Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

The Owl King's Summer

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

[E] = Eli, your boyfriend

[S] = Sammy or Sam, his disabled big brother [NOTE! He uses text-to-speech to communicate!]

[J] = Oh no…

Context: It was your first day at a new school, and the first words you heard after 'Welcome' were 'Don't talk to the boy with the scars!'. It was repeated by everyone, but no one would explain why. You decided to learn for yourself by bringing him his lunch, and... you made a friend! His name is Eli, and he's apparently the Devil himself. He's not, though. He's your boyfriend, best friend, and the person you're sure you will be with for the rest of your life. It feels like you were meant to find each other and now, after graduation, it is the Owl King's Summer...

Setting: Home…

Tags:[MMM4A][Established Relationship][Mysterious Masked Boyfriend Speaker][Disabled Big Bro Speaker][Surprise Cultist Speaker][Friendly New Kid Listener][New Family][Revelations][Horror][Comfort][Betrayal][TW: Injury/Cults/Murder]

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[Scene opens at home]

[BGM: Standard fifties fare]

[SFX: Paper unfurling]

[As you watch, Eli unfurls a large bit of paper across the table]

[Pause?]

[E] “Here… it’s a map of our legal property with the house and land. You can see it actually stretches back into the forest a good bit, right? That’s because it’s sort of a soft conservation area for certain species. We’re allowed to set traps for any invasive species or predators that might disturb us. It takes a long time to get back here off the pain path, and Sammy and I have made sure that route ‘flooded’.”

[. . .]

[E] “I know it seems like a lot… Back when our family started pressing Grandma about the will, Sammy and I worked this plan out. It was overkill, obviously, but we were kids and all we knew was that bad people could come and hurt us in the night… That’s basically the same thing we’re operating under now, really…”

[Pause…]

[Eli gives you a gentle smile and puts an arm around you]

[E] “C’mere… it’s OK, and it’s not too much trouble, alright? We’re going to figure this out…”

[. . .]

[E] “Tabby, I know it seems like some of these traps are harsh. Even to potential wildlife… but you have to trust that I know what I’m doing, OK?”

[Pause…]

[E] “...What do you mean ‘you’ve heard that before’?”

[Pause…]

[BGM: Their normal 50s music, a bit somber in tone]

[E] “...I’m… I’m sorry… You’re right, I didn’t even realize I was railroading you like that… Especially given what you grew up with.”

[Pause…?]

[E] “Am I sure this is the only way…? No. Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard Castor Nilhelm?”

[...?]

[E] “Mmhm… and that’s the way this town prefers it. See, old Castor was a man that was good at pissing people off. All of them. Men, women, babies, dogs, cats, didn’t matter. He was just a certified piece of trash that used and abused people as he saw fit. Fancied himself some sort of low-rent mob don or something…”

[Pause…?]

[E] “What happened to him? Well, one day, he pressed an older man for his money and the old guy shot him dead, right in front of the whole town… Funny thing about small towns, you know? Sometimes, things just happen… Takes the police an hour to get here by car, longer back then. The point is… this town understands the golden rule: don’t start nothing, won’t be nothing. These people started something that I intend to finish.”

[. . . ?]

[Eli chuckles]

[E] “Yes, the old man that shot him was my Grandfather, funnily enough… and Castor was his nephew.”

[Pause!]

[He barks out another laugh, almost choking from being caught off guard]

[E] “Yes! My family is quite good at familicide! Hehe… Oh, I’m not mad, that was a good joke, c’mon… C’mere…”

[SFX: Snuggles/faint Sammy laughter]

[You hear Sammy laughing from his room and Eli snorts]

[E] “See? Sammy thinks it’s a good joke, too. We’re a dark-humored family here, Tabby, you’re in good company. The point I was trying to make, though, is that people here are expected to handle their ‘problems’ on their own and, provided they’re ‘handled’, the police won’t care.”

[Pause…]

[He gently kisses the top of your head]

[E] “It’s OK, alright…? Your men have you. C’mon, come look.”

[He guides you downstairs and shows you the helmets]

[E] “See? The entire order is done and we got done WAY faster with Sammy helping out. Just gotta package them up, deliver them to Coach, and we’re set for the other half of that deposit.”

[Pause <3]

[He wraps his arms around you from behind and you’re overwhelmed at the feeling of safety]

[E] “C’mere… Let me put my arms around your waist… This never would have happened without your help. Without your encouragement and patience… You mean so much to me, Tabby, I can’t even put it into words…”

[Pause <3]

[E] “It’ll all be OK. Might take a bit, but it’ll be OK. Let’s get these packaged up and delivered, and then we can relax for a little while.”

[Pause?]

[E] “Well… with Sammy’s specialty equipment, getting stuff in my truck is gonna be interesting. I can drop it off by myself, I’m the only one with a license for now…”

[Pause…]

[E] “...I know you’re scared, Tabby… The house is well-protected though, and I know each trap location by heart. We have our check-in system, we have our code words, and I’ll be keeping the rifle nearby, I promise.”

[. . .]

[He holds you until you stop shaking]

[E] “Shh… It’s OK…”

[P-Pause…?]

[E] “Tabby… I’d never ‘give you back’... As far as I’m concerned, you’re mine, sickness and health, memes and not memeing. I promise you… Even if we weren’t together, even if you’d rejected me… you’re still one of my best friends, and I am fiercely protective over my friends.”

[Pause? <3]

[E] “Yes, that is why I swung at Tanner when he swung at Jake. Jake’s a big, dumb puppy of a man, but he’s got a good heart. Sure, I got my ass kicked and, sure, you had to hold ice on my lip… but you only scolded me for ten minutes, eh?”

[Pause <3…]

[He laughs, good-natured]

[E] “Hmhm… I know. I’m such a bad boy. A true renegade, such to make the ladies drool over me, hm?”

[Pause! <3]

[He chuckles]

[E] “Yes, yes, I’m fending off all of my fans with a stick. Of course, my love. Of course.”

[Pause <3]

[E] “I love you, too. C’mon, let’s get this done, I can drop them off real fast, and we’ll gear up to face whatever comes ahead…”

[Extended Pause while they pack up - Feel free to improv dialogue or actions here, as the main SFX would be: the clunking of boxes and the football helmets]

[You help Eli pack up, chatting about this and that while you load up the truck]

[E] “Phew… There we go, all loaded up. Right, this should only take a few hours, OK? When I leave, cover the trail back up, so the truck can push over it. Stay in the house and follow Sammy’s guide if things get dicey. You text me our safe word, I’ll be back faster than the Devil himself, OK?”

[Pause…]

[He rests a hand on your shoulder, voice gentle]

[E] “Listen to me.”

[Pause…?]

[E] “You’re stronger than anyone I know, Tabby… You’ve got this, and I’ve got you. OK?”

[...Pause <3]

[E, with a smile] “Love you, too. I’ll be back soon.”

[SFX: Him getting in the truck and petering off on the trail/nighttime ambiance]

[You cover the trail and hurry back to the house, making the rounds and locking all the locks you can before you knock on Sammy’s door]

[SFX: The above, as desired]

[Pause?]

[S] I am OK, thank you, Tabby!

[Pause <3]

[Extended Pause/Fill - VA’s discretion, as Tabby will just be nervously passing time until…]

[SFX: Rustling from outside]

[. . .]

[You hear rustling from the backyard as you pace and fret and freeze. It moves about until it becomes more notable footsteps…]

[J, very faint] “The lights are on inside, I think they’re home… I’m going to go this way and meet the other two-”.

[SFX: The ground collapsing and a yelp of pain]

[You hear one of the traps activate and nearly jump out of your skin as someone cries out in pain]

[J] “AGHH! My ankle!”

[You grab your phone and cautiously open the back door, shining it about. It doesn’t take long to see thrashing and movement a bit out in the brush]

[SFX: Tabby approaching slowly]

[You cautiously approach with the light from your phone, shaking. The figure thrashes in pain, groaning in a voice you recognize]

[J] “Nngh, my ankle! Holy guacamole, that… hurts!!”

[. . . Pause?]

[He stops and the hood tilts back, revealing…]

[Pause…?]

[Jake stares at you in abject horror]

[J] “Tabby? ...Y-You’re the Apostate…? Oh no-”.

[SFX: The brush rustling off in the distance]

[Pause!]

[J, crying] “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know, my mother just told me to come out and help search, it was never meant to end in death!”

[SFX: The brush rustling closer]

[Jake turns his head toward the sound, eyes wide with terror]

[J] “...I’ll be killed… I’ll be killed if they realize… They’ll just shoot me if they see that my ankle is…”

[P-Pause…]

[You have a split-second decision to make as the enemy draws closer. Glints of pale white glimmer from the treeline… If you leave Jake here, you know he’ll die of either the cult members or blood loss… but if you help him, there’s no guarantee you won’t be betrayed]

[SFX: The brush rustling even closer]

[J] “Tabby-! Please!!”

[. . .]

[To be continued…]

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: “C’MON NOW, DO THE TWIST! E-YAH, DO THE TWIST!” - this story, probably.