Homestead on the Corner

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CONTENT WARNING: Existential dread, terror, and loud noises including fire and screams

01312020: In the aftermath of disaster, another tragedy comes to horrifying light.

Starring Amitola Lomas as Maria Sol, Liz Hull as Alice Kearnes, Van Winkle as Sam Bailey, Ezra J. Wayne as Ned Leroux, Virginia Spotts as Kate Sheridan, Sam Taylor as Ren Park, Chris Martin as Robert Quincy, Jesse Steele as Bill Tyler, Kris Allison as Dana Caldwell, and Sarah D. Stone as the nurse, with original music by Jesse Haugen. Written and produced by Virginia Spotts, with dialogue editing and sound design by Van Winkle.

This episode was made possible by our supporters at Patreon.com/homesteadcorner, ko-fi.com/homesteadcorner, and our backers on Seed&Spark.

For more information, additional content, and episode transcript, visit thesheridantapes.com

Script

Transcript

CONTENT WARNING: Existential dread, terror, and loud noises including fire and screams

[Ocean waves crashing in the distance]

[Seagulls calling out]

[The clink of silverware]

Maria Sol

I treated you like shit, Alice. I was awful to you.

Alice Kearnes

It was pretty rough, I’ll admit.

Maria Sol

It was more than that! Alice, I feel awful about our time in Big Sur. The way I acted… it was like you were a stranger who couldn’t possibly understand. But we lived together — you knew Anna a little, even. I could have trusted you more. I should have. You didn’t deserve the way I treated you. You’ve always been kind.

[After a slight pause]

Alice Kearnes

I forgive you, Maria. Or course I do.

Maria Sol

Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like you have to. You can be mad at me if you want—

Alice Kearnes

Yeah, but… I don’t want to be mad. I’m just glad to hear from you again. And this apology is more than enough… I mean it.

Maria Sol

You’re sure?

Alice Kearnes

Yes, I’m sure. Grief is… grief is a lot. I know it is. And Anna was the love of your life.

Maria Sol

She… Yeah.

[Clatter of dishes]

Alice Kearnes

I hope we can stay in touch. With… whatever else you’ve got going on next.

Maria Sol

I hope so too.

[Maria’s cell phone vibrates; she takes it out]

Oh… sorry, I’ve gotta take this.

[She steps away and answers the call]

Kate? What’s up? [pause for listening] What do you mean they’re missing? [pause for listening] Oh my god. Where are you guys now? [pause for listening] I’ll start heading your way in less than an hour, I can be there in less than a day— [pause for listening] But— [pause for listening] Okay. [pause for listening] Yeah. [pause for listening] No, you’re right. Better to be careful. [pause for listening] Same to you, Kate. I’ll let you know what I find. Please take care of yourself. [pause for listening] I will. Good luck.

[Maria hangs up, pauses, then walks back to the table]

Talk about a dramatic end to the conversation.

Alice Kearnes

So. Already got something new then?

Maria Sol

Sounds like it. Sorry, I’m… processing.

[Alice scoots back in her chair]

Alice Kearnes

It was good to see you again, Maria.

Maria Sol

It was good seeing you too, Alice. I’m sorry for having to leave like this. Again.

Alice Kearnes

It’s alright, friend. While you were here, you were all the way

here. And… I know that isn’t easy.

Maria Sol

Thank you for saying that.

Alice Kearnes

See you around, Sol.

Maria Sol

See you later, Kearnes.

[Maria sets down some money, then walks towards her van]

[Cassette noises]

[Click]

[Main Theme]

Recording Resumes

[Cassette noises]

[Click]

[Static fades]

[Steady beep of heart monitors in the ISPHA medical tents]

Kate Sheridan

Sam… Bill and Rob are gone.

[Heavy pause]

Sam Bailey

…gone? 

Ned Leroux

What the hell do you mean, gone?

Ren Park

We don’t know yet… not exactly.

[Sam shifts in his bed]

Sam Bailey

What? They’re not in Oslow?

[Kate takes a step towards him]

Kate Sheridan

Sam, please just listen… 

Ned Leroux

Then how about you start giving us some actual answers? What’s happening in Oslow?

Ren Park

Like I said — we don’t know. Caldwell seems to have revoked my access to anything involving Oslow. My searches don’t pull up anything on the server.

Sam Bailey

So Bill and Rob could still be there, right?

Kate Sheridan

Sam, I’ve tried calling them several times. The call just disconnects right away.

Ned Leroux

Then how do you know they’re gone? 

[Pause; distant noise of machinery working]

Ren Park

We do have… one thing.

Kate Sheridan

Oh God… 

Ren Park

I have to show them, Kate. Do you need to leave the room?

Kate Sheridan

No. No, I’ll be okay.

Ned Leroux

What is it?

Ren Park

Let’s just say… Kate and I might not have been able to remember Bill and Rob at this point, if not for this recording.

Ned Leroux

What the hell does that mean?

Sam Bailey

…Show me.

[Ren steps closer, pulls out his phone]

Ren Park

I managed to pull this off the servers before it disappeared. It looks like the two of them kept their promise in Oslow — Rob continued to run experiments on Bill at ISPHA’s direction.

This might be hard to hear.

[Click]

[Cut to the sounds of someone digitally accessing a file]

[Beep]

[Digital static fades]

Rob Quincy

Bill, where are you going? I just started the uplink.

[Bill rummages in the kitchen]

Bill Tyler

Sorry, I need some water!

Rob Quincy

Oh my God Bill, we’ve been setting up for like… ten minutes already.

Bill Tyler

I know, sorry!

Rob Quincy

Ready whenever you are… 

[Bill fills a glass at the kitchen sink]

[Bill finishes filling the glass and takes it with him over to Rob]

[He walks back over to Rob and lies down]

Bill Tyler

Alright — I’m ready.

Rob Quincy

You’ve been so much more forgetful these days… are you sure you’re okay?

Bill Tyler

Blame it on my surroundings, it’s chaos in here.

Rob Quincy

That’s what we get for not cleaning up before ISPHA kidnapped us… Oh shit — I mean… just please don’t take that, uh… personally.

[Bill laughs dryly; Rob clears his throat]

[He opens a manual]

Rob Quincy

Alright, this is Origo Protocol experiment 11-Alpha, iteration 6. Bill… are you comfortable?

Bill Tyler

I mean, it’s hardly a day spa in here.

Rob Quincy

Bill, you know I love your jokes, but you have to answer these questions first. It’s in the handbook.

[Rustle of paper as he lifts a spiral-bound notebook]

Bill Tyler

Yes, sir… 

[Rob clears his throat again]

Rob Quincy

Bill, are you comfortable?

Bill Tyler

Yes.

Rob Quincy

In a moment I will begin counting backwards from 10. As I do so, you will feel yourself progressively relaxing, as if descending a staircase. Your body will feel heavier with each count. 10… relax. 9… you sink deeper. 8… 7… 6… your body is now very heavy… 5… 4… you see a door ahead… 3… 2… deeper… 1…

You stand in front of the door. You take a moment to notice what the door is made of. What the handle looks like. Beyond this door is your inner sanctum. You turn the handle and open the door.

Let the scene in front of you become fully real to you. Now… step into it.

[Slight static on the recording]

Have you stepped into this place?

Bill Tyler

Yes.

Rob Quincy

Be careful not to allow your answers to bring you out of this state. When you speak, you speak from that place of stillness, without rushing. Say “yes” if you understand.

Bill Tyler

Yes.

Rob Quincy

Good. [Rob turns a page] Please describe what you see around you.

Bill Tyler

A… fire. Burning in a cage… in one corner of the room. And then… footprints that lead to a darkened, open doorway. And next to that… a garden. But… one row is empty while the rest flourish.

Rob Quincy

Please note that these are all images that Bill has seen during previous iterations. Bill, would you please walk toward the garden and tell me—

Bill Tyler

The doorway… is… 

Rob Quincy

Stay in that calm, Bill.

Bill Tyler

The darkness beyond the doorway. It’s… it’s growing.

Rob Quincy

Try to stay relaxed—

Bill Tyler

It’s seeping into the corners of the doorway. And it looks like… hands… 

Rob Quincy

Hands?

Bill Tyler

Hands of darkness, crawling and grasping out of the darkness beyond. Pulling the darkness along behind them.

[Static increases]

Rob Quincy

Alright. Uh… [Rob scans the manual for help] Stay in that moment… 

Bill Tyler

They’re filling the room. Crawling over the edges of the garden. And the fire in the cage is burning tall and bright. The cage is melting away. [Bill gasps] The fire is changing again. It’s a… ball of flame.

[The sound of burning, something major zaps in front of him]

[Static increases]

[Bill flinches]

[The ball lightning hovers in front of Bill]

It’s… it’s in front of me… 

[Flames roaring]

[Bill begins to panic; Rob’s panicked breathing can be faintly heard]

Rob… Rob!! We need to stop! It’s dragging me towards the door, it’s pulling me into the dark—

Rob Quincy

—Could you not hear me counting you back out?! The session ended!

[Bill panics; Bill and Rob struggle against the magnetizing ball of flame]

[Visions of other times and places appear near them]

[Echoes of Ned’s voice]

Bill Tyler

Is that Ned? Ned! Ned!!

Rob Quincy

I see him too!

Bill Tyler

Come on, we need to find him!

Rob Quincy

Bill! Bill, hold on… 

[Bill helps Rob to his feet]

[They run]

[Digital distortion]

[Transmission fades to static]

[Beep]

[Sam, Ned, Kate, and Ren sit in stunned silence, back in the medical tent]

[The heart monitor beeps]

Kate Sheridan

[After a heavy sigh] Now you know.

Sam Bailey

What do we know?

Ned Leroux

Don’t play dumb, Bailey. Morrison has something to do with this. He’s taken them.

Ren Park

I’m surprised you’re so concerned.

[Ned turns to look at him]

Ned Leroux

What’s that supposed to mean?

Ren Park

Last time I saw you, you were threatening my friends’ lives.

Ned Leroux

Last I heard of you, you practically had them institutionalized.

Ren Park

I never had them caged.

Kate Sheridan

Ned, Ren — please.

Sam Bailey

When was this transmission received?

[Ren checks the file]

Ren Park

Timestamp was 6:34pm, yesterday. Around the same time as the collapse.

Sam Bailey

The Oroborus… it was talking about how someone was coming. How it and foribus oraculi and maybe other powers were all taking what they could into the Source for survival.

Kate Sheridan

Ned, what do you mean Morrison has something to do with this? Isn’t he… you know, out of the picture?

Ned Leroux

Unfortunately not. He… changed. Down in the tunnels. He made a deal with something to survive, and if he did to Bill and Rob what I saw him do to Spengler… 

Ren Park

I suppose anything goes at this point, doesn’t it?

Sam Bailey

Sorry?

Ren Park

I listened to Amy’s tape, Sam. Kate could barely remember what it was, but that made sense once I listened to it.

This world is an illusion. An illusion of order and safety, and the chaos beyond is the only true reality. This moment, right now, could be completely overwritten without us even noticing. So I suppose I’m… I’m a little lost on what I actually know for sure, at this point.

Kate Sheridan

I wish I could remember what tape you’re—

Ned Leroux

Bill and Rob are in the Source. They’ll be… unmade.

Sam Bailey

Is it possible that they were just… pulled into another dimension by Morrison? I doubt he’d want to go into the Source either. Or… or maybe this footage was tampered with somehow?

Ren Park

I don’t know anything for sure, Sam.

[Sam tries to get out of bed]

Kate Sheridan

For God’s sake Sam, just stay in bed a few more minutes.

[Monitors beep frantically]

Sam Bailey

I need to think.

Kate Sheridan

Look I know you heal fast, but not that fast.

[Kate turns off the monitors]

Ned Leroux

Morrison was talking about the new world he was creating. He told me to go warn my friends… I didn’t know Bill and Rob were already in Oslow — how could I have known that??

Sam Bailey

Why would Morrison pull them into the Source in the first place? What could he possibly have to gain by doing that?

Kate Sheridan

I don’t like where this is going.

Ned Leroux

Yeah, what she said.

Sam Bailey

Morrison let you escape so you could warn us, Ned. He’s… he’s luring us after him. Trying to distract us from trying to find Anna. It’s a trap.

Ned Leroux

Listen, I didn’t know he would stoop this low, but we can’t just let him take Bill and Rob away—

Kate Sheridan

What are we supposed to do?

[Pause]

Sam Bailey

We don’t have enough information.

Ned Leroux

We know enough, Bailey. Your friends are at the mercy of a madman. And I’m not gonna just sit here—

Kate Sheridan

—Sam, you know I want to get Anna back more than anything, but don’t you think we should find out what happened to Bill and Rob first?

Sam Bailey

And how would you two propose that we find them in the Source, hmm? With Morrison crouching in the dark, waiting to pounce?

Ren Park

Oh, this is so above my paygrade… 

Kate Sheridan

Sam, if Morrison took them into the Source, and Anna is also in the Source… surely we can get them all back.

Sam Bailey

Again — this is an obvious trap.

Ned Leroux

They’re your friends, you piece of shit—

Sam Bailey

—We need to find Anna. That’s our first priority. If what Amy told us is true, then she’s the key to making sure it all doesn’t come unraveled.

Ned Leroux

“It”?

Sam Bailey

Time, Ned. If we save Bill and Rob but lose ourselves in the Source, then we lose it all anyway. We risk losing them all over again.

Ned Leroux

Wasn’t expecting the heel turn, Bailey.

[Kate steps towards him]

Kate Sheridan

Sam, we should think about this before we make any decisions one way or another—

Sam Bailey

—That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. Until we have more, we’re not jumping into this fire. I’ve made that mistake enough times to know better.

Ren Park

I wonder how much time we have left until the end? [Ren scoffs] If Amy Sterling heard me say that… 

[Click]

[Silence]

[Typing as someone accesses a digital file]

[Dial tone]

[Beep]

[Caldwell walks through the wintery desert; cold wind blowing]

Dana Caldwell

—I’ve told you a million times, we are launching the most aggressive recovery project possible, given the circumstances. The emergency tent village is assembled and secured. We’ve kept the remaining Searchers contained. And need I remind you, a research facility worth more than $724 million dollars collapsed into the desert less than 12 hours ago. I am doing my very best to keep it together.

[She takes a second to regain some composure]

Yes, I assure you we are taking adequate documentation of the damage.

[Beep]

[Silence]

[Click]

Sam Bailey

We need to get back to Oslow. We need to know what Morrison’s up to.

Kate Sheridan

Agreed.

Ned Leroux

Fine. “Know your enemy,” and all that.

Kate Sheridan

And then we can find a way to get all three of them out.

Sam Bailey

Has anyone heard from Jerry?

[Click]

[Silence]

[Beep]

[Dana’s footsteps]

Dana Caldwell

I concur. The remaining Searchers are more important to ISPHA than ever. For one, they all survived. Two, we may find some use from the creature we found down in the rubble with Sam. And three… Sam Bailey may be the only person on our payroll who can safely interact with the Source. Plus… every mission needs a good guard dog.

[Beep]

[Silence]

[Click]

[Dial tone, disconnect]

Kate Sheridan

Jerry’s phone wouldn’t connect either. But… there’s something else.

[She flips her phone around]

Bill and Rob’s numbers aren’t in my phone anymore.

Ned Leroux

Fucking hell… 

Sam Bailey

I guess they really have been pulled into the Source.

Ren Park 

But not Jerry?

Sam Bailey

That must mean he’s still out there. Even if the line won’t connect.

Ned Leroux

Welp.

[Squelch and jingle as Ned morphs his way out of his cuffs]

Let’s get a move on. No time like the present.

[Ned stands and walks to the exit]

Ren Park

Oh, why did we think that would work?

Kate Sheridan

Ren… are you coming?

[Click]

[Silence]

[Beep]

Dana Caldwell

I’m glad we’ve reached an understanding. Your cooperation means everything to me.

[Caldwell stops walking and addresses a Nurse]

Are they in here?

Nurse

[Slightly dazed] Oh! Uh, yes sir.

Dana Caldwell

Thank you.

[She takes a deep breath and steps through the tent]

[She sighs]

Goddammit.

[She steps back outside and addresses the Nurse]

Where are they?

Nurse

They went… um… they must be sleeping.

Dana Caldwell

Sam Bailey… 

Nurse

Oh no… I saw them! I think they… the one you told me to keep the closest eye on… 

Dana Caldwell

Yes?

Nurse

He told me they were free to go. And so… oh no, was that wrong?

[Caldwell sighs and addresses the person on the phone]

Dana Caldwell

I’ll have to call you back.

[Call disconnects]

[Silence]

[Typing as someone accesses a digital file]

[Dial tone, Maria answers]

Maria Sol

Kate? What’s up?

Kate Sheridan

Maria, uh… there’s no easy way to say this, but, um… Bill and Rob are missing.

Maria Sol

What do you mean they’re missing?

Kate Sheridan

We don’t know yet, but… we think Morrison did something. We’re on our way to Oslow to find out.

Maria Sol

Oh my god. Where are you guys now?

Kate Sheridan

Not too far from Meriwether. Hoping to make it to Arizona tonight.

Maria Sol

I’ll start heading your way in less than an hour, I can be there in less than a day—

Kate Sheridan

Maria, we need you to stay where you are.

Maria Sol

But—

Kate Sheridan

You have Anna’s manuscript. You have a closer connection to Anna than any of us… You might be able to figure out what she was getting at.

Maria Sol

Okay… 

Kate Sheridan

Plus, whatever we’re heading into… honestly, we don’t know what we’ll find. We can’t afford to have you or Anna’s manuscript anywhere near Oslow right now in case it all goes South. Does that make sense?

Maria Sol

Yeah.

Kate Sheridan

I’m sorry, Maria. I really wish you could be here. I really, really wish that.

Maria Sol

No, you’re right. Better to be careful.

Kate Sheridan

We’re counting on you. Keep us updated.

Maria Sol

Same to you, Kate. I’ll let you know what I find. Please… take care of yourself.

Kate Sheridan

You take care of yourself too.

Maria Sol 

I will. Good luck.

[Beep; call ends]

Recording Ends

End Theme & Credits