Creepy - Presenting: Unwell

Episode Date: March 22, 2022

This week we're excited to share the first episode of Unwell by Harlife NFP! You can binge the first three seasons now!About Unwell: Lillian Harper moves to the small town of Mt. Absalom, Ohio, to care for her estranged mother Dorothy after an injury. Living in the town's boarding house which has been run by her family for generations, she discovers conspiracies, ghosts, and a new family in the house's strange assortment of residents. Unwell is a fiction podcast produced by HartLife NFP. You can listen for free on your podcast player of choice - Apple Podcast, Spotify, PocketCasts, etc. www.unwellpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey everyone. In advance of their fourth season premiere, I'm going to share the very first episode of the Unwell podcast. We're sharing episode one since Unwell is an episodic audio fiction serial set in the fictional town in rural Ohio. It's a slow burn mystery with occasional moments of more traditional horror, with ghosts, the supernatural, and more, to examine the fallibility of memory, building community and family, and being queer in the rural Midwest. Three seasons of Unwell are out now, with Season 4, cover. in spring 2022. I hope you enjoy. I've got the door.

Thanks, Russ. That lights out is in 20 minutes. Are you going to be all right getting home? I think I can handle the mean streets of Mount Absalom. If you're sure. Good night, Dot. Night. Good night, Dot.

Hi, Dot. Hi, Dot, Harper. Good morning, Dot. Dot. Doddy. Where are you? Doddy. Dot.

Good night, Dot. Do you play for me. Dottie. Dottie? Dottie. Dottie. Dornie. Hey, Dott.

Dores. Dornie. Dottie. Dottie's... Dottie's... Dottie's... Dott. Datt?

Datt, are you all right? Definitely not. My ankle. Don't try to move. I'll... I'll call an ambulance. What were you doing out here? I was on my way home and...

Are we? Hi, wait. Five out of town. Must have got turned around. Hello? Yes, I need an ambulance. Dot Harper fell and hurt her ankle. No, we're on

Highway 5 about a mile from the town line, I think. Do you not know that tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway? Do you know where you are going and what you are going to? She was in such evident distress

that I tried to comfort her, but without effect. Finally, she went down on her knees and implored me not to go, at least to wait a day or two before starting. It was all very ridiculous, but I did not feel comfortable. However, there was business to be done and could allow nothing to interfere with it. I therefore try... Hello? Hey there, Lily Pham. Hi, Dad. Just wanted to see how you were doing. I'm fine. I feel like I should have hit the turnoff

by now. From what I remember, that exit is kind of tricky. Ask if she's using the hands-free device we got her. Mama C wants to know if you're using the hands-free device we got you. Yes. Because it isn't safe to use a cell phone and drive at the same time. I read that it's the same as driving drunk. Both of my hands are on the wheel. Oh, good.

Any idea how long you're going to be there? Six to eight weeks, according to the doctor. Maybe longer because of her... Age. Her words, not mine. Well, Cynthia and I are here. Thanks, Dad. Shit.

You okay? Huh? Sorry. A dog ran out into the middle of the road. Are you all right? I'm fine. I have to let you go. I need to see if it's hurt.

Okay. Give us a call back when you get there. We'll do. Hey, big guy. Are you okay? Yeah, no. You're right. I should just stay in the car.

Oh, look, he brought a friend. A big, angry friend. Shoot. Go away. The dog! Mallor! You all right, miss? Are those your dogs?

I'm terribly sorry. They ran off before I could stop them. Yeah, well, maybe keep them on a leash next time. I very much doubt an old fella like me is going to stop them going where. wherever they want to go with or without a leash. How about you, though? Anything broken? I'm fine.

Well, thank the Lord for that. You hear that, Dawn? Molly, you got lucky this time. Again, I am terribly sorry, Miss. You have a good day. Come on, you two. Hey, sorry. Do you live here?

Roundabouts. You wouldn't happen to know where the exit road to Mount Amsalam is. Mount Absalom, sure. Uh, you see that tree up ahead. Yeah? Turn left. That's it? That's it.

Well, I kind of feel stupid now. The way is always clear once it's been pointed out. Like the little girl in the woods. What did you say? The little girl in the woods. It's a story around these parts. A little girl gets lost in the woods. She spends days trying to...

to find her way home, but to no avail. The woods will not give her back. So she sits down and thinks and prays, and as she looks up to the sky to ask God for help, she notices the tree she is sitting under has a single low branch, and so does the one next to it, and the one next to that,

and they all point in the same direction. And she remembers that her, her father is a woodcutter who goes into the woods to cut branches for firewood. And she thinks maybe he would leave one branch to lead him out of the forest again, so she follows the pointing trees all the way home. You know the story. I heard it once when I was a kid. You from around here then?

No, I'm... I'm visiting someone. Ah Well, have a pleasant visit Thanks I therefore tried to raise her up and said as great as I could That I thanked her But my duty was imperative

And that I must go She then rose and dried her eyes And taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to me I did not know what to do It seemed so ungracious to refuse an old lady Meaning so well And in such a state of mind She saw

I suppose the doubt in my face. The doors, doors everywhere and all. Here we go. Can I help you? Yes, my name is Lillian Harper. My mom is... Oh! Oh!

You're Lily! Yes. That said you were coming. Come in, come in. Sorry. Most people don't knock. They just come on in. Right, because it's a boarding house.

Yeah. So, welcome home. home, I guess. Do you want something to drink? I'm sorry. Who are you? Sorry. I'm Wes. I work here. Part time. Part-ish time. Evenings and weekends, mostly. More right now because school's out. You know. Oh, I also run the ghost tour. Ghost tour? Yeah. Only the most haunted house in Mount Absalom. Oh! Tour begins at dusk if you're interested. Preve charge for you.

Of course. Oh, shoot. I almost forgot. Here. This is for you. A casserole. I made it myself. My mom said it was a traditional welcoming gift. And how long has it been sitting under your desk?

Oh. This probably should have been in the refrigerator. Probably. I'll be right back. Hello? Can I help you? I'm looking for Lillian Harper. Yes.

Chester Warren, assistant to Mayor Lopez. Oh, hi. I am your official welcoming party. On behalf of Mayor Lopez and the village assembly members, I am to offer a most sincere welcome home. And a casserole. Yay. Not just a casserole.

I also have a gift certificate for one tree ice cream over at Desuzes to ice cream, the best scoop in town. You find them down on Maine. If your car needs an oil change while you're here, certificate for a free oil change and a tire rotation at Otto's Auto, also on Maine. Don't let the name fool you, though. There is no auto. Mary Lou just likes puns. Here's a coupon for one free movie rental from The Movie Night. Let me guess. On Maine.

It's all coming back now, isn't it? Like you never left. Now, this is expired. I'm sorry. How did you know I was coming? Dot mentioned it. To the mayor. No, but small tax. You know how it is? Sure. Oh, and the biggie.

One free admission to the celery festival. Right. The celery festival. How long has it been? Since... Since you've attended the celery festival. I really couldn't say... Fifteen years?

Give or take. Hopefully more give than take. That'll be on Labor Day weekend. Do you think you'll still be here on Labor Day weekend? Honestly, I don't know. Well, you should definitely try. It's always a heck of a time. I'm sure.

Anyway, I should let you settle in. It was a pleasure to meet you, Lillian, and again, welcome home. Thanks. Was that the door? That was Chester Warren. Oh, and another casserole. Yeah, look, is my mom home? Hmm?

Oh, sorry, yes. I'll take you... No, thank you. Just tell me where she is. She's decorating room three for a new border. That's third floor. I know. Right. I'll just put your casserole away then.

Right. You. I remember you, you snitch. I remember you too. Mom! Mom! Lily? Mom? Lily, you made it.

Are you... Is everything all right? Of course. Why wouldn't it be? It's just... It sounded like... Done? Done? What?

Forty-five seconds. Not a bad response time. Now, let's see you resuscitate the bag of potatoes. I thought you were hurt. And let that be a lesson to you. If I were actually hurt, there'd be a good deal more swearing. Crazy old bat. Bitch, dear.

If you're going to work in this house sooner or later, you have to learn to cuss. You forgot the potatoes. I hate you. Lift with your legs. How did you even get this up here? A magician never reveals her tricks. So, Lily, what do you think? Same as always.

The room? I just painted it. Oh, right. The room. Is a kid coming to live here? An astronomer. Plans to fix up the old observatory on Chapel Hill. Thought he'd like to look up at the stars at night. And did he ask for sheets with planets on them. That is the personal touch that only Fenwood House boarding services can provide.

It's good to see you, Lily Bell. It's been a while. 14 years. Yeah, well, things have been, you know. Right. Let me show you your room. You can just tell me which one is empty and let me show you your room. Fine. Show me. Show me. Show me. Show me. me my room. This way. Do you need help? I've got it. I've got it.

Okay. Are you still working at that alpaca farm? Not for a year and a half. I work at a call center now. A call center? For Spoodle. Doesn't sound as fun as the alpaca farm. Yeah, well, getting bit by an alpaca

makes you reconsider how important, boring little things like health insurance are. How long has Wes been working? working here? A year or two. Is that even legal? I'm not screwing him. You know what I mean. He's like 12.

He's 16, Lily Bell. And yes, he comes with all his papers and his shots. Unlike someone who I recall somehow worked four jobs in a single summer. That was different. I was 17. Your room. You didn't. You saved my room?

Of course not. I've got a business to run, and this is prime real estate. But I saved all your things, and when you called, I took him out of storage and put him back just as you left it. Embarrassing amount of stuffed animals and all. It's exactly the same. Like, exactly. I took pictures of where it all went. You are a crazy old bet.

Hey, Dot! Yeah? Look out the window. The window. What in the... Give me a hand, will you? Sure. This thing does not like to move.

Russ? Dot, hi. Did your daughter arrive yet? Yeah, she's here. Hey. Lillian! Russell Epstein. Hi. We are the official, unofficial town welcoming party. And as you can see, we come bearing gifts. Yes.

I do see that. We'll be right down, Russell. Hope you like casserole. Welcome home. Sure. Home. This episode features Shariba Rivers as Lily.

Marsha Harmon as Dot. Clint Worthington as Russell Epstein. Bethany Hart as Cynthia Harper. Lequin Groves as Dale. Mark Soloff as an old man on the edge of town. Michael Turrentine as Wes. Pat King as Chester. Sebastian Orr as...

Ellie Maitland as Written by Jim McDaniel Sound design by Ryan Shealy Directed by Jeffrey Nils Gardner Music composed by Stephen Poon Recording engineer Mel Ruder Unwell lead sound designer Ryan Shealy

Executive producers Eleanor Hyde and Jeffrey Nils Gardner By HeartLife NFP Unwell is supported by our listeners at Patreon You can support us by visiting patreon.com slash HeartLife NFP. And a special thanks to our supporting producers, Caitlin White, Bill Gardner,

Steve Diamond, James Battle, and Anton S. According to the disputed filings in the State Historic Preservation Office, the Fenwood House is the oldest continually inhabited residents in all of Ohio.