Context: Three years ago, a wife murdered her husband and the town went insane. For three years, the small mining town of Lodestone produced windless cyclones that people like you can ride, it drove men mad, drove people to mine, and far worse. In that time, it's just been you and some of the other women left behind trying to keep the town from completely losing it with no way to contact the outside world... until tonight.

Setting: Lodestone Town Hall

Tags:[FF4F][Muscle Mayor Speaker][Hot Shot Reporter Speaker][Muscle Gang Listener][Supernatural][Mystery][Horror Elements][Muscle Mommies][Riding Cyclones][Not a Euphemism][Slight Eldritch Horror][TW: Mentions of Murder/Gang Violence]

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[M] = Mayor Salem

[R] = Parker Gillespie, reporter

[Scene opens in Lodestone Town Hall]

[SFX: Chatter heard from backstage]

[You stand with the Mayor of the town, hurriedly helping her get into a nice suit while she shakes her head in disbelief]

[M, quiet] “Three years of no one bein’ able to help us and, all of a sudden, some hotshot reporter is busting down town hall and looking for answers…”

[Pause…]

[M] “I mean I’m glad you didn’t punch her head off either, sweetheart, but… this isn’t right.”

[Pause]

[M] “I know… We can’t trust her anymore than anyone else that has tried to help… but, if she can get the word out to the world, maybe there’s hope for us…”

[Pause <3]

[M, with a weak smile] “How do I look?”

[Pause <3]

[M] “Heh, thanks. It’s the only suit I haven’t ripped on accident since we started our little gym routine, haha. Gonna have to thrift another soon if I’m not careful.”

[Pause]

[R, from outside] “Miss Salem! Ready when you are!”

[You both sigh together before she turns, straightens her spine, and steps outstage]

[M] “Alright, darling! Go ahead and start recording!”

[SFX: R’s crew starting recording/R talking to the camera:]

[R] “Greetings, America! This is Parker Gillespie and we’re here tonight with Mayor Mira Salem in a town that’s gone crazy - Lodestone. A few years ago, it became completely inaccessible from the outside world. Reports said that women were riding cyclones about and the men had started to be drawn to the nearby mine. After three years of radio silence, myself and my team have FINALLY crossed the threshold and are interviewing with the Mayor. Miss Salem, whenever you’re ready!”

[Pause]

[You nod to Mira and she nods to you]

[M, with a smile] “Hello, America. Hello, world, I should say! I’m sure you’ve all heard wild stories about our little town over the last few years and, well, I don’t blame you for being curious. A little Southern town in the middle of nowhere suddenly manifesting all these weird quirks? Lord knows what the ‘internet’ must be speculating. While things are calm now, we are still in an active crisis. I understand Miss Gillespie’s risk in coming here, though, so my associate and I will do our best.”

[Pause]

[She takes a sip of her ginger ale, not bothered at all by people hanging on the edge of their seats]

[M] “Well, here’s the story from the horses’s mouth, so to speak. About four years ago, our little town was rocked by a murder case of one Charleston Rudivel at the hands of his wife, Anne Marie. The town was split on opinion, of course, murder is hardly ever justified, but those who knew Charleston knew he was a drunk with a foul temper and quick to strike anyone around him when so. Funnily enough, the argument seemed to split the genders more than households… That’s where the funny business began, really. The day they sentenced her to life in prison. She didn’t say a word, nor will she.”

[R] “Then is the running theory that Miss Anne Marie Rudivel is the cause of the supernatural occurrences in Lodestone?”

[The Mayor offers a polite smile]

[M] “The ‘running theory’ is that ‘we ain’t got a clue’. This has always been a mining town, as long as it’s stood. Men go to the mines, ladies stay home to pick up the rest, and we do our best to be good to one another. Next we know, cyclones were picking up everywhere. They were windless, though…No one had an explanation for them… Then, well, my friend here reached out and grabbed one day, as a joke… and she was lifted in the air like on the back of some invisible Pegasus or some sort! Spooked me good, haha…”

[She nods to you and you look out the crowd, arms folded and phone hidden against your arm]

[R] “Ma’am, you rode the first cyclone? Can you comment on the experience?”

[Pause…]

[R] “... ‘Surprising’, noted…”

[The Mayor laughs]

[M] “Don’t you mind old Thorn here! She might be a mountain of muscle but she’s just a touch shy.”

[R] “Actually, Miss Mayor? It seems like a lot of the women in the town are, forgive me for this, rather built. Is that a result of the curse?”

[The Mayor laughs again and flexes an arm]

[M] “Hell, that’s what happens when you’re left to do all the heavy lifting, sweetheart! I put together a little fitness program a few years back so we could shape up a bit and fill what spaces were left. It might have been a little too effective, granted…”

[SFX: A slight rip of fabric]

[M] “Oh, bless, I just fixed this darn pantsuit and one flex of my arm tore it! I swear… Ahem, our physicalities aside, I’d like to focus on the more important fact here.”

[R] “The men who won’t leave the mine…”

[Pause]

[SFX: A muted phone notif/the Listener exchanging messages while the Mayor and Reporter speak]

[M] “Correct… We have seventy fathers, brothers, sons, nephews, et cetera all inside the Lodestone mine, refusing to leave. We send food and water, and the cops tell us they’re OK, they just… won’t leave the mine. We don’t want our boys hunched in the dark, losing their minds, and we need help making sure they come home safe.”

[R] “Even after the incident two years ago?”

[Pause]

[M, smiling] “I reckon you mean when Mr. Anders done tried to lead his sexist little revolt and take over the town? Hehe, that certainly wasn’t our best look. I will say that the ladies of Lodestone, conventional or not, have all felt a bit more apprehensive around our men, which is the last thing we want.”

[R] “Doctors have noted they could find no physical changes in the men that were examined before returning to the mines. Were you aware of this?”

[M] “We found out the same time as you, Miss.”

[R] “Well, what about-?”

[SFX: A phone alarm]

[The Mayor holds her hand up]

[M] “Do forgive me but I did say I could only answer a few questions for now, ma’am. We’ll reconvene just as soon as the crisis dies down a bit. Thank y’all for your time.”

[SFX: The Mayor joining you backstage/the crowd murmuring in interest]

[Pause?]

[M] “I think that went well, don’t you?”

[Pause.]

[She sighs, changing out of her nice clothes and into something a lot grungier]

[M] “I know, I know… Let me get out of this damned suit and into my work clothes. We need to go and have a chat with Ronnie about his attitude as of late… Bonnie and Phylis said they’d meet us outside his porch when the time came… From the look on your face, I’m guessing it has…?”

[Pause.]

[She sighs and wraps her knuckles]

[SFX: Knuckle wrapping]

[M] “Lord… I will need a stiff drink after today… We best not let that reporter catch wind of Dust Bunny business, I reckon… Hard to justify gang activity.”

[. . .]

[M] “Yep. No point in arguing over it. Call your cyclone down and let’s get this over with.”

[SFX: Things being disturbed like there should be wind, but without the sound of wind]

[The strange presence wraps around you both as you grip onto some nondescript area within it]

[SFX: Fade out on the wind chimes rattling with no wind]

[To be continued?]