 began starting rumors again, rumors about an evil monster that 619 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:19,039 lucked in the woods behind Colburne Avenue. Ironically, no one 620 00:30:19,039 --> 00:30:22,160 believed them, at least not publicly. The story told by Freddy, 621 00:30:22,279 --> 00:30:25,279 Mark and Maggie and backed up by Spencer, kept any 622 00:30:25,279 --> 00:30:28,519 more kids from exploring back there. The fort rotted away 623 00:30:28,519 --> 00:30:31,279 with no one to maintain it. The roof collapsed first, 624 00:30:31,319 --> 00:30:34,079 exposing the rest of the repurpose would. All the boards 625 00:30:34,119 --> 00:30:37,000 turned black and green and sagged, But in the memories 626 00:30:37,039 --> 00:30:39,359 of the former Calbourne Club, the fort still stood strong. 627 00:30:41,279 --> 00:30:43,759 And that is the end. Thank you for listening and 628 00:30:43,799 --> 00:30:45,000 I will see you in the next one.