Episode 23: "Pour Death and Defeat Upon Them" – The Sheridan Tapes
CONTENT WARNING: Descriptions of a corpse, loud noises (including explosions and thunder), doppelgängers, despair, paranoia, discussions of suicidal ideation, mental health, medication, and suicide, some strong language
Tape 4-12-27-3-55: Following his arrest of the entity calling itself Anna Sheridan, Sam Bailey attempts to hold her in the Oslow County Police Headquarters, but not everyone is convinced that she is who he claims…
Starring Airen Neeley Chaconas as Anna Sheridan, Jesse Steele as Bill Tyler, Amitola Lomas as Maria Sol, Michael Dostrow as Chief Morrison, and Trevor Van Winkle as Sam Bailey, with original music by Jesse Haugen. Written and produced by Trevor Van Winkle, and made possible by our supporters at Patreon.com/homesteadcorner
For more information and additional content, visit thesheridantapes.com
Script
Outtakes
Transcript
CONTENT WARNINGS: Descriptions of a corpse, loud noises (including explosions and thunder), doppelgängers, despair, paranoia, discussions of suicidal ideation, mental health, medication, and suicide, some strong language
Cold Open
[Nighttime nature sounds: crickets, open air]
[A train rumbles by]
[Someone is running the shower in the background]
[A cassette tape is inserted into the recorder]
[Click]
Anna Sheridan
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
[slower, almost at a whisper]
What good amid these, O me, O life?
[Cassette player motor whirs, then stops]
[Click]
[Main Theme]
Recording Begins
[Cassette noises]
[Click]
[Hiss of static, then fades]
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
[Her handcuffs jangle]
Hmm. Cozy place you’ve got here, detective. Real homely. Oh, is that one way glass? Very contemporary… Ow!
[Sam tightens her handcuffs to the table]
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
That wasn’t very nice.
Sam Bailey
Did that… Actually hurt?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
No… But I’d like you to think that it did. Already recording, huh? Very on top of things… Though I can’t imagine what good you think it will do.
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
Yeah, good luck with that. I doubt you can mess this one up – it’s a bit more complicated than a thirty year old tape deck.
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
I like a challenge. Though to be honest, that just sounds like it has more parts for me to break.
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
I need to go file your paperwork. Can I leave you alone for five minutes without you burning down the station?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
For the last time detective, I’m not to blame for every weird little thing that’s happened around here. The bar fire was a total coincidence.
Sam Bailey
So you keep saying.
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Why not get Maria in to keep an eye on me, hmm? Come on, give her a call… I’m sure she’s gotten over you endangering her friend’s life by now.
Sam Bailey
Just… stay here and stay quiet.
[Footsteps]
[Door opens, then closes[
[“Anna” laughs, then begins to hum “Ring-a-round the rosie.”]
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Ring-a-round the rosie,
A pocket full of posies,
[Distortion]
Ashes! Ashes!
[Distortion]
We all fall… Hello! Detective? Could I please get a glass of water at least? Hello? Treat all your prisoners like this, do you?
[Sighs]
No, he really isn’t there. Great.
[Static rises on the recording]
[“Anna” grunts]
[Static falls]
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Huh. Bit tougher than I thought it would be. Maybe I should be careful what I say in here…
[The door opens]
[Footsteps]
[“Anna” Sighs]
Finally – Jesus Detective, I thought I was going to die of… Oh. Hello.
Bill Tyler
Umm… Hi.
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Who are you?
Bill Tyler
Uh… Lieutenant Tyler… But uh, my friends just call me Bill. I’m sorry, but are you… Anna Sheridan?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
[Laughs]
Yeah. At least, I’m pretty sure I am.
Bill Tyler
Then… sorry, but – What are you doing here?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Oh, just thought I’d get out of that stuffy old halfway house for a change. See the sights. You’ve got quite a nice little police station here – very hospitable.
Bill Tyler
Um… Thanks? Sorry, but… You didn’t really answer my question. What are you doing here?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
[Handcuffs jangle]
Oh? You mean handcuffed to a desk? I’m not quite sure, actually. Would you believe me if I told you I chained myself up?
Bill Tyler
Probably not, no.
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
[Chuckles]
What, no witty retort? And here I thought you were supposed to be the funny one.
Bill Tyler
Are… are you high right now, Miss Sheridan?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Ohhhh, maybe. Quite possibly. You should probably get me out of these cuffs and run some tests, just to make sure.
Bill Tyler
Why would I…
[The intercom buzzes]
Sam Bailey
Bill, meet me in observation. Now.
[The intercom buzzes off]
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
So he was listening after all. Sneaky little man.
Bill Tyler
I – I need to go. Do you need anything?
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Glass of water would be nice. Failing that, the key to these handcuffs would do.
Bill Tyler
I’ll… see what I can do about the water.
[Bill walks out, closing the door behind him]
[“Anna” chuckles, then begins to hum “Ring Around the Rosie” again]
[Click]
[Silence]
Tape 4-12-27-3-55
[Click]
[“Anna’s” humming carries through the speakers]
[Sam fiddles with his recorder a bit, then sets it down]
[The door opens and Bill walks in]
Bill Tyler
Sam, I know you’re going through a lot right now, but this…
Sam Bailey
Hold on.
[He switches off the monitors, and the humming cuts off abruptly]
[Sighs]
Okay, now we can talk.
Bill Tyler
Now we can – Sam, what the hell’s going on? Why do you have Anna Sheridan in our interrogation room, for godssake? And what possible reason would you have to turn off the monitors?
Sam Bailey
Well… first of all, I don’t want her listening in. It’s an old AM system, so I’m pretty sure she could piggyback the frequency if she wanted to spy on us. Secondly…
Bill Tyler
Jesus Sam, I knew you were getting a bit wound up over all this, but I thought that after you found out she was alive, you’d…
Sam Bailey
Secondly – That is not Anna Sheridan.
Bill Tyler
It’s not… Sam, are you feeling okay?
Sam Bailey
Am I…
[Sighs]
Bill, I’m fine. Look, I know how this sounds, but…
Bill Tyler
We checked her fingerprints, Sam. You were there. Unless you think the person in that room hacked our database and happens to look exactly like Anna Sheridan, then I don’t know what you’re…
Sam Bailey
No, that’s not what I’m saying. Look, Anna was hunting something before she disappeared. She called it “the Echo.” It got loose after she found it spelunking in Wyoming, then it showed up at her sister’s house at Christmas two years ago, and now it’s trying to…
Bill Tyler
[Sighs]
Good god, you’ve really drunk the kool-aid, haven’t you.
Sam Bailey
What?
Bill Tyler
Sam, I told you you needed to get some rest before you broke yourself. Do you have any idea what sleep deprivation can do to you? And when you spend all day listening to Anna’s old ghost stories, it’s no wonder you’re…
Sam Bailey
I’m not crazy, Bill.
Bill Tyler
Look I’m not saying you are, but… You’ve got to admit you’re not in the best state of mind either…
Sam Bailey
[Banging slightly on the table]
I am NOT crazy!
Bill Tyler
Sam…
Sam Bailey
Everyone said the same thing about Anna. I said the same thing about Anna. And you want to know what?
I was wrong. I was so goddamn wrong, it’s untrue. And I’m not going to let anyone else suffer because I couldn’t see what was happening right in front of me. Not again.
Bill Tyler
What do you mean… anyone else?
Sam Bailey
I… I don’t know. It just kind of… slipped out.
Bill Tyler
Look, if this is about what happened with De Witt…
Sam Bailey
Do you really think that’s why I’m…
Bill Tyler
It was horrible. It shouldn’t have gone down like that. But you have to admit, he was just a disturbed individual…
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
I think you’re using the wrong tense there.
Bill Tyler
What do you mean, the wrong tense?
Sam Bailey
He is a disturbed individual. Oh right, I didn’t tell you about that. He, um… he isn’t dead.
Bill Tyler
He isn’t… Sam, the bullet hit him right in the heart. No one could survive that.
Sam Bailey
He could. Mostly because he doesn’t have a heart.
Bill Tyler
What like, figuratively, or…
Sam Bailey
Oh for the love of…
[Sighs]
Look, I’ve got a tape of our conversation. It’s in my office. Come with me.
[They walk towards the door]
[Click]
[Silence]
[Click]
[Sound of rummaging through desk drawers]
Bill Tyler
It’s, uh… a bit more of a mess in here than usual.
Sam Bailey
Huh? Oh, that was probably Maria. She was the last one in here.
Bill Tyler
Maria?
Sam Bailey
Maria Sol – She was helping me out with the case. Anna’s old assistant and… Well, girlfriend, it turns out.
Bill Tyler
Huh. Good for her. Wait, why did you sound so surprised about that?
Sam Bailey
About what?
Bill Tyler
Her and Anna dating?
Sam Bailey
I just… I guess I didn’t think of her like that.
Bill Tyler
What, you thought she was straight? How many of her tapes did you listen to, again?
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
Yeah, yeah, it’s obvious in hindsight, I just – I’ve just never been very good with things like this.
Bill Tyler
What, think your gaydar’s busted or something?
Sam Bailey
What? No, I… well, maybe, but – well, more like, I don’t see people like that most of the time.
Bill Tyler
Like what?
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
Look. It’s been like this since I was in high-school: all my friends take one look at someone, decide “Hey, they’re hot,” and want to… well, you know. I don’t feel that way about those people though, but because I’m too afraid to stand out, I pretend I do, and end up dating people I don’t really care about, breaking it off in less than a week, and getting a reputation as a… well, an unfeeling bastard in
the process.
Bill Tyler
What, you?
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
But then, every once in a while, someone sees past that and gets close. Really close. And one day, before I realize what’s happening, I realize I want to spend the rest of my life with them – but they already think of me as their best friend, and don’t want to ruin that. They start dating someone else, I get left behind, and eventually we just… Drift apart.
Does that make sense?
Bill Tyler
Uh… any luck finding the tape?
Sam Bailey
No. I swear, I put it right here a few minutes ago.
[The tapes clack]
Bill Tyler
You know, memory loss is one of the first symptoms of…
Sam Bailey
I didn’t hallucinate the whole thing, Bill. De Witt is alive. I took him out to the flats and interrogated him. He…
[Sam steps closer to Bill]
He stole my pistol and hit me over the head with it. See?
Bill Tyler
What am I supposed to be looking at there?
Sam Bailey
There’s still a cut there, can’t you see it?
Bill Tyler
I don’t know… Maybe? It’s kind of faint for – what, two days ago?
[Sam groans in annoyance, then goes back to searching his desk]
Bill Tyler
Look, I don’t want to cut you off, but if you can’t find the tape – couldn’t we just check the morgue?
Sam Bailey
I’m going to find… What did you say?
Bill Tyler
Can’t we just check the morgue? I mean, if De Witt came back to life, then we should be able to check that pretty easily, right?
Sam Bailey
Holy shit, you’re right.
[Sam drops the tape he’s holding and walks towards the door]
[Click]
[Silence]
[Click]
[The hum of fluorescent lights]
Sam Bailey
Let’s see, it was about… Middle of the room, two rows up, just around the corner from… Ah! Here he is.
Bill Tyler
John Doe. Alias De Witt. Yeah, looks right. You want to…
[Sam cuts him off by pulling the drawer open, then freezes]
Sam Bailey
What the hell?
Bill Tyler
Well… looks like he’s still there to me. That’s definitely a corpse.
Sam Bailey
No, that’s not possible, he was… That’s… that’s not De Witt.
Bill Tyler
What do you mean? Looks like him to me.
Sam Bailey
What? Well, yeah, maybe the hair, but… Look at his face. It doesn’t look anything like him.
Bill Tyler
Well… Not really, I guess. But he’s been dead for nearly a week, it’s probably just… shriveled, a bit.
Sam Bailey
Who the hell is this?
Bill Tyler
It’s De Witt, Sam. Look, whatever you saw, it’s… Well, we’ll sort it out later. Come on, let’s get back up to the interrogation room and…
Sam Bailey
No! It can’t be… It can’t be made up. Not after all that I’ve… after everything that I’ve…
Bill Tyler
Please Sam, just – let’s get Anna out of that room and get you both home.
Sam Bailey
I… I…
[Sighs]
Fine.
Bill Tyler
And you really need to get some rest. I’ll talk to the Chief and get you a…
Sam Bailey
You’re right. I thought I could hold her here, but… I can’t prove this. I can’t prove any of this. We never had a chance.
[He shuts the drawer]
Let’s go.
[Click]
[Silence]
[Click]
[Sam opens the door to the observation room, with Bill close behind]
Bill Tyler
Are you sure you left the key in here?
Sam Bailey
I don’t know – probably. I can’t remember. Give me a second to look.
[Sam rummages]
[Footsteps cross room, then stop]
Bill Tyler
What the hell is she doing?
Sam Bailey
Huh?
[Sam walks over and joins him at the window]
I don’t know… It looks like she’s – talking to herself?
Bill Tyler
Can you turn the monitor back on?
Sam Bailey
Huh? Oh, yeah… No point in having it off, I guess…
[Sam flicks a switch, and the speaker crackles to life]
Bill Tyler (OTHER)
What are you doing here? What are you doing here? Are… Are you high right now Miss Sheridan? Are… Are you… Doing… What, are you high right now? What are you doing… right… here. Are… are… You…Here.
[The voice cuts off with a sudden movement]
[“Anna” begins humming Ring Around the Rosie again.]
Bill Tyler
Sam… She’s looking right at us.
Sam Bailey
Yeah. I guess she is.
Bill Tyler
What was she…
[The door opens in the interrogation room]
Chief Morrison
Miss Sheridan, I am so, so sorry about this. I know you have no reason to believe me, but let me assure you, I had no idea what detective Bailey was doing.
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
It’s alright, Chief…
Chief Morrison
Morrison. And no, it most certainly isn’t. This was completely against my orders, not to mention without cause. I assure you, detective Bailey will face the strictest possible discipline within…
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Oh, please take it easy on him, I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding. I mean, have you seen the guy? He looks like he hasn’t slept since March.
Chief Morrison
[Chuckles]
I’m glad you can have a sense of humor about this. Here, let me take those handcuffs off…
[He unlocks the handcuffs]
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
Ah… Thanks. That’s much better.
Chief Morrison
Of course. Do you think you can see yourself out? I’ve already filled out your discharge papers, but if you want…
Anna Sheridan (OTHER)
No, that’s fine: I’m sure I can find my way out. Thank you, Chief.
Chief Morrison
Of course, Miss Sheridan.
[Footsteps fade out on the monitor]
Chief Morrison
Bailey. My office. Now.
[Click]
[Silence]
[Click]
[Door opens, then closes]
[Sam sighs heavily]
[Muffled footsteps cross room]
[Glass bottles rattle as he sets them down on table]
Bill Tyler
Hey Sam.
Sam Bailey
Jesus! What the hell are you doing in my apartment?
Bill Tyler
Well, giving you back your recorder, for one thing. You left it in observation.
[Bill sets the still running tape player down]
Sam Bailey
How – How did you get in here?
Maria Sol
[Her footsteps]
I let him in.
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
Of course you did. Steal a spare key while you were here, did you?
Maria Sol
Of course I didn’t… I just happened to notice the fake rock in your planter box. You really need to get a better hide-a-key.
Oh, and Alice is fine by the way. She got out of there in time, no thanks to you.
Sam Bailey
Good for her. So. How’d you two meet?
Bill Tyler
You mentioned her when we were in your office. Figured if anyone would have answers, it would be her. Took a while to find her…
Maria Sol
…Mostly because I didn’t want to be found.
Bill Tyler
But – they don’t call me the bloodhound of Bluffdale for nothing!
Sam Bailey
No one calls you that.
[Sighs]
[Footsteps]
Fine. I’m glad you two could team up to give me back my tape deck, but would you both kindly…
[Stops]
Wait. Why is it running?
Bill Tyler
That’s the other thing we’re here to do.
[Beer bottles clack]
That’s quite a lot of beer, by the way. I thought you didn’t drink.
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
Well, it’s my first time on disciplinary probation. Figured I’d experiment.
Maria Sol
And what about these?
[Maria holds up a bottle of pills, shaking them]
Sam Bailey
Been going through my medicine cabinet, Maria? Why am I not surprised.
Maria Sol
Benzodiazepine. Commonly prescribed for insomnia, anxiety, and panic attacks.
Bill Tyler
And also one of the most commonly used drugs in suicide by overdose. Especially when mixed with alcohol.
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
Look, just… make your point, and then get out of here.
Bill Tyler
Sam, we’re not here to make a point, we’re here to make sure you…
Sam Bailey
[Clattering]
Oh, fuck OFF! Neither of you are here for me – you, miss Maria Sol, want to use me to find answers and then drop me the moment I’m not useful, and you, Lieutenant Tyler, want a… a fucking project to fix so you can feel better about yourself. Well guess what? You failed. You lost! No matter how many times you take me to karaoke you’re not going to fix me, and I don’t have any answers about your dead girlfriend, so just – Go home. Both of you. Now.
[Sam scoffs]
[Pulls the top off of one of the beer bottles]
Cheers.
[He takes a swig and coughs]
Maria Sol
Feel better?
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
Yeah. Just swell.
Bill Tyler
Jesus Christ, you two. It’s like listening to an old married couple.
Maria Sol
What? Ew…
Bill Tyler
Sorry, but – it’s true. I mean, just look! You’re both as pig- headed as one another, and both just as likely to end up in an early grave because of it.
Sam Bailey
Maybe that’s where I want to end up, Bill…
Bill Tyler
Sam – Look at me. You’re a good detective…
Sam Bailey
Was.
Bill Tyler
Are. Who cares if Morrison took away your badge? You’re still just as much a detective now as you were yesterday. You still see connections everywhere. You can’t just let things that are wrong stay that way, so you try to fix them. And that’s a good thing, that’s a gift… most of the time. But life isn’t a puzzle you can solve. There isn’t always a solution. And as hard as it is – you’ve just got to accept that.
Sam Bailey
And if I don’t?
Bill Tyler
Well… That’s your choice, I guess. But even so – I mean, even you have to see that this isn’t a solution. This doesn’t fix anything.
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
Maybe I’m just tired, Bill – you think of that? Just… So tired of everything going wrong. Maybe I just can’t lose another fight like this.
Maria Sol
[Clears throat]
That’s, uh… actually another thing I wanted to talk to you about.
Sam Bailey
Oh, for god’s sake…
Maria Sol
I didn’t want to say anything, but… When De Witt knocked you out, you said you couldn’t let this happen again.
Sam Bailey
And?
Bill Tyler
No, she’s – She’s got a point.
Sam Bailey
Not you too…
Bill Tyler
In the observation room, you said you couldn’t let “anyone else” suffer because you missed something.
Sam Bailey
[Sighs]
I’m really not in the mood for this right…
Bill Tyler
Who suffered, Sam? When did this happen before?
Sam Bailey
[Deep sigh]
Agate Shore. When people started drowning, I – I should’ve known why it was happening. I… I did know, but… I didn’t want to say anything. I was too scared to admit that I…
[He swallows]
When I was a kid, I almost drowned swimming in the lake. I remember sinking into the dark, trying to get back to the surface, and then – hearing a voice. I assumed it was hallucination for years, but…
When the drownings started, I couldn’t help thinking that I was the reason why it was happening. I tried to find an answer, some way to undo what I did back then, but… nothing worked. I made a deal with that thing because I was a scared, stupid little kid who didn’t know any better.
It asked me who I’d give to save myself, and I told it – anyone. So that’s who it took. My parents. My home. And the only man who ever loved me the way I loved him.
Maria Sol
And then? What happened next?
Sam Bailey
What do you… You… you already knew that.
Maria Sol
Well, I… maybe a little, but…
Sam Bailey
How the hell could you possibly know that? I never told anyone that story.
Maria Sol
Well, that’s… not strictly speaking true.
[Maria pulls out another tape player, then presses play]
Sam Bailey (RECORDED)
…thought one of them swam in and saved me, but didn’t want to say it… That they didn’t want to scare me. Now I’m not so sure. I never really got the chance to really ask them. The lake took them both back a few months later.
Restore. Restore. Restore. Anything. Anything. Anyone.
[Click. Maria stops the tape]
Sam Bailey
Where… where did you find that tape?
Maria Sol
It was mixed in with Anna’s. I was hoping you could tell me where it came from.
Sam Bailey
I… I don’t know… I thought I lost it in the flood…
Maria Sol
So you don’t remember taking it with you when you left town?
Sam Bailey
What? No, I – I don’t remember… Anything after I left town.
Maria Sol
Nothing? Nothing at all?
Bill Tyler
Easy, Maria, easy – He was in pretty bad shape when I found him outside Oslow. It’s no wonder he doesn’t remember anything.
Maria Sol
Really? Well, let’s jog his memory a bit, shall we?
[Maria ejects the tape, flips it, and presses play]
[A car drives up and turns off its engine]
[Backpack dropped in seat, opened]
[Rummaging]
[A gun loading and cocking]
[Car door opens]
[Car door closes]
[Footsteps moving away]
[BOOM]
[BOOOM]
[Low rumbling sound begins to rise]
[Footsteps return, running]
[Car door opens, Sam climbs in, panting]
[Keys rattle, engine starts]
[Tires squeal, car races away]
[Sam begins coughing violently]
[Semi truck honks]
[Tires squeal]
[The noises of a crash]
[Maria stops the tape]
Bill Tyler
Shit.
Maria Sol
Still don’t remember anything, Sam?
Sam Bailey
Oh my god… I… I thought it was just… a nightmare…
Bill Tyler
Hold on… Are you saying that he – that Sam blew up Arrowhead Dam?
Sam Bailey
Restore. Restore. Restore.
Maria Sol
So what was it, then? The voice telling you what to do? Possession? Some kind of compulsion?
Sam Bailey
No… I… I don’t know. Maybe a little, but… I don’t think that’s all it was.
[Swallowing]
I think… I thought it was the only way to make it stop. To save everyone.
Bill Tyler
Wasn’t everyone already… gone at that point?
Sam Bailey
They would’ve come back. People always came back.
[Sighs]
There was no getting away from Agate Shore… Not while there was still an Agate Shore to come back to.
[Sighs]
I had to put an end to it.
Bill Tyler
God. And here I was thinking you were completely boring.
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
I wish that were true.
Maria Sol
So… what now?
Bill Tyler
Well, we need to stop this – Echo thing, first of all.
Sam Bailey
[Scoffs]
Good luck. Chief basically gave her a free pass – and he wants me to give her back the tapes by the end of the week.
Maria Sol
Anna’s tapes?
Sam Bailey
Yeah. I convinced him I had a few here that I needed to get together before I did, but…
Maria Sol
Oh god…
Bill Tyler
What, is that a problem?
Maria Sol
It’s already a near perfect copy of Anna – if it gets those tapes, it can fill in the last few blank spots, and then good luck proving she’s not real.
Bill Tyler
Okay… Definitely can’t let that happen. So… any way to stop this thing?
Maria Sol
No… At least, if there is, Anna never found it. We can’t kill it, we can’t contain it, and we can barely even slow it down.
Bill Tyler
So what do we do?
[Sam scoots back his chair, crosses the kitchen, and throws the beer bottle in the trash]
Sam Bailey
First off, we stop that recorder. Then we get to work.
Maria Sol
You’ve got an idea?
Sam Bailey
Yeah. And I think you’re actually going to like this one.
[Clack and clatter as tape ejects]
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