Hemlock High Ep 3 - "Girl Trouble"

Hemlock High Ep 3 – “Girl Trouble”

[Hemlock High theme]

Kim
I’d like to pick back up with post-football practice, in the locker rooms.

[The echoes of a locker room. A running shower]

Kim
Tensions are high in the football team. Whatever happens to be affecting Faith's hair has also been affecting Jackson and Tomas. And even though no one is quite sure how that is possible, everyone is speculating as to why it is affecting those three people in particular. And even sweet, sweet Michael cannot be that oblivious. And he is sitting on the bench in the locker room, just wearing a towel. He is staring off into space. You can’t tell if he’s despondent, or if he’s furious. And just, like, twisting his purity ring around on his finger.

Percy
And Yakubu is already fully dressed. He looks as though he is in a hurry. And I think there is a moment – he’s noticing everyone else starting to pack up and everything, and he does see Michael there. And Yakubu knows Michael. He’s known him for a long time. And he’s kind of realizing. He’s making the connection, now. 

And I think Yakubu is gonna try to, like, very gently sit down next to Michael. Hard to do, again, when you’re 6’6”, 300lbs. And he is gonna give him, like, a gentle shove. Like, lovingly.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
You, uh… You alright there, Michel?

Michael (Kim)
I just feel like such an idiot.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Are you… talking about the play that we messed up today?

Michael (Kim)
No, man…

Percy
Yakubu, hearing that, has automatically gone from normal, fun boy personality. You see this, like, rigidness to him of, “Oh, god…” And he’ll lean forward and, like, rest his arms on his legs and look over at Michael.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Hey, man. You know you didn’t do anything wrong, right? Like, that’s her stuff.

Michael (Kim)
I just really loved her.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
I believe that, man. But like, does she love you back?

Michael (Kim)
And with Jackson? I mean, he’s like my best friend! I just feel so stupid. I feel like everyone knew, but me.

Percy
You will see Yakubu scratch at the back of his neck. And if there was a camera to look into, would be looking into it.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
It ain’t right, what everyone else did to you. But that’s the good news, is you are still you, you know? You’re smart, you’re strong… And you’re gonna get through this, alright? Faith is just one girl. And you’ve got plenty more to pick from, Mr. Quarterback.

Percy
And he, like, punches him on the shoulder, with that one. And maybe even notices that he doesn’t receive that comment very well?

Michael (Kim)
I don’t know. I think maybe I’m done with girls.

Percy
And Yakubu kind of blinks for  second, and kind of harkens back to earlier this year with Tomas. And kind of goes…

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Oh… Oh! Um… [Clears throat]

Michael (Kim)
Uh, no! I, uh… I.. [Sputters] Uh.. I didn’t mean that I was…

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
No, no!

Michael (Kim)
…Done with girls and then doing… Uh, what did you think I meant? 

Percy
And he kind of, like, takes a moment and, like, looks Michael over. Kind of sees him in a new light, for a moment. And sees that he might have been struggling with the same thing he did.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Hey man, it’s not wrong to not love girls.

Michael (Kim)
N-no… I know.

Percy
And he kind of, like, gently places a hand onto his shoulder.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
And you already know that whatever you choose, I’m your friend and I support that. The guys here support you, alright?

Kim
Yakubu, is this a Turn Someone On?

Percy
I do think this is a Turn Someone On. And I think this is on accident. I think Yakubu genuinely cares about Michel as his friend, because they have been playing football for so long.

Kim
Yeah.

Percy
And I think he doesn’t realize that Michael might have these feelings bottled up, for way longer. But I definitely think this is a Turn Someone On.

Kim
Okay. Go ahead and roll it.

Percy
Well the good news is, that good old Yakubu? He’s hot. But he’s not that hot. That is 5 + 1, that is a 6.

Kim
Mark experience.

Percy
I will…

Madeleine
Your hand was cold on his shoulder.

Percy
Yeah, I think it is the me fully clothed, him naked. And it turns into a, like, [sputtering] Uh… Let’s have this conversation later.

Kim
I think there is this moment of shared vulnerability. Michael, more than anyone here, I think, is really deeply trying to figure himself out right now. He has a lot that he is wrestling with. And there is a moment, but it is going unspoken. And somewhat unacted upon. And it is interrupted, Yakubu, by your phone vibrating in your pocket.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Listen, we’ll keep this between us, alright man? But if you need to talk, I’m always here.

Michael (Kim)
Thanks, man. You’re a really good friend.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
No, I’m the best.

Kim
[Laughs]

Percy
And he kind of gives him a little salute, and he will start to amble out of the locker room. And the second he’s out of view of anybody, he kind of, like, heads to the lockers and is going through the phone. Because the second he sees the name of his sister Sharday, he is immediately filled with dread. 

Kim
It’s not just your sister Sharday. It is your oldest sister, Aviola. They have started a group chat with you. 

Percy
And Yakubu kind of reads over the text, which is very simple. It is one question: “Did you take care of it?” 

And there is a moment that Yakubu realizes he is sweating, and not from the practice. But from the question itself, and who is asking it. And he responds back with…

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
I’m working on it.

[Text sends]

Kim
We see those three dots from Aviola, and then she responds…

Aviola (Kim)
I’d hate for us to have to clean up your mess, like we always have to.

[Text sends]

[Unsettling ambience]

Percy
And there is a creaking of plastic and metal, as Yakubu is clutching his phone so tight, it threatens to snap in half. And he manages to take a quick, deep breath as memories of blood and darkness fill his head. And he responds back…

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
I will take care of it. Don’t do anything.

[Text sends]

Kim
Now I think it’s Sharday who writes back…

Sharday (Kim)
Don’t do anything, like how you didn’t do anything at that party in the woods last Saturday?

[Text sends]

[Monstrous, eerie ambience]

Percy
And Yakubu is taken away by his own memories of galvanizing in the dark forest. He smells campfire and alcohol, and blood. Warm, fresh blood. And before he realizes that he has already taken a bite of the passerby, he realizes the scent is familiar. And bile fills his throat, along with shame as he looks down on the bleeding and nearly mangled form of Dick Talbot.

And when the memory fades, we see Yakubu is in a dark corner of the hallway. He is sitting and he is slumped, and there are tears falling down his face as he grips onto his head, shaking it back and forth. 

This wasn’t how junior year was supposed to go.

Kim
I’m gonna let you clear Big Bully. I think you’re feeling pretty vulnerable right now.

Percy
Yeah.

Kim
And I think that's how we leave you, just wrestling with these uncovered memories.

[Crickets chirp softly]

Kim
Let’s go ahead and push the narrative forward maybe a day or two. I’d like to check in on Camdyn, please. I’d like to think that we’re after school, maybe a bit late at night. Jackson has been uncharacteristically quiet and standoffish, and mostly just staying in his room the last several days. The rumor mill of what all has been going on between him and Faith and Tomas has reached not only your ears, but probably those of his dad and Aunt Minnie.

Janaya
Yep. And I’m collecting my belongings as I’m getting ready for bed, and I pass by my Aunt Minnie on my way upstairs, and I say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Hey, Aunt Min. Is Jackson alright? He hasn't come out of the room in a few days, and I haven't really seen him around at school. I just wanted to check in. 

Aunt Minnie (Kim)
His dad and I talked, and he’s going to be taking just a couple days off from school. He’ll be back on Friday, for the game.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Oh, good.

Aunt Minnie (Kim)
He just, uh… Girl trouble.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Girl trouble? Interesting. Okay. Thanks, Aunt Min. I’m gonna… I think I left something in his room. I’m gonna see if I can go talk to him.

Janaya
And Camdyn goes running. [Laughs]

Kim
Minnie, so not used to, like, parenting at this point. It’s all kind of brand new to her. [Laughs]

Janaya
Yeah. Minnie in a run for her money, right now, now having two kids when she’s had none. [Laughs] And both in high school, at the same time!

So I gather up my belongings that I was gonna take up to my room, and instead I leave them in the hallway. And I go up to Jackon’s door and just give a knock, and…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Jackson? Sorry to interrupt. It’s me.

Jackson (Kim)
What do you want?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Um, I think I left something in your room? Sorry for being in there, but I just happened to forget it.

Kim
There are several long seconds as Jackson is wondering whether or not to let you in. And eventually, the door opens. He looks pretty bleary-eyed. He is wearing a beanie on his head, to cover up the situation that is happening on his scalp. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Coughs] Cool beanie. Where’d you get it?

Jackson (Kim)
Shut up.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Okay, um, I’m looking for a notebook for class, and I think I just happened to toss it in here on my way – I was running somewhere, and I just wanted to grab it. Is it okay if I come in?

Jackson (Kim)
Why are you using my room like a storage locker?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Okay, well, first of all, that wasn’t my intention. Though I apologize. But, I was just in a rush, and I happened to throw it, and I didn’t even think. You know, our rooms are basically next to each other, so… 

Jackson (Kim)
[Sighs] Okay. Fine. Um… What did it look like?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Um, it was a black and white, you know… just like a composition notebook. It has my name on it. And it says Math.

Jackson (Kim)
Okay. Uh… Let’s find it. 

Kim
And just starts pushing through just, like… piles of clothes and just, like, shit in this room. Like plates and, like, cans of soda. Like this is just like a teen boy wasteland.

Janaya
[Laughs] 

Kim
Especially considering he’s going through a major depressive episode right now.

Janaya
Right, right. And so I look around as I officially enter the space, and…

Kim
Go through the doom piles.

Janaya
I just look around, and I’m like…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Dude, what is going on?

Jackson (Kim)
I think I’m like sick, or something?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Did you have lunch yesterday? Because I know that the peas were a little weird…

Kim
He rips off the beanie.

Jackson (Kim)
Yeah, I don’t think peas did this, Camdyn, thanks.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Laughs nervously]

Janaya
Camdyn’s trying not to laugh, but it’s one of those laughs where, like –

Jackson (Kim)
Don’t laugh!

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
I’m not! I’m not laughing. It’s a nervous response! I’m sorry. Um… What happened to you? What… is going… What?

Kim
He puts the beanie back on and lowers his voice.

Jackson (Kim)
I don’t know! I don’t know. Everything was fine, and then it just started itching and bleeding, and all coming out. And I… I don’t know if I caught something? Faith and I hooked up a couple months ago, and same thing happened to her. And same thing Tomas on our team, as well. And I don’t –

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Wait, the hot one?

Jackson (Kim)
Yes. The hot one.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Just wanted to make sure.

Jackson (Kim)
And I don’t know what happened! Everything was fine, and then right before football practice, same thing that happened to Faith, happened to me. It’s like somebody fucking cursed me. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
So let me get this straight. You were hooking up with Faith. Wasn’t she still dating Michael?

Jackson (Kim)
Yes. She was dating Michael the whole time. He didn’t know.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Your… [Scoffs] Your best friend’s girlfriend is gonna cheat on him with you? Why would you do something like that? 

Jackson (Kim)
Camdyn, I don’t need you to judge me right now, okay? I’m having a really bad day.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
I’m not judging you! I’m just trying to figure things out. Because then if people come to school tomorrow and ask me because you’re not there, I have to have your back. So tell me everything.

Kim
I think at this, Jackson softens a bit and sits down on his bed.

Jackson (Kim)
I don’t know exactly how it started. Uh… Mike doesn’t really do that kind of stuff. He’s, like, really Christian. And…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Right. There’s a lot of them, in our school.

Jackson (Kim)
Yeah. And I thought Faith was too. But then we were at a party, and we had a couple wine coolers… And she just looked so pretty. And, you know, she was… She was coming onto me! And, you know, I didn’t say no. And she didn’t say no. And then we just thought it was best that Mike didn’t know. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
But you didn’t ask Faith if she was going to have faith in her relationship?

Jackson (Kim)
I mean, that’s kinda between her and Michael, right?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yes, but now it also includes you!

Jackson (Kim)
Yeah, I’m very aware of that!

Kim
He says, pointing at his hair.

Janaya
[Chuckles] I try to grab his hand that has the beanie in it, and I’m like…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Come on, man. You don’t need to continue to embarrass yourself. Like, I know it’s already rough out there. I just need to have as much information as possible. Again, so that if anybody asks, I can have your back. So let’s take it back from the beginning. You were having wine coolers with Faith, and then all of a sudden you guys just hooked up? Like you caught eyes? Like, I don’t want to get into the details, details. But…

Jackson (Kim)
I mean, yeah. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
No one else, on the team?

Jackson (Kim)
Uh, well… Uh… Then there was another party with myself and Faith and Tomas…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Did you hook up with Tomas?!

Jackson (Kim)
Can you not say that so loud?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Sorry! Sorry, sorry.

Janaya
And then I go to close the door. Because at this point, the door has, like, creaked open. So naturally, if anyone is trying to survey…

Kim
Minnie’s like lurking in the hallway.

Janaya
Yes! [Laughs] And I’m like…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Don’t worry about it, Aunt Min. Sorry.

Kim
[Laughs]

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Something came up. I’ll talk to you in a second.

Janaya
And I just, like, close the door.

Kim
[Laughs]

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
You hooked up with Faith and Tomas, at the same time?

Jackson (Kim)
Yeah?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Okay… This is not like the city life. Um… 

Kim
[Laughs]

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
And now somehow, whatever was spread, is now on all of you. After months. 

Jackson (Kim)
Yes.

Janaya
I wonder if then Camdyn goes to check their phone, and goes into the Reddit server and tries to ping Sable. And I look over to Jackson and I say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Gimme just a second. I think I can get someone to help you.

Jackson (Kim)
Okay.

Janaya
Text Sable and say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Hey. Do you have a chance to talk later tonight? I think I got some information on Jackson, and I think it’s connected to Faith somehow. I’ve been seeing in the forums what’s going on, and I just wanna figure all of it out, so… [Laughs]

[Text sends]

Madeleine
Sable’s gonna send back a meme of like a woodland creature – probably like a little bunny rabbit with one eye, peeking through the hands. Like, “ohhh!”

[Text sends]

Madeleine
And then say…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
For you? Of course.

Madeleine
Dot dot dot.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Why?

Madeleine
Question mark.

[Text sends]

Janaya
And I look back at the meme, and naturally send back the Homer meme, as he’s going back into the hedges.

Percy
[Laughs]

[Text sends]

Janaya
And I say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
I think we can put some stuff together, based off of the pictures that were on Walls of the Stalls – Cause I’m a member, now. Clearly.

Kim
[Laughs]

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
I don’t know. Something’s not adding up, and I just want to pick your brain on it.

[Text sends]

Madeleine
Sable’s gonna very sheepishly respond, saying…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah, of course. And maybe we can add some photos of our own to the thread?

Madeleine
Question mark. Winky face.

[Text sends]

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah, maybe.

Janaya
Winky face.

[Text sends]

Kim
Incredible. Let’s go do that.

[Everyone laughs]

Janaya
I’m glued into my phone, right? Camdyn probably has their phone as close to their eyeballs as physically possible. And I just –

Jackson (Kim)
Who are you texting?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Um, don’t worry about it. Just a person I’ve been talking to. You know what? You gave me some, I’ll give you some back. Before I moved here, I was going through Reddit trying to figure out what the hell this place was. Clearly, also before we met each other. And I happened to start talking to this person online. And I think we’re a thing, now?

Jackson (Kim)
You’re blushing.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Okay, relax.

Jackson (Kim)
You love them.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
No! Ugh, god… It’s only been like two days! There’s no way that I could possibly…

Janaya
And my palms are sweating.

Kim
[Laughs]

Janaya
The pajamas are some light color, but you can see the wet. Like, just profusely sweating. I’m like…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
It’s not… [Sighs] It’s not love yet. We haven’t even gone–

Jackson (Kim)
Oh my god. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
What?

Jackson (Kim)
[Laughs] You have it so down bad for this internet person. Stranger danger, Camdyn. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Okay, first of all, we have met in person. So don’t jump to conclusions that I’m just hooking up with strangers online. You hooked up with the head of the cheerleading squad!

Jackson (Kim)
Okay, I knew her for years.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
… Touche.

Jackson (Kim)
[Laughs] Well I hate to keep you away from your busy night, Camdyn. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Ugh, shut up. Just don’t be a creep, and keep your ears to yourself.

Jackson (Kim)
Yeah, I’m gonna put my headphones on. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Thanks.

Janaya
And they, like, shake hands.

Kim
[Laughs]

Janaya
There’s no, like, sibling handshake at this point because they still don’t really know each other that well, but there’s just a camaraderie where it’s like, “Alright, bro. You get me, I get you.” So just the most business handshake. We look each other in the eyes, and I say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Do not turn those headphones off.

Kim
[Laughs]

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Sleep with them on. And cut me some fucking slack.

Kim
[Laughs] Let’s go ahead and advance time slightly, to Camdyn and Sable making good on their promise to meet up digitally.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Goodnight, Aunt Min! I’m going to bed. I got what I needed from Jackson, so you’re all good. Don’t worry about us.

Aunt Minnie (Kim)
Okay, hun. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Okay. Love you! See you tomorrow!

Aunt Minnie (Kim)
Love you too. Sleep well.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
…I will.

Kim
[Laughs] Oh, no!

Percy
That’s as the door is shutting. [Door slam] I will!

Janaya
I will, damnit!

[Everyone laughs]

Percy
Holy shit.

Janaya
The “slam the door, I will” is like, finally some good fucking food. 

I’m just sitting in bed, above covers, trying to, like, rattle my brain of all of the conversations I’ve had the last few days. And I go to my phone and text Sable and say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Hey. I’m free now, if you are.

[Text sends]

Madeleine
Sable immediately calls. Video chat incoming. 

[Crickets chirp]

Madeleine
Sable is currently – she’s climbed out her window, and there’s a tree branch. She can get into her old treehouse that she used to play in when she was younger. And you can’t access it from the ground anymore, because the ladder’s disintegrated at this point. But she can still climb to it.

Cause her parents are in the room next door. Tried to kiss her goodnight, she’s like, “I don’t do that anymore.”

Kim
[Laughs]

Janaya
[Chuckles] Yeah, don’t be weird!

Madeleine
Don’t do that! She’s taken her laptop with her, and has run her ethernet cable out–

Janaya
[Cackles]

Madeleine
–With her, across. Cause…

Janaya
Wifi’s bad in the treehouse.

Madeleine
Yeah.

Kim
She’s got that long ethernet cable.

Madeleine
Oh, yeah. 75 foot cable. Just running, dangling… Wrapping around a branch.

Janaya
The classic Discord ringtone is going off full blast, mind you, on the laptop. And it’s how the iPhone universe works, so when one thing rings, everything rings. So it’s like my computer’s ringing, my laptop’s ringing… All this shit. And I’m like…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Panicked noises]

Janaya
And Camdyn’s throwing stuff and trying to make the bed. They don’t live in a messy room, per se, but it’s just a little disheveled, from –

Kim
Yeah.

Janaya
Throwing stuff down from the school day. And then I sit [clears throat] ever so gingerly on the edge of the bed. And there’s a tiny little table – like a bedside table – that I move to the front. And I just hit the Answer button. And I look directly into the screen, and say…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Sorry that took so long. Uh, just… There was shit everywhere, and I wanted to clean it.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Oh, hello. 

Madeleine
And Sable holds up a little candle, like…

Janaya
[Laughs]

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
I had time to prepare for you.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Oh!

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
I don’t – I’m sorry. This is so dumb. I thought it would be funny.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Laughs] No, no. It’s good. It’s good! Cute candle.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
I should blow this out. I’m in a very flammable space.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Oh! Wait, where are you?

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
My treehouse! 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
You have a treehouse?

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah. If we ever do this in person, I can show you, sometime. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Cool.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
I’ll keep that in mind.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
How… How are… This is so weird. Hi. Hello. How are you?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Hi – good.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
I think I’m probably gonna say that every time I see you now. Sorry. I mean, that would make sense.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. Because that’s how introductions work, right?

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Mmhmm.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Uh, I’m good. Weird day, at the old high school factory. I can’t believe I’ve only been here for like two days, and everything has just kind of gone to shit.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah. Uh, that’s kind of normal, though? So… 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Oh.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Welcome to Hemlock High.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Thanks. Message received, and accepted. [Chuckles] Um… But yeah, before we got on the line I was just talking with Jackson. This is probably not a cool and/or hot thing to say. But I figured I’d bring it up, just to clear my head.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course. Whatever you need.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. I talked to Jackson, and… He’s okay, by the way. I don’t know if you heard the news about the mysterious balding incidents happening across all of the school?

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
…Yeah. 

Madeleine
Sable’s just being very… Very quiet.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Mmhmm. Mmhmm. Crazy, huh? Yeah.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. Super crazy. I know it’s been blowing up on the Reddit server, so –

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Is Jackson okay?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. He’s fine. He’s gonna be home the next couple of days to see if his hair grows back? I don’t know. But he’s gonna make it to the game, for sure. 

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
That was the only thing that happened though, right? It was just the hair?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. There was, like, scabbing on his head, as well. Part of the hair loss, I would assume?

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, sure. Maybe, yeah.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
It was so weird. And I talked to him about it – and this stays between us. Please do not tell anyone else.

Madeleine
Sable crosses her heart.

Janaya
Yeah. Like a virtual pinky swear.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Jackson let me know that he was hooking up with Faith? And I don’t know what, why it backslapped two months later, but I mean I guess it’s a reap what you sow situation, right?

Madeleine
Sable has a delayed surprised reaction, because she forgets that she’s not supposed to have known this information? So for a second is just nodding, like, uh huh. And then goes…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Oh! Wow! Ugh… They were hooking up?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah, I guess so. And somehow Tomas, the hot one, is also a part of it too?

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah. That’s not as surprising.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. I mean, he’s really hot.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
He’s really hot!

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. It’s crazy.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Have you seen the online board? Apparently you’re the hot one, now.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Uh… Hotter than Tomas? Well, he doesn’t have hair.

[Gentle lofi music]

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Well, word on the street – on my street, at least, where I live – is yes.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Cool. Well I hope that the, uh… Hope that the board expands a little bit and invites you in as well. Because, you know, on my street, rumor has it that you’re the hottest one at school.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah, well, uh… I like to keep a low profile.

Janaya
And Camdyn kinda, like, puts their hair back. Because at this point, it’s a little down. Like a low bun sort of situation. And then says…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Well.. You know, uh… If there were two hot people in a space, uh… That’s crazy. What would you do? I don’t, uh… [Chuckles nervously]

Madeleine
[Laughs]

Janaya
Profusely sweating! Camdyn kinda is trying to untie the bun, and all of a sudden you see just billows and billows of bright auburn hair just falling to the ground. Very Rapunzel-style, but it’s not that aggressive.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
[Nervous, awestruck noises]

Madeleine
Sable’s just frozen, watching this happen. And then has a moment of…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
I’ve never… I’ve never seen you with your hair down.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Oh, you know, I figured I was headed to bed after this, so might as well just let it fly free. And, uh, hate to be that guy, but somebody’s gotta have some hair, here.

Kim
[Laughs]

Madeleine
Sable cackles. Sable laughs so hard at that. Sable laughs so hard at that. It’s breaking the tension so good! 

Sable very coyly says to Camdyn…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Is there anything else you were going to do before getting ready for bed?

Janaya
Camdyn looks down at their profusely sweaty pajamas. 

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Um, I hope you don’t mind. My pajamas are just soaked. Do you mind if I change? 

Madeleine
Sable is wearing a hoodie. And just immediately unzips her hoodie and takes her hoodie off. And she’s only wearing a bra underneath. 

Janaya
And Camdyn immediately looks up. And the stare that you often see Camdyn give, it’s a little more loving this time, but definitely, like, cannot take their eyes off of the screen at all. And immediately is hit with…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Oh! I’ve been – I’m so sorry. I just… What a freakin’ weirdo, I’m just staring at a screen. Y-you’re beautiful. My apologies. Here, allow me.

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
[Laughs] No, no need to apologize. Uh… I just figured if we were gonna do anything, one of us had to take the leap first. And I’m happy to do that for you.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
So considerate!

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
And selfish. Sorry.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Laughs]

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
You’re perfect. 

Janaya
Beet red. Immediately. 

So they start to – think of it as a two-piece pajama set that of course matches. And they go slowly, one by one, unbuttoning each button, and softly taking off their top.

Madeleine
Sable’s definitely making it silly, too. In a cute way.

Janaya
[Chuckles] Yeah.

Madeleine
Being like…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
[Mimicking burlesque music]

Janaya
[Laughs] And I’m like…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Laughing] Shut up! Shut up, Sable! Don’t make it weird!

Kim
…Alright. I think I’m gonna step in, now. We’re gonna lose our advertising money on our network television show if I let anything else happen…

Madeleine
Fade to black as the 35 seconds are reached.

Kim
Absolutely.

Cassandra
Yeah, exactly.

Kim
I think just what the camera sees is Camdyn’s pajama top hitting the floor of their bedroom, and then Sable hooking a thumb around a bra strap, and then we tastefully fade to black. 

So a unique facet of Skins in Monsterhearts is that each skin has a piece of their character sheet called the Sex Move. It does seem as though that’s where things are leading, so let’s go ahead and read the both of them. They both trigger simultaneously. We’ll start with Sable’s.

Madeleine
Sable’s witchy witchy Sex Move: after sex, you can take a Sympathetic Token from them. They know about it, and it’s cool. 

Kim
Alright. So what is the Sympathetic Token you’ve taken from Camdyn?

Madeleine
I’m going to be taking an item from Camdyn the next day at school.

Kim
Okay, fantastic. So we’ll see what that is later.

Madeleine
Yes, yes, yes.

Kim
Camdyn, can you read your Sex Move?

Janaya
When you have sex with someone, it awakens something sinister within. The next time you take your eyes off them, they become their Darkest Self.

Kim
…Alright.

Percy
Cookie so good it turns you evil is crazy.

Kim
[Laughs] That’s the name of the episode.

[Everyone laughs]

Percy
Crazy!

Cassandra
That’s the name of the episode, truly.

Percy
Fuck off, that’s crazy. Who wrote this game? 

Janaya
Who wrote this?

Kim
…Avery?

Cassandra
We love.

Kim
Avery, we love.

Janaya
Avery if you’re watching this show, thank you and how dare you.

[Chuckles from everyone]

Kim
We hear the little beep beep sound as the Discord video chat ends. And Sable, something’s different. 

Madeleine
Yeah. Sable has never felt actual, returned affection before. Nagi and Priya have both expressed interest. She’s been very standoffish. They’re not her type. This is the first time she’s been empowered by someone like this? And everything that Camdyn just did for them feels… Hot. Very full. 

[Glitchy, sinister ambience]

Madeleine
Sable feels, like, feverish. Like she can do literally anything right now. And is becoming hyper aware of all of the people in her life that aren’t doing that for her, in that way? And that have brought her pain, and that have made their life uncomfortable, and have put them in situations they don’t wanna be in anymore. And Sable is just sitting there with that, very hyper aware of all the little pawns and pieces that she’s been playing. And how she’s set all these other people up for their own paths and success, with photographing them and documenting everyone else’s stories. And she… She doesn’t wanna sit back anymore. She would like to be important. 

Kim
Please read your Darkest Self. 

Madeleine
The time for subtlety and patience is over. You’re too powerful to put up with their garbage any longer. You hex anyone who slights you. All of your hexes have unexpected side effects, and are more effective than you are comfortable with. To escape your Darkest Self, you must offer peace to the one you have hurt the most.

Kim
Incredible.

[Crickets chirp quietly]

Cassandra
Unbeknownst to Sable and Camdyn, Valley, after what happened on the football field, came to seek out Sable. And then noticed that Sable went into the treehouse and took the laptop. And…
Valley’s a ghost, so she went out there as well, waiting for her moment to chat with Sable…

Kim
[Shrieks quietly]

Cassandra
And happened to witness this entire intimate exchange. 

Kim
[Chuckles nervously]

Cassandra
But didn’t feel it was right to interrupt. So has not revealed herself, but now sees Sable kind of hulking out, I guess? In the witch sense?

[Everyone laughs]

Cassandra
And is now maybe a little more nervous to reveal herself? But she kind of, like, shakes her shoulders and then very quietly says…

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Hi, Sable…

Madeleine
As soon as you say hi, Sable whips towards you. And you can see that her eyes have turned pink. It’s the same pink that her streak of hair is, that nobody can see. 

[Eerie rising tones, glitchy ambience]

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Valley.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Hi…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
What the fuck are you doing here?

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Well, I…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Wait, how long have you been there?!

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Uh… Look, I don’t – I don’t care. I don’t care what you guys do. I’m… Honestly? It’s really sweet and I’m rooting for you–

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
You were there the whoooooole time?

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
I didn’t – I didn’t mean to be! I didn’t quite know how to… How to leave? I just came to talk to you, after what happened with Faith. And, um…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Yeah! And this is how you follow through on that?

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
I 100% know that I screwed up, and I would 100% understand if you didn’t trust me. Um… I know you’re mad, and I deserve it. And I’m sorry.

Madeleine
Sable locks eyes with Valley, and says…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Give me one reason why I shouldn’t end you right now?

Cassandra
Valley doesn’t have one. Valley kind of wants that, more than anything. She’s stuck here.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
I don’t have one. I screwed up, and I deserve whatever you wanna do.

Madeleine
Yeah. Sable’s gonna look at you and make eye contact. And we’re back at Hexcasting, baby!

Cassandra
Alright. Do what you gotta do.

Madeleine
Since I don’t have time to do my traditional double exposure prep…

Kim
Oh, shit.

Madeleine
You meet the target’s gaze and chant at them in tongues.

Kim
[Laughs] Break me off a slice of this.

Madeleine
Sable locks eyes with Valley, the pink growing a little brighter, and says…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
[Chants in Latin]

Madeleine
And we’re gonna cast a little hexy-hex on you. Do you wanna know the effect first, or should I roll?

Kim
Let’s roll first. Let’s make it spicy.

Madeleine
Yeah, yeah, yeah…

Kim
You have the opportunity, should you choose to–

Madeleine
I’m spending a String.

Kim
Yeah. Okay, so let’s go ahead and talk about that. So Strings are a resource in Monsterhearts. During our Session 0, the player characters assigned Strings to each other, according to specific rules in their Skins. And you can spend Strings – or “pull” Strings – to tempt someone to do what you want. So, utilizing your social pressure to convince another Player Character or Side Character to do something. If they’re a Player Character, if they do it, they will get to mark experience. You can spend a String to give them a Condition. You can spend a String to add 1 to the harm that you deal someone when you are Lashing Out Physically or otherwise just invoking harm. Or, you can spend a String to add +1 to your roll against them, which is what Madeleine is choosing to do. So go ahead and roll Hexcraft +1. 

Madeleine
So I’m taking it as a +1, but I’m being sneaky about where I’m getting my String from. I’m actually using a Sympathetic Token as a String in this instance, which as a Witch, I can do. You gain power from Sympathetic Tokens: items of personal significance, taken from others. Valley, Sable saw your corpse when you were freshly dead, and took a souvenir. She took your gold cross necklace. 

Cassandra
Oh my god. So the one that I have on is just a shadow?

Madeleine
Yep!

Cassandra
Wow… Diabolical.

Percy
You snatched her chain? Holy shit!

Madeleine
Oh, yes!

Kim
This is giving Season 1 American Horror Story. 

Madeleine
Yeah. She goes, grabs it from a little box that’s in her treehouse. Grabs it, holds it up as she’s chanting this at you…

And… Please, please, please, give me good dice… It’s an 8!

Kim
So which Hex are you invoking?

Madeleine
Wither.

Kim
Okay. What’s withering?

Madeleine
I would like the necklace that is a shadow on you to have burned into your skin, so you now have a permanent little cross necklace burn on your neck.

Kim
Incredible. And because this is your Darkest Self, all of your hexes have unexpected side effects, and they are more effective than you are comfortable with. How is that manifesting?

Janaya
It’s almost like the 40 Lashes sort of situation? And the shadow that has turned into a burn, it’s something that is being visible on every… On like, all open parts of your body. You expected it to be in the center, but then it just keeps growing, and more and more crosses just start showing up.

Cassandra
It would be interesting if those crosses were showing up in all of these fresh bruises. 

Janaya
Yeah!

Cassandra
That are all over her body from her father.

Percy
Get out of my head!

Madeleine
Yeah.

Cassandra
I got you, Percy. I know what’s up.

Janaya
[Laughs]

Cassandra
I do like the idea of the 40 Lashes vibe of it, to where it’s just, like, it doesn’t always look like a full wrap, but each bruise has a brand of the cross, and you can see the chain kind of, like, falling. So it almost does almost give the illusion of tattoos, but it’s… Yeah.

Kim
That’s good with me if it’s good with you all.

Madeleine
Yeah. Sable’s gonna follow up with just a…

Sable Finch (Madeleine)
Get the fuck away from me.

Kim
Sable, you still need to pick a side effect. I think you’re stuck with it does you 1 harm.

Madeleine
I think I have to take 1 harm. 

Kim
Yeah. So go ahead and take a harm.

Madeleine
Can it be, uh… I go to get out of the treehouse…

Kim
Oh, I like that.

Madeleine
And I… I fall. [Laughs]

Kim
You eat it. Just, out the treehouse.

Madeleine
Yeah.

Kim
I like the notion that you are rounding on Valley. And for the briefest moment, you forget that she’s a ghost and can defy the laws of physics ever so slightly, and you just tumble out of the treehouse.

Madeleine
Yeah. I push her and I’m just – oh!

[Crickets chirp]

Kim
Valley, it’s probably a good idea to get out of here.

Cassandra
Absolutely. Valley floats down from the treehouse, lands on her feet. Looks after Sable and doesn’t know how to fix this right now. Isn’t sure that she’s gonna be able to. But she feels awful. She feels so bad. Like, she should have said something, and now she’s fucked up one of the only relationships that was genuine in her life. So she’s very upset.

But just starts to quietly walk. She’s not necessarily walking home. She’s already out for the night. And for her, even this interaction with Sable is safer than what’s waiting for her at home. So she’s just walking. 

Percy
I think as you are wandering the town, I think you hear a teeny tiny bit of commotion, probably across the street. And I think you will have seen – it’s Yakubu, fence hopping. And you would have probably felt the impact of his large frame doing that, and you notice that he’s taking some kind of shortcut somewhere. 

Cassandra
Do I see that from a distance, or does Yakubu hop a fence in front of me?

Percy
Definitely hops a fence in front of you. And like, I think he’s, like, tunnel-visioned. It’s that moment of, “Nobody notices you. What’s new?” But you definitely notice Yakubu seems to be in his own head. He might even be doing the, like, absentminded talking to yourself. But it’s just like one thing as he heads off, hopping another fence. Probably out more into the woods.

Cassandra
Valley seeing that, and her deepest instinct at all times is to help other people. She follows Yakubu into the woods. She hasn’t made herself aware to him yet, which is a risky thing, considering what just happened with Sable. But she follows at a safe distance, but stays with him as she’s able to.

[A quiet forest at night]

Percy
Yeah, and I think we get to the edge of the forest. I think there’s this hilled area that rolls off to it, and he kinda is just like sitting there. He reaches down and picks up a little rock, and sends it hurtling into the forest. And you just kind of hear him say…

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
How am I gonna figure all this out?

Cassandra
At that point, Valley, to avoid any other bad things happening to her, calls out your name.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Y-Yakubu? Are you okay? Do you need anything?

Percy
With a speed that you don’t expect from a man this big – like, he’s already on his feet and has whipped around at you – I think you see a tiny flash of reflection off of his eyes. And he kinda looks at you and realizes that it’s… Valley. And you watch the softening, and the relaxation.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Jesus Christ, you scared the hell out of me. Yo, it’s late-late, what are you doing out here?

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Oh, you know, just… Trying to find a spot where I belong, I guess.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Oh.

Percy
And he kinda plops back down to the ground. He pats the grass next to him.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
View here’s nice, if you wanna chill.

Cassandra
I think she does right now. So she walks up the hill and sits down very primly. More of that unnatural, like doesn’t quite remember how to move like a person – like a human, an alive human – movement, and sits down next to him with her hands in her lap. But you can see on her arms all of these cross markings, and those were definitely not there at school earlier.

Percy
Valley, you would notice that as soon as he takes his seat, Yakubu has not taken his eyes off you. And there is a mixture of emotions upon his brow. And as you sit next to him, he reaches out and goes to touch the burn.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Yo, what happened?

Cassandra
She lets him touch it. She doesn’t really feel things that much anymore. And I think that even though this burn might have some sensation to it, she doesn’t know for sure. And so she lets him touch it. And I think it does. I think she feels a little shimmer of heat, which would be different for her, because she’s just perpetually cold.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Um… I… [Sighs] I screwed up, like I always do, and… I got what I deserved. I absolutely got what I deserved.

Percy
And you’ll watch as he, like, very gently, like, takes your arm in both of his hands – and his hands are massive. But upon you, they are gentle. He kind of touches the burns slightly, and gauges your reaction. And he hears you say that, and his face scrunches up. 

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
You’re like the nicest girl I’ve ever met. You don’t… You don’t deserve bad things happening to you.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
No, I think I do. I think it just keeps happening for some reason, and I think the reason is I’m just not… I’m just not good enough. I’m not a good enough friend, I’m not a good enough daughter, I’m not a good enough sister, I’m not a good enough Christian. I’m just… I’m just not good enough. It’s just not enough.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Well if it makes you feel any better, I think you’re good enough to go pro with your boxing career. You laid Faith’s ass out! 

Cassandra
You see the smallest hint of color come across her cheeks in this moment, and a little trace of that wicked smile that you would have absolutely seen on her face before she laid Faith out. 

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
I really don’t like it when people are one thing, and pretend to be another. 

Percy
And you say that, and Yakubu lets go of your arm immediately. 

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Heh… Yeah, it’s tough dealing with people that are two-faced… But, you know, you’re not. You’re always straightforward. That’s what I appreciate about you. 

Percy
And he puts his hands behind him and leans back, and kind of, like, gazes out at the forest. And there’s just a little moment of, like, his eyebrow twitching downward just enough as he stares out.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Speaking of straightforward, I’m just gonna ask. Why were you, like, talking to yourself and jumping fences? Like, it seems like you had someplace that you, like, needed to be. And I don’t think sitting on a hill with me is exactly what you had in mind tonight. Are you good?

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Heh… You know, it wasn’t my plan to get seen. This is where I come to think. We all got places like that. And, uh…

Percy
And he kind of, like, scratches his head.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
I fucked up, Valley. Like real bad. I don’t wanna drag anybody else into my stuff.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Well, what if someone were to step in willingly, and help you? Whatever you did can’t be that bad.

Percy
And if you are paying attention, you kind of see Yakubu’s ears twitch at that. And he hazards a glance at Valley for a moment, and he turns and he just looks at her. 

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
I would say that I’m not used to people sticking their necks out for me. And I… I don’t know, would wonder if I deserved something that good.

Valley McAllister (Cassandra)
Well I think you just told me that I deserve better than what I’ve been getting, and I think that you do too. 

Percy
Yakubu bashfully scratches at the back of his head. And he’ll hazard his hand out to take Valley’s and give it that squeeze that he had given it before when they were in class together.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
See, I told you. You’re the best girl I’ve ever met. And you out here, proving it. And not to be too forward, but we’re really lucky we’ve got the most beautiful girl at Hemlock High running for Homecoming Court, now that Faith done got her face messed up. 

Cassandra
Valley is having an internal struggle between loving all of this and feeling absolutely horrifically shameful and guilty about all of this. She still doesn’t know who put her name on the board, but she does like seeing that other people wanted to see Faith taken down a peg. So she smiles, and I think she returns that squeeze to your hand, but is also kind of messing with your fingers, a little bit, and like how long they are. And is just kind of observing that, while you hold hands. But doesn’t say anything back to that. She’s not supposed to think too highly of herself. She’s not supposed to have pride. She’s supposed to live with humility.

Percy
Once again, Yakubu, having been one of the only people that watches you, realizes how much this is. And I think he does, very gently and gingerly, he raises your hand up to his lips, and presses a very soft, respectful kiss to it.

Yakubu Anozie (Percy)
Thank you for tonight. I appreciate it. 

Kim
Valley, per your move Unresolved Trauma, I think this scene clears Traumatized for you.

Cassandra
I agree with you.

Kim
So Valley and Yakubu, both mark experience. 

Cassandra
Oh, cute.

Kim
I’m gonna go ahead and push events to Friday morning. Early. Before school. Camdyn, where do we find you?

Janaya
We find Camdyn about to exit their home, and notices that Jackson is also getting ready for the day. And says…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Hey, um, I know today might be strange for you. So you don’t need to drive me, and I can… I can walk. 

Jackson (Kim)
Are you sure?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. Yeah, I’ve got… I’ve got some stuff I need to think about.

Jackson (Kim)
Okay.

Kim
He turns to you. He’s still wearing the beanie.

Jackson (Kim)
I look okay, right?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah, man. The beanie’s growing on me. I like it a lot. [Chuckles]

Jackson (Kim)
Okay, thanks. I’ll, uh… I’ll see you at the game, if not before?

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. And feel free to text me if you need anything. 

Kim
He hugs you. I think this is the first time.

Janaya
And what if I cry? 

Kim
[Chuckles]

Janaya
And what if I cry? Camdyn accepts the hug and definitely reciprocates back, and kind of holds him a little tighter. And in the hug, says…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
You’re gonna be okay, man. I promise.

Jackson (Kim)
Thanks. Alright. I’ll, uh, I’ll see you at school.

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. 

Janaya
Camdyn goes to leave Jackson and is starting to compile their things, and is trying to find their hair tie because their hair is billowing down their back at this point. And is coming up short, not able to locate it. And just says to themselves…

Camdyn Lithey (Janaya)
[Sighs] Fuck it.

Janaya
And walks out the door.

And on their way over there’s a lot of things going through their brain, ala a teen montage in any high school drama film, where they’re going through the week. They’re thinking to themselves, “Ugh, god. These are the people I’ve met, these are the experiences I’ve had…” It’s almost like a year end wrap up, but not quite. 

[A forest]

Janaya
And then touches their pendant on their neck – the pendant of their parents – and kind of just grips onto it as tightly as they can as they’re walking to school. And gets an inkling to just kind of stop and reflect on it, since they haven’t really had the time to do that.

So they notice that the forest entrance isn’t too far away. Looks at the clock and notices they’ve got a little bit of time, before they have to make it to school. So they start to trickle on down to the forest area, and upon entering the forest trips over a rock. 

[Dark orchestral strings]

Janaya
Very clumsy, that Camdyn. And bumps their head a little bit, to where they become unconscious. And I want this to hopefully be where the Gaze Into The Abyss begins.

Kim
Let’s go ahead and read Gaze Into The Abyss. When you gaze into the abyss, name what you’re looking for and roll with Dark. On a 10+, the Abyss shows you lucid visions, and you take +1 forward to addressing them. On a 7 to 9, the Abyss shows you confusing and alarming visions, but you get your answer nonetheless. 

So Jay, what is it that you are looking for, as Camdyn is slipping into unconsciousness?

Janaya
I’m looking for more clarification on what happened to my parents. 

Kim
I love this. Okay. So go ahead and roll +Dark. 

Janaya
Okay. Well, I believe I have a 9 + 2, 11. 

Kim
So every character’s relationship to the Abyss is a bit different. How does this manifest for Camdyn?

Janaya
As they kind of drift down into unconsciousness, it’s almost like in any coma or unconscious state, where there’s almost like a dream sequence that happens. And you’re like, “What did I miss,” right? Because you don’t know how long you’re out. So I think it comes up as, like, I think I’m awake, but I’m actually not. That’s how real it feels. 

Kim
Camdyn…

Janaya
…Yes?

[A forest at night. Crickets chirp]

Kim
Suddenly it’s night. You see your parents running through this very forest. Running for their lives.

[Eerie, unsettling ambience]

Kim
As they’re being pursued by two monsters. Percy, could you describe the creatures that are pursuing Camdyn’s parents?

[Monstrous groans]

Percy
The creatures are large and hulking. There is almost a mohawk-like strip of fur up and down the spine, to the base of the tail. The tail, which is a little shorter and stumpy. The fur pattern is spotted, tan with dark blacks and browns around it. Their maw is short, but filled with viscous, hateful fangs. And their eyes are pure black. 

The worst part about these creatures, though, is not the look. It is the cackling, yipping laughter that seems to echo from everywhere.

Kim
These two creatures chase your parents into a forested glade. And then you just hear ripping and tearing, and the screams of your parents. And then you hear laughter. That animalistic cackling turns into the laughter of two young women.

And emerging from the forest are two ladies. One looks to be in her, like, out of high school late teens – like 19. One looks to be in her, like, early mid 20s. They’re both very tall. Very muscular and athletic looking. And they are laughing uproariously. Their mouths, their bodies, covered in this dark, slick blood. 

[Eerie rising tone]

Kim
And coming upon this scene is a student that you recognize: Yakubu, who looks on with horror.

Janaya
Pans back over to Camdyn, watching this happen in the dreamspace. And goes to scream, but can’t. You can kind of see – if you’re watching the shot – you can kind of see Camdyn screaming, “Mom! Dad!” Like, “Help! Someone!” And none of it is coming through.

And it’s almost like their body is frozen in that moment, and they can’t move. They can’t go anywhere. All they can do is scream and scream.

[The ambience fades]

Kim
Sable.

Madeleine
Sable’s been quiet for a couple days. 

[A busy high school hallway]

Madeleine
They checked in with Camdyn a couple times. Really rushing to and from school. Getting home quickly. Her wrist is in a brace. Completely has abandoned all attempts at dress code. They’ve also, because I need to take my Sympathetic Token from Camdyn, I have taken Camdyn’s hair tie that they always wear, forcing them to wear their hair down every day.

Janaya
I fucking knew you were gonna say that shit.

Madeleine
[Laughs]

Janaya
Because I… I was thinking about that! 

Madeleine
Yup. But Sable rolls in Friday morning, full to go coffee mug. Sits down at her desk, opens her phone, looks around the room… And you see her just press a button. She’s triggered something.

[Witchy, glitchy tones]

Madeleine
Everyone that has ever posted on the anonymous Walls of the Stalls page gets an email that says…

The Janitor (Madeleine)
Hello from the Janitor. I’ve been busy taking out the trash, and won’t be able to update posts. Doing a bit of spring cleaning. Hope that’s alright.

Madeleine
All of the posts’ anonymous tags have been removed. Everyone’s email addresses are now the usernames for the posts. And the sign off is the picture of Yakubu, partially transformed into a were-hyena. 

The Janitor (Madeleine)
Yours truly, the Janitor.

[Hemlock High theme]

Kim
Hemlock High is a Kitten Marlowe production, edited and produced by Kim Dalton. This episode featured a theme song written and performed by Jason Myers, with additional lyrics by Kim Dalton. You can find out more about us by visiting KittenMarlowe.com, signing up for our newsletter, or following us on socials. For Discord access, exclusive cast talkbacks, ttrpg materials, and more, visit Patreon.com/KittenMarlowe and join the coolest kids in school, our Kitten Marlowe patrons, in supporting artist-driven storytelling. Thanks for listening.