Solved Murders - True Crime Stories - 9 Hours of Eerie, Haunted Tales

Episode Date: November 27, 2025

#horrorstories #reddithorrorstories #ScaryStories #nosleep #paranormal #creepy #ghostencounters #hauntingvoices #nightmares #supernatural “9 Hours of Eerie, Haunted Tales” is a chilling collection of supernatural stories that delve into the darkest corners of fear and imagination. Each tale takes you through ghostly encounters, eerie whispers, and unexplained phenomena that blur the line between reality and nightmare. Perfect for late-night listeners who crave spine-tingling suspense and the unsettling feeling that something unseen is watching. horrorstories, reddithorrorstories, scarystories, horrorstory, creepypasta, horrortales, hauntedtales, ghoststories, hauntedplaces, truehorror, spookyencounters, paranormalactivity, nightterrors, realghosts, urbanlegends, darkmysteries, chillingsuspense, supernaturalstories, spinechilling, hauntednarration

Around 8.30, Junco finishes work, gets on her bicycle, and heads home, traveling down the same streets she always takes, streets filled with people, streets that are well lit. But when Hiroshi sees her passing by, he knows immediately, this is his chance to make Junko his. Let's begin. I would like to start this case just as the manga Shin Jenda ridden does, as it immediately shows us a barrel filled with cement, abandoned in a vacant lot. For weeks, this barrel. This went almost unnoticed in a quiet, remote area, and all the people who passed by didn't even glance at it. It was just a barrel, an abandoned barrel, of no interest to anyone. But if someone had gotten closer, they would have noticed a handful of human hair emerging from the dry cement,

hair belonging to a 17-year-old girl named Junco Furuda. How did she end up there, and what happened to her? This is exactly what we'll be discussing today. We won't begin by talking about the victim, but rather about the person who planned her death from the very first minute, an 18-year-old boy named Hiroshi Mayano. Hiroshi was the son of a family with a lot of wealth, so if he had wanted to, he could have studied at the best universities in all of Japan. But unfortunately, he didn't take advantage of the opportunity. As a child, he was known for having a very strong character and was very impulsive. Even in elementary school, he tended to mock others and was constantly fighting.

In his adolescence, this attitude didn't improve. In fact, at some point, he became a low-ranking member of the Yakuza, one of Japan's most dangerous mafias. He wasn't a high-ranking member, he was more like a pawn, but he still thought very highly of himself. So, together with three friends, he formed a small gang, a group of delinquents who caused trouble on the streets. These boys were as follows, Nabohara Minato, who was his right-hand man, and Gura and Yasushi Wadanabe. All of them were 16 or 17 years old, and at their young age, they felt capable of committing any crime and getting away with it. They stole, caused fights, drove motorcycles without a license, and on more than one occasion, they were arrested for allegedly assaulting some girls. Hiroshi was the leader of the group, and second in command was Nabohara.

Manado, his best friend. If Hiroshi wasn't around, Nabohara took charge, and if Naboharu wasn't there, Hiroshi was in charge. Nabohara Manado was very similar to Hiroshi, as his parents also had important jobs and were practically always absent, working so many hours that their house was always empty. Because of this, Naboharu and his brother often threw parties there. They invited many people, caused damage, shouted, and fought, and no one ever told them anything. What's important here is that Nabohara's parents were afraid of their own son, and not only him but also his best friend, Hiroshi, since, as I mentioned, he was part of the Yakuza. These were dangerous, hot-headed, and irritable boys, and even adults didn't want to confront

them. As you can see, the power of these boys was almost absolute, especially Hiroshi's, and he wasn't used of anyone telling him no. However, in 1988, he encountered a girl who refused to go out with him, a 17-year-old girl named Junco Furuda. Junco Furuda was born on November 22, 1971, in the city of Nassado, being the second of three children in a very humble family. Her parents were hardworking people who had to make great efforts to make ends meet. So, when Junco was just 16 years old, she got a part-time job to help them financially. In October of 88, she began working at a plastic mold factory and in early November,

she considered taking a job with more hours at an electronic store. However, this girl didn't only think about working, she was also a very good student. In fact, she got the best grades in all of Yashio school. Manato was punctual, responsible, and rarely missed class. In fact, all of her absences were always justified. Another interesting point about her life was that Junko was very popular. She was beautiful, kind, cheerful, and outgoing, but at the same time, she was very different from the others. Junko didn't like parties, didn't smoke, didn't drink, and didn't stay out late. She was focused on her studies and wasn't interested in romantic relationships. She didn't want to go out with boys, and she didn't think about kissing anyone or anything beyond that.

She often rejected suitors, one of whom was supposedly Hiroshi Mayano. No girl had ever told Hiroshi no, so Junko couldn't be the exception. This is where two versions of the story come into play. One version says that Hiroshi Miano didn't know Junko and that they didn't have any connection, and this seems to be the version that appears in the manga or some movies. But then there's the second version, which is the one supposedly given in court, and it says that Hiroshi was obsessed with Junko Furuda. Once again, there are discrepancies about how everything started, how the kidnapping happened, and where they went. There are two versions of this as well.

The first version says that on the afternoon of November 25, 1988, Hiroshi Mayano, accompanied by his three friends, forced Junco to get into a car, and that's when it all started. But the second version... Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion.

That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every day. download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid

while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Talks about a much more twisted plan, which we will discuss in the following minutes. On the evening of November 25th, 1988, at 8 p.m., Hiroshi Mayano and his friend Nabohara Manato decided to go commit a few crimes. The plan was simple. They wanted to rob a few stores, maybe attack a couple of old women, and finish the night with a pretty girl. That's when Junko Furuda crossed their path. Around 8.30 p.m., Junco finished work, got on her bike, and headed home, traveling down the same streets she always took, streets filled with people, streets that were well lit. But when Hiroshi saw her passing by, he knew immediately, this was his chance to make Junko his. So, he asked Nabohara

to push her bike so that he could pretend to be her savior. And so it happened. Naboharro approached, kicked the bike's wheel, and the girl fell to the ground. Naboharu quickly left the scene, and Hiroshi appeared. Hiroshi started telling Junko that the boy who had knocked her off was very dangerous, a thief, a bad person, and to make her feel safer, he offered to walk her home. Junko knew Hiroshi's reputation very well and knew that he was no good. So, if this guy said the other guy was bad, it was because he was much worse. So, Junko fixed her bike, leaned it against a post, and began walking with Hiroshi.

No one knows exactly how long they walked, what they talked about, or where they went, but we all know the destination. At some point, Hiroshi lost his temper, pulled out a knife, and took her to an abandoned warehouse. Once there, he wasn't content with this humiliation and took her to a hotel room, where he repeated exactly the same thing. Once he was done, he grabbed the phone, called his friends, and told them step by step what he had done. The guys agreed that they would make Junko Furuda a sacrifice for the Yakuza. At 3 a.m. on November 26, 1988, the four friends met in a park with Jumko Furuda.

Once there, they grabbed her backpack, emptied its contents, and searched through the notebooks for her home address. Once they found it, they threatened to kill her parents, telling her that they knew where she lived, had her phone number, and knew her last name. If she tried to escape, they would kill everyone. They made it clear that they were the Yakuza, and if she made one wrong move, her loved ones would die. So, Junko lowered her head and obeyed without a word. As I mentioned earlier, Nabohara Manado's house was always empty, and even though his parents were at home, the law didn't matter to the adults, only to Naboharu. So, the boys decided to take Junko to that house, a two-story residence in Adachi.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, the girl was taken by the four boys. The next morning, Hiroshi forced her to call her parents, telling them she had run away and asking them not to call the police. And, unbelievably, Junko's parents listened to her. They didn't call the police, didn't file a report, they acted as if nothing had happened, which tragically cost this girl her life. For 44 consecutive days, Junco was the victim of the most twisted and bloody tortures you could imagine. But before we begin describing the horrors she suffered, I should mention that this punishment

had two phases. In the first phase, there were physical and verbal assaults, and in the second phase, only physical and verbal assaults continued. During the first phase, the four boys wanted to take full advantage of Junko Furuda's beauty, so they invited other men. Over the course of 44 days of confinement, Junko Furuda was assaulted by more than 100 men and was subjected to approximately 400 separate acts of violence. To be continued, the four boys, they wanted to make the most of the Junko Furuda beauty and for it, they invited others. Men in 44 days of confinement June K. Furuda was for more than 100 people and it was, victim of a problem.

approximately, 400 below I will tell you, some of the bloodiest torture, to those who submitted it so, sensitive if you can't with all this, advance about four or five minutes because, it will put the very but very, intense to start and as I said, they wanted to make the most of the Junko's beauty so they kept her, naked 24 hours a day, forced all of them in front of, the four boys and other men to, those Junko did not know, introduced him, all kinds of objects by their parts, iron bamboo palace iron bars, crystal and in the second phase of,

confinement came to introduce a light bulb that broke inside. It also placed rockets in, the rear and then set on them. Fire in second place we have there. Junko's food in the first phase. Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my

podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads

into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content

or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools, scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro

and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. It is said that sometimes he ate. With Nabohara's parents, he had breakfast with. They ate Drew, but when these, they knew Junco was a victim of a kidnapping stopped eating with her and.

Girl passed completely at the hands. of. The four boys are, they must eat urine live cockroaches and feces and little by little health was. Worsening another interesting point is that a large number of musho was, exposed to low temperatures. They throw the freezer for several hours and as a punishment they locked her, completely naked on the balcony but this did not do it in broad daylight, but they left her their late hours. Of the night and fourth place is, physical rations since Jumko Furudasio become the boxing sack of the whole. The world beats her with iron bars, with sneakers with weights and in more than one. Occasion the four friends jumped on, his body breaking several bones,

also on one occasion as, punishment came to amputate the nipple, left in addition to nailing needles, sewing in the breasts and already in fifth place. We have the fire and that is that the boys, they poured flammable liquids, about Junko's body and after. This set fire especially the arms and legs also this girl, I will become everyone's ashtray and, who turned off the cigarettes in their eyelids and breasts the first phase of, Junko confinement was still very beautiful so, all present were limited, basically two but the second had mistreated him. Mude that his beauty had, missing so nobody wanted, making her face was shattered, her hair fell piddled and she was so, abused that urinated and defined, on top of which

caused the, criminals punished it even more depending on and, Gura at this point in Junko confinement, it was so bad that it took an hour, hold to get off the second floor to, the lower an entire hour, crawling on the ground to arrive, to the bathroom you of it so much, who was unable to walk on its own, according to June report supplico in several occasions to kill her wanted the coup of grace and let her die end. They continued playing with her until her. Last, music, Limiento Jucco Furuda became the initiation ritual of all, young people who wanted to be yakuza so. It is not surprising that two boys called, Tetsuo Nakamura and Koichi Yara had, what to go through that house for Junko. Foruda the first to do

it was Tetsuo, Nakamura and apparently this did not put, no paste but Koichi Jara had his, reluctant so everyone, they forced him to do it was a, experience so traumatic that when arriving, he told everything to his brother, greater who in turn told her, parents and these directly went to the police and denounced the facts is there when the first strange point of all this case two police officers they immediately went to the house of the minato and demanded the marriage that they had to pass they said enough tests to ensure that within this there was a 17 girl years that was being exploited so were willing to register until last centimeter of that house what it happened below that the parents of noboharu opened the torque door in hair and

invited the police to do the registration someone who is committing a crime would not invite the police to entering so kindly doing everything possible for preventing agents from they entered their home so officers directly collect everything and march at the beginning of december minute 88 none tried to call the police his four aggressors were sleeping on the second floor so she is quietly under the Stairs, grabbed the phone and emergencies but, Jiroshima Yano caught her and punishment, who suffered was exemplary and on the 4th of, January of, 1989 everything ended for her that day. Hiroshi Yano was special bad mood, so he decided to challenge her to play M. Jonga game of chips for three or, four people in question, the games of, this game is

quite long but so, Junko Furuda was able to win at one, one after another to their aggressors and when, all of them ended. They decided to punish her I will not get into. Details about what happened in this. I will simply tell you that in a certain moment the boys put bags of, plastic in the hands to follow, hitting it without staining and also this. Beat two full hours too, full hours in which finally, Junco was unconscious the girl in. Other occasions also stayed. Unconscious so the boys, seeing it throw on the floor and without moving, they collected everything and left but four.

misfortune the next morning day five of January 1989 brother Naboharu Minato. He informed them that Junco had died. It was then that the boys, they decided to get rid of the body. They wrapped the body with several blankets. Then they introduced it into a bag of, Trip and this in turn introduced it, barrel that filled fresh cement and they finally left said barrel in a vacant lot located on the outskirts of, music. Tokyo as I told you before, Junco's kidnapping had two phases in Her first and the second was so, destroyed and so disfigured that no one, I dared to do with his body and it was in, the second phase when the four, boys looked for others, young and beautiful girl victims at. What kidnap and group at some time, Hiroshi Miyano and Joe Gura decided to, 19-year-old girl after aggression, the girl denounced what happened to, authorities and on January 23rd Hiroshi. Yano and Joe Gura were taken to prison, waiting for judgment while they were. Between bars the police,

discovered a double the homicide that had many coincidences with some hi i'm darron marler host of the weird darkness podcast i want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt spreaker is the all in one platform that makes it easy to record host and distribute your show everywhere from apple podcasts to spotify but the real game changer for me was spreeker's monetization spreeker offers dynamic ad insertion that means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes no editing required and with spreeker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career.

Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing, and the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while you're. doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Of the crimes that these boys had committed so they quickly take them out, of their

cells and questioned them for, separated the first to pass was Yura and the boy denied everything and the second. Obviously it was Hiroshi Yano and the boy did not know what to answer the. Police did not go to the grain was not. Directly from crime they say they had. Evidence of a crime of a homicide that. They know that it has something to do with that. crime, and that's when Hiroshi thinks they are. Speaking of Jumko Furuda believes that. Police know that the girl was, murdered and believe that Joe Gura has. I betray so to avoid having more. Charges in a trial begins to release it. Everything gives the kidnapping date counts, everything they did and says, exactly where to find your body. When the forensic exam in the

barrel, it is almost impossible to identify. They could only know what she was, for the footprints and also had so much, aiding different people in their parts, intimate that was impossible to know, who hell still according to the, analysis could detect not only, it was abused by two people but, in addition, the poor girl when she died, I was pregnant in the Japanese country there is, a lot of respect for minors and according to, teenager a 15, 16 year old boy, he commits his name a crime and surname does not appear newspapers use initial pseudonyms but this case, it was too shocking, was too much, atrocious Soshan Bussung magazine, decided to reveal to the world the names and surname of the four main, involved but unfortunately this, revelation would not put justice,

I will judge them as, music, minors in July 1990 accord to, 17 years to Hiroshi Yano and C say that the, A. P. Hare considers that his condemnation was excessive so the judge, sentenced to 20 years no Buo Manado the second in command was convicted of four, six years in prison and once again I appeal, so the judge condemned him from five to nine. Years no Bujara brother also participated in torture and parents. From the boy they knew about the story, they ate with the girl they talked to her, and they knew from beginning to end everything that passed in that house and still none of. They was prosecuted Yasushi Watanabe was, sentenced from three to four years in prison, just like others also appealed and the condemnation was also extended from five,

a seven years Y-U-R-A by his side he was convicted, eight years in a youth prison and, during all of them he boasts one and the other. Time from what happened to Junko Furuda. All boys when leaving prison, they committed more crime, thefts kidnapping fraud and all of them. They changed their names legally to, clean your image and another very point. Interesting that I want to highlight is that. Yura's mother completely shattered. Junko Furuda's grave since he said, that this girl ruined his life. Dear son, so now is your turn. You what do you think of the case and what is that the? Judgments were fair. End. The killer was wearing a jacket and a hat, but what they didn't have was the weapon of the crime, and in fact, it was never found. Another fact they hadn't

counted on was that Ray Crum was going to be represented by lawyer Dobie Johnson Round. On October 12, a woman from High Society in Georgetown, Washington, left her studio for a short walk. It was noon, precisely at 12 o'clock, and the woman was very calm, just like every morning. She walked along the towpath of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, but at around 1220, someone attacked her and shot her twice, one in the right side of her chest and another in her back, also on the right side. Minutes later, the police captured the murderer, but everything was so quick and easy that it only took knowing if that man was truly guilty of the crime. Mirian Pinshot Meyer was born on October 14, 1920, in New York, being the oldest of two daughters of Imos Pinshot and Ruth Pickering

Pinshot. He was a lawyer and a key figure in the Progressive Party, while she was a journalist with two origins. She was always surrounded by very influential people, young students from the most prestigious universities in the United States, wealthy aristocrats, politicians, writers, and among them she met John F. Kennedy, who would later become the 35th president of the United States. Some sources say they became very close friends, and during their youth, there was no romance. They just had a great... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt.

Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's Monetary. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part,

Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast, network. Spreaker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Friendship, but other sources suggest that there was

always chemistry between them, chemistry that lasted until the end of their days. In 1942, Mary became a journalist, just like her mother once was. She wrote for United Press and Mademoiselle, was a pacific. and a member of the Labor Party. In 1944, Mary met C.T. Meyer Jr., and instantly fell in love with him. At that time, C.T. was a lieutenant in the Marines and had fought in World War II. In fact, he was

considered a war hero. During some battles, C.T. lost his left eye, and after that, he was awarded the Bronze Star for his merits in service and the Purple Heart for being injured in the battlefield. During his youth, C.T. was a pacifist, he didn't believe in war and didn't want to participate in it, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor, something inside him changed forever. On April 19, 1945, Mary and C.T. married, and against all odds, Mary continued to work. In those times, when a woman married, she usually left everything behind, her career, studies, work, and became a housewife, but at first, Mary didn't want to do that. do that. She continued writing articles, working in the press, and going to conferences,

remaining the same Mary as always. In November of that same year, the couple had their first child, Quinton, and two years later, their second, Michael, and that's when Mary stopped working. However, even though she wasn't working and was a housewife, she attended an art school in New York. At that time, Mary started interacting with Bohemian artists, painters, and sculptors, so she decided to try her luck in the art world. In 1950, the couple had their third child, Little Mark, and the whole family moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. The following year, action entered their lives when a man named Alan Dahl's recruited CT to join the CIA. After this appointment, the family moved to Washington, specifically to a very busy street,

and they associated with powerful and influential people, journalists, CIA agents, and it said that during this time, CT became one of the heads of Operation Mockingbird, a campaign to influence the media. The agency believed that if you controlled the messages, if you controlled the discourse, you controlled the minds of the readers. If you controlled the radio, television, and newspapers, you also controlled the actions of people. And it must be said that they were not far from the truth. For several years, this man led many operations related to, according to some sources, ending the lives of potential threats. In 1953, someone accused him of being a communist, and he almost left the CIA. He wanted to become a writer, work in newspapers

and magazines, but for one reason or another, he stayed in the CIA. It's at this point that John F. Kennedy enters the picture again. In 1954, he and his wife bought the house next to the Mayors. Mary and Jackie Kennedy started walking together, and practically all sources say that Jackie and Mary became inseparable, very good friends, and walked together, but the truth is that Mary's friend was John, not Jackie, but we'll get into that a little later. In 1954, Mary's dog was run over on her street, which was poorly lit and had few signs, and the car that hit it didn't even see it. On the afternoon of December 18, 1956, the same thing happened to her son, Michael. Michael and Quinton were coming home from school, it was all dark

and poorly signposted, and when they tried to cross, Michael had the bad luck of being hit by a car, killing him instantly. Quinton, witnessing this, ran home and alerted Mary, and when Mary went outside, she confronted the driver. In the 1950s, women didn't do that socially, but Mary didn't care if the world knew she had character and an opinion, and after her son's death, she was about to slap the driver. Michael's death brought C.T. and Mary even closer, but by 1958, their relationship was no longer holding together. So, to clear her mind, Mary went on a trip to Europe, and upon returning, she presented the divorce, something that, at that time, was also highly frowned

upon. After the divorce, Mary and the children moved to Georgetown, where they practically lived among friends in a quiet area populated by politicians and businessmen. However, Mary didn't want to sell her old house, so it was rented out to one of John F. Kennedy's lovers. If Mary had been friends with Jackie, she wouldn't have done this. She wouldn't have rented the house to a woman who slept with her husband. So, at this point, it's confirmed that Mary's friend was John. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show

everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career.

Spreaker also has a premium subscription. description model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-K-E-R.com. Not Jackie. The years passed, and Mary continued. associated with influential people, meeting new people, becoming an artist, but never stopped

talking to John F. Kennedy, who, on January 20, 1961, was inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States. After his appointment, Mary Pinshot Meyer appeared in the White House visitor logs, but not as a regular visitor, but rather as an accompanying person. The main name was a man named David Powers, and his companion was Mary. They met with John very often, had lunch together in the morning or afternoon, and over 15 visits were recorded, always with the name of Mary Pinshot Meyer. At first, David was always listed as the main visitor, but at some point, his name disappeared, and Mary's name appeared instead. Another interesting thing is that these visits happened when Jackie Kennedy, John's wife, was out of town. When Jackie wasn't in Washington, Mary's name appeared in the logs.

So, once again, it's confirmed that Jackie and Mary weren't friends. In the beginning, these visits weren't a problem, but it's important to note that Mary was a woman with strong convictions. She was against the war, was openly a pacifist, and was divorced, which may have sounded very strange and very wrong, but John F. Kennedy wasn't used to being around women who were equal to men. She was powerful on her own, influential, intelligent, and she knew exactly what she was in her life, so he valued her opinions immensely. Whenever John had a problem, the next day,

Mary's name appeared in the logs. Let's consider without fear of being wrong that Mary Pinshot Meyer was his advisor, but apart from that, Mary was something more, something that was confirmed in 1961. While talking with friends, the marriage of James N. and Truitt, she mentioned that she was having an affair with John F. Kennedy, a romance she was recording in a diary. And I want you to remember this diary because it will come up again later. Unfortunately, we all know that secrets must be told to people who can keep them, and James didn't know how to do that. In fact, months later, during a party, the man got drunk and told everyone that Mary was secretly seeing the president of the United States. These words hurt Mary Pinshot Meyer deeply,

but what hurt even more came later, specifically on November 22, 1963. While John was on a political visit in Dallas, Texas, he was shot twice, and the assassin supposedly was caught 80 minutes later. But the man, once in custody, repeated over and over that he didn't kill him, he was just a decoy. The whole world, upon hearing these words, began to speculate and talk about conspiracies, but the American justice system said it was not possible, the assassin had a name and surname, and he would soon be facing justice. The whole United States was in a frenzy, and in the midst of a chaos, John's secretary started cleaning his office. That's when she found a letter written by him, occupying four pages, four pages with large letters in which she could read the following. Why don't

you leave the periphery for once? Come see me here or in Cabo, or on the 19th in Boston. I know it's reckless, irrational, and you could hate it, or maybe not, but I'd love to hear you say it's good for me not to have what I want after all these years. You should give me a kinder answer than that. So, why don't you just say yes? The letter was signed with the letter J, and experts say it was addressed to Mary Pinshot Meyer, but unfortunately, it was never sent. So Mary never got to read it. After John F. Kennedy's death, Mary assured everyone that she was convinced they were reading

her letters, listening to her phone calls, and following her on the street. On one occasion, she claimed to have seen a man dressed in black leaving her house when she was about to enter. Timothy Leary, a professor at Harvard who investigated the influence of lamentant people, stated that once Mary told him that powerful men in Washington wanted to use drugs for warfare and brainwashing. Another thing she said was that after the president's death, Mary called him and, through tears, said the following, they couldn't control him anymore. He was changing too fast. They've covered everything up. This testimony was written by Timothy Leary in his memoir's flashbacks, a personal and cultural history of an era. This confession was made

by Mary, who called him on the phone and said that if something happened to her, if she woke up dead, or if anything happened, he should do her the favor of finding her diary. That diary, in which she said, documented her entire relationship with John F. Kennedy. And when hearing this, I thought Mary was joking, that she was paranoid, that she was making things up. But soon everything would take another turn. A week after the president's death, specifically on November 29th, the Warren Commission was formed, a commission meant to investigate the cause of the president's death. They wanted to know...

Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download.

This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com.

That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Oh, if there was really a conspiracy behind it. But by the end of November 1964, they concluded that the assassin was only Lee Harvey Oswald. There were no conspiracies, no second shooters, only one assassin. So, the case was no longer investigated further. Two weeks later, on October 12th, at 12 o'clock, Mary Pinshot Meyer left her studio and set off on her routine walk, along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Topath in Georgetown, Washington. To be continued.

At 12 o'clock noon on October 12th, Mary Pinshot Mayer left her studio and set out for her routine walk along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Toopath in Georgetown. At the same time she left her studio, a tow truck driver named Henry Wiggins, accompanied by Bill Branch, received a call about a broken down car at 4,300, Canal Road. So, they got into the tow truck and headed there, arriving at the area at 1220. As soon as they got out of the truck, they heard a woman screaming for help. Amid the chaos, they heard a gunshot. Hearing this, Bill Branch hit in the tow truck, but Henry gathered his courage. and ran toward the screams and the gunshot. As he reached the wall that bordered the canal street,

he heard a second shot, and there, on the other side of the wall, he saw an African-American man standing next to the lifeless body of a woman. The man was about 1.72 meters tall and weighed between 50 and 60 kilograms. He wore a black hat, a long beige jacket, and dark pants and shoes. In one of his hands, he held a dark object which he quickly hid in a pocket. When the man realized Henry was watching him, he decided to leave the scene at a brisk pace. He didn't run, didn't say anything, he just started walking fast. Henry then left the crime scene and went to find a public phone, from which he called the police. Just six minutes later, the whole canal area was filled with police officers, and the four

official entrances were closed. Bridges, underground passages, and dozens of officers thoroughly combed the area. First, they examined the crime scene and noticed the following points. First, the woman was not wearing any jewelry, no purse, earrings, necklaces, or rings, nothing at all. However, the inner lining of her clothes had the name, Mary Mayer, written on it. So, they searched the phone directory and managed to contact her relatives. In fact, the person who identified the body was her brother-in-law, a man named Benjamin Bradley. Second, the woman had been shot twice with a .38 caliber gun, one shot to the right side of her head and the other to her right shoulder. Both shots were very close range, as indicated by the powder burns on her clothing. Third, there were signs of

a struggle at the scene, marks on the ground, blood splatters, and everything led the police to create a small timeline. First, the attacker grabbed Mary, she fought back, and they struggled with each other. At some point, the man shot her in the head. She then grabbed a tree, leaving it covered in blood. The man approached, pushed her to the ground, and shot her a second time, which struck an artery and killed her instantly. The police were convinced that the criminal was still in the area, that he couldn't have escaped, and after several minutes of searching, detective John Warner, 40 meters from the crime scene, came across an African-American man who was soaked, disoriented, nervous, and was mumbling. The man had a scratch below his eye and another

on his hand, and his pants zipper was down. When asked what he was doing there, the man quickly took out his wallet and identified himself as Ray Cramp, claiming that he had been fishing. He told the detective that while he was fishing, he fell asleep and fell into the water, hitting rocks. However, when they went to the area where he supposedly had been fishing, there was no fishing pole, no bait, just a dark hat and an empty bottle of whiskey. So, John Warner handcuffed him, and at 1.15, he was arrested. The police now believed they had everything, the murderer and the motive. First, his story made no sense because there was neither a fishing pole nor bait. Then, John Warner mentioned that Ray Cramp had his zipper down, which

likely meant he attacked Mary with the intention of raping her. Third, this man had injuries that were consistent with a struggle at the crime scene. Ray attacked her, she fought back, scratching him on the face and hand, and he ultimately shot her twice. In the following days, the police found a beige jacket in the canal area, which Ray Cramp's wife identified as his. They had the killer's jacket and hat, but they never found the murder weapon. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt.

Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing.

And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Another thing they hadn't counted on was that Ray Kramp was going to be defended by lawyer Dobie Johnson Round. Dobey was a promising African-American lawyer who agreed to defend Ray Kramp for just one dollar.

From the very beginning, she believed this man was innocent and was fully aware that there were flaws in the prosecution's argument. So, she took on this case, knowing it would boost her career. In February 1965, the police asked Ray cramp for hair samples, but the man refused outright. That's when several agents inside the prison forcibly pulled out several locks of his hair. Dobie, upon hearing about this, asked the prosecution to not use that hair as evidence and not to present it in the trial, but the prosecution ignored her and considered the hair extraction perfectly legal. With this evidence, the trial began in the summer of that same year. The first testimony came from Dr. Lingwood Rayford, an FBI forensic expert.

The doctor basically outlined the details of Mary Pinshot Meyer's death, spoke about the struggle, and said that the woman had been shot twice with a .38 caliber bullet. He also assured that the attacker had to be a strong and tall man who knew how to use a gun, and he even suggested the person had to be ambidextrous. This is when Dobie Round delivered her first blow, Ray Cramp was only 1.60 meters tall. and was rather lightweight. Additionally, to appear taller, he wore shoes with a little platform. Secondly, the supposed killer shot Mary from very close range, so her clothes should have had blood and gunpowder residue, but Ray Cramp's clothes had nothing on them, no blood, no gunpowder,

nowhere on his jacket, pants, or shoes. Thirdly, several witnesses testified that Ray Cramp neither had weapons nor knew how to use them. The next witness was Henry Wiggins, who couldn't confirm Ray Kramp was the killer. He said that yes, he was at the crime scene and saw the African-American man with a beige jacket and black hat, but since he didn't see his face, he couldn't say for sure it was Ray Kramp. He also mentioned something strange, when he left the crime scene and returned, the car he had been attending was no longer there. It was supposedly a broken car that couldn't move, but when he left and came back to the crime scene, the car had disappeared. The next witness was Bill Branch, but he didn't say much since, out of fear,

he spent most of the time hiding in the tow truck. The next person to testify was Detective John Warner, who reminded everyone present of what he saw that day, Ray Cramp, soaked, disoriented, nervous, with scratches below his eye and on his hand, and with his pants zipper down. He also recounted Ray Cramp's made-up story about fishing and falling into the water. What the prosecution didn't know was that Dobie Round did know the real story. She knew what Ray Cramp was really doing in that area, but unfortunately, she couldn't reveal it because someone's life was at stake. Ray Cramp went to the canal almost every day to meet with a married woman named Vivian. Both Vivian and Ray were married, but they were apparently in love with each other.

So, they had secret meetings by the river. That morning, as usual, they drank, had sex, and at some point, Ray fell asleep. In his sleep, he fell into the water and hit his face and hand on several rocks. But when he woke up, Vivian was no longer there, and in her place, he found himself face to face with a detective. If Ray had told the truth and explained the whole story, Vivian's husband would have killed her. So, Ray invented the story about fishing so that Vivian wouldn't suffer the consequences. Vivian personally met with Dobie Round and wrote down her story point by point, but after that, she disappeared, and no one ever saw her again. The next witness was a national park worker who had never been to the canal. He pulled out a map

and marked the four official entrances to the area. He said that by closing them, the killer couldn't have escaped, so the criminal must have had strength. Ray Cramp's defense lawyer, Dobie Round, then delivered her next blow. She had been to the area and knew very well that there were other entrances besides the official ones, trees, branches, alleys, rocks. The killer could have escaped through any of those. This fact was confirmed by a police officer who, on the day of the crime, was guarding one of the entrances. At 1.45, he thought he saw an African-American man hiding among the trees, a tall man whose face he couldn't see clearly. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most

important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download.

This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-K-E-R dot com. but nothing was done because at 1.15, Ray Cramp had already been arrested, and everyone was saying he was the true killer. The last testimony was from William L. Mitchell, who, the day after the crime, went to the police station and said that on the morning of the event, he had crossed paths with Mary Pinshot Meyer and her attacker while he was jogging. He said he had happened to pass by them. He repeated exactly the same testimony Henry Wiggins gave, an African-American man with a hat and beige jacket. An interesting thing about this man is that at the police station, he said he was a

lieutenant in the army who fought in the war and loved his country, but in the trial, he said he was a professor at Georgetown University. Regardless, the prosecution considered him a reliable witness, and they thought his words would condemn Ray Cramp to death. But unfortunately for them, Ray Cramp was acquitted, and this case was never closed. In the trial for Mary Pinshot Meyer's death, there was never a consideration of a plan B, no consideration that her death could have been caused by a conspiracy. No one looked for more culprits, no one looked for stories about this woman or witnesses who knew her.

For everyone, Ray Cramp was the guilty one. End of story. For years, no one knew exactly what happened after Mary Pinshot Myers' death. 24 hours after her death, Benjamin Bradley called Mary's sister and told her that Mary had said that if anything happened to her, they should look for her diary, as it contained all the answers. Ben and his wife couldn't believe it. They told the story to several friends, one of whom was James Engleton, a CIA member. After telling everyone, the couple went to Mary's house to search for the diary, and as soon as they entered, they found James Engleton rummaging

through the living room. When confronted, he said he was investigating Mary's death. So, they allowed him to continue. Later, they went to Mary's study to continue searching, and they found James Angleton forcing the door open to get into the study. However, the couple did find the diary, but when they read it, they couldn't understand anything. It was a sketchbook with drawings and some phrases referring to John F. Kennedy that seemed to be in code. Some sources say there were two diaries, others say only one, but they all agree that these diaries were given to James Engleton. From here, the versions multiply, one version says James Engleton destroyed the diary, another says Mary's sister destroyed it, and the third says the diary was never destroyed,

but its contents remain a mystery to this day. Thousands of people firmly believe that John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a conspiracy and that Mary Pinshot Meyer was also a victim of that same conspiracy. But unfortunately, we will never know the truth about this case. After being released from prison, Ray Cramp was arrested 22 times. He became an alcoholic, aggressive, uncontrollable. According to Dobie Round, this was because, inside prison, Ray was subjected to all sorts of abuses. He was beaten, intimidated, and all of that turned him into the monster that the prosecution wanted him to be. As for Lieutenant Mitchell, over the years, it was proven that he was neither a lieutenant nor a professor.

No one knew exactly who this man was, because absolutely no one recognized him. So now it's your turn, what do you think of the case, and what do you believe happened to Mary Pinshotmire? The end. All this information is leaked to the, press the radio, the television, the, newspapers all of them say that the culprit has already been caught they show his, face they say his name, his age his, last name everything seems to point to him but, then the police is exposed, we begin, This story begins in a town called Brembate D. Sopra in the province. Of Bergamo, Italy this was a place, where practically everyone knew each other a place that barely had. Seventy-fourty-six inhabitants it was very few people and generally. Nothing bad ever happened from time to time. The police reported some, mischief kids throwing water balloons, paint but apart from that nothing. Noteworthy families lived their very, calm, very normal and among all. Of them were the Gambarajio this. Family was made. up of six, members Maro Panere's Flavio, Gambarajio and their four children their kids,

did not get into trouble rather the opposite they were studious, responsible, polite but among all, of them there was one who stood out a lot and, this was Yara Gamborejo 13 years old Yara, was in love with rhythmic gymnastics, and dreamed of doing it, professionally on Mondays and Wednesdays. She went to train at the local sports center and on. Weekend she competed she was a, responsible disciplined organized girl but unfortunately on friday november 26th 2010 something terrible happened it turns out that her coach sylvia brenatha last training lent her a recorder this device had different functions and among them was a stopwatch which for yara's training was very useful for several days yara fiddled with the day i'm darron marler host of the weird darkness podcast i want to talk

about the most important tool in my podcast belt spreeker is the all in one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download.

This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Sprinker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding a another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it,

check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Device, but on Friday the 26th she decided to, return it and that's when the first problem appears. And that is that on that Friday. Yara had homework she had to study, do exercises and her mother decided to send her older sister to deliver the device but what happens here is that this sister ended up punished and Yara had to return it at 5.15 in the afternoon Yara goes out the door carrying, her phone the recorder

and the house keys and goes directly to the sports center which is located 700 M away that Friday Yara did not have training but nevertheless when she passed by the door other girls were training so she delivered the recorder and stayed to watch she sat in. She stood up, talked to some girls, commented on the training, and at 6.40 she decided to leave its then when two things happen. Door she ran into the father of her best. Friend they greeted each other talked a little and 6.44 she sent a message to her best friend. The minutes go by and Yara doesn't return. Home so Mora her mother begins to worry she knows the training ended. At 6.30 and therefore if Yara got delayed, she would arrive home at. 6.45 but 7 o'clock comes and Yara doesn't show up. So at 7.11

she grabs the phone and calls her daughter but it's off the woman immediately, calls the sports center and from there they tell her that her daughter left through the door at. 6.40 the hours don't add up for her so. The woman puts on a jacket and goes. Out to the street she calls her daughter looks in every, corner in every road goes to the sports center but of Yara Gamboregio there is no trace so worried she calls. Her husband and tells him what's happening that night Flavio had a work. Dinner but at eight o'clock sharp he left. Everything joined his wife and together they reported the disappearance of their 13-year-old daughter. Music. The prosecutor in charge of the case was Letizia Rory who had been working in justice for 20 years the case for.

Her for minute one was personal and therefore she did everything possible to find. The whereabouts of Yara at first. They interrogated possible witnesses, the girls from training the coach, people who knew her friends, neighbors' family members but they didn't have any, suspect then they checked security cameras. And at the door of the sports center a white car was, seen circling the image was not very clear and they couldn't tell what type of car it was they only knew it was. White then they searched Yara's phone, GPS and were unable to, located because at 6.49 in the evening it turned off for that reason. They tried to see how many phones connected, around that time to the same antenna to the

Brembate D. Soper antenna and the police received some. Information that left them stunned as I told you earlier in Brembate D. Sopra there were about 7,000 inhabitants but on that antenna there were, connected 15,000 devices 15,000 devices spread across different towns and forth the police, used three sniffer dogs to follow Yara's sent the three, animals left from the sports center and, from there through winding paths reached, the town of Mapello, which was, located 11 minutes from Brembate de Sopra. For the prosecutor the dog lead didn't, seem very solid they could be, confused following a false trail, but still it's very interesting that the three animals ended up in the same, place a construction site at the entrance, of Mapello

and because of that all the workers were questioned Mason's painters, plumbers all of them were questioned and all their phones tapped and hear something very interesting emerges and that is that one of the workers draws attention more than the others and this is mohammed thikri 23 years old this man speaks arabic and because of that the police hired a translator who listens 24 hours a day to everything he says he listens to the conversation's records the missed calls and among all that there's a call in which mohammed says the following may allah forgive me i didn't kill her. This is completely circumstantial it doesn't prove that. Mohamed killed Yara but they investigate further they discover that on December 4th,

he will take a boat from Genoa to 10-year Morocco if he reaches. Morocco he'll escape forever and for that reason the police organize an entire. Operation Mohammed leaves home arrives at. The port of Genoa boards a boat and when it reaches international waters to Coast Guard, boats block the path and force them to return to port once. Port all passengers are, forced to get off and Mohamed Fickri is arrested they send him to the cell they interrogate him search his things and discover that in his van there's a mattress with blood stains all this. Information is leaked to the press the radio the television

the newspapers all of them say. Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Sfreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcast. to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insert ads. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Sprinker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early

access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. If the culprit has already been, caught they show his face, they say his, name his age, his last name everything seems, to point to him, but then the police, is exposed to start with the blood on the mattress is not Yara's in. Second place the translator made a huge mistake because in the call Muhammad. Fikri didn't say, may Allah forgive me I didn't kill her but actually

said the words may Allah help me and make her answer me because the other person he was calling didn't pick up. The phone and third we have that. Mohamed Fickri the day of the disappearance of Yara Gambarajio had, an alibi he met with friends had dinner, with them and it was impossible that in that time frame he had kidnapped her. On February, January 26, 2011, a man named Hilario Scotty 48 years old, decided to go to the countryside to fly. His new plane he was a fan of models of, aerodeling and had recently, found a limited edition plane so he, assembled it charged the battery prepared everything, got in the car and went to Shignolo Disola. He stood in the middle of the field verified. Everything was fine and quickly,

flew his plane did a couple of pirouettes a couple of spins, and out of nowhere the plane stopped and fell straight down the device got into some bushes and the man very puzzled, ran towards it crouched, verified that everything was okay and then he noticed that in that area it smelled very bad, it smelled practically as if something was rotting and when he turned around he found the lifeless body of Yara Gamberazio. When the police arrived at, the area they saw that it had already been searched, volunteers already passed it was searched, in every corner helicopters already passed, but never before had they seen Yara's body in January they found. Trash found strange things but, Yara's body was not there so, though.

Killer placed it there recently. After a first visual inspection, they detected the following points to begin with the body wore the same clothes. As the day she disappeared, black leggings white hoodie black jacket, sport sneakers and had blood stains in, some areas secondly in her hands. She was holding grass as if before dying she had, been clutching it third in the jacket. She had several things the house keys, the phone battery, the SIM card end. Some sources say she had an iPod, and finally we have that near the body there was a towel with blood stains, female and male blood. When the forensics arrive they request that the body not be lifted directly but that the surrounding soil be collected as well, because it could possibly contain clues and with all

that they proceed to the autopsy to begin with as they remove the garments they see that the underwear is misplaced the bra is unhooked and pulled upwards and the panties are cut on one side when they remove the clothes they see that throughout the body there are many wounds on the head area there are blows one on the jaw another on the nape one on the back of the skull and on the rest of the body there are shallow cuts on the belly on the thighs on the back and they are cuts made while the girl was completely naked there are no fibers inside the wounds so the knife passed there on bare skin none of the wounds caused her death so all this was a process of torture and here come the most controversial points of the entire case according to the main forensic of the case yara gamberasia was not everything pointed that she was the

underwear cut the bra upwards cuts on the body but according to the forensic there were no signs of rape and finally we have that the cause of death was hypothermia. Yarra was hit in the head undressed, cut and later abandoned in, the middle of the field that had identical characteristics to the one. She was found and it is believed that Yara died the same day she was, kidnapped either at midnight or early morning, to be continued. It is believed that Yara died the same day she was, kidnapped either at 12 at night or, early in the morning.

All this was very strange so they decided to analyze the blood and, part of the first. particles found all over the body, and this allowed them to discover even more. Interesting facts to begin within the, lungs the victim had lime dust, and, in the pockets she had bits of, iron, elements that seem very common in a workshop or a construction site. Then we have that the leggings have, colored fibers, fibers that seem to, belong to either a blanket or the, upholstery of a car, and finally, we have that Yarra's panties in the cut part had a small stain. With male DNA this sample was very, very small and did not match any database so this subject was called unknown one they knew nothing

about him had no name no suspects and so they decided to experiment with this small sample they looked for physical traits of this person details that would help them know who he was and they discovered that he had a 94.5% chance of having blue eyes this detail may seem silly but later it would be very important in the investigation they saw that Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes.

No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows.

So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. He was a male with light eyes who had no criminal record, not in any system, but they still didn't know who the hell he was in. Then they decided to make a very risky move and relate the DNA of Yara Gambarajio with her surroundings there. Those fields were deserted.

It was a very quiet, isolated place but there. In the previous month another death had occurred. On January 16th, a young man from, the Dominican Republic was murdered at the Doors of a nightclub that was very nearby, a nightclub called Sab. Mobily this nightclub was very famous in the area mainly because of its problems. People went there, drank, got drunk, started fighting and ended up with knives. In the middle of the fields knowing who went to, that club would be very complicated, but Sab Mobily had a customer registry if you wanted to enter you had to give your ID, your name, and surname and everyone who attended. That club left

their data over 2000. Volunteers gave their DNA to the police and among all of them one stood out. And this was Damiano Gary Damiano had DNA, very similar to Unknown One but, unfortunately it was not the same he had. DNA very, very close. So, Unknown One was a relative of his butt. Now they had to figure out who the hell it was if. It was a cousin, an uncle, or a father, unfortunately, the family of Damiano had too many ties with the Gamborezio family since to begin with, his mother Aurora Zani worked for them, for 10 years cleaning their house and, so we have the DNA and the link this. Information pushed the police to keep, investigating they searched for a cousin, an uncle, someone who matched the DNA of, unknown one they requested family,

records from the present back to 1860 and slowly they worked backwards, first through Damiano Orione's line, and then to his cousin Pierre Paolo Gioni and they saw that this subject could perfectly be. Unknown one's brother they investigated a little more, took the DNA from his brother but he was not the killer so they decided to go, after his father Giuseppe Benedetto Gioni, who had been dead since. Ninety-99 his wife offered the police, some evidence, offered postcards, stamps he had licked and from that they extracted. The biological father's DNA of unknown, one to be sure they exhumed the body and once again confirmed the, Suspitions Giuseppe Benedetto Gioni was the father of unknown one but the mother, was not his wife between the 60s and 70s.

Giuseppe was a bus driver, and mainly took women to, textile factories he woke up early, picked them up and drove them to work and, at that time his co-workers said, he was a womanizer, he flirted with everyone, sometimes went out, with them for drinks and all this. He did behind his wife's back, in small towns being a single mother, was heavily frowned upon so, The police requested records of single, mothers and orphanages, but even with all, that they found nothing with what they had. So far, the police didn't have enough, so they expanded them. Search and also tracked women who, were married and had families in, among all of them a woman appeared, named Estera Zuffy who had blue, eyes in the year 2012 over 500. Samples were analyzed but none of. Them appeared to be the killer's mother.

Five hundred women and none looked remotely like her, so Latizia Rory did. didn't. Understand anything maybe the woman didn't exist. Maybe she was dead, maybe there was a mistake Letizia Rory asked the lab to explain what they were doing, to explain step by step the process they were following and then, she discovered that they had made a mistake and, that was they were comparing Yara's DNA, with the 500 samples not with, unknown one so they repeated, the whole process and in 201, they discovered that Astera Zuffy was the biological mother of unknown one Asterra. Zuffy married in 1966 with a man named Giovanni Bocetti and with him she had. Three children in 72 she had twins, Laura Letizia and Massimo Giuseppe Bossetti and three years later had a third

child Fabio. Bocetti according to the tests carried out. The three children were from Estara but none. Of them were from her husband, the twins, were from Giuseppe and the third from an unknown. Man from the beginning this, woman denied having lovers, denied that her children were from other men, said they were from her husband that she, never cheated but the Italian press went. After her and her reputation was, tarnished now it was time to meet Massimo. Giuseppe Bocetti Massimo was a, 44-year-old builder, married, and had. Three children he liked sports and tanning. In fact, the beauty center he used to go to, was on the same street as the sports center. Of Yara Gamberasio, his eyes were a, very intense blue and his car was white. For several days the police followed,

His steps and tried actively and persistently to obtain his DNA he went to, bars with his wife and kids and never, ordered anything everyone else, ordered water or food but he never did. For that reason the police set up a fake, DUI checkpoint they stood on the. Road saw several cars pass and when Massimo's arrived they stopped him and, had him blow twice once with his saliva. The labs got to work and discovered that his DNA was exactly, the same as that of unknown one which proved that Massimo Bosedi was.

In fact, the killer of Yara Gambarajio. On June 16th, 2014, he was arrested, and it must be said that this was movie-like. He was working on the roof of a building, and when he saw the police he ran, ran across the roof, down the stairs, tripped and they handcuffed him. The guy said he didn't understand, anything, didn't know what they were. Doing there, was scared, didn't. Understand what he was accused of and- Hi, I'm Darren Marley.

host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay

for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-K-E-R.com.

in the trial there were many contradictions. In the file itself they said this man, acted with great rage, beat the girl, tortured her, abandoned her but on. The girl's body we see something very. Slow Yara was tortured when she was. Unconscious so those. Documents are very confusing even so the, prosecution argued the following points. To begin with they had his DNA then, they knew Massimo was moving around, the same area as Yara Gambarajio in. Third place this guy didn't have a solid. Alibi he couldn't say what he was doing. The day Yara Gamborejo disappeared in. Fourth place the fibers found on Yaras. Leggings seemed to match those on. Massimo's car seats in that car there was no blood from the girl no hair, either, nor her DNA but the fibers from the car were on her

clothes. In fifth place the metal pieces and lime. In Yara's lungs seemed to match. Massimo's work, who remember, was a builder and finally we have that in this. Man's computer the police found, which allowed them to create the, following hypothesis Massimo Stalked Yara, for several hours and then, kidnapped her and took her to a construction site. Once there he hit her in the head, left her unconscious and proceeded to remove her, clothes with the girl naked he went on to make, cuts and then wanted to abuse her but, something or someone stopped him so he, decided to dress her and abandon her body. Some sources say he left her in a field and that later he picked her up and left her where she would eventually be found but either way. Both fields were identical

the defense. Obviously wanted to refute all of this. They asked for the DNA to be tested again, but the prosecution said that was impossible. As the sample was too small, they couldn't repeat the whole process because reconstructing everything was impossible then. They said it was perfectly normal for Massimo Boceti to go to the same places as Yara Gamberazio since they were. From the same area Massimo's wife, said that when all this happened they were, together, that they were with the kids, had plans, had dinner together but neither. She nor Massimo could prove. This and after that the defense argued that everything was a setup they said that. Weeks before the crime Massimo lost, his toolbox supposedly, someone stole it along with a towel with blood, a towel that

appeared at. The crime scene, and also argued that the DNA of Sylvia Brenna, Yarra's coach was found on the girl's jacket, specifically on the sleeves what was her DNA doing there? Why was no one investigating at all this? Created new hypotheses, hypotheses that supposedly pointed to the Italian mafia killing. Yara between 2013 and 2016 the author, Roberto Saviano said that Yara's father, once testified in, a trial against some businessmen who, worked for the Comorah which would have led the mafia to kill Yara, as revenge Fluvio Gambarajio denou. The accusations, but even so many people, still believe this many people still, believe the mafia is behind. This crime the new hypotheses did not, convince the judge and in July

2016 the Criminal Court of Bergamo, sentenced Massimo Boceti to, life in prison for a long time, appeals were made but all were, denied and finally in 2019 the Criminal Court of Bergamo authorized Mossimo Bocetti's defense to re-examine all the evidence the DNA the girl Girls close all the evidence and to, this day they are awaiting results, so now it's your turn. What do you think? About the case do you believe Massimo Bocetti is the real author of this crime? End. She didn't move, didn't do anything, she simply looked at her in silence.

Then, he grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her all the way to the pool. That's when the neighbors entered the house and called 911. We begin. Scott Faylater, 41 years old, had every single. in life. A wife he adored, two children who got good grades, two dogs, an incredible house with a pool, friends, money, a good job. But on the night of January 16, 1997, he lost everything. He was working on the computer when, suddenly, his eyelids began to feel heavy. Very heavy. He was extremely tired. So he closed his eyes and rested for a bit. But when he opened

them, several police officers were breaking down his front door and accusing him of having murdered his wife. Scott didn't understand what was happening. He didn't understand why they were accusing him of something like that. He tried to reason with them, to ask what was going on, why they were accusing him. But the more he spoke... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt.

Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from apple podcasts to spotify but the real game changer for me was spreeker's monetization spreeker offers dynamic ad insert insert ads into your episodes no editing required and with spreeker's programmatic ads they'll bring the ads to you and you get paid for every download this turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career spreeker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing and the best part spreeker grows with you whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly

as your show grows so if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it check out spreeker dot com that's s p r e a k er dot com the less they believed him because on his neck he had dried blood from his wife yarmala jarm philator was born on january fifth in Illinois, United States, daughter of Jarmala Pelican and Joseph Keskin. We have very little information about her childhood and personal life, only that, while attending Brookfield High School in Riverside, she met the love of her life. Scott Lewis Faylater. Scott was three years younger than her, a studious and introverted boy who loved classical music. He played in a school choir, had quite a few friends, and his family life seemed fairly normal. He was the eldest of five siblings in a

Catholic family, and his parents were very kind. His father was a personnel director, and his mother a nurse. However, beneath that perfect facade, there was a very dark secret. Scott suffered from episodes of sleepwalking. I remember Scott getting dressed at midnight with glassy eyes and saying he had to go to school. One time, when he was about 12, he entered the living room completely naked and said, I'm going to school. His father put his hands on Scott's shoulders, and Scott resisted. I told him, come with me, son, and I took him back to bed. You couldn't touch him when he was like that. Lois Wills, Scott's mother. Basically, whenever he was stressed, Scott suffered from sleepwalking. Whenever he had arguments with a friend, had exams,

or deadlines, anything like that, Scott would get out of bed and walk around completely asleep. Going back to his relationship with Jarmala, it seems the two shared the same dreams and aspirations. They wanted to get married, build a family, and get college degrees. Jarmala wanted to be a teacher, and Scott an engineer. So they both decided to go to college, but the problem was that they chose universities very far from each other. So far, in fact, that they could only see each other once a month. During their final year, they decided to get married. At first, it sounds very beautiful, idyllic, romantic, but in their case, it led to many arguments. At the time they got married, Scott had just joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and kept

telling Jarmala that he wanted to get married in that church. She was a lifelong Catholic and completely refused to convert. She had her faith, her beliefs, and she wasn't going to leave them for anyone. They began to argue, couldn't agree on anything, and Jarmala almost broke up with him. But for one reason or another, she gave in, and the couple got married in 1976 in a civil ceremony presided over by a Mormon bishop. After the wedding, the couple not only graduated, but landed very good jobs. And while they made good money and seemed happy, Scott continued pushing Jarmela to convert to Mormonism. He insisted and insisted, invited her to church, introduced her to people in the congregation. Finally, tired of hearing it, she gave in and was baptized in a Mormon temple in

Washington, D.C. Years passed. The couple moved to Florida, where their two children were born in the early 1980s. After that, they lived two years in Minnesota, and finally, in 1987, they bought a beautiful house with a pool in Phoenix, Arizona. Life was going really well. They adopted two dogs, got along with the neighbors and the entire neighborhood. Scott was actively involved in the church. The kids got good grades, never fought, were always punctual, responsible, and polite. By late 1996, Scott and Jarmala, aged 41 and 44, began planning their retirement. It may sound too early, but they wanted to save monthly to make sure they had everything they needed when the time came. They wanted to travel across the U.S., buy an RV, maybe a new house, maybe even visit Europe.

But unfortunately, they would never be able to enjoy those plans, because on Thursday, January 16, 1997, all of their dreams would turn into a nightmare. After dinner, Jarmala Faylater tucked in her two children, ages 12 and 15. Then she picked up a book and sat down to read it on the sofa. She got comfortable, began reading, and inevitably, fell asleep. Meanwhile, Scott went into the study, sat at the computer, and started planning the new activities for the youth group at his church. He was extremely tired, but it was now or never, or else he would never finish. So he sat down and started typing, until his eyelids got heavier and heavier, and he

eventually gave in to sleep. Musical note, the sound of sirens and a loud crash woke Scott Faylater. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatically,

ads. They'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Sprinker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Sprinker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check. out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. He found himself lying in bed, completely covered up, wearing his new pajamas. He didn't remember how he got there, nor how long he had been asleep.

But one thing was clear, his wife wasn't next to him. He jumped out of bed, ran down the stairs, and as he did, he came face to face with several police officers pointing multiple guns at him. They ordered him to raise his hands, told him not to move. Nervously, he obeyed. They were accusing him of cold-bloodedly murdering his wife. And as much as he wanted to deny it, Scott had blood on his neck, and injuries that looked like defensive wounds on his hands and arms. Before we continue with the story, let's look at what the police had against Scott Faylater, and what exactly happened to Jarmala Faylater. To begin with, we have the autopsy.

It revealed that the woman had received 44 stab wounds all over her body. Additionally, there was water in her lungs, which means that after brutally attacking her, the killer tried to drown her. Then we have a very strong witness statement against Scott Faylater. Around 10 to 10.30 p.m. on January 16, 1997, several neighbors, including Greg Coons, began hearing a woman screaming for help. They quickly looked out their windows, looked at their windows, looked at their windows, looked at side to side, but everything was too dark. So they went out into the yard, and from there,

they saw something terrifying. Jarmala Faylater was lying on the lawn, moving her arms and legs. She appeared to be convulsing. But it was so dark, they couldn't see anything clearly. The woman was on her right side, and then she rolled slightly onto her back, and stopped moving. The neighbors looked at her house and saw that the upstairs lights were on, and Scott was walking back and forth. He walked slowly, without any apparent concern. Then he went down to the garden. He stopped next to his wife, and stared at her for a full minute. He didn't move. Didn't do anything. He just looked at her in silence. Then, he grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her to the pool. That's when the neighbors entered the house, and called 911. To be continued. When

police searched the house, they found something very strange in the dashboard of Scott's Volvo. In some sources, it was described as a bag, and in others, a Tupperware container. But regardless of the container, its contents remained the same across all versions. Inside was the bloodstained clothing Scott had been wearing when Jarmelah was murdered. And, in addition to that, the knife used to stab the woman 44 times was also found. This is the moment when the entire story begins to take. shape. If you tell someone you walk in your sleep, no one will believe you at first. I used to think that if someone gets arrested, they're probably guilty, but we should educate ourselves. Lois Wilk, Scott's

mother. With this premise, the defense team built their entire case around sleepwalking. First of all, let's remember that Scott had a history of sleepwalking. He would get up while still asleep, get dressed, repeat specific tasks. And all of this happened when he was very stressed, not sleeping well, or had something important to do. And during the time of the crime, Scott was under a lot of pressure. He had work matters, church responsibilities, and wasn't sleeping properly. So the stress may have led him to commit a violent act unconsciously. Second, to prove that Scott was really a sleepwalker, they ran a couple of tests using a device called a polysomnia. This device, this device supposedly records everything that happens in the body while it's asleep. According to the experts,

Scott showed clear signs of sleepwalking, or at least of high nighttime brain activity. Third, they claimed that Scott had no problems with his wife. This could be confirmed by friends and family, Yarm and I didn't even argue or yell at each other. In 15 years, I never once thought about hitting or yelling at my wife, Scott Faylater's statement, there were no reports of abuse, no history of fights. They always got along, and even if they disagreed, they quickly resolved things. Fourth, the defense argued that this wasn't the first time someone had killed another person while sleepwalking. Take the case of Kenneth James Parks, in 1987. He apparently had a perfect life. He was happily married, had a nice house, friends, a job. But beneath all that perfection,

Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career.

Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com.

That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Chaos was brewing. He was facing financial problems, which he tried to solve through gambling and betting. He thought he could win it all back, but the opposite happened. He gambled, lost more money, and ended up with more debt. To avoid worrying his wife, he didn't tell her. Keeping it all inside stressed him out even more. Stress, insomnia, dark circles, constant fatigue, and fine.

Finally, on the night of May 24, 1987, his brain snapped. Completely asleep, he got out of bed, got dressed, got into his car, and drove 20 kilometers from Pickering to Scarborough, specifically to his in-law's house. He got along very well with them and had done that route countless times. In fact, he did it one to two times per week. He had his own key. So he unlocked the door, said hello, and usually laid down on their couch. Their trust was incredible. But inside his dreams, the story was very different. He drove there, parked the car outside, used his key to get in, and in the darkness, walked

into the main bedroom, where he beat his mother-in-law to death with a tire iron. Then he turned to his father-in-law and strangled him with all his strength. The man didn't die, but Kenneth, still asleep, believed that he had. So, afterward, he got back in the car and drove to the nearest police station, where he said, I think I just killed two people. The officer who attended to him said Kenneth was completely expressionless. His tone of voice was flat and monotonous. Then, after a few minutes, Kenneth seemed to, wake up.

He got nervous, started asking what was going on, what he was doing there, and when they told him what he had done, he couldn't believe it. As unbelievable as it may sound, Kenneth Parks was acquitted of all charges. So Scott Thalader's defense wanted to use this entire case in his favor. In Kenneth's case, he routinely drove to his in-law's house, always took the same route, did the same thing, so his actions that night were somewhat explainable. And in Scott's case, he always stored his work clothes in the car's dashboard. He would take clothes, fold them, place them on the dashboard, then put on his pajamas and go to bed.

Fifth, the defense had an explanation for what happened the night of the crime. Scott was nervous, stressed, anxious, he fell asleep in front of the computer. He had church and work tasks pending, and he also had to fix the pool pump. So, in his sleep, he got up, grabbed a knife, and went to the pool. He started splashing, making noise, and inevitably, Jarmala woke up. She put down her book, got up from the sofa, and went to the backyard. to ask him what he was doing. She spoke to him, tried to wake him up, but Scott believed she was an intruder. So he turned around, confronted her, and finally, stabbed her 44 times. After that,

he put on gloves, dragged his wife's body into the water, and drowned her. And finally, to end it all, he went back inside, put on his pajamas, and got into bed, as if nothing had ever happened. All of this could make a lot of sense. But the prosecution wasn't convinced. First, they said the attack made no sense. If Scott had truly been sleepwalking, the entire attack would have lasted five minutes. But in reality, it lasted 55. Second, Greg Coons, the main witness, said that during the attack,

Scott spoke to his dog and asked it kindly to stop barking. He knew what he was doing, and who he was interacting with. Third, some of Scott's co-workers. said that weeks before the crime, he had talked to them about Kenneth Parks. He told them about this man who, ten years earlier, killed his in-laws while sleepwalking. So, in reality, Scott already knew about the case. Fourth, they had several hypotheses about what may have really happened. The first is that Scott, while sleepwalking, did indeed stab his wife, but when he stood there looking at her for a full minute, he snapped into awareness. He saw the blood, the wound,

realized what he had done, and decided to go through with it anyway. He put on gloves, dragged her to the pool, and drowned her. The second hypothesis is that the entire crime was planned. Scott knew about the Kenneth Park's case and intended to use it to his advantage, kill his wife and walk away free. But the reason behind the crime was still a mystery. If they were so happy, why kill her? What motive could he possibly have to murder the love of his life? The answer to these questions was supposedly right in front of them, religion. Jarmala had never been comfortable with her husband's faith. She converted out of love, only because he insisted, over and over.

But that never made her happy. In recent months, she had stopped going to church, stopped associating with members of the congressmen. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy. to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insert insertion.

That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Sprinker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding a number. another revenue stream to what you're already doing.

And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. And on top of that, Scott wanted more children, but Jarmala refused. She was happy with two and didn't want more.

Scott kept insisting. Some witnesses said that in the last few months, Jarmelah seemed very depressed. Apparently, she gained some weight, which made her feel insecure. She no longer wanted to talk about religion, didn't want more children. She was letting herself go, she was depressed, and suddenly, she wanted a divorce. So Scott, pretending to be sleepwalking, killed her. But what's interesting is that this man had no prior criminal record. He was never reported for violence, never showed aggressive behavior.

So convicting him would be a little complicated. Sometimes when I think about it, I wonder, what kind of Jekyll and hide am I? There's no way I could hurt Jarn. I didn't know something like this could be in anyone I've ever known, much less in me. Scott Faylater, in June 1999, after eight hours of deliberation, a jury found Scott Lewis failator guilty of murder. At that time, the death penalty was still in effect in the state of Arizona. So if the jury voted unanimously, Scott would lose his life. But instead, he got lucky. At the last moment, the jury couldn't reach a unanimous decision, so Scott was sentenced to life

in prison, without the possibility of parole. So now it's your turn. What do you think of the case? Do you believe Scott really committed the crime while asleep? The end. Quick introduction. I'm 21 now and the contents I'm about to narrate are from the time period when I was 17 and just a new patriotic recruit as a young revolutionary militia rebel. For years ago I joined the newly formed Revolutionary Army 2 fight against the military coup and the atrocities and genocides committed by the military. I was just ambitious and patriotic during that time and naive. Anyway, this is a story for another time. After a few months of service under the Revolutionary Army, I was posted in the Chin region of Myanmar in the wilderness which separates the military territory and the territory we control so I had a big duty to fill as I was the first line of defense in case of any invasion. We had wooden towers and wooden shacks in a small concentrated area of the wilderness which was our base. In total we had 20 active fighters and 12 other who often worked inside jobs but were well equipped and trained like us. For miles it was nothing but

trees and rivers, we would often go on patrolling along the lines of the wilderness. On a specific night it was my turn along with my, it means buddy, buddy is a duo who patrols the territory, we would walk five kilometers on each side and report back any suspicious activity, my buddy, and I always felt chills about the wilderness we were in. We never felt comfortable so we never went past the five kilometers mark as we always felt uneasy, but on that specific night as we were closing on the five kilometers mark, we heard humming we thought it was just the wind as it was always windy there, but in our case both of us instantly felt chills as we walked closer to the 5 kilometers mark the humming got louder. Just to be clear

just beyond the 5 kilometers mark is a small cliff which goes down to a river. We reported hearing humming down the river to the main base through our set phone, but we got no response which was weird for us as a set phone never malfunctions. So both of us just stood on the edge of the cliff pointing our flashlight towards the river which was pretty shallow and I kid you not. Narrating this story right now is giving me chills. We both saw a skinless long hair women taking bath in the river humming. I swear to God that day I screamed like a kid and shocked. My buddy, he shook me to stay calm and he decided to point at it with our guns, but the thing was gone. We ran back to base like hell with our guns and armor which was extra five to

8 kilograms, we eventually reached the base and narrated the whole thing to command. They had also brushed off the incident. And we eventually forgot about it after a few weeks, but, I fell sick and was bedridden for two months, thank God I recovered, but the weird part was during my illness a shaman was called to treat me due to my worsening condition. Me personally I don't believe in shamans as a Christian, but the shocking part was he had told my caretakers I was cursed for seeing what I should not have, for a coincidence I thought it was weird. Eventually I heard that my buddy, who I was with during the incident had died due to unknown reasons. I wasn't able to meet him due to him being posted to a different place. I'm now 21 and living in Australia

at my aunt's place and I'm planning on continuing my studies here. Thank you, smiley face. The road stretched endlessly ahead, the headlights carving a narrow tunnel through the night. My hands rested firmly on the steering wheel, my thumbs tapping absent-mindedly to the soft hum of the radio. The world outside was quiet, too quiet, with only the occasional flicker of trees rushing past. I hadn't seen another car for miles. This was supposed to be good for us. A weekend away from everything, the noise, the routines, the lingering weight of Sarah's absence.

She wasn't gone, of course. Just away for the weekend, out with friends, laughing, unwinding. She deserved that. I told her to go, to enjoy herself. I could handle things. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify.

But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you.

Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. A camping trip with the kid sounded perfect. Fresh air, S-Morays, a crackling fire under the stars. Yeah.

We needed this. Emily was excited, bouncing in her seat. even before we left the driveway, her tiny leg swinging. Ryan, well, Ryan didn't complain. That was something. He missed his mom, even if he wouldn't say it. I felt it in the way he stared out the window, quiet and distant. Maybe this trip would bring us together again, a chance to feel like a family.

The clock on the dash glowed 9.42 p.m. The highway had long since faded into winding backroads, the kind where the trees leaned in too close, branches clawing at the edges of the light. The stars barely peaked through the dense canopy above. I glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing Emily's head bobbing as she fought off sleep. Ryan sat on the opposite side, his hoodie pulled up, eyes lost somewhere in the dark woods outside. Yeah. This was going to be good. We just needed to get there. All right, who's ready for an adventure? I said, forcing my voice to sound lighter than I felt.

Emily stirred, mumbling something too soft to hear. Ryan didn't answer. He hadn't said much the whole trip. I sighed, shifting in my seat, and that's when I saw it. A flicker of light appeared between the trees, too bright, too steady to be a firefly. It hovered, unnaturally still, just beyond the tree lean. I blinked, narrowing my eyes. A lantern?

Headlights from another car. No, we were in the middle of nowhere. No houses for miles. The light moved. Not flickering, not swaying, but gliding smoothly alongside the car, keeping pace. My stomach tightened. My fingers curled tighter around the wheel. It wasn't a light.

Not really. It stretched, curving into something thin and sharp, something that looked like teeth. A smile. And it was watching us. I kept my eyes on the road, trying to shake off that feeling in my gut. Whatever it was, I knew it wasn't right. But I couldn't dwell on it. We had made it this far, and the kids needed this trip.

It was a fresh start for all of us, even if it was just for the weekend. Eventually, the winding road opened up to a wider stretch of land, and I could see the wooden sign up ahead. Cedarwood Forest Campground, it read, the letters weathered but still visible. A familiar relief washed over me. We'd made it. I pulled the car to a slow stop in front of a small wooden kiosk, where a uniformed officer sat in a folding chair, a clipboard resting in his lap. His eyes were sharp under the brim of his hat, taking in the car and its passengers as I rolled down the window. Evening, I said, trying to sound cheerful.

We're here to camp for the weekend. The officer gave me a quick nod, his gaze flicking over to the kids in the back seat, then back to me. $1.30 for the weekend, sir, he said, his voice firm but polite. It's a cash-only campground, but we've got a nice spot right by the lake. You'll find the parking area just ahead. Just follow the signs to the campgrounds. Enjoy your stay.

I pulled out my wallet and handed over the cash, feeling the weight of the night. night press in on me. The officer gave me a receipt, waved me through, and I rolled up the window, steering the car past the parking area. The parking lot wasn't huge, just a few rows of gravel spaces, each marked with a small, weathered sign indicating the campsites. There were a few other cars parked, mostly older models with gear strapped to the roofs, tents and coolers already packed beside them. I parked the car in an empty spot, the headlights illuminate, the darkened woods ahead. The air felt crisp, the scent of pine trees filling the space around us. All right, guys, I said, cutting the engine. We're here. Let's get everything out

and set up before it gets too dark. Emily's eyes lit up as she unbuckled her seatbelt, her excitement palpable. Yay! I get to sleep in a tent. She shot out of the car before I even had the chance to grab the keys. Ryan didn't say anything at first, but I could see him trying to hide his grin, his green eyes reflecting the excitement. He wasn't one to show too much emotion, but I knew he was looking forward to this trip more than he let on. Come on.

Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Sfreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required.

And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network,

Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R. Ryan, let's get the tent set up, I said, opening the trunk to grab the gear. Yeah, yeah, he muttered, but I could hear the enthusiasm behind it. The campsite was peaceful, the gentle rustle of the trees. above, the faint sounds of distant wildlife. It was nothing like the city noise we were used to. The kids were in their element, running around and laughing, their voices carrying in the cool night air. We managed to get the first tent set up quickly. Ryan and I worked together, sliding the

poles into place, while Emily helped by passing the stakes. She was already talking about what she was going to do the next day, what trail she wanted to hike, what animals she might see. I smiled, tying down the last corner of the tent. There we go. One tent, all set up, I said, wiping my hands on my jeans. I looked at Emily, then Ryan. They were both grinning, happy, for once completely lost in the joy of being outdoors. Can I help make the fire?

Emily asked, her hands clasped together. I want to roast marshmallows. Ryan rolled his eyes playfully but not. I nodded. Yeah, sure, kid. We'll make the best fire ever. I chuckled, starting to feel that sense of relief creeping in. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the escape we needed.

It felt like we were finally beginning to unwind, to shake off everything that had been weighing us down. I stepped back to look at the tents, my kids already making themselves at home in the small space. The night stretched on, and the stars above shimmered brightly, untouched by city lights. A small, satisfying sense of peace settled over me. Let's get the fire going, I said, as I gathered the wood from the pile nearby. We'll make this a night to remember. And for a while, it felt like everything was exactly as it should be. The night was quiet, save for the occasional crackle of wood as I arranged the logs into the fire pit. The kids were chattering away, gathering sticks and small pieces of kindling to help me get the fire going.

Ryan was a little more hesitant with the matches, but Emily was practically bouncing, too eager to wait. I struck the match and held it to the dry kindling. The flames caught quickly, and soon the fire was crackling, casting flickering shadows across our small campsite. The warm from the fire felt good, especially after the chill of the night air. Emily was already holding out her marshmallow stick, her face lit up by the orange glow of the flames. I'm going to roast the perfect marshmallow, she declared, her voice filled with determination. I laughed. You say that every time, M.

Let's see if you can actually pull it off tonight. Ryan didn't say anything but smirked, pulling out his own stick and skewering a marshmallow. He wasn't one for talking much, but I could see the peace settling in him too. We sat there for a while, the fire's warmth and the quiet of the forest surrounding us. The sound of the crackling fire and the occasional rustle of the trees above were oddly comforting. For a while, everything felt perfect. No distractions, no city noise. Just us.

The kind of peaceful moment I had been longing for. But then something shifted in the air, a feeling I couldn't quite place. The firelight flickered, casting longer shadows than it should have, and suddenly, I had the eerie sense that we weren't alone. I looked up, my gaze automatically drawn to the edge of the clearing where the trees started to grow thicker. At first, it was just the blackness of the woods, an impenetrable mass of shadows. But then, I saw it. A figure. It was far away, standing just at the edge of the forest, barely visible in the distance. But the thing that struck me first was its smile. It was too bright. Too wide. It shone through the darkness like it was carved from light

itself, cutting through the night like a cruel, mocking mockery of joy. Its eyes, bright and unnaturally white, seemed to pierce through the distance. I could see everything, its grin, its eyes, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make out the shape of the creature. It was like the shadows themselves were swallowing up the figure, distorting it beyond recognition. My breath caught in my throat, and I blinked hard, trying to make sense of it. Was it real? Was it my mind playing tricks on me? The figure didn't move, just stood there, grinning. I blinked again, and in that instant, it vanished.

The clearing was empty once. more, the only sound the crackling of the fire. I shook my head, telling myself it was nothing. Just the dark woods playing tricks on me. But the unease still clung to me like a second skin. I forced... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Sfreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's

programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com.

That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R dot com. ...myself to focus back on the fire, to focus on the kids. Everything all right? Ryan asked, his voice sharp as if he sensed the sudden shift in my mood. Yeah, just, got a little distracted, I muttered. trying to shake the feeling off. Nothing to worry about, but I couldn't ignore the knot that had formed in my stomach. The image of that smile, that unnatural grin, lingered in the back of my mind.

I shook my head again, forcing myself to focus on the present. Emily was happily toasting her marshmallow, oblivious to the tension that had settled into the air. Ryan, too, seemed fine, poking at the fire with a stick, his expression as casual as ever. But even though the firelight was warm, I couldn't shake the chill that had crawled up my spine. We stayed out there for a while longer, trying to enjoy the moment. But the air felt heavier now, the shadows deeper. The distant woods, once welcoming, now felt suffocating. All right, guys, I said, my voice more clipped than I intended. Let's finish up and head inside the tents. We don't want to be out here too late.

Emily pouted but nodded, reluctantly pulling her marshmallow away from the fire. Fine, Daddy. I'll save the rest for tomorrow. Ryan followed suit, tossing his half-eaten marshmallow onto the ground with a flick of his wrist. We doused the fire, stamping out the last of the embers, the air cooling immediately. The night was darker now, the sky overhead almost suffocating in its blackness. Come on, guys, I said again, more urgently this time. my unease growing stronger. Let's get inside the tents. We grabbed our things and hurried toward

the tents, a palpable tension in the air. I could still feel that strange, unsettling sensation clinging to me, like something wasn't right. But we made it to the tents, the zippered flaps a welcome barrier between us and the vast, empty woods outside. As I tucked Emily into her sleeping bag and Ryan settled into his, the tent felt too small, too closed in. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was out there, something that wasn't meant to be seen, something that was waiting. Good night, kids, I said, forcing a smile, but even my voice didn't sound as convincing as I wanted it to.

Good night, Dad, Ryan mumbled, his voice already half lost to sleep. Night, Daddy, Emily whispered, her eyes already fluttering closed. I lay there in the dark, the sounds of the forest all around us. But I couldn't sleep. Every creek, every rustle of the trees made my heart race, and my mind kept replaying the image of that smile, that unnaturally bright grin. Somewhere, in the distance, I knew it was still there, waiting. The morning light seeped into the tent through the small cracks in the fabric,

casting soft beams across the ground. I woke up first, before the kids. My eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, I just lay there, listening to the stillness of the woods around us. The air was cool but not cold, the kind of morning where you could breathe deep and feel a crisp freshness in your lungs. Emily was curled up in her sleeping bag, her soft blonde hair falling in waves over the pillow. Her breathing was steady, and I could hear the occasional soft sigh escape her lips. Ryan, too, was still asleep, his sandy hair tousled and his freckled face peaceful in a way that made me smile. I didn't

want to wake them up. Instead, I just lay there for a while, watching them, feeling this odd sense of contentment. But there was something else, something I couldn't quite shake. A creeping sense of unease, like a shadow lingering in the back of my mind, whispering that something wasn't quite right. I rubbed my face with one hand, trying to shake the fogginess from my brain. The weird feeling I had last night still clung to me like a thick fog. That smile The eyes The feeling that I wasn't alone out here

Even though there was no one around I shifted slightly Trying not to wake the kids And pushed the thought away I didn't want to overthink it It was probably just the isolation The woods playing tricks on my mind The quietness of everything

I had to snap out of it I slowly unzipped the flap of the tent and st- Hi, I'm Darren Marler Host of the Weird Darkness podcast, I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion.

That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network,

Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Steped out, the cool morning air hitting me as I stood up. I looked out over the clearing, at the small patch of woods beyond. The fog from the night had lifted, but the trees still loomed ominously, their dark shapes reaching up toward the sky.

The fire pit from last night was nothing but a pile of ash now, and the camp seemed even quieter than before. I bent down to pick up a stray stick, my hands moving mechanically. As I straightened up, I glanced back at the tent. The kids were still asleep. They looked so peaceful, like nothing could ever hurt them. And that was the thing that made me feel, off. How could something that peaceful and perfect exist in the middle of such a strange, unsettling

place? I tried to shake it off again, focusing on the present. I leaned against a nearby tree, my fingers tracing the rough bark as I stared into the distance. But then, just like the night before, that nagging feeling returned. The words I'd said yesterday, while driving, how everything was fine, how the trip was going great, how the kids were excited, it didn't sit right. My voice still echoed in my mind, and it felt, rehearsed. Like something I had said before.

Over and over again. But I couldn't remember when. I let out a quiet sigh and turned back toward the tent. The kids were still asleep. I almost wanted to let them sleep in, give them the extra time to rest before we started the day. But a part of me couldn't shake the thought that something was wrong. Something beyond the usual fatherly concerns. Something deeper.

Something I couldn't explain. As I stood there, lost in thought, I found myself staring at the trees once more. The woods were still and silent, as though holding their breath. I couldn't help but feel that at any moment, something was going to break the stillness. The woods were alive, yes, but there was something unnatural about it. It wasn't the peaceful kind of alive. It was a quiet, waiting kind of alive. My hand twitched, and I realized I had been standing there too long.

I needed to focus on the kids. On the trip. I was their dad. I was supposed to be their protector. I couldn't let my mind wander like this. I took one last deep breath and started to head back toward the tent, but then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it, a flicker. Something moving in the distance.

The trees shifted, but it wasn't wind. I stopped dead in my tracks. For just a second, I thought I saw a figure, a shape, just at the edge of my vision. I blinked quickly, but it was gone. I rubbed my eyes. What was going on with me? Maybe it was just the fog of sleep or the strange feeling that had been hanging over me since last night. But that wasn't the point.

The point was, something wasn't right. I shook my head and walked back to the tent, trying to clear my thoughts. When I unzipped the door and crawled inside, the smell of damp earth and fabric hit me. The kids were still sound asleep. Emily's soft snores filled the quiet space, and Ryan's face was buried in the pillow, his body curled up like a little ball. I sat on the ground next to them, staring at their peaceful faces. I couldn't help but smile at how innocent they looked.

But the smile didn't reach my eyes. I could feel the weight of something pressing on me, something I couldn't explain. I wanted to say something, to shake the feeling off, but instead of something. I just sat there, watching, waiting, trying to ignore the nagging voice in my head telling me that something was wrong, that I had missed something, that my words from yesterday, the driving, the laughter, everything, they didn't belong. I wasn't sure what I was doing anymore. But I couldn't leave.

I couldn't shake the idea that something was watching us, waiting for us to make the next move. I just hoped I was wrong. The sun was already high in the sky when I finally made my way back into the tent. The kids were still sound asleep, curled up together like they didn't have a care in the world. I smiled at the sight, how innocent they looked. How easy it seemed for them to just slip into peaceful dreams. I stretched my arms overhead, feeling the crisp morning air through the fabric of the tent. It was time to start the day.

I didn't want to rush them, but I also wanted to make the most of the trip. I crouched down beside Emily, gently brushing a few stray hairs from her face. Hey, Princess, I whispered, my voice soft but firm enough to rouse her from her sleep. Time to wake up. Emily stirred, blinking her bright blue eyes as she slowly woke up. A small smile spread across her face when she saw me. Morning, Daddy, she mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep. Ryan was harder to wake.

His messy brown hair was tangled in a way that made him look even younger than his ten years. I nudged him, shaking him gently by the shoulder. Hey, bud, time to get up. He groaned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Do we have to? I chuckled softly. Yeah, we have to. But guess what? We've got a whole day ahead of us.

We're going to have fun today. That seemed to do the trick. Ryan let out a half yawn, half laugh, and sat up, rubbing his eyes. What are we doing? I grinned, already knowing what I wanted to do next. How about a game of hide and seek? I suggested, my voice carrying an excitement I hoped they would catch. Emily jumped up instantly.

Yes. Let's do it. Can I hide first? Ryan nodded enthusiastically. I'll find you, Emily. You'll never get away from me. I laughed, shaking my head. All right, all right.

Let's get outside. We'll start fresh in the woods. We crawled out of the tent and into the cool morning air. The woods stretched out before us, vast and inviting. The trees were thick, and I knew the kids would have a blast running around, playing their games in the open space. Okay, Emily, you're up first, I said. You hide, and Ryan and I will count.

Emily didn't hesitate. She darted off, already trying to find the perfect hiding spot, her blonde hair bouncing behind her. Ryan counted loudly, his voice echoing through the woods. One, two, three. I grinned as Emily disappeared behind her. behind a large tree, her giggle barely audible. Ryan and I exchanged a look, both of us trying to stifle our laughter as we began to search for her. The day was filled with games, tag, racing, and more hide and seek. The kids were full of energy, laughing and shouting as they

ran through the woods, their voices carrying through the air. The sounds of their joy made the woods feel less foreboding, less strange. For a while, I could almost forget the nagging feeling I'd had earlier. By the time the sun started to dip beneath the trees, we were all worn out, our faces flushed from running around. I led them back to the campfire, where we settled down and made our dinner, simple hot dogs and marshmallows roasted over the fire. The smell of sizzling food mixed with the fresh scent of the woods, and for a moment, everything felt normal. After dinner, we all sat around the fire, the flames crackling and dancing in the night air. The sky was clear, the stars twinkling above, and the moon hung low, casting an eerie glow over

the camp. The kids looked content, tired but happy, their eyes wide as they gazed into the fire. All right, I said, wiping my hands on my pants. It's getting late. Time to get ready for bed. Emily groaned but nodded. Do we have to? I nodded.

We'll have another fun day tomorrow, but it's important to get some sleep. We got everything settled, the tent zipped up for the night, and the kids snuggled into their sleeping bags. They were both still full of energy, their excitement from the day not quite ready to fade. Can you tell us a bedtime story, Daddy? Emily asked, her voice soft but hopeful. Ryan nodded, his eyes already starting to droop. Please, Dad. I chuckled, sitting down on the edge of their sleeping bags. I had a lot of stories to choose from, but something about this moment felt right for an old classic. All right, how about Romeo and Juliet? I said. They both perked up, intrigued by the idea of a love story. I wasn't sure if they fully understood

the depth of it, but I figured it might be fun to share. Once upon a time, I began, my voice lowering to a soothing tone, there were two families, the Montags and the Capulets. They hated each other, like, really hated each other. And then, one night, at a big party, two of their children, Romeo and Juliet, met. I could see their faces light up as I began the tale. I told them the story of forbidden love, of how Romeo and Juliet fell for each other at first sight, their love defying the long-standing feud between their families. I skipped over the darker parts, the tragedy of the ending, but focused on the pure connection between the two.

Romeo and Juliet couldn't be together, I said, my voice heavy with emotion. But they still fought for their love. They tried to make it work, even when the world didn't want them to. And even though they didn't get the happy ending they deserved, their love was remembered for all time. As I finished the story, I looked down at Emily and Ryan. They were both asleep, their faces peaceful, their bodies curled into their sleeping bags. I smiled softly, tucking the blanket tighter around them. I glanced toward the entrance of the tent, my thoughts drifting again to the woods outside. The feeling of being watched, of something

lurking just beyond the trees, crept back into my mind. But I pushed it aside, focusing on the warmth of the fire and the peaceful breaths of my children. I had to believe everything was fine. I had to. I woke up in the middle of the night, my body stiff with tension, my eyes snapping open as I heard it, the sound that didn't belong. At first, I couldn't place it. A low will, distant but unmistakable. It wasn't the usual wildlife noises of the forest. It was a long, drawn-out sound, almost animalistic, but there was some of the world. It was some off about it. It didn't belong here. It seemed to pierce through the silence, eerie and unnatural. A second will join the first, then another, until they all merged into a horrible,

rhythmic cacophony. The more I heard it, the more it felt like a warning. Like the creatures of the forest were trying to tell me something. The noise was growing louder, more frantic, as if something was moving, something large, something that didn't belong. A chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around me, my heart pounding in my chest. Suddenly, a gust of wind howled through the trees, shaking the tent, making the branches creak as though something was forcing its way through the woods. The wheeling noises stopped for a brief moment, leaving only the whisper of the wind, but the eerie quiet that followed was worse. It was as though everything had gone still, waiting. I slowly sat up, trying to calm my

breathing, but my skin prickled with a strange, cold sweat. There was something outside, something that made the forest feel wrong, something that was lurking just beyond the shadows. And then, in the silence that followed, I heard the sound again, a wheel, sharper this time, closer, almost as if it was coming from right outside my tent. My body tensed. I wasn't sure whether it was my imagination running wild or if something truly was out there, but I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever it was, it was watching me, waiting for the right moment to make itself known. I lay there in the dark, my mind racing. The strange wheeling sounds from outside seemed to echo through my skull, and every time they paused, I felt as though

something was getting closer. It felt like the entire forest was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen. With my heart pounding, I slowly reached for the zipper of the tent. My fingers trembled as I unzipped it just a bit, trying not to make any noise. I peered out into the blackness. At first, I saw nothing. But then, something caught my eye in the corner of my vision, something tall, something unnatural. A towering figure, standing just beyond the reach of the firelight. It was massive, easily 12 feet tall, its form a void of pure darkness. It absorbed all the light around it, making the air around it feel colder, heavier. Its body was featureless, a silhouette that seemed to bend and stretch in the shadows. The creature's arms hung

unnaturally low, down to its knees, and its fingers, they were twisted, gnarled, like broken branches of some ancient tree. Its hair was blacker than the night itself, so dark it seemed to suck in the light around it. But the worst part wasn't its size or its form. No, It was the eyes. Those eyes, stark white scara with pitch black pupils, locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run through me that had nothing to do with the cold. It was the smile. The grin.

It was impossibly bright, glowing in the dark like a cruel mockery of light. It sliced through the night, too wide, too bright, and it never wavered. The creature just stood there, its head tilted slightly as it stared at me, its grin never faltering. It wasn't moving, just watching. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, my throat closing up. Fear crawled up my spine, cold and unrelenting. I snapped the zipper shut, nearly panicking as I quickly backed away from the tent opening. My breath came in shallow gasps, my body trembling with adrenaline. I could feel a sense of terror rising in me, like I was suffocating. I glanced over at my kids, Emily and Ryan, still sound asleep in their

sleeping bags, oblivious to the nightmare outside. How could they not sense it? How could they sleep through this? I forced myself to calm down, but my mind was screaming. I had to get us out of here. I had to leave. But I couldn't think straight. Not yet. I needed to wake them, get them moving. Hey, hey, kids. Wake up. We need to go. It's time to leave, I whispered urgently, my voice horse. Emily stirred first, blinking sleepily at me, her expression confused. Dad, what's going on? Why are we leaving? Ryan Groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes. What happened, Dad? Why do we have to go? I forced a smile, even though my stomach was tied in knots.

There's been a change of plans. It's time to head home. We need to leave now, okay? I said, trying to sound normal, but I knew I was failing. My voice was too sharp, too panicked. Emily tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied me. Dad, why do you look so scared? I froze, not knowing how to answer her.

My heart was pounding too hard in my chest, my thought spinning too fast. I couldn't even bring myself to tell her the truth. Instead, I reached for the zipper again, my hands trembling. I unzipped it just a bit, just enough to peek outside. And it was gone. The creature was no longer there. I shoved my shoes on, fumbling with the laces as I tied them tightly. Hurry up, kids.

I called. They quickly bent down, hands smoothing the laces, each pair aligned with careful precision as they slipped their shoes on without a word. But I didn't wait. I didn't hesitate. My heart leaped into my throat, and I grabbed the kids, pulling them to their feet. Come on, we're leaving, now, I said, my voice trembling. I didn't care that everything was still packed up, that we hadn't finished everything.

All I knew was that we had to go, and we had to go fast. The moment I zipped the tent closed behind us, I led them into the night, not daring to look back. I didn't care what was left behind. I didn't care about anything but getting us out of the woods, away from whatever was out there watching us. The air felt thick with dread, like the forest itself was holding us in its grip, unwilling to let go. The silence was deafening as I urged my kids forward, my own fear gnawing at me, pushing me to move faster. Something was still out there.

Something that wanted to hurt us. And I had to get us to safety before it found us again. As we ran, the strange noises intensified. At first it was just the wind rustling through the trees, but then came the sounds, the eerie, unnatural sounds. It was as if the entire forest had come alive. Dogs barking, sharp and frantic, pierced the air. But then, it wasn't just dogs.

Birds began to shriek and chirp, their calls frantic, overlapping with the barking. Owls hooted in the distance, their voices echoing through the woods, but it wasn't normal. It was all happening at once, in a chaotic symphony of animal sounds, and each noise seemed to be getting closer. Closer. As if something, or someone, was a lot of. was chasing us through the dark. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating, as I pushed the kids forward. They stumbled behind me, their legs tired, but I couldn't slow down. We had to keep moving. I was focusing on the ground, watching every step, dodging roots and rocks,

my feet pounding against the uneven terrain. The trees blurred past me in the dark, their gnarled branches reaching out like claws, but I didn't have time to look up. I had to keep my eyes trained on the path, on where my feet landed. Stay close. I shouted over my shoulder, trying to keep my voice steady, but it came out sharp, panicked. Emily and Ryan were right behind me, but I could hear them breathing heavily, their feet slapping against the forest floor, trying to match my pace. I heard Ryan Tripp, his feet catching on something, but he managed to keep his balance.

Come on! I urged, not daring to turn around. The animal noises were getting louder, closer. The barking sounded like it was directly behind us, the Yelps echoing in the stillness of the night. And then there was the flurry of bird calls, more intense now, frantic, desperate, like they were being hunted, too. The wind seemed to pick up, whistling through the trees, and every branch seemed to snap underfoot as I raced past them. faster. I urged my own breath coming in ragged gasps.

I could hear my heart thundering in my chest, and the fear was suffocating. It wasn't just the animals. It was the feeling. The unmistakable sense that we were being watched. That something, or someone, was trailing us, just out of sight, but closing in with every passing second. The path was narrowing now, and I had to duck under branches and dodge low-hanging limbs.

The forest around me was alive with the sounds of chaos, dogs barking, birds screeching, owls hooting. It was all blending together into a maddening cacophony that seemed to follow us, pulling us deeper into the woods. I glanced back once, just a quick glance, and saw nothing but darkness. But I could feel it. Something was out there, something chasing us. I could hear the kids breathing hard now, Emily's voice trembling.

Dad, what's happening? Why are we running? I didn't have an answer. I couldn't even form a coherent thought. I just knew that we had to keep going. We couldn't stop. We couldn't look back. Every step felt like it was taking us farther from safety.

But the noise, the unnerving chaos of the forest, it was closing in. It was as if the entire world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. But all I could do was run. Run, and keep running. We stumbled out of the woods, breathless and panicked, crashing through the underbrush, desperate to find any kind of safety. And there it was, the familiar building. The one where we had paid to get into the woods, where we had seen the security guard earlier. It loomed in the distance, the light from a single overhead.

lamp flickering in the haze of the night. We rushed toward it, and as we neared the entrance, I saw the security guard sitting in his chair, his feet kicked up on the desk. He was still there, calm, unaware of the terror that had been stalking us. I could barely catch my breath, my chest tight with panic as I approached him. You've got to help us. Something's out there, something wrong, I shouted, my voice cracking with fear. The security guard looked up slowly, his expression unchanging. He didn't move for a moment, just stared at me as though I had lost my mind. Then, he shifted in his seat and scratched his chin. Look, buddy, it's late, and we get all kinds of stories around here. People see things in the woods all the time.

You just need to calm down, all right. His nonchalance made my stomach twist into knots. I could feel the fear rising in my chest again, burning through me. No. You don't understand. There's something out there, something following us. Please, you have to help us. But the guard just shook his head, unbothered. All right, all right.

I'm sure you've had a rough night, but it's just wildlife. Maybe you should head back to your car and get some rest. His dismissal was like a slap in the face. I felt a surge of frustration, of helplessness. The last thing I wanted to do was argue with this guy. He didn't believe us, and that only made it worse. Without thinking, I grabbed the kids by the hands. Let's go, I muttered under my breath, barely able to get the words out.

We didn't have time to explain. We didn't have time for anyone's doubts. We turned away and ran for the car. My mind was racing, my heart pounding. We had to get out of here. I fumbled with the keys, panicked clouding my every move. My hands were shaking, my vision blurry as I tried to unlock the car. I could hear the security guard's voice calling after us, but I didn't care.

I couldn't stay there. Not with what we had seen. Finally, the door clicked open. I shoved the kids in, slammed the door shut, and started the engine. My hands were still shaking as I gripped the steering wheel, but I didn't see. stopped to think. I floored the accelerator, speeding away from the woods, from the nightmare that had followed us. We drove in silence, my kids silent in the back seat. It felt like hours, but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes before I saw the familiar roads of home.

Three hours away. When I finally pulled into the driveway, the weight of everything came crashing down on me. It was still dark, still night, just like when we had left. But the silence of home felt like a relief. I could feel my heart rate slowing, the tension and my muscles starting to release, even though the terror was still lodged deep in my chest. We were safe. We had made it home. But as I sat there in the car, staring at the darkened house, the unease didn't leave.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still out there. Something we had narrowly escaped. Something I didn't want to think about. we were home. That was all that mattered, for now. I sat on the couch, exhausted, my body still tense from the terror we had just experienced. My daughter, still unable to shake off what had happened, quietly ate her cereal at the table. It was well past 3 a.m., and she hadn't been able to sleep since we got back. Then, I heard it. The faint sound of keys jingling, the unmistakable noise of the door unlocking. I froze, sitting upright, my heart suddenly

racing. It was a sound I knew all too well. My wife had returned. I'd called her earlier, telling her everything that had happened, and she must have hurried home. The door creaked open, and she stepped inside, closing it behind her. I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. She looked at me, concerned. What happened? She asked, as she walked in, eyes searching my face for answers. I opened my mouth, ready to explain, but the words came out haltingly. I tried to tell her what we had seen, how something in the woods had been following us,

something with an eerie, glowing smile. I spoke about the security guard, about the terrifying creature that had been standing outside our tent, its features unnatural and horrifying. But she didn't believe me. Come on, honey, she said gently, clearly trying to calm me. It was probably just the dark. You've had a rough night, that's all. It's okay, but the last thing I heard before everything went silent was my daughter's

trembling voice looking out the window. Daddy, there's a smiling man outside. The tale begins in the winter of 1922, on a remote farm in Antigamish County, located in northeastern Canada. This region was home to humble, hardworking people, farm. farmers, hunters, and fishers, who knew one another well. Life in this area was peaceful, with no remarkable conflicts. The population was scattered, with small villages, solitary houses, and sprawling farms. When the snow fell, everyone was cut off from each other. One of the most

isolated spots was Caledonia Mills, about 24 kilometers from Antigonish. This small community consisted of a few country houses, mills, a post office, and a modest school. The people here were self-sufficient, living in a world of their own. Caledonia Mills had been established in the late 19th century. The first family to settle there were loggers who built a home. Not long after, the MacDonald family moved in, John, Margaret, and their children. Life was good for many years. They managed their livestock, kept their accounts in order, and employed several workers. When John passed away, his eldest son, Alexander, inherited everything. Alexander continued to thrive. At some point, he married Janet.

Tradition dictated that the wife would move into her husband's family home, but Janet and Alexander opted for a slight deviation. Living with the in-laws wasn't ideal for them, so they took a piece of the family land and built a modest house. Their home was a simple two-story wooden structure with a couple of bedrooms and a wood stove. Despite electricity being available at the time, the McDonald's didn't have it. The couple's life carried on peacefully. They welcomed their daughter, Mary, and in 1890s, Janet's mother moved in with them. The elderly woman suffered from dementia, and family disputes arose over her care.

No one else wanted to take responsibility for her, so Janet stepped in. However, the situation grew dire. Unable to manage her mother's behavior, Janet reportedly tied her to a bed. Shortly afterward, on April 28, 1899, the elderly woman passed away. Although the official cause was deemed natural, rumors circulated. A neighbor claimed to have heard Janet curse her mother, yelling that she wished the devil would take her. Allegedly, a black dog, a bad omen, was seen in their kitchen that night. Whispers of witchcraft surrounded Janet, but there was no evidence to support such claims.

Years passed without incident. Mary grew up, and to prepare for her eventual departure, the McDonald's adopted Mary Helen, a relative's young daughter, in 1910. Their lives remained uneventful until 1912, when strange noises began emanating from their home. Nocks, footsteps, scratching sounds, howls, and what seemed like the clinking of chains filled the wooden house. Alexander dismissed these as common occurrences, perhaps rats or structural issues. Yet, his daughters were terrified, speaking of ghosts and bad omens. Then, small items began disappearing, a necklace, a key, a handkerchief. These petty losses were followed by missing clothes and saddles.

Searching the property, the family found a saddle buried behind a tree. behind a tree. They rode it off as a prank or sleepwalking incident. However, the situation escalated. One morning, Alexander went to the barn to tend to the animals and found a slaughtered lamb lying at the door. He was baffled, he had no enemies and couldn't imagine who might have done it. Over time, other bizarre occurrences plagued the farm. Animals would escape, even when the barn was securely locked. As word spread, strange stories surfaced. Some claimed to have seen a phantom horse near the farm that would transform into a human when approached. Others insisted they saw the McDonald's house in flames, only for the fire to vanish as they drew near.

By January 7, 1922, the events took a terrifying turn. That morning, Alexander noticed a large crack near the stove. He spent the day fixing it. That night, after ensuring the house was secure, the family went to bed. Shortly after, Janet woke everyone, claiming she smelled smoke. Alexander investigated but found nothing. The cycle repeated several times until, finally, they discovered the living room engulfed in flames. Alexander used snow to extinguish the fire. The family endured another sleepless night as objects randomly caught fire, a chair, a piece of cloth, a section of the wall.

Exhausted and frightened, Alexander inspected every corner of the house the next day. Despite his precautions, the fires resumed that evening. Even the ceiling of the kitchen burst into flames. Desperate, Alexander sent Mary Helen to fetch neighbors. Soon, free men arrived, Leo McGilifrey, Bray, and Duncan MacDonald. As they helped extinguish the fires, Leo described the flames as peculiar, not like any fire he'd seen before. The neighbors suggested the family leave the house, but relocating wasn't simple. The McDonald's entire livelihood was tied to their farm.

They accepted a neighbor's offer to stay temporarily in his home. home while investigating the strange phenomena. Meanwhile, rumors of the events spread across the county and beyond. Arnold Beef Woodend, a Halifax journalist, caught wind of the story. He interviewed witnesses and published an article, sparking widespread interest. The case attracted private investigator Peter Owen Carroll, known for his unconventional methods. Carol arrived in Antigonish in February 1922, ready to unravel the mystery. Peter, alongside Woodend, interviewed the McDonald's and other witnesses before spending a night in the house. Initially, nothing happened.

But past midnight, they heard footsteps on the upper floor. Investigating, they found no one. Later, Peter felt a tap on his shoulder, though no one was there. Over the next nights, they observed more fires igniting without explanation. In March, Walter Franklin Price, a member of the American Society for Psychical Research, joined the investigation. was a skeptic who had previously debunked fraudulent mediums. Accompanied by other researchers, he revisited the McDonald's House.

Despite their efforts, no conclusive explanation was found for the mysterious fires and other occurrences. The story of Caledonia Mills remains one of Canada's most baffling paranormal mysteries, with theories ranging from poltergeist's to environmental factors. For the McDonald family, the events forever altered their lives, leaving a legacy shrouded in fear and speculation. Is that in the middle of the trial it began to say that Egyptian spirits got in her body and pushed her to kill, Bill who pushed her to kill and, dismembered it so that in this way it's, soul does not smoke, rest. On December 1st, 1991, a beautiful, 23-year-old woman traveled to, home of his ex-boyfriend to make him a, strange request told him that his current, husband of her and that in defense, own had killed him also told him, what parts of the husband's body were, in his car but that the rest were in, his apartment told him along. history of very twisted story and the sheik she kept talking and offered 75,000 and two new

motorcycles in exchange for we'll throw a cable in exchange for this subject to her to the apartment and will help her get rid of everything there boy said he would help him be pulling the apartment that i don't know worry and call a friend to give a truck to listen to that the woman relaxed and he marched but at that moment he grabbed the telephone and called the police is there with a sinister case of music today o min nelson was born in 1968 in a town, quite poor located south of Cairo, very close to the border with Sudan of his, childhood of origins we have hardly any, information in fact we do not even know in, what day was born or the name of his parents, but what we know today is that it reached, this world within

a family of, structured apparently her father was, a violent person who abused physical and sexually both of her and her. Mother and age of eight submitted her to the genital mutilation a horrible practice, that unfortunately today in many, countries continue to arrive, to adolescence the mother of Omena gathered enough forces to do the bags and flee from home next to her. They finally got rid of their father but now they had to look for a home and the poverty continued to chase them in fact. Having no resources ended up living in a marginal neighborhood of Cairo called the city of the dead from. Reality at origin was a necropolis. The houses were between tombs between Mausolios and the neighbors were very, accustomed to death

for them was something very normal every day and their mother and daughter prospered the girl, worked as a nanny as a model and how cashier and at 18 years of age he took a turn and then he met a man who promised to change his life this subject was a native of the united states and i was in cairo working temporarily in the industry of oil on him there is not much information but it seems that it was enough greater than her her way of seeing life it was completely different but like this omama's mother forced them to contract nuptials convinced his daughter that she was the only way i could prosper and the girl followed her advice couple mary together and in specifically to Texas as expected this marriage did not last and omama had to looking

for life is in a country unknown just dominated english no i had almost friends and then divorce he had to look for several jobs worked as a nanny cashier amamaama of keys like model but the latter did unfortunately any employment lasted too much and also the money they paid him was very little like that that the woman is forced to commit little thefts from time to time stole in food stores shoes and these crimes little by little they were climbing driving under the influence of alcohol disobedience to authority but here comes to the very interesting one and everyone crimes involved the payment of several fines but she could not pay them because i really didn't win so much money so another way was sought to enrich and go to a cost of the lows men since

their first marriage she broke up with them to relate to older men then she and of course with good savings all responded to the same prototype and looking everyone ended in the same way she spent all her money and when I, realized this or already tired, disappeared from their lives and a clear. Example of this was a man named, Robert Hanson Robert and O'Mehmel were. Together for a time in, 1990 everything was going well between. They were very affectionate, passionate, and occasionally, they practiced the bondage use strings, bonds, but one night everything took a turn, complete and is that half of one of its OM Games to Robert took a gun and, threatened to kill him if he didn't give him. All his money asked for cash, the pins of the cards, the notebooks.

Savings asked for everything he had, and Robert dead of fear agreed some. Fuentes say that this robbery did not arrive in, no part that was just an attempt and, others that was real and that also, Robert ended up denouncing but to this, we will return back to, quite a while wandered town in town, and finally ended up in the county, Orange California. His modus superandi was always the same. I was looking for a popular bar asked for a drink, said a nonsense with him. They started to leave and then removed. All the money and that was how in autumn. Of, 1991 crossed her new husband, William Nelson better known as Bill. Bill met some friends, watching beer and playing pool, when he was supposed to get a, billet of ticket and start

doing jokes about how much money he had and how many lands had in the state of. Texas and their Omama decided to enter. Action but who this man was. Exactly who was Bill Nelson Bill. He was a 56-year-old speaker and the father of. Five children about their history there is no, just information according to your friends and relatives bill was very joking and in love point that will later be very important was the type of person that just wanted the best lead a red corvette used cowboy boots and always carried the typical golden buckle in the belt i also enjoyed showing its wealth wherever outside he loved to show off greeting heavy jokes bill was like this and not he cared about the opinion of others without however nobody said anything bad about him said he was a good man a good person but the

Police records pointed one thing that many people ignored and is that in the 80s when I was still a pilot, discovered that he used his plane to traffic with cannabis with which was temporarily sent to prison. I previously mentioned that Bill was very in love and that also this point, it would be very important and it is that in 1991 Bill was already married but a month after meeting a mamma left his woman and married her thing that obviously everyone did not like contract nuptials decion to make your one of, honey by road touring tiles and Arcs is to meet all, Bill's relatives, but it should be said that. The vast majority were against. Bill Link was 56 years old I-23. He was even younger than some of his. Children saw her practically like a girl and everyone said they didn't fit the. I had just known and the following month already, they had married everything was very fast, very, sudden and another very interesting thing is, that according to the witnesses O'Meema requested, many things jewelry shoes and Bill.

He granted it was completely between Embellisado and what she said was going to. Mass on one occasion on this honeymoon. The couple rode along with several. More people were having a good time. The atmosphere was quiet, but the horse in which she was, uncontrolled and the girl fell to the ground, hitting the head strongly. Blow that was given was to go urgencies, but the woman refused in resounding. He simply took an aspirin and a drink, Bosca and said it was fine and already, after that the couple moved to. Bill Apartment A residence, located at Costa Mesa, Music. California years ago Bill was a pilot, but after committing that crime he took away, the license and and life was sought by buying, and selling accessories for computers, for that reason all your apartment, it was full of loose pieces, boxes full of cables, and, once I had to travel through, business however it seems that, Oma didn't care everyone said, she looked very happy and then the, Thursday, November 28, 1991 in the morning very early Bill, he called Margaret his little daughter to, invite her to dinner but she refused in. Rotundo did not agree with his, marriage did not understand anything and therefore, I didn't want to see them Bill understood,

perfectly to his daughter and thought that better what could I do was give him space. They talked for a while to sincere and then, they hung up and from here all the, history is blurred and we only have the Oma witness to try to understand, what happened according to the woman from, who married Bill began to show his, violent side and that apparently from, that moment of her physical and mind, Humiliaba constantly reminded her, that he was keeping her pushed her, he hit her and when he wanted, have a relationship, and that happened the afternoon of that. day the woman assured that bill her gave her in the apartment that tied it and the tried after stagnating her but she in self-defense he got rid of ropes grabbed a lamp and hit him in the head seeing that he still had forces to attack her a plate of the clothes and also hit her and from here his mind clouded grabbed some scissors and began to stab until who ended his life and what was to

continuation is a real bath of blood sectioned her husband's body in different parts he cut his head his hands castrated him and proceeded to eliminate tests as could pass passed the head by the friar and then the wrapped and put it in the freezer after that he took the victim's hands and he also passed them through the friar during the next three days cut parts of the body they removed their skin and distributed in bags but the most sinister everything is that the whole set ended missing a lot of weight specifically one hundred one hundred pounds pounds of bill nelson had disappeared but to this point we will return later the neighbor of the nelson subsequently reported that the garbage degree of this family it rang for many days connected one afternoon and remained in operation until the next morning and above all he stressed that this device cost him working with such an unbearable noise that he could not help looking at him during several days in that apartment a real massacre occurred they heard the crusher the crusher neighbors did not know what to think but the day december first everything stopped and is that omama no longer knew what to do was then when he decided to grab two garbage bags with husbands remains load them in their red corbett and go door by door asking for help alone no i could with everything was a thin girl short with

little force and therefore called the door of all his ex to see if some could help her between these subjects was richard gray but no it is clear if he called him on the phone or if it went to his house what we do know is that he did not believe it and that simply decided to ignore her for it very early he went to hose alfredo eschievel's house his other ex-boyfriend apart the corvette justo at the door and then called the bell but jose looking out the window no recognized the car and therefore did not open seeing that i had no o'mama answer it was one hours and returned there at one. At noon he called the bell in several occasions and finally Jose opened the man said that Omema was out of. Yes, I was crying very scared very, distressed and that between sobs he

told him, who killed her husband in self-defense. At first he heard her, quietly but then the woman. He said he had dismembered him and that part of his body were in the car, asked him to please help him, undo everything and in return, offered a large sum of money and two, new motorcycle someone who is afraid and, that he has killed in self-defense, offers so much for throwing a cable like this, that Jose was very scared, Mima that did not worry about anything that he would throw a cable that went to the apartment that would call a friend who, I would look for a truck and with this they would collect, everything and you would do of the tests and the much quieter woman trusted him and, he left, but at that time Jose entered, at home and called the

police on the way to the apartment, police intercepted the red corbid of, Bill and immediately stopped him, Pyran to the woman to teach what there were, in the garbage bags that I had together to her but she didn't know what to say he began to wander to put excuses but then he opened them and the police showed human organs hear the woman told a very strange story and is that her husband bill nelson killed someone dismembered and put it in bags and then he went on a business trip told the agents that he was in florida and that would soon go home that could capture him to take him before the justice judge it but which is logical not they believed it and asked for an order to register your whole house this is probably one of the mutilations more heinous we have had

is one of the most frightening and notorious crimes never committed in Orange County there were suitcases and plastic bags soaked with dark parts or parts of your body in the pot to fry i was in the hands of mr. Nelson and when we saw the freezer was the mr. Nelson's head with wounds Blanca there were suitcases boxes and bags of garbage within which they found parts of the body of the victim was a broken lamp iron with blood and hair hands hands in the frying head in the freezer but the scene did not end here in the bedroom the mattress was blood soaked and the posts of the bed were broken and in the bathroom there was a human torso billed and hung as if it were a ham in the garbage of the kitchen was mixed human flesh with turkey

and with blueberry sauce autopsy determined that the cause of the death were multiple bruises and that also had several cuts for everything the body but another very interesting thing interesting is that the ankles had ties brands but what they could not knowing is if the dolls also i had since the hands had been cut and these cuts denoted an unusual precision a precision that According to experts, I implied that the criminal had done it before. Omin Nelson was officially arrested. December 2nd, 1991 and his judgment began on the first of. December 19th, 92 the defense intended, claimed that she had been the victim of, abuses by her husband and how.

Since childhood had suffered the same, mind had in fact collapsed a clear example that Omama was not. Well, it is that in the middle of the trial it began to say that Egyptian spirits got in her body and pushed her to kill. Bill who pushed her to kill him and dismembered it so that in this way it's sole no arrest if there were no, defended my life would be dead sorry, what happened but I'm glad there, lived I'm sorry I dismembered it, psychologist who treated her diagnosed her, psychosis and stress disorder, post-traumatic and defense based on, this said Bill Nelson had, violated and physical injured and psychologically during the two months that were together but here comes the argument of the accusation and that is that to seem like

Omaima being in the psychologist, confessed that part of Bill's body, he had eaten said he dressed in, read that combed that it was arranged that, he painted his lips and then cooked. Bill meat with barbecue sauce and, turkey remains but worst of all is, who wrote the moment as something very, sweet and pleasant however in this moment the woman retracted and assured that at no time said there, eaten human flesh as just B, arrested O'Meema was taken to a hospital and once there it was. There were evidence of trauma and that cuts that had their body were, self-inflicted these cuts are, caused herself by cutting the body, and, finally the accusation had a witness. Key Robert Hanson, the man who, 1990, he denounced it for robbery according to forensic

team. What Robert saw could be very, similar to what Bill Nelson suffered, and, is that taking into account the scene of the, crime happened could be the following. All crime occurred in the bedroom. Main Billy Mima are maintaining, relationships and then the woman took out some, ropes and tied it to the bedposts, and that's when he took out a knife end. This woman began to threaten to threaten, used to this to tie the, victims to threaten them to get everything, the money and then to disappear but. Bill would take a joke and there it was. When the woman grabbed a lamp and, hit but seeing that he did not respond, grabbed a iron and continued this.

Struggle was constant and the woman lost. The nerves took the knife stabbed her, and taking advantage of all this, this woman dismembered in January 1993. He was acquitted of murder in the first, grade but was declared guilty of, second and sentenced murder, perpetual chain with a minimum of 28 years. In prison being in prison he began to get out with a disabled man who. He was 70 years old exchanged letters. Costan married and over time, man died and left him everything. He owned Oma Nelson asked freedom, conditional for the first time in 2006 but this was denied since apparently, being in prison many messes, fighting confrontations not respect, rules someone like that could not be freedom for what he asked again in. 2011 this time he claimed that there were,

found to God who was a person, knew who had fallen in love with, had married that he lost to his last husband and that he never raised his hand. That did not assume this man to. He wanted mad and as soon as he stayed in, freedom would return to Egypt with his mother. But what did not count is that Margaret Nelson Bill Daughter would make a allegation that would throw all the arguments for the soils and justice once again, rejected the petition may opt, again to probation in 2026. So now is your turn what? You think about the case and you think that in that, occasion can leave. It started subtly, barely noticeable at first. There were whispers, fleeting shadows, and a chilling sensation that you couldn't quite explain. Most of the time,

people brushed it off as their imagination or stress playing tricks on them. But things became impossible to ignore, especially in the kitchen area of Flight 318. The temperature there would drop so drastically it felt unnatural, and shadows seemed to watch anyone who dared to step into that space. These eerie occurrences traced back to one of the most tragic accidents in aviation history. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the murky swamps of the Florida Everglades. It was a horrifying disaster, claiming the lives of most of its passengers and crew.

The Lockheed L. 1011 tristar aircraft was the pride of its fleet, a marvel of technology at the time. Spacious, quiet, and incredibly comfortable, it was the kind of plane. everyone wanted to fly on. Eastern Airlines had only owned it for four months before tragedy struck. The ill-fated Flight 401. On that fateful evening, Flight 401 was scheduled to take off from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, bound for Miami.

The ground staff had prepared everything, and the 163 passengers boarded without incident. But something peculiar happened before takeoff, the captain and co-pilot were nowhere to be found. Confusion rippled through the crew, and the tower decided to replace the entire flight team. Among the newly assigned staff was a flight attendant who had a reputation for having unsettlingly accurate premonitions. This woman had first experienced such visions as a teenager, foreseeing a tragic train accident involving her classmates. Over the years, her glimpses into the future became more frequent, and she gained a reputation for predicting events with chilling accuracy. So, when she was assigned to Flight 401, a sense of dread washed over

her. She remembered a recent vision of a plane crashing into the Everglades, a Lockheed L. 1011 just like this one. Worse, the flight's route matched her premonition exactly, New York to Miami. Fate seemed to intervene when she was reassigned at the last minute. The original crew was reinstated, and she didn't have to board the plane. For her, it was a narrow escape. For others, beginning of a nightmare. A routine flight turns deadly. At 9.20 p.m., flight 401 took off without any issues. Everything appeared normal for most of the journey, altitude, speed, and cabin conditions were all stable. Passengers were relaxed, enjoying their flight. But at 1132 p.m., just as the plane was approaching Miami, the landing gear indicator malfunctioned. The light, which

was supposed to confirm that the landing gear was locked, failed to illuminate. Captain Robert a season pilot, contacted air traffic control to report the issue. The decision was made to circle the airport while the crew tried to resolve the problem. They climbed to 2,000 feet and engaged the autopilot. But as the team focused on troubleshooting, an accidental nudge to the controls caused the plane to gradually lose altitude, a fact that went unnoticed until it was too late. In just 70 seconds, the aircraft descended over 250 feet. Warning alarms blared, but confusion reigned in the cockpit.

Moments later, the plane struck the swamp. The left wing hit first, followed by the engines and landing gear. The crash tore the aircraft apart, leaving the wreckage scattered across the Everglades. The impact was devastating, but the swamp's marshy terrain absorbed much of the shock, saving some lives. However, it also complicated rescue efforts. Survivors battled infections from bacteria in the water, including gangrene. In the end, 77 people out of the 176 onboard.

survived. Among the cockpit crew, only Angelo Donadio, an off-duty Eastern Airlines technician, lived to tell the tale. Strange echoes of the past, while the tragedy-dominated headlines, Eastern Airlines quietly salvaged parts from the wreckage. Components such as ovens, radios, and other systems were installed in other aircraft to save costs. This decision would lead to one of aviation's most chilling legends. Reports of strange phenomena began just months later, particularly on Flight 318, which used many recycled parts from Flight 401. Crew members and passengers alike described a pervasive coldness, shadows that seemed to move on their own, and an overwhelming feeling of being watched. Initially, these incidents were dismissed

as overactive imaginations, but they became harder to ignore. One flight attendant, unnerved by the icy atmosphere in the galley, called a colleague for support. Together, they confirmed the strange drop in temperature and felt as though unseen eyes were fixed. on them. A week later, another attendant saw a white, glowing orb in the same area. The orb grew larger, morphing into a face with distinct features, glasses, wrinkles, and all. The apparition was so vivid that the attendant fled in terror.

Word spread quickly. Rumors of a haunted plane began to take hold, especially after multiple witnesses reported seeing the ghostly visage of Captain Robert Loft. On one occasion, a flight attendant performing a routine passenger check discovered a man in a captain's sitting in a seat meant to be empty. Assuming he was an off-duty pilot hitching a ride, she approached him for confirmation, but he didn't respond. When another crew member joined her to investigate,

the silent man vanished before their eyes. The shaken crew later identified the mysterious figure as Captain Loft from photos of the Flight 401 crew. Ghostly encounters multiply. Captain Loft wasn't the only spirit linked to Flight 318. The Ghost of Flight Engineer Don Repo also made frequent appearances. His specter was often seen performing routine checks in the cockpit or warning crew members about potential mechanical issues. In one chilling incident, a flight engineer claimed to have encountered Repo's ghost in the cockpit before takeoff.

The apparition reassured him that everything had been inspected and was in working order before disappearing into thin air. On another flight, Repo's face appeared in the reflection of an oven door, startling both the attendant and an engineer who confirmed the sighting. Perhaps the most unnerving encounter occurred during a flight to Mexico City. Repo allegedly appeared to multiple crew members, warning them to, watch out for fire. Though the flight proceeded without incident, a mechanical failure during its return leg validated the warning. The whipping was a humiliating experience, and the three pounds were a significant amount of money, though Mary could afford to pay. So, she chose to do so, a decision that did not sit well with Hook.

He would rather see his wife assaulted than part with the three pounds. a sum he had plenty of. This small conflict between Mary and Hook set the stage for a story that would unfold in New England, beginning in the early 17th century. During the first half of the 1600s, many people migrated from England to colonial America, seeking new opportunities and a fresh start. Virginia had settlements as early as 1620, but it wasn't until the 1630s that thousands of people began to migrate to the new world in search of a better life. They were dissatisfied with their lives in England, each having their own reasons, political, economic, or religious, for leaving. Among them was William Pinson, a man who played a significant role in the establishment

of New England. In 1630, he founded the settlement of Roxbury, Massachusetts, a key point in the maritime trade. However, the land there was not ideal for farming, as it was rocky and difficult to cultivate. In 1635, William Pinson embarked on an expedition along the Connecticut River, hoping to find better land. It was then that he stumbled upon a region the natives called Agawam, which meant land flooded by water. This land was fertile and perfect for farming, and it was strategically located between the major ports of Boston and Albany. Pinson decided to settle there and founded the plantation of Agawam, which eventually became Springfield. The region's fertile soil and strategic location led to its success, and soon the settlement began engaging in the lucrative

for a trade. Though William Pinson's story is fascinating, our focus today is on someone much less known, a servant named Mary. The details of Mary's life are somewhat unclear, and there are conflicting reports about her origins. Some sources claim she was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1628, while others suggest she was born in 1610 in Wales. This confusion arises from the fact that two women named Mary lived around the same time, and their lives were remarkably similar. Both Mary's had a connection to someone named Parsons, and both were accused of witchcraft. Our Mary, however, had a turbulent life long before she arrived in New England. It is known that she was once married to a man named David Lewis. Her marriage was

unhappy, as her husband pressured her to convert to Catholicism. Although she promised to do so after they were married, Mary ultimately failed to convert, and in 1637, David abandoned her. For a year, Mary searched for him, joining the Calvinist Church in Wales in the hopes of finding new friends and contacts who might lead her to David. However, despite her efforts, she never found him. It was during this period of searching that Mary became captivated by the sermons preached in the church. These sermons spoke of the New World as a place of divine opportunity, a land where communities could live closer to God, a place where one could dedicate their entire being to him. The idea of this mystical pilgrimage to the New World resonated with

Mary, and she decided to leave everything behind and set off for America. Using her contacts, She secured a job and, by a stroke of luck, became a servant to In Smith, the daughter of William Pinson. At the time, and was pregnant, and many of the new settlers in the area were Welsh, making it easier for Mary to settle into the community. Mary quickly adapted to her new life. She took on the responsibility of caring for ends for children, a task that left her feeling both fulfilled and forlorn. She had no family of her own, and her marriage had ended in abandonment. Yet, she dutifully cared for another woman's children, a reminder of her own unfulfilled desires for a family. In the summer of 1645, everything changed when Mary met a brickmaker

named Hook Parsons. Not much is known about Hook, except that he was from England and had an odd, though hardworking, personality. He was quiet, focused on his work, and financially secure. In New England, there was a huge demand for bricks as settlements expanded, and Hook was a skilled tradesman in high demand. However, his personality caused some friction. Though he was polite and reserved, he had a short temper. When people tried to criticize him or give him advice, Hook would lash out in anger, making enemies quickly.

Hook's talents were recognized by William Pinson, who invited him to work in Springfield, offering him a large plot of land. Hook accepted, and shortly after arriving, he crossed paths with Mary. Sparks flew between them immediately, and although Mary was still technically married, hook and Mary soon formed a bond. However, for them to marry, Mary needed permission from William Pinson, as he was the authority in the settlement. Mary argued that she had been abandoned by her husband seven years ago and had lived in isolation since then. According to the religious beliefs of the time, divorce was nearly considered a sin, as marriage was seen as a sacred

commitment. However, Mary persisted, claiming she had been abandoned and that she deserved a new life with Hook. Some sources suggest she also insisted on marrying Hook because she she might have been pregnant, and an illegitimate child would have been a scandal. Whatever the true reason, after months of insistence, Mary finally received permission, and she married Hook. They moved into a charming house in Springfield, where their lives seemed to improve. Hook's business thrived, and Mary soon found herself pregnant. The growth of Springfield brought with it prosperity but also increasing tensions.

As the settlement expanded, competition arose, and with competition came jealousy. driven by an insatiable desire to succeed, began to compete with his neighbors for the best land, the most money, and the most influence. His envy of others created conflict, and this atmosphere of tension only intensified as their family grew. On August 7, 1646, Mary gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Hannah. Just after her birth, a deadly epidemic of flu and smallpox struck the area. While other children in the settlement fell ill, Hannah remained perfectly healthy, leading the townspeople to question why she was unaffected. This unusual situation caused suspicions to grow, and some of the locals began to whisper

that Mary might be involved in witchcraft. In May 1647, these suspicions were confirmed when a woman named Al-Sayom was executed for witchcraft in New Windsor, Connecticut. Once a woman was convicted of being a witch, others in the community began to wonder if more were hiding in plain sight. Mary was one of the prime suspects. The situation only worsened when, in six years. In 1648, Mary became pregnant with their second child and began showing signs of depression and anxiety.

Meanwhile, Hook's obsession with competition and wealth continued. He demanded that Mary returned to work for and Smith, even though they were financially secure. Mary refused. She wanted to stay home with their growing family, but Hook insisted, growing more frustrated by the day. As tensions rose, Hook began spending more time away from home, immersing himself in hobbies like fishing, hunting, and gardening. This only caused more strain in their relationship. Their fights became louder, and soon the entire neighborhood could hear their arguments. As their marriage became increasingly dysfunctional, their neighbors began to distance themselves

from the couple. In 1648, another witch trial took place when a woman named Margaret Jones was executed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. By now, the community was on high alert for signs of witchcraft, and the growing hostility toward Mary and her family only fueled the rumors. Hooke's volatile temper and increasing isolation added to the suspicion. His frequent arguments, especially with a pregnant neighbor, led to more rumors that he might be involved in witchcraft.

When the neighbor fell ill shortly after their argument, the whispers only grew louder. People began to believe that Hook and Mary were cursed and responsible for the mysterious illnesses that plagued the settlement. By the summer of 1648, Mary had given birth to their second son, Samuel. Yet, despite the growing rumors of witchcraft and the increasing tension between the couple, the Parsons family continued to try to thrive. Hook, however, remained obsessed with his success and his desire to outdo his neighbors, while Mary found herself caught in a web of suspicion, isolation, and despair.

The Parsons' story is one of ambition, obsession, and ultimately, tragedy, a tale of how envy, fear, and desperation can tear apart families and communities. It all began innocently enough for Mary, a woman in Springfield, a place where gossip and superstition often run wild. But everything changed when a new neighbor moved into town, Mercy Marshfield. Mercy was everything that Mary wasn't, charming, beautiful, and instantly likable. The kind of person everyone wanted to be friends with. At first, Mary found herself drawn to her, perhaps because of her warmth and grace.

However, the more Mary observed, the more she began to suspect something darker. Mary was a firm believer in witches. She had heard the stories, read about them in pamphlet. and had been taught about witches from an early age. So when Mercy came to town and seemed to have such a natural connection with everyone, something in Mary clicked. She became convinced that Mercy was a witch, that this lovely new neighbor had brought evil with her to Springfield.

Mary's obsession began to grow. She started to tell anyone who would listen that Mercy was involved in dark, unholy rituals. She's a witch, she'd say, voice lowered conspiratorially, and she summoned the devil himself to Springfield. Mary noticed strange lights at night near Mercy's Land, lights that flickered and danced in ways that seemed unnatural. She began to tell people, her family, and anyone who would listen about the bizarre occurrences she witnessed.

But it wasn't just strange lights that set off alarms for Mary. She was particularly fixated on the idea that Mercy might have markings on her body, those marks of a witch that were supposedly visible to those who knew what to look for. Mary, always quick to jump to conclusions, believed that she was the only one who could see these signs. To her, Mercy's knowledge of witchcraft was undeniable. How else would she know so much about the marks of a witch? Mary would whisper to her friends. Only a witch would know these things. However, as much as Mary tried to convince people, her own paranoia began to unravel. People started to question her. After all, she was the one obsessed with witches.

It was becoming clear to others that maybe Mary herself had a problem, not mercy. Maybe, just maybe, Mary was the one who was consumed by dark thoughts. In fact, it wasn't long before people started to notice that Mary seemed a little too obsessed with the whole thing. Her conversations were increasingly focused on witchcraft, to the point that she began to suspect everyone around her, even her own husband, Hugh Parsons, of being a witch. But let's not jump ahead of ourselves. Let's stay focused on Mercy for now.

One night, Mary had a particularly vivid nightmare. In this dream, all her suspicions were confirmed, Mercy was, without a doubt, a witch. The next morning, Mary couldn't contain herself any longer. She went straight to the authorities and accused Mercy of witchcraft. But Mercy wasn't about to stay silent. She had heard the rumors, and now she saw the truth about Mary. She too went to the authorities, but not to accuse, this time, Mercy filed a defamation lawsuit against Mary.

Springfield was split. Some sided with Mercy, the charming and friendly newcomer, while others sympathized with Mary, who was so adamant that Mercy was involved in witchcraft. The town was divided. The trial became a spectacle. If Mary won, Mercy would be labeled a witch, but if Mercy won, Mary would be publicly humiliated. This is when things took a darker turn. Meanwhile, Hugh Parsons, who had a knack for getting into trouble, wasn't staying out of the spotlight.

In fact, he was making things worse for everyone, especially himself. He had been working for Sarah and Alexander Edwards, a couple that owed him money. He had done some work for them, built them a fireplace, and had agreed to let them pay him later. But as time passed, they kept stalling. Eventually, Hugh had had enough. He went to their house to demand the payment they owed him. Sarah and Alexander had nothing. They said they couldn't pay him, not at that moment, and even promised they'd pay him later.

When Hugh saw they had a cow, he had an idea. He suggested that they pay him with milk instead of money. Sarah, however, refused. She argued that their cow didn't produce enough milk to cover the debt. This, as you can imagine, sent Hugh into a rage. He yelled, he threatened, and he stormed out of their house. The next morning, when Sarah went to milk the cow, she discovered that the cow was producing much less milk than usual. Even worse, the milk itself had a strange color. Sarah immediately jumped to the conclusion that Hugh had cursed the cow. She was convinced that he was a witch, seeking revenge on her and her husband for not paying their debt. The rumor spread through Springfield like wildfire. Hugh was accused of witchcraft. Now,

the town had another problem on its hands. Of course, Mary added fuel to the fire. As if things weren't chaotic enough, she began telling everyone that Hugh was a terrible man, a witch who cursed animals and did terrible things. She told people that she had been duped into marrying him. In her mind, he was capable of anything. People in the town began to turn against the Parsons family. At this point, the rumors had taken on a life of their own. Hugh had been accused of witchcraft, and Mary, obsessed with the idea of witches, began seeing

them everywhere. She believed that Mercy was one, and she was increasingly convinced that her husband, Hugh, was another. Her paranoia reached a breaking point. In the summer of 1649, something happened that made everything even worse. A neighbor named William Branch woke up one morning unable to walk. His legs were cramped, and he couldn't seem to move. It got so bad that he could barely even stand.

He was in pain, and it didn't seem to improve. During this time, William had a dream in which he believed Hugh Parsons was responsible for his condition. In his mind, this confirmed everything. Hugh was a witch. He had cursed him. It didn't take long for word to spread. The entire town of Springfield believed that Hugh was responsible for William's sudden illness.

William was convinced, and so were most of the townspeople. At this point, Mary was more convinced than ever that her husband was a witch, and she began telling everyone that he was the one behind the sickness in the town. Things were getting out of control. Hugh, who was getting fed up with the gossip and accusations, decided to take matters into his own hands. He went to the authorities and demanded they inspect Mary's body for signs of witchcraft. It was a ridiculous request, but Mary's paranoia had led her to this point, and people

were starting to question both her and her husband. Were they both witches? Maybe the whole town was cursed. Meanwhile, the whispers and rumors about the Parsons family grew louder. No one wanted to be seen with them. They started crossing the street to avoid even walking near them. But then something truly tragic happened. Samuel, the youngest child of Mary and Hugh, fell seriously ill.

Hugh was frantic. He grabbed the child out of his crib and rushed outside, shouting for help. But no one came. Not a single neighbor responded. In fact, when they heard Hugh's cries, they shut their windows and ignored him. Hours later, Samuel died. The town was horrified, but instead of feeling sympathy for Hugh, the people of Springfield believed the worst.

They thought that Hugh had killed his son. They didn't think about how no one had helped him. They didn't care about the fact that no one came to his aid. They assumed Hugh had killed his own child. It was a tragic situation. Mary, after the death of her son, didn't stop. She kept spreading rumors. She told everyone that Hugh was the devil himself.

The town was on the brink of madness and the paranoia was getting worse. But then, something truly bizarre happened. In 1650, Mary found out that she was pregnant again. The gossip about her and her husband reached a fever pitch. The people of Springfield couldn't understand how a woman could continue to live with a man they believed was a witch, a demon, and a killer. But Mary, undeterred, continued to spread her accusations, even as she carried her third child.

In the midst of all this, Hugh's troubles didn't stop. The local reverend, George Moxon, hired Hugh to do some work at his house. But after a few days, Moxon began to complain. He didn't like the work Hugh was doing. This led to a heated argument between the two men, and Hugh left the job. A few days later, Reverend Moxon's children became sick. The town couldn't ignore the rumors anymore. People started to put the pieces together.

And then, on March 4, 1651, Joshua, the Parson's son, died. This was the final straw. were now convinced that Mary and Hugh had killed not one but two of their own children as part of some dark, twisted ritual. The townspeople had seen enough. The couple was arrested. Mary, by this point, was completely lost to her delusions. She admitted to being a witch and even claimed to have killed her own child. She confessed to everything. But even then, there was no concrete evidence to support any of it. The authorities believed that Mary's mental state had deteriorated due to the strain of childbirth and depression. She was sentenced to death by hanging.

However, before her execution, Mary died in prison from typhus. It was a sad and strange end to, her life. Hugh, on the other hand, had a different fate. Without Mary's testimony, the case against him fell apart. The witnesses were unwilling to travel to Boston for the trial, and Hugh was released. He spent the next year of living in Boston with his daughter, Hannah. He eventually sold his land and faded into obscurity. What happened to Hugh after that is unclear. Some say he remarried and started anew, while others claim that he simply vanished from history. Regardless, the story of Mary and Hugh Parsons remains one of the most tragic and bizarre tales in the history of which trials. What do you think? Was it all just a terrible case of paranoia and mass

hysteria? Or was there something more sinister at play in Springfield? It's 3.19 a.m., and a frantic phone call breaks the quiet of the Silver Woods residential estate in Pretoria, South Africa, a gated community known for its exclusivity and top-notch security. On the line is a hysterical Oscar Pistorius, pleading incoherently with his neighbor Johan Stander. Between sobs and panicked gasps, he explains that he shot someone, his girlfriend, Riva Steenkamp, thinking she was an intruder. Stander, confused and alarmed, rushes over to find a grim scene, Riva critically

wounded, her injuries far beyond a simple gunshot. The events of February 14, 2013, would forever change the lives of those involved and ignite a media frenzy, unraveling not just a tragic event, but also the complex life of a celebrated athlete and the woman who lost her life. To understand this night, we must dive deeper into the life of Oscar Pistorius, a man revered as a hero, but who carried his share of controversies, and Riva Steencamp, a woman whose light was extinguished far too soon. Hashtag hashtag hashtag the making of a legend. Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius was born on November 22, 1986, in Santon, Johannesburg. The middle child of Sheila and Hinky Pistorius, Oscar entered the world with fibular hemimilia, a condition where both

fibulae were missing. After months of agonizing decisions, his parents opted for a double amputation below the knee when he was just 11 months old. Despite his disability, Oscar's childhood was marked by determination and an unyielding drive to compete. He thrived in a Christian household where his mother, Sheila, was his anchor, encouraging him to never see himself as different from anyone else. His energy and resilience found outlets in sports, from rugby and water polo to tennis. With the help of basic prosthetics, he competed fiercely, earning respect for his athletic prowess. Coaches and peers marveled at how he didn't just keep up, he often excelled. But tragedy struck when Oscar was just 15 years old. His beloved mother passed away, leaving a void that he filled with

an intense dedication to sports. Initially, rugby was his passion, but a neat injury in 2003 shifted his focus to athletics. By January 2004, Oscar was sprinting, but his basic prosthetics weren't suited for running. With the help of engineers, he was fitted with custom blades designed for speed. These blades became his signature, a symbol of triumph and controversy. Oscar's rise in the world of athletics was meteoric. He earned gold medals at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens and shattered records in Beijing in 2008. By 2011, he was a national hero, defying odds and representing South Africa on a global stage. His determination to compete against able-bodied athletes culminated in a historic moment at the 2012 Olympics, where he became the first double-amputee sprinter to compete in the games.

But Oscar's success wasn't without setbacks. Controversy surrounded his prosthetics, with critics claiming they gave him an unfair advantage. Studies showed conflicting results, but debates about his Blade Runner, fame persisted. On the track, his competitive spirit occasionally bordered on unsportsmanlike, as seen when he accused a rival of using too long prosthetics after a loss. Off the track, whispers of a darker side began to surface. Hashtag hashtag hashtag a complex personal life. Oscar's public persona was one of resilience and charisma, but glist. of another side occasionally emerged. He was a gun enthusiast, owning multiple firearms

and reportedly firing a gun under questionable circumstances at least twice. Friends and acquaintances described him as intense and occasionally erratic, with a temper that flared in moments of frustration. In 2009, he was involved in a domestic incident that raised eyebrows. At a party, an argument escalated after he allegedly kissed another woman in front of his girlfriend. A heated exchange followed, culminating in Oscar slamming a door so hard it shattered, injuring someone nearby. Incidents like these painted a picture of a man whose personal life was not as polished as his public image. Despite these red flags, Oscar was frequently seen with beautiful, high-profile women. In late 2012, he began dating Riva Steencamp, a model, television

personality, an aspiring lawyer. Riva was everything Oscar seemed to admire, strong, independent, and deeply passionate about her advocacy for women's rights. Though their relationship was relatively new, Reva often spent nights at Oscars home. Hashtag hashtag hashtag the vibrant life of Reva Steencamp. Born on August 19, 1983, in Cape Town, Reva Rebecca Steencamp grew up in a loving household, known for her adventurous spirit and warm personality.

A bright student, she earned her law degree in 2005 and worked as a legal assistant while pursuing modeling on the side. Her stunning looks and charm quickly catapulted her into the spotlight, appearing in magazines, commercials, and television shows. But Reva was more than a pretty face. She was a vocal advocate against gender-based violence, using her platform to speak out on issues close to her heart. She dreamed of making a difference, not just through her career in law, but also by inspiring

young women to believe in themselves. Hashtag hashtag Valentine's Day Tragedy, the evening of February 13, 2013, seemed uneventful. Reva sent a message to her housemates, explaining that she'd stay the night at Oscars because it was late. The couple retreated to Oscar's luxurious home, a fortress-like property within the Silver Woods estate. What happened in the early hours of February 14th is a matter of intense scrutiny and debate. Neighbors later reported hearing loud voices, followed by gunshots. At 3.19 a.m., Oscar called Stander, and soon after, emergency services were contacted. When paramedics arrived, it was too late. Riva had been shot multiple times, injuries that proved fatal.

Oscar's version of events was that he mistook Riva for an intruder, firing through a locked bathroom door in a state of panic. The prosecution, however, painted a darker picture, alleging that an argument had escalated to violence. The trial that followed became a global spectacle, with every detail of their relationship and the fateful night dissected in courtrooms and the media. Hashtag hashtag a nation divided, the trial revealed the complexities of Oscar's personality. Witnesses described a man who was both charming and volatile, deeply driven but also deeply flawed. The court examined everything from his behavior during previous incidents to the specifics of the shooting, trying to determine

whether this was a tragic mistake or a calculated act. In 2014, Oscar was found guilty of culpable homicide, a verdict that many saw as too lenient. After appeals and further legal battles, he was eventually convicted of murder in 2016 and sentenced to six years. years in prison, later increased to 13 years. Hashtag hashtag legacy of a tragedy. The story of Oscar Pistorius and Riva Steencamp remains one of the most compelling tragedies of modern sports history. It's a tale of ambition, love, and the darker shadows that often go unseen.

For Reva's family, her loss is a wound that time cannot heal, but her legacy lives on through the causes she championed. For Oscar, the man once hailed as a symbol of perseverance now serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of unchecked ambition and unresolved inner demons. The early morning tragedy, it's 3.19 a.m. on February 14th, and Johann Stander, neighbor to Oscar Pistorius, is jolted awake by a call. On the other end, a distressed Oscar pleads for help. The Paralympian claims to have mistaken his girlfriend, Riva Steencamp, for an intruder

and, terrified, shot her multiple times. Johann and his daughter rushed to Oscar's house, only to find a scene far worse than they imagined. Riva is unresponsive, drenched in blood. The staircase leading to where she lies tells its own grim story, marked by blood trails. Johan immediately calls emergency services. When paramedics and police arrive, they find Oscar inconsolable, repeating over and over that it was all a tragic mistake, that he thought Riva was an intruder. What followed was Oscar's account of that night, but it raised more questions than it answered. hashtag hashtag Oscar's version of events, according to Oscar, February 13th was an ordinary day.

He and Riva had dinner around 7 p.m. and went to bed between 9 and 10. But in the early hours, Oscar claimed he was startled by strange noises. Half asleep, he noticed the fan still running and got up to turn them off. Without his prosthetics, he felt vulnerable and uneasy. That's when he allegedly heard sounds from the bathroom. Whispering to Riva to call the police, he grabbed his gun, firing multiple shots at the bathroom door. Then, in the eerie silence that followed, he turned back to find the bed empty.

Panic set in. What if Riva had been the one in the bathroom? He tried opening the door, but it was locked. Rushing to put on his prosthetics, he grabbed a cricket bat to break the door down. Inside, he found Riva slumped over, gravely injured. In his frantic state, he carried her downstairs, attempting to do that. first aid, and called Johann for help. But Oscar's explanation wasn't holding up. Questions immediately arose, why hadn't he checked if Riva was in bed?

Why did he shoot without verifying who was behind the door? And the autopsy report made things even murkier. Hashtag hashtag hashtag the evidence that didn't add up. The autopsy revealed troubling details. One, bruises on Riva's body, these marks on her back and head suggested she had been struck with a hard object, possibly a cricket bath. 2. Her clothing, Riva wasn't in pajamas but dressed in casual, daytime clothes. 3. Bullet wounds. Riva had three gunshot injuries, one to her hip, one to her arm, and a fatal one to her head. Four, the trajectory of the bullets, the shots had passed through the bathroom door before hitting Riva. 5. Stomach contents, the autopsy found undigested food,

indicating she had eaten around 1 a.m. hours after Oscar claimed they had done. dinner. Six, the ammunition, the bullets used were designed to expand upon impact, causing maximum damage. This wasn't a weapon someone used to scare off an intruder, it was meant to kill. These findings poked holes in Oscar's narrative. The most damning detail. The bullets. Experts testified that anyone using such ammunition would know the devastation they could cause. This wasn't an act of self-defense, it was a deliberate attempt to kill. Hashtag hashtag-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-kers-arrest and the the start of the trial. On February 15, 2013, Oscar was arrested and charged with Riva's murder. The courtroom battle began on February 19, with both the defense and prosecution laying

out their cases. Oscar was granted bail after four days in custody and, astonishingly, resumed his training routine while awaiting trial. In March, he was even allowed to travel for competitions. The trial officially began on March 3, 2014, at Pretoria's High Court. Oscar's defense team painted him as a man plagued by anxiety, heightened by his physical disability. They claimed his fear of intruders was amplified by South Africa's high crime rates and that his response to the noises that night was a panic-driven mistake. But the prosecution came prepared, armed with evidence and witnesses that told a far darker story. Hashtag hashtag hashtag the dark side of Oscar Pistorius. To undermine the defense's portrayal

of Oscar as a vulnerable and anxious man, the prosecution delved into his past. His obsession with guns, friends and ex-girlfriends described him as reckless and trigger-happy. In 2012, he allegedly fired a gun through the roof of a moving car. In 2013, he accidentally fired a gun in a restaurant and convinced a friend to take the blame. Two, toxic relationships, text messages between Oscar and Riva painted a picture of a volatile romance. In one message, Riva expressed her fear of him, saying, Asterisk, sometimes I'm scared of you and how you react to me. Asterisk another revealed how his jealousy and possessiveness caused frequent fights.

Three, the ammunition, the bullets used were so destructive that experts concluded Oscar fired with full knowledge of their lethal potential. Four, forensics, the angles of the gunshots and the bat strikes didn't align with Oscar's version of events. The evidence suggested he was wearing his prosthetics when he fired the shots, contradicting his claim of feeling defenseless. Five, witness testimonies, neighbors reported hearing loud arguments from Oscar's house that night. One witness, Steencamp's neighbor, claimed the shouting went on for nearly an hour

before the gunshots rang out. Hashtag hashtag hashtag what really happened. The prosecution's theory asterisk asterisk. The prosecution argued that the couple had a heated argument that escalated to violence. At some point, Oscar allegedly struck Reva with the cricket bat, leaving her terrified. Seeking refuge, she locked herself in the bathroom. But Oscar, consumed by rage, retrieved his gun and fired through the door, knowing she was inside. The evidence supported this timeline. The bruises on Riva's body matched the bat, and the gunshot angles indicated Oscar was standing upright, likely wearing his prosthetics.

This wasn't a case of mistaken identity or a panicked homeowner. It was murder. Hashtag hashtag hashtag the verdict and aftermath. The trial was a spectacle, filled with dramatic moments. Oscar broke down in court multiple times, and his defense team argued tirelessly. that his actions were driven by fear, not malice. But the evidence was damning. On October 15, 2014, the initial verdict was delivered, culpable homicide. Oscar was sentenced to five years in prison, sparking outrage. Critics argued the sentence was far too lenient for

someone who knowingly fired lethal bullets at another person. The prosecution appealed, and in July 2016, the conviction was upgraded to murder, with a six-year sentence. But the legal battles didn't end there. In 2018, South Africa's Supreme Court increased the sentence to 15 years, with time already served deducted. As of now, Oscar remains in prison, but he could be eligible for parole soon. Hashtag hashtag hashtag was justice served. Oscar Pistorius's case has sparked endless debate. Was he a man crippled by fear, making a tragic mistake in the heat of the moment? Or was he an enraged lover who killed Riva in a fit of jealousy? The evidence seems to lean heavily toward the latter. Ultimately, the justice system delivered a sentence, but public opinion remains

divided. What do you think? Was justice truly served? Hey everyone. Today, we're diving into the real story behind the haunting in Connecticut movie, and trust me, the actual events are way scarier than what Hollywood showed us. Buckle up, because this isn't just any haunting tale, it's one based on real-life terror that happened to an ordinary family just trying to get by. It all starts like a classic love story. In 1979, Carmen was working as a waitress at a roadside bar in New York when she met Alan Snedeker, a hardworking guy who spent his days at a stone quarry. Sparks flew, and in a few short months, they were married. With Carmen's two kids from a previous marriage, they settled into a small New York apartment, happy with their life together. Before long,

their family grew with the arrival of little Stephanie, and Carmen decided to leave her job to focus on raising her three children. Life seemed perfect, even though Alan's paycheck was the only one keeping them afloat. They weren't wealthy, but they managed. However, in 1986, everything changed. Carmen's oldest son, Stephen, who was only 13, started experiencing extreme fatigue and regular bouts of sickness. At first, Carmen thought it was just the flu.

But one morning, she noticed a strange lump on the left side of his jaw. This was no ordinary flu. She rushed him to the doctor, who ran some tests and biopsies. The diagnosis. Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer affecting the immune system. This was a terrifying blow to the family, and Stephen's treatment was going to be intense. At that time, the only place where Stephen could receive the kind of specialized treatment he needed was nearly 300 miles away at the John Dempsey Hospital in Connecticut.

Initially, the family tried to make it work with long car rides back and forth, but these trips were tough on Stephen. He'd spend the journey exhausted, sick, and in pain, sometimes having to stay overnight in cheap motels just to rest. Carmen couldn't stand seeing her son suffer, and eventually, she made a tough decision, they'd move closer to the hospital, at least until Stephen got better. While in Connecticut, Carmen began looking for a place to rent. One day, she came across a beautiful, colonial-style house. It had a huge yard and big windows, and it was in a historic neighborhood in Hartford.

It seemed perfect for them. When she saw a for rent sign, she decided to check it out, even though she thought it might be way out of their price range. She walked up, rang the bell, and, although the owner wasn't there, one of the construction workers who was renovating the place gave her the landlord's number. That night, she called him. To her surprise, the rent was affordable, so she didn't think twice and took the place. Without even touring the inside, she decided this would be their new home, hoping it would bring

a fresh start for Stephen and the family. The Snedekers moved in on June 30th, 1986. Before letting the kids into the house, Carmen and Alan decided to walk through it on their own to get a feel for it. As they entered, they noticed something strange, there were crosses over each doorway. This was a little creepy, but they brushed it off, assuming the previous owners must have been very religious. As they continued exploring, they made mental notes of where they'd place the furniture, checking out the layout, the bedrooms, and the living area. The house was wonderful, until they reached the basement. In one corner of the living room, there was a staircase leading down to the basement.

This basement also had an outdoor entrance from the backyard, which was unusual but seemed practical. As they descended the stairs, it was as if they had stepped into a different world. The basement was filled with large rooms, some beautiful and spacious, others dark and eerie. They noticed some doors with swinging panels, leading to rooms that looked like they belonged in a horror movie. One room, in particular, had walls that were smudged and scraped, with strange dark stains. On the walls, they found surgical tools, hooks, and chains with pulleys. In the center of the room was a metal table that looked like it had seen its share of disturbing activities.

To make things worse, the room had an overpowering, nauseating smell. Carmen and Allen were uneasy, but they reasoned that maybe the previous owner had been a doctor and this was his workspace. Deciding to avoid this room and keep it locked, they figured they'd set up Stephen's bedroom in a different part of the basement, one that was larger and had its own bathroom. Maybe having a big, private room would help lift Stephen's spirits. But when they showed the room to the kids, Stephen wasn't thrilled. He looked around and told his parents he'd rather keep suffering through the long car rides

than stay in that creepy basement room. Alan tried to comfort him, pointing out the benefits of having his own space, but Stephen was adamant. He kept insisting, can't you see? This house is haunted, the couple brushed it off, thinking Stephen. was just being dramatic. But soon, Carmen began to worry about the basement, specifically the ominous room with the surgical tools. She feared that one of the kids might sneak in there and get hurt.

So, while Alan and the kids were settling in upstairs, she went down and started clearing out the creepy items, scrubbing the walls, and opening cabinets. Inside, she found metal plaques engraved with names, dates, and loving messages. There were also dozens of crucifixes. This discovery left her chilled. It was no doctor's office, it had been a funeral home. The thought of her family living in a former mortuary was terrifying. Just as Carmen was deciding to talk to Alan about leaving, she heard a scream from upstairs.

It was Stephanie, her young daughter, who was in tears, saying that she'd seen a woman with pale skin and dark hair watching her while she played with her dolls. Carmen tried to comfort her, brushing it off as an overtired hallucination from the stress of moving, and told her everything would look better after a good night's sleep. The family tried to settle in, but that night, Stephen came to his mother, saying he couldn't sleep. He'd heard voices in the basement, whispers that seemed to come from the walls. Shadows and cold drafts filled the room, and he couldn't bear the strange, haunting

sensations that seemed to press in from every corner. Carmen, worried, chalked it up to side effects from his aggressive cancer treatments. She reassured him, walked him back to bed, and hoped for the best. The next morning, the landlord, Mr. Campbell, stopped by. Carmen confronted him about what she discovered in the basement, and he didn't deny it. The house had indeed been a funeral home, the Harrahann funeral home, from 1936 until 1984, before the business moved and the original owner retired. Campbell warned her not to throw away any of the items in the basement, as they were historical

artifacts. He suggested they just locked the room to keep the kids safe. Horrified, Carmen called Alan, saying she couldn't bear the idea of living in a house that had once been filled with death. But Alan was practical. He reminded her that they had finally found an affordable, spacious home, and what mattered most now was the well-being of their family. They decided not to tell the kids about the home's dark history, hoping they could create a safe, happy life there despite the unsettling details. But things didn't stay peaceful for long. Stephen's condition seemed to worsen, not just from his illness, but from the oppressive

presence he felt in the house. Shadows, voices, and mysterious cold spots plagued him at night, and he wasn't the only one experiencing them. Stephanie continued to see ghostly figures, and other unexplained occurrences began. Lights flickered, strange noises echoed, and doors would open or slam shut on their own. The children started waking up with bruises and scratches, and even Alan, the skeptic, couldn't ignore the growing darkness within their home. Desperate, Carmen reached out to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, famous for their work on haunted houses. The Warrens agreed to help, but the experiences they documented in the house shocked even them. They claimed that the house was plagued by the spirits of those who had

once been prepared for burial there. The basement, the site of most of the activity, was a portal to unimaginable darkness. The Warrens performed an exorcism, hoping to cleanse the home, but the haunting left a lasting impact on the Snedeker family. For years, They struggled with the trauma of their time in that house. Stephen's health continued to suffer, and the family was forever marked by the horrors they encountered. What started as an attempt to find peace and healing for Stephen turned into a nightmare that they'd never forget. The true story behind the haunting in Connecticut is far more chilling than any movie could capture, a reminder that sometimes, the most terrifying tales come from real life.

When Stephen and his family first moved into the big old house on Meridian Avenue, he felt uneasy. The basement, where he was supposed to sleep, wasn't exactly warm or inviting, it felt downright sinister. For the first few days, he managed to stay down there by himself, even though strange noises echoed through the darkness and shadows danced along the walls. Eventually, though, Stephen couldn't take it anymore. The odd sensations and cold drafts that never seemed to fade just got too intense. Finally, he told his parents he needed to sleep upstairs with his brother.

But that didn't go smoothly either. His brother's room was tiny, so to make it work, they dragged the bed from Stephen's room upstairs down to the basement and tried setting up together there. His parents, Carmen and Alan, thought this arrangement might help him get used to the new house. However, one night, Carmen and Alan were jolted awake by the boy's terrified screams. The kids were hysterical. They insisted they'd seen three men standing by the dresser at the foot of their beds, whispering among themselves in low, incomprehensible voices. One of them was wearing a hat, they said, and the men were intensely focused on something, as if they were negotiating some dark deal.

When the boys dared to sit up, the men turned around and looked straight into their eyes. Alan was certain someone must have broken in. He grabbed a flashlight, checked every corner, and searched every room. But there was no one there, not even a sign of forced entry. All he found was a chilling cold that seemed to seep into his bones. It felt like something more than just an empty house. In the days that followed, strange things started happening. Items disappeared constantly, house keys, car keys, wallets, small but essential things.

And it wasn't just the adults feeling on edge. Carmen began noticing something almost every time she went about her day. She could swear she'd hear whispers, like someone was calling her name or humming a tune. Sometimes she'd see shadows dart past her, but when she turned to look, no one was there. One morning, Carmen had everything set out in the kitchen to bake cookies. She measured out the flour, the sugar, the butter, carefully arranging everything on the counter. She turned away for just a moment to preheat the oven, and when she looked back, the counter was spotless, like she'd never taken anything out at all.

The bowls were clean, the counter gleamed, and the ingredients were back in the cupboards, untouched. It was as if the entire scene had been erased. Carmen was spooked but tried to brush it off, thinking she'd just lost track of what she was doing. But it only got worse. One day, while mopping the floor, she noticed the water in the bucket had turned a strange, murky red. She stared at it, horrified, because the floor hadn't been particularly dirty. Yet the water looked disturbingly like blood.

She checked the linoleum, but there was no stain, no source for the red color. Anxiety started to creep into her mind, and she began questioning her own sanity. Though unsettling, daytime incidents were nothing compared to what happened after dark. The house took on a more ominous presence at night. The children were the first to notice shadows, human-like shapes moving in the corners of their vision, sounds of weeping were music that seemed to come from nowhere. They even felt icy fingers brushing against them from beneath the covers. Things soon escalated to the parents.

Carmen and Alan started waking up to the bed shaking at exactly 3 a.m. Their bedroom door would slam shut on its own, the sudden noise jarring them awake night after night. was lurking in the house seemed to be growing in strength and frequency, feeding off the family's fear. And just when they thought they'd seen it all, the shadows they had spotted earlier began appearing in more tangible forms. At first, they were just dark, misty shapes flitting through the hallways, but soon they became distinct figures. The family saw a revolving cast of apparitions, from indistinct silhouettes to full-bodied apparitions. Three particular figures appeared most frequently, an elderly man with gray hair, a pale woman with long dark hair,

a young boy dressed in a superman costume. The presence of the little boy hit especially hard after they learned he had died in a car accident years ago and had been dressed in his favorite Superman's suit for the funeral. Carmen and Alan felt trapped. Moving wasn't an option, they'd chosen the house because Stephen needed medical treatment, and relocating would mean returning to grueling travel and hospital visits. They were devoted Christians, and their faith was a source of strength. They convinced themselves that God would protect them from harm, reassuring each other that the spirits couldn't truly hurt them. Then Carmen's sister reached out, desperately asking if Carmen could take care of her two daughters

during a rough divorce. Carmen agreed, bringing her nieces into a home already strained by its eerie inhabitants. Almost immediately, their electric bill skyrocketed. Alan, frustrated and trying to save costs, decided to start unscrewing light bulbs in rooms they didn't use. But the strangest thing happened, even with the bulbs removed, the lights would flicker on by themselves. They glowed in empty sockets, making it clear the family wasn't alone. Meanwhile, Stephen's behavior began to shift dramatically.

He isolated himself in the basement, refusing to let his brother sleep there anymore, and spent hours with his headphones on, blasting music to drown out the voices he said wouldn't leave him alone. He started wearing all black, painting inverted crosses on his walls, and talking to himself, muttering about making a deal with the voices that plagued him. One night, things took a tragic turn when the family woke to their nieces screaming. Stephen had attempted to harm the younger girl, and Alan restrained him until the police arrived. Stephen was taken to a psychiatric facility, where he stayed for weeks as doctors evaluated him for possible schizophrenia.

But even after Stephen left, the house didn't calm down, it grew more hostile. Invisible forces started tormenting the family in unimaginable ways, attacking both Carmen and the youngest niece while they slept. Carmen was even assaulted one day while she was in the shower, caught off guard by an invisible presence that trapped her in the shower curtain. No one was safe, not Alan, not even the children. Bruises and scratches appeared on their bodies, and eventually, even Alan, who had clung to rational explanations, started to believe something evil was targeting them. Desperate, they turned to the church. But the local priest dismissed them, telling them that only the unfaithful suffered demonic attacks. Finally, after weeks of pleading, they convinced him to bless the house.

Unfortunately, it had no effect, and the spirits seemed to grow bolder. One day, a neighbor stopped by with a newspaper under her arm. She quietly pointed to an article about Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators known for helping families haunted by spirits. The neighbor admitted she'd seen strange figures in the family's windows since they'd moved in and suggested they reach out to the Warren's. The Warrens agreed to take on the case and arrived with a seven-member team. Lorraine conducted a walk-through of the house, feeling an intense

sense of dread as she moved through each room. The basement was particularly oppressive, and Lorraine sensed a dark, malevolent entity lurking there, something evil and ancient. Over the next two months, they documented everything, objects flinging across rooms, voices whispering threats, even physical attacks on the team. By the end of their investigation, only two team members were still willing to stay. The Warren's uncovered unsettling records linking the house to a former mortuary worker who had allegedly been dismissed after being caught defiling corpses. This discovery made it clear that whatever was haunting the family wasn't just a spirit, it was something far darker.

In the end, the Warrens urged the church to perform an exorcism, which the church reluctantly agreed to. But by that time, the family had reached their breaking point. They decided to leave the house, choosing their sanity and safety over staying in a place where every corner held a painful memory. Stephen had finished his treatments, so the timing was right. As they packed their belongings and drove away, they left behind a house filled with their their fear, and a presence that no amount of prayer or exorcism could drive away. Years later,

Stephen would marry and start a family, but his life was cut short when his cancer returned in 2012. He left behind a legacy of resilience, but the memory of what they had experienced in that house never truly faded. Would you, knowing all of this, be willing to live in a place that had once been a mortuary? This story, though fictionalized, taps into the unsettling idea of what happens when a house holds on to its past occupants, or something even darker. The real horror is the question it leaves us with, was it the house, or something already lurking in the family, waiting for the right moment to strike? I linked the full story of my failed marriage above if you want more background.

I had been officially divorced for five to six weeks, separated for five to six months. When my ex-wife contacted me, I thought I was ready for that, I wasn't. When she did, I asked for space. I really didn't know what we were getting at. Honestly, if I had any success in my dating life over that time, I probably wouldn't have entertained the conversation. By time we finally talked, it had been over a week. It began with just some really surface-level stuff. She had stated that she missed me and was finally beginning to see my perspective on our problems.

Initially, I didn't really know how to take that. I decided I wasn't going to be the first to talk. I had talked a lot at the end of our marriage and was met with stonewalling, gaslighting, minimizing. I was more interested if she really had come to a revelation. It wasn't until the third day that we finally had a real deep conversation. She came out and told me, I realized we didn't end up divorced because of a lack of BJ's or doggy style, it was a lack of effort on my part. She admitted that she focused on that so much during our last months, and felt offended. She told herself I was an asshole for

implying I owned her body or was owed it. She kept this narrative to herself because she didn't want to face what I was really saying. Now that it was over, and the trauma of Kristen's wedding was fresh, it was like a fog had evaporated. She told me she started to realize how slow the progression happened. It started before we even met. She was closing in on graduation, and thought to herself it was time to stop playing around. She always had a thing for the shy, quiet type, and I walked into her life at the right time. She wanted me to know that she really did love me, this wasn't a thing of her settling. I appreciated that and took as sincere. We went back to talking about the imbalance in our relationship, and she stated

she inadvertently, took advantage of my inexperience. If she had a bad day, I'd do little more. If she was feeling stressed about something, I'd pick up slack where I could. Then that would continue. It took time, but before she knew it I was doing 75 to 80 percent of the stuff around the house, I wasn't going out with my friends or even getting on the games, I was only doing things with her or her friends. The thing was she admitted that at the time, she was blind to this all the way up to the point that it became the norm. I then asked about the physical side of the relationship. The reasoning didn't make me feel better, but at least it was there. Brooke told me a story of how when she was heading off to college her mother told her,

I'm not naive, so I'm going to give you some advice, have your fun now, be safe, but get it out of your system. Then find you somebody, but when you do you start acting like a wife from day one? I said, are you fucking kidding me, that's the dumbest advice I've ever heard. She realizes that more now, she even thought that at the time she got it, but after meeting me, and the obvious lack of relationship experience I had, it kind of crept into her. She thought, I need to take it slow with him, not scare him off, minimize my experience. Then just like the other aspects of our life, it grew into complacency. I was feeling good about this conversation, I knew we had a lot more to discuss, but it was

going in the right direction, maybe there was something that could be revived. Then she asked me about my dating life, after I answered she seemed like she regretted the question. Probably because she knew it was going to be asked back. I hadn't heard much about the wedding up to that point other than it was a disaster. Her and Kristen were no longer friends, and she didn't want to talk about it. When it got to the part about Chris, it was hard to hear. I did ask how she behaved during this week and she said, uninhibited. It wasn't a deal-breaker, but I once again needed time to process and evaluate my own feelings.

I thought I had my mind ready, but the conversation was short as she wasted no time letting me know about the pregnancy. That was a deal-breaker. We both knew it was done at that point. I told her goodbye for the last time. Two weeks went by and I was still evaluating my life. I was about to turn 30 and didn't want my next 30 years to resemble my first 30. I had been doing the hard emotional work, learning about communication, and relationships for over a year at this point.

I had given up every relationship I had, at every step, my whole life. I gave up my friends, all of them, after the pool incident. I made a few new ones, then didn't keep in touch after I left for college, I did the same thing again when college ended. I finally said yes to going out with my coworkers, only to cut them when Brooke came into my life. Now she was gone to, and the only meaningful relationship I still had was with my parents. This is what I needed. I needed to connect with people. I didn't feel the fear and insecurity I had always had.

It was time to take real steps. To build real connections, whether that be romantically or just. friends. I had to admit to myself that ever since my therapist gave me that book on E&M, it had been sitting in my mind, just occupying a spot in the back. I made the decision this was my new path. I did some research and put my app focus into Tinder, OKCupid and field. It took months to get a meaningful match, I kept improving myself in that time. It was worth the wait as it all set me on a life path that just a few years earlier would have been impossible. We went to Pearl, it was a really good time. Leading up Evelyn said she,

had been fantasizing about seeing me with others. I hadn't really had that same fantasy. Obviously I knew she was with others, but I was just indifferent about the actual act. My compulsion came in seeing her happy and being able to be herself. We went into it planning on swinging for the first time. I was excited but nervous about performance anxiety. All my fears were short-lived, and we relaxed into the atmosphere pretty quick on the first day. We did connect with a couple. We were kind of worried our pool would be small. Evelyn is a strictly straight woman, and has no interest in playing with other women, so we did have some worry we would be the odd ducks knowing that, that is pretty common in the lifestyle. Our worries were quickly proven

to be unfounded. We spent a good portion of the week hanging with Jason and Erica. We full swapped twice with them, which Evelyn loved and I thoroughly enjoyed. Evelyn even commented how I had this kid on Christmas, look on my face when we got to the room later. I said, I think you forget that Erica, was only my fourth ever. She laughed and in a cutesy teasing way said, Oh, sweetie, I forget you don't have as much sex as I do, we should have gotten a picture for the scrapbook. I told her, very funny.

It was quite the revitalizing trip, most of time we spent getting physical with just each other. Evelyn had one solo hookup on day for when I drank way too much and told her to enjoy the night, alone because I was going to sleep it off. We got back from the trip, and had a discussion about including swinging, in our lives whenever it fit. I agreed completely, it was much easier meeting a play partner when my GF was doing the finding LOL. Over the next 2.5 years our lives rolled on. We bought a house

together and tossed around the marriage talk. Her prior partners all kind of moved on over time, and she was dating less. I was still hanging with friends when possible. I swore I wasn't going to let friendships lapse and I was doing my best to stick to that, even if the frequency was less. I had made a LDR, long-distance relationship, that started online, we would meet two to four times a year depending on her work travel schedule. I went on a conference trip and hooked up with woman I met in the wild. When I got back, Evelyn made me a big cupcake that said, first O&S, and then took a picture, for the scrapbook. She is such a smart ass. We swung here and there, and all in all had really good experiences with it.

Except for one couple. I was making our online connection this time. I met this couple that seemed a good fit. Evelyn joined the conversation later and agreed they were our vibe. We talked boundaries, let them know Evelyn wasn't by, we were full swap, and all that. They asked if we could do separate room, we didn't normally, but had before so we said yes. They seemed excited and agreed to all the boundaries. We met and had dinner, and got along great.

They matched their pictures. We invited them back to our place for some fun. The plan was Evelyn would take hubby in. to the spare room, while Wifi and I took the couch. The Wifi seemed to be stalling, asking for another drink, asking random questions about the house for some reason, then she said she needed to use the bathroom even though she just went before we split up. She went down the hall and I waited. Eventually I heard a call from down the hall. I ran down to the spare room. Wifie was in there. Evelyn was fine but seemed confused, she said, are you really

tapped out already? I was like, no, we haven't even started yet. I guess Wifi had come down and said I was tapped and wanted to join. Evelyn said no, she not interested in women, and then called for me as it sounded far-fetched. I annoyedly said, really, you two are wife poachers. And desperate wife poachers at that. Hubby got pissed and said they weren't. I said, yeah you are, and dumb ones, we were very clear up front about what we were up for. Wifie chimed in, I just wasn't sure if you were interested, so I thought maybe we could just pay attention to her,

she didn't have to touch me. I was really annoyed now, wasn't sure I was interested, you want me to tie a little flag to my heart on next time. What am I saying? There won't be a next time. Okay, let me put this nicely. Evelyn interjected, you two fuckers need to get out of our house right now. Me, yeah, what she said.

They huffed, gruffed, got dressed and left. After this we took some time off from extracurriculars. Evelyn was between partners and logged out of her apps for the time. I was only seeing my LDR, and that was one night every two to six months. It was about a year of being 99% just us that I proposed. She said yes immediately and we agreed a quick courthouse wedding, and putting all our money on the honeymoon was way more fun. We began our honeymoon in New Orleans.

We mostly did touristy trips and messed up the hotel bed. Evelyn said since we were here we had to check out Colette. I was down. We hadn't played in forever. We're enjoying ourselves when Evelyn. Evelyn bumps me and yells in my ear, isn't that your ex-wife? I look at where she's pointing and sure enough there is Brooke. Chris walks up to her a moment later and hands her a drink.

Our eyes meet, and I think we both had the most WTF moment of our lives. Part 4. I had not seen this woman in five years. I'm at Swinger Club in New Orleans or 1,000 miles from home, and there is my ex-wife, wearing a dress that would barely cover my left leg. I hadn't seen her in anything that revealing since she quit Hooters. I think I did a triple take. She was looking back at me with an equally shocked face. Then all four of us began slowly walking towards one another.

It began with an awkward hug and a handshake for Chris. I introduced Evelyn, it felt good to be able to say, this is my wife. We all made some small talk about the place. They shared this was their first time at a place like this, and first attempt at taking their bedroom life, out of their own bedroom. We said it was our first time in a club as well, but we had been enjoying the lifestyle for a few years. There were some awkward pauses and it seemed like Brooke wanted to say something to me.

Evelyn finally piped up and said, Chris, I see your drink is almost empty, let me get you another one so these two can have their five-year-old conversation. He just said, oh my God, thank you, if the awkward tension got any worse I was going to start break dancing. Like that they turned and headed off. Brooke turned to me, you look really good. I said, you too." She then began, I am still really sorry, when I got back from that wedding I just wanted

you back, I came to realize how bad I treated you during our marriage. I looked down down at her, it's all water under the bridge now, you got me out of my shell when I was ready to be alone forever, so I thank you for that, and in a weird way without me going to therapy for the problems we had, I wouldn't have the life I have now. We endured one more awkward hug, and our spouses came back over. We all parted ways for a while. Evelyn looked at me, so what's the plan? I said, well it's a night with single guys, you want to try and make your MFM fantasy a reality.

She got really excited, kissed me and said, You're the best. She went out and found another married guy whose wife was off doing her own thing. As we partook I noticed Brooke and Chris had come in and were watching. When the other guy was tapped out, Evelyn and I went out to get some drinks. She went to the bathroom, and Brooke came over again to talk. She told me her and Chris talked. He thinks Evelyn is amazing, and would be up for swap if we were. I said, and you?

She said, I thought we could get, um, closure. I looked at her, she was still stunning, and said, I appreciate the offer but not a chance in hell. Then I laughed, she laughed too, and said, ouch, rejected, I guess I know how it feels now. We parted ways with a quick hug. Evelyn and I went back to the hotel. We all became social media friends afterwards, but no real interactions outside of happy B-day messages.

Brooke and Chris are still together and have two kids now. Evelyn and I are still together a decade later. We take our open relationship pretty casually, neither pursuing just indulging when the opportunity presents. We still hit the occasional club or resort. I however did have to endure my greatest and most devastating breakup during this time. After years of dominance on the co-ed pickleball courts my partner dumped me for her new boyfriend, my buddy Vince. We still both lament the loss, though.

Me because Evelyn absolutely refuses to play, and her because Vince is just terrible. I had been on the apps for a few months. I was taking a proactive approach. Looking at different bios and upgrading mine as I went. I even posted it on Reddit for judgment. I knew I had to have other relationships beyond just romantic slash sexual. It had been three years since the last time Vince invited me out with the guys. I would have given up on me too.

I said yes once, met Brooke, then went back to acting like no one else was worth my time. When I made the effort to invite myself out this time I was fully prepared to get rejected. Not Vince, though, he was still just as extroverted and inviting as he was years earlier, and for some reason still likes going to Hooters. I went a few times, but finally decided that a weekly bout with XAS, exploding ass syndrome, wasn't worth it and began skipping Thursday wings and instead invited Vince to be my Jimbrough. He was always complaining about being out of shape and I had always been the tall skinny guy, I was ready to try and build a little muscle.

I finally got an ideal match, for lack of a better term. Evelyn was 28, recently out of an 11-year monogamous relationship. She was beautiful and extroverted, I for some reason am drawn to these people despite my natural proclivity to the opposite. We had a lot of discussions before finally having that first date. Our biggest focus was making sure we had compatibility in the type of relationships we were looking for, as obviously we both had E&M in our profiles. She said a huge green flag for me was just my ability to have a conversation, LOL.

She had weeded through so much trash just trying to find a few worthwhile matches. I over the years had pretty much the opposite experience, few matches, but the quality of those that occurred was usually high. She wanted to be in this type of lifestyle because she had only ever dated one person. She said her and her previous boyfriend simply grew apart. As the years worn on they grew further apart. She wanted to expand her social circle, make new friends, and go on adventures. He was shrinking his social circle and preferred to have a few close friends for small typical gatherings.

She said she was working up the courage do bring up the idea of an open relationship, when he ended it, citing many of the things that she felt. They were just becoming too different. I told her all about my history, no need to recap that for everyone. I broke it down into a basic statement. I mostly avoided people for 30 years, I was going to make up for lost time. With the history out of the way we talked about what we wanted out of relationships. She said she wanted to have many casual encounters, and to just see which grew into more

naturally. I told her I was looking to create bonds, whether romantic or platonic. After a week or so of messaging we decided to meet. We had a great first date, which saw my gangly ass trying to keep up with her on a bicycle. Followed by, I guess you would say, brunch. It was 10.30 in the morning on Saturday and it wasn't breakfast food. Date ended with our first kiss and I was excited to meet again. As we parted, I asked if she wanted to meet up again that night.

She told me she was seeing someone else later, but we should do something tomorrow. I had pickleball planned with Vince and two other guys from work, so I said maybe later in the week. She accepted that, and I was proud myself, old me would have definitely cancelled on the guys. I'll admit that I did feel a level of jealousy that she was going out with another guy. I sat with that thought and processed it. Obviously it's a natural reaction, it's okay to feel this way, I just found myself wondering why. We both had talked at length about how we wanted to live, and for fuck's sake we'd only been on one date. I went to a movie that night, alone, to help keep me occupied, the next day I owned

everyone on the P-ball courts. Evelyn messaged me that night and we made plans for Thursday. That would be the first time we had sex and the chemistry between us was incredibly strong. I hadn't been this smitten with someone since Brooke first cleaned up my huge beer mess. From there we hit the ground running. We were messaging daily and having one to two dates a week with each other. She had one other guy she was also seeing somewhat regularly. Over the next four months our relationship just kept progressing to more and more overnights with each other.

Her other partner had developed into mostly just a FWB situation, she said they just didn't have much in common other than good sexual chemistry. She had a couple of short hookups that ran their course pretty quick. I wasn't having any more luck with romantic partners but did make a platonic connection with a young woman co-worker. She was interested in pickleball, and with our budding friendship I finally had a partner for local co-ed tournaments. As we needed the five-month mark, I got an unexpected yet welcome proposition from Evelyn. She asked me to be her official boyfriend. She made it clear she was not interested in changing our dynamic, she still wanted an open

relationship, which was good because so did I. I was invited to her families for the Easter holiday and she wanted to be able to say, this is my boyfriend. I was down because she said no one was actually religious, it was just a fun holiday in their family, barbecue, egg hunts, and coloring, and by far the best candy holiday. Yeah, I said it, Halloween is number two. Our relationship was rolling along nicely. We were spending three to four nights together a week at this point, I Love You, was part of the vocabulary, and I was feeling a strong level of compulsion for her in regards to her other

relationships. It helped I had a life separate from her especially since I had no other partners at this time. That's when I met partner number two, and learned this life wasn't all rainbows, butterflies, and hot sex. I had matched with Dana, a 41-year-old woman in a newly open marriage. She was very eager to get out there and meet new people, although I'm going to be honest it really came off as she was really eager to get out there and hook up. Today Me would have seen all the red flags, but then Me was still new to all of this. Evelyn did have an uneasy feeling about her, but at the same time wanted to be supportive

of me because I had a match, which wasn't common. Today Evelyn would not have held back her opinion. I knew Dana was playing the field, and our relationship was mostly physical, with texting some days. I did make a hierarchical decision that Evelyn was my primary and let Dana know that. She was fine with that. Over the course of six months or so she was trying to meet up with me more often, calling me her go-to.

It was also around this time we started to have deeper conversations, and she started sharing more about her marriage. She let me know she hasn't ever been really satisfied with their sex life during the entire 15 years of marriage and 17 years together, this really felt like an over-share at the time. Dana basically came to him and suggested they open up, he was apparently extremely apprehensive. She persisted, and eventually he gave in. She hit the market hard from the word go. He didn't make an attempt until months in, but had made good effort the past couple months. She started to vent to me that he was making statements about wanting to close, which she was

very against, and said if he just put himself out there more he'd be more successful. morbid curiosity got to me and I asked if he had any successes at all. She said no, and then asked me what I thought of his bio. This was not what I had planned on us doing this night, but I entertained it anyway. I said, I notice it says, physical relationship only, what's up with that? She replied, it's just our boundaries, use protection, keep each other aware of our dates, no feelings just sex, repeat partners are fine unless you get feelings then you need to end it. I said, maybe that's the problem. She said, what is? I said, well, what can he really offer? I'm not surprised he doesn't have any success,

your rules have kind of created a systemic one-sided open relationship. She got really defensive, I don't know what you mean, he has just as much opportunity as me, he just needs to put himself out there more. I, in my stupidity, replied, not really, there's a lot of guys out there offering and looking for casual sex, the pool of women doing the same is a lot smaller. I mean, what's the oldest guys you've seen since opening, I don't want you take this the wrong way, but we are an obvious example, you're 11 years older than me. Your husband is 44 right. And all he can offer is casual sex, how is he supposed to beat out the 25-year-olds who can offer the same thing? She got noticeably pissed off at my logic and decided to cut our time short, saying she

wasn't feeling good. I wasn't sure if I'd hear from her again, and when I did, I should have ended things, but again, I was still a newb. Three days later Dana started messaging. me again, wanting to meet, she was excited because her husband had a date that same night. I agreed and things went normalish for about two more months. I did notice that she seemed more agitated as those two months progressed. Then we had the fallout. It was Evelyn and I's designated Thursday date night. We heard a knock at my apartment door which was weird.

I looked, saw Dana and when I opened the door she came barreling in a total mess. We managed to calm her down and ask what was wrong. She told us her husband was going to leave her. I responded with, I'm really sorry to hear that, but don't you have sister or something that would be better to talk to? She completely ignored my statement and just started spilling the details. Well that date he had gotten two months earlier, it worked out for him. Their relationship had been growing week by week, when Dana asked him if he had feelings.

He admitted he did. She told him per their agreement he needed to end the relationship, they fought and he agreed to end things. But that didn't happen, he continued to see her, and when confronted told her that he'd rather end their marriage than his relationship with this woman. Now she was here in my apartment interrupting date night. We talked her down off the edge and told her she needed to either go home or go somewhere else. She got angry at me, and Evelyn stepped in and told her she needed to get out. I backed Evelyn up and Dana left in a huff. I apologize to Evelyn profusely, but she just said, don't worry, one of us was bound to have something like

this happen eventually. Dana tried calling me later on and I messaged her that her behavior earlier was unacceptable. Then let her know that I would not be meeting with her ever again. At that point I blocked her. I didn't hear from her again. However, after a year my curiosity got the better of me and I stalked her socials with a burner account. I learned she did end up divorced, and was now engaged to someone else. This was definitely a learning experience for me. Evelyn and I ended up moving in together shortly after that. I was happy to have her as my nesting partner, and once again my only partner. I was at the point where I was ready to put dating on the back burner after the Dana situation.

I had resolved myself that Evelyn and my ever-growing Platonic friends group were going to be my priority for the foreseeable future. I told myself that on a Tuesday while Evelyn was out on a date, the next morning, I woke up next to her, I must have been tired because I don't remember her coming in. I asked her how her night was, she said to me, I want to go to desires next month, Can you make that happen? Yeah, babe, I can make that happen. I used to work in a medical procedures unit in a hospital in the Pacific Northwest. It was a typical job, long hours, lots of patients coming in for endoscopic exams,

the usual controlled chaos of a hospital setting. Most of the time, it was routine. Patients would come in, get sedated, have their procedure, and leave. Nothing too exciting, nothing too memorable. But every now and then, you'd get a case that stuck with you. And this? This was one of those cases. We had an elderly gentleman scheduled for an upper endoscopy that day.

He looked like any other patient, frail but sharp-eyed, the kind of guy who had stories to tell if you had the time to listen. While we waited for the doctor to arrive, we made small talk. He was friendly, polite, a little gruff, but in a way that made him seem more endearing than intimidating. Then the doctor walked in. And the first thing out of his mouth wasn't his usual, how are we doing today, or ready for your procedure? Instead, he looked right at us and said, did he tell you his history? I assumed he meant the medical kind, so I started listing off the usual stuff, why he was

having the procedure, any relevant conditions. But the doctor cut me off. No, his past work history. He was an undercover FBI agent in the mob. That got my attention. Oh, I said, processing. That must have been, interesting. Dealing with those mob guys.

The patient chuckled, but then his face darkened. He looked me dead in the eyes and said something that still sends chills down my spine to this day. Those guys weren't as bad as those motherfucking politicians. It was the way he said it, calm, certain, like he had seen things the rest of us couldn't even begin to imagine. And then he told us a story. Back in the 80s, he said, he had been in. charge of security for a congressional event. He didn't get into specifics, but the way he spoke made it clear that this wasn't just some random dinner party. It was important. High profile.

The kind of place where powerful people whispered in dark corners and made deals that never saw the light of day. At some point during the event, another agent approached him and handed him a phone. Congressman wants to speak with you, the agent said. He put the phone to his ear. The conversation went like this. Congressman, will there be women there? Agent, not sure what you mean, but yes, women are here. Congressman, when I arrive, I want one sent to my room. No older than 13. Right after those words left his mouth, the CRNA, certified registered nurse and esthetist, pushed the meds, and the patient drifted off into unconsciousness. The room went completely silent. We all just stood there, looking at each other, trying to process what the hell

we had just heard. No one said a word. It was like we were all collectively trying to decide if we had imagined it. But we hadn't. We knew what we heard. And then, just like that, the procedure went on as if nothing had happened. Later, when the patient was in recovery, I kept replaying his words in my head. The way he said it so matter-of-factly, like it was just another story from a long career. No hesitation. No embellishment. Just a cold, hard fact. Did he have any reason to lie? I don't think so. He didn't even bring it up, the doctor did.

And when he told the story, he wasn't trying to impress us. If anything, he seemed tired. Like he had carried this weight for decades, and it had worn him down. Some people might say, oh, he was just some old guy, probably making stuff up. But the way he spoke. I don't think he was lying. At all. This wasn't a conspiracy theory.

This wasn't some internet rumor. This was a man who had been in the thick of it, who had seen things firsthand. And what he had seen? It was worse than the mob. Worse than anything we could probably imagine. Now, I know people are going to nitpick the details. So let me clear some things up. Yes, the procedure was an EGD, isophagostraduodinoscopy.

Yes, it was performed by a surgeon doing post-op surveillance, not a gastroenterologist. Yes, elite pedophile rings exist. They always have. That's not up for debate. And no, this isn't about politics. I don't care what side anyone is on. This isn't about left or right. This is about power.

The kind of power that lets monsters walk free while everyone else looks the other way. For the people saying, the FBI doesn't do security for Congress, let me ask you this. Are you 100% sure? Are you assuming you know every single role an agent might have played in his long career? Because I don't think you do. I certainly don't. And that's the thing, we don't know. But what I do know is this, that old man wasn't looking for attention.

He wasn't spinning a wild tale. He was just, telling the truth. And that truth? It was terrifying. So I'll leave you with this. If a retired undercover FBI agent says that politicians are worse than the mob, maybe we should start listening. We begin with the case against the werewolf, Manuel Blanco Romisanta for multiple murders, Alleries, April 1853. This marked the beginning of the, extensive judicial

summary of over 2000, handwritten words compiled in seven volumes. These detail the, first trial against a Spanish serial, killer and the only case involving a werewolf tried in a national Court of Justice. The case of the werewolf, of Alariz seems taken from a movie script, though it has indeed inspired one, as well as several novels. However, in this case, reality far, surpasses fiction. According to the baptismal register of the parish of Santa Eulalia de Esco's, on November 18th, 1809, Manuel Blanco Roma Santa was born, son of Miguel Blanco and Maria, Roma Santa, in the a small village of Rigero. From his earliest childhood, a deep mystery surrounded, Manuel Roma Santa. So much so that, for reasons unknown, he was registered in the baptismal record

as a girl and, baptized as Manuela Blanco. As he grew, written accounts describe him as a man, of normal appearance. They say he was, blonde, measured around 1.37 meters, and, according to historical, had gentle features. On April 29, 1825, Manuel received confirmation alongside his two, brothers, Jose and Antonio. Around that time, Manuel stood out for his great, versatility and agility in learning. We deduced this from the fact that he held many different jobs, he worked as a, shopkeeper, muleteer, and even a, tailor. His life is full of anecdotes. related to his daily activities. It is, even said that he could weave and had no issue performing tasks typical of women, of that era. Perhaps this fact is, directly linked to his intersexuality.

In any case, the detail that truly interests us is the following, according to the marriage and death records kept, in the parish of Santa Eulalia de. Esco's Manuel Blanco married Francisco, Gomez Vasquez on March 3rd, 1831. However, the marriage would be short, lived, as his wife died only three years, later, without bearing children. From that moment on, Manuel would never be the same again. A widower at 24 years of age, he left behind a sedentary life and, began to make a living traveling through, Galicia. He started traveling with a mobile store, first across Galicia. then, in other parts of Spain, and eventually, he reached Portugal. On these trips, he learned to move deftly through forests and trails where he would soon commit his heinous crimes. During the

time, Roma Santa remained in his homeland, he, behaved appropriately and attracted, little attention. But soon after, beginning his life as a traveling, salesman, rumors began. There was a rumor that while in Castile, he murdered, the servant of the prior of San Pedro de, Rokas. He was also suspected of killing, the traveling salesman Manuel Ferreiro, in 1834. And in 1843, after having, promised marriage to Catarina Fernandez, a woman 18 years his senior, he had to flee, Leon, as he was the main suspect in the murder of Vicente Fernandez, Leon's, constable. Why was Manuel a suspect? because this man was about to seize his mobile store due to a debt Roma Santa owed to another merchant, a debt valued at 600 reels, a small fortune at the time. However, there was a great

lack of evidence in each of the aforementioned cases. Even so, on October 10, 1844, the court of first instance in Ponferata sentenced him to 10 years in prison. They wanted to, sentence him to death, but Roma Santa did, not appear, and no evidence surfaced. Following the imposed sentence later, confirmed by the court of Viadolid, Roma Santa fled and hid in Galicia, within the parish of Rebordeco. In Rebordeco, Romo Santa lived and worked, as a day laborer, taking refuge in the home of Andres Blanco. This man had, nothing but good things to say about him. He recounted that, sometimes Manuel would disappear for days or even weeks to go trade in, Portugal, periods during which farming activity was low, making his help, dispensable. He said Manuel

brought, contraband goods from Portugal and then, sold them at festivals and markets. Everyone appreciated Manuel for his, friendly demeanor and his great, willingness to help with anything, everything except animal sacrifices, as, paradoxically, he couldn't bear the sight of the blood of those innocent, creatures. In 1845, Manuel Blanco, Romo Santa became inseparable friends, with Manuela Garcia Blanco, a woman ten, years his senior with a very tumultuous, romantic history. At 37, she had a daughter out of wedlock, then married, Pasqual Morello and was widowed. She, then married Pasqual Gomez and in 1838 divorced him. In early 1846, the friendship between Romo Santa and Manuela became a platonic love. Around that time,

Manuela, accompanied by her, daughter Petra, followed Roma Santa. Everywhere, in his sales, on his walks, she, was with him 24 hours a day. In February, of that same year, lacking economic resources, Manuela put her little house in Rebordeco up for sale. She decided to sell it for 60 reels to help Roma Santa with his business. Later on March 30th, Manuel left her home to negotiate with a potential buyer. It was, then that Roma Santa took the opportunity to take Petra. 13 years old, to the Sierra de San Mamede. When, Manuelo returned and asked Romo Santa, where her daughter was, he told her he, had sent her to work as a maid in the, house of a priest in Santander, a man, whom Manuela had spoken about, favorably on many occasions. Trusting, her beloved Roma Santa's word, Manuel, waited patiently.

She waited a full 80 days. Then she, decided to go herself to serve the priest. in Santander, largely to be with her, beloved daughter. Roma Santa not only, encouraged her but also offered to, accompany her. A few days later, Roma Santa returned to Rebordeco, and, when people asked about Manuela and Petra, he said he had left them, happily in Santander, that they were well, settled and earning excellent wages. No one imagined he was lying in that, this man was a terrible killer.

No one imagined he had murdered them, dismembered them, and extracted their, fat, or lard, to later sell in his, traveling store. No one suspected he had, left their remains exposed in the wild to, attract wolves, wolves who would, eventually become his perfect alibi. An alibi that would make him a sinister, legend. Roma Santa took the lie to the, extreme. Three days after returning, he, told Manuel's sisters that he had, received a letter from her, a letter in, which she said she was very happy and, starting a wonderful new life. After, eliminating Manuel and Petra, Roma Santa, set his sights on Benita Garcia Blanco, 34 years old, Manuel's younger sister.

She had a nine-year-old son, Little Paco, and a troubled marriage with a certain, Francisco Nunez in the village of Sotelo, Verde. At the end of 1847, the abbot, Castro of Laza conducted the first, census as parish priest, and he noticed that Francisco Nunez was no longer in, Sotelo Verde, nor were his wife Benita, and son Paco. According to locals, Francisco had gone to Sanzone due to marital problems, but no one knew where. Benita had gone, not even her child.

They assumed, for lack of a home, she may, have gone to live with family. This was, when Roma Santa stepped in. Using the, supposed letter from Manuela, which said, she was happy working in Santander, he, claimed he had convinced Benita to travel there with her son to start a new life. He assured everyone he had found her, employment in a house near that of the first priest and that she was now with, Manuel and Petra. This clearly indicates that Benita and her son were the next two, victims of the werewolf of Alarys. Within a few weeks, Roma Santa was, selling sheets, a quilt, and Benita's robe.

No one imagined that on March 13th, he had murdered Benita and her son with, blows in the forest. Nor could they, imagine he had devoured part of their bodies and rendered their fat, leaving, the rest for the wolves. And to a great extent, they didn't imagine this because, Roma Santa lied so convincingly. He told, Luis Garcia, Benita's brother, that she, had won the lottery and had enrolled, Paco in law school. To Maria, another, sister, he claimed the woman lived just, two leagues away, in a priest's house, while her son stayed with the priest's nephew. Roma Santa had everyone fooled.

He kept them under control. with his smooth words. He had them so tricked that Maria, Benita's 58-year-old sister, began, dreaming of leaving the village. She, dreamed of a new life and told Roma Santa, she wanted to join Manuela, Benita, and their children. But he told her that to, take a risk, she'd have to make a sacrifice, sell her oxen and all her belongings. For the first two weeks in, Santander, she'd need defend for, herself. Maria became discouraged and, decided not to go. But that didn't, matter, Roma Santa already had another, victim in his sights, Antonia Rua, Carnaro. With Antonia, Roma Santa began a romance that he didn't hide from, anyone, perhaps because it suited him.

Antonio was single, but she had two, daughters, Maria, 11 years old, and, Peregrina, under three. Not only was she a single mother, making her a perfect victim, but she also had a considerable fortune inherited from her mother, worth 600 reels. To Roma Santa, Antonia seemed, easy to fool, and he was right. Just a few days into their courtship, Antonia told, the neighbors that Manuel had promised, to marry her and open a store in Castile. Two days later, she changed her story and, said Manuel had found her work as a maid, in a rents for a widowed master with two, children. Then her story changed again, now she claimed she'd be working for the same master as Manuela and Benita. With this background, Roma Santa left on Palm Sunday of, 1850 with Antonia

and her daughter Maria. He had previously sold all of Antonia's possessions, keeping the money and, promising to pay later. Two or three, days later, Roma Santa returned to Rebordeco with two goats he had, bought in Rovo. Fortunately, Maria, Antonia's daughter, had not traveled, with them. She had stayed at her aunt, Josefa's house. Upon returning, Roma Santa stayed with his uncle Luis for, a couple of months. However, Roma Santa, having taken possession of her mother's, lands, asked for the girl to join him. He offered her better living conditions, and so she agreed. For several months, the girl was treated well, until the fall, of 1850, when Romassanta proposed

taking her to her mother. The girl, in her, innocence, didn't know she had agreed to, a one-way trip. Naturally, neighbors and relatives asked Romassanta for explanations, but he always said they, were doing fine. It was strange that the only person they ever wrote to. To be continued. They ask Roma Santa for explanations, but he always says they are fine. It's strange that only they write to him. It's strange that only he has news. What is happening to the women who leave? What is happening to the children? Why do the street vendors passing through Asturius claim to know nothing about these women? Why does no one know anything?

Why does only Roma Santa have information? Is he trying to hide something? Roma Santa must stop now if he doesn't want suspicious glances to turn toward him. And yet he sets his sights on Josefa Garcia Blanco, an unmarried woman of almost 50 years who has a 21-year-old son whose father not even she knows. She is an easy target, and Roma Santa senses it. He begins to visit her day and night until she finally falls at his feet. once he has conquered her he makes her the same offer as the other victims but she is fearful she does not dare to cross half the world only to find nothing

roma santa is very cunning and in november 1850 he proposes to take her son hosei twenty one first so that he can visit his aunts if he likes life there josepha will join him on the trip the proposal seems sensible and both mother and son accept A few days later, Jose leaves with Roma Santa toward Santander. The young man is excited, eager to see his aunts. But what he doesn't know is that he will neither find them nor return home. Three or four days later, Roma Santa returns, wrapped in Jose's cloak, a cloak that supposedly the young man had gifted him. The parish priest likes the cloak and buys it for 70 reels. He has no idea that its owner has been brutally murdered, that is a

his fat has been extracted, and his body left to the mercy of the wolves. In Jose's absence, Josefa believes her son has stayed with his aunts because life there is pleasant. But that's not all. Roma Santa assures her that he has secured a job for her son, as a servant in a rich priest's house, one who pays a gold ounce per year. To make his words more credible, the liar shows Josefa a fake letter from Jose in which he says everything is going wonderfully and he hopes to be reunited with her soon. There was no more time to lose, Josefa had to go meet him.

And so, on New Year's Day, 1851, Josefa departs for Santander in Roma Santa's company. She is dressed in a black outfit of wool and linen, a pico apron, a blue woolen scarf, and pretty shoes. As always, Roma Santa returns a few days later and in a nearby village sells all of Josefa's belongings. The height of his audacity comes when Roma Santa does not see. sell Josef's shoes, but instead gives them to Luis Garcia Blanco, saying they are a gift from Aunt Josefa for his daughter. Days passed, then weeks and months, and the rumors began to surface. No one trusts this man who makes women and children disappear. A key episode occurred when Jose Garcia Blanco went to dine at Roma Santa's house to ask for news about his sisters.

Roma Santa invited him to sit at the table, placed the bread in the center, and took a knife from his pocket, a knife with which he began to slice the bread. It was his sister Josef's knife. In that moment, everything seemed to make sense in his head. Before him was no longer a kind grocer, a friendly man, an attentive man. There was a monster, a madman who, just as everyone said, had mercilessly killed his sisters and nephews. Jose couldn't help but stand up and threaten him. He couldn't help but almost beat him. But Roma sent him. Santa tried to calm him, tried to pacify him, and the next day, he vanished. In February 1854, Roma Santa was so frightened by the rumors, rumors that said he was a sacramenticus, who lured victims

into the forest and removed their fat to sell it in Portugal, along with their belongings, that he decided to create a false identity. He forged a certificate stating his name was Antonio Gomez and that he was from Doramo. With this document, he applied for and obtained a passport to travel to Castilla. However, fate decided that justice had to be done. On July 2, 1852, Roma Santa was arrested. At that time, it was common for labor patrols to travel to Toledo for the harvest. By chance, three men who knew him saw him walking calmly by the fields. They rushed to alert the authorities, who immediately arrested him. Before the Escalona court, Roma Santa denied everything. He said he had nothing to do with the deaths.

But seeing that everyone knew who he was and had identified him, he had no choice but to continue lying. He said that, yes, he knew Roma Santa, but not because he was Roma Santa, but because he was his cousin. Hence the striking resemblance. But his lies were useless. There were countless pieces of evidence and testimonies pointing to him as a serial killer. Roma Santa was transferred to the Varen court, where he said something truly shocking, something that would turn him into a legend. He admitted to killing 13 people, but claimed it wasn't his fault. He said he suffered from a terrible curse that intermittently turned him into a ferocious

werewolf. He claimed the transformations had tormented him for 13 years and had mysteriously stopped three days before his arrest. In his elaborate lie, he said, I encountered too large, fierce-looking wolves. Suddenly I fell to the ground and began to convulse. I rolled over three times uncontrollably and in a few seconds, I was a wolf myself. I roamed for five days with the other two until I returned to my body, the one you see now, your honor. The two wolves with me, I thought they were wolves, but they two changed into human form. They were two Valencians. One was named Antonio and the other Don Gennaro. They two suffered a curse like mine.

For a long time, I went out as a wolf with Antonio and Don Gennaro. We attacked and ate several people, because we were hungry. Clearly, his statement sounded like the delusion of a madman. However, Roma Sant underwent six medical and psychiatric exams, and all confirmed he was perfectly sane. Moreover, it was proven that he sold the personal belongings of his victims. Therefore, he was fully aware of what he was doing. He knew the what, and he knew the how.

To top it off, he led the authorities to the locations where he allegedly killed his victims, places where human bones were found. There was no flesh left, no belongings, nothing to determine who the remains belonged to. But he insisted those were the remains of his victims. He could say their names with total coldness. He could admit it without blinking. Although the sentence accused him of nine murders, he confessed to many more, some of which, according to him, he committed with the help of the other two cursed men.

After Veron, Roma Santa was transferred to the Yarry's court, where he would go down in history as the werewolf of Alarise. The discovery of the remains and his confessions were enough for Roma Santa to be sentenced to death by Garote on April 6, 1853. But first, the sentence had to be reviewed by the court in La Corunia, where it was overturned and changed to life imprisonment. However, after a second inquiry, Roma Santa was again sentenced to capital punishment on March 23, 1854.

The case made international headlines. Correspondence from every country and newspaper swarmed to cover it. It was inconceivable to many that a devout Catholic could have committed such crimes, a man 1.37 meters tall, with a kind face and gentle features. How was it possible that someone like that, someone once so beloved, could have committed such atrocities? At the time of his arrest, the grocer carried a special passport issued by the Holy See, accrediting him as a pious and trustworthy man. That's why many came to believe he was under the influence of a terrible curse. But not even appeals to the Holy Cross could

prevent the guilty verdict. A verdict that sentenced him to death. The ruling was reported in newspapers across the globe to the joy of the victim's families. Just when Roma Santa's execution was imminent, a letter arrived from Algiers dated July 3rd, 1853, a letter addressed to Queen Isabel to herself. The letter, written by the enigmatic Mr. Philip, requested a halt to the legal proceedings against Roma Santa. This man claimed to be a professor of electro-biological anthropology. Philip argued that any human being could suffer from such a condition. He claimed to have hypnotized many serious individuals into believing they were animals, from wolves to chickens. The letter was signed by numerous individuals who claimed to be

witnesses of Dr. Phillips' experiments, the enigmatic electrobiologist. To prove to the Queen what he was capable of, and indeed, the letter had an effect. Philip's arguments were heard and considered by none other than Isabel two herself. Alongside Philip's scientific intentions was Roma Santa's lawyers' aim to reduce the sentence. The lawyer argued that there was no physical evidence proving his client had killed all those people. Because of all this, on May 13, 1854, a royal order commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment. Roma Santa was safe. But Mr. Philip never set foot in Spain, and therefore never experimented on the source. called werewolf. According to Article 94 of the 1848 Penal Code, life imprisonment could be

served in Spain, Africa, the Canary Islands, or overseas. The Periodico Paratotos reported on October 11, 1876, that Roma Santa had been taken to Sayuda, where he lived as a completely normal person behind bars. Manuel Blanco Roma Santa ended up in Yarrae's prison, where it seemed as days would end. Yet, mystery surrounds him. his death. The Diario Iberia published a brief note about Roma Santa's death on December 28, 1863, and the Diario La Esperanza did so on December 21st of that same year. Both newspapers concluded that Roma Santa had died of stomach cancer. But if we search for his death in period records, we find nothing. It is recorded that he entered Alarie's

prison, but there is no record of him ever leaving, neither alive nor dead. Not in Alarie. nor in Rebordeco, nor in the parish of Santa Eulalia de Goes is there a single grave with his name? Historians have searched high and low and found no death record from the Alarys prison regarding the grocer, the legendary werewolf. It is exactly as if the earth had swallowed him whole. But now it's your turn, what do you think of all this? Do you believe this man was truly a lycanthrope, or a great liar? The end. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind.

INT slash EXT Black Void, Beginning of Time. We stare into a dark nothingness. A black empty canvas on the screen. We can almost hear a wailing, somewhere in its vast space. Ghostly howls, barely even heard. We stay in this emptiness for ten seconds. Till, fade in. Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings, Joseph Conrad.

Fade two. Exte, jungle, Central Africa, Neolithic Age, Day. Conrad's words fade away, transitioning us from an endless dark void into a seemingly endless green primal environment. Vegetation rules everywhere. From vines and snake-like branches of the immense trees to thin, spike-ended leaves covering every inch of ground in space. The interior to this jungle is diam. Light struggles to seep through holes in the treetops, whose prehistoric trunks have swelled to an immense size. We can practically feel the jungle breathing life. Here it too, animal life. Birds chanting and monkeys howling off screen. On the floor surface, insect life

thrives among dead leaves, dead wood and dirt, until, footsteps. One pair of human feet stride into frame and then out, and another pair, then out again. Followed by another, all walking in a singular line. These feet belonged to three prehistoric hunters. Thin in stature and small, very small, in fact, barely clothed aside from rags around their waists. Carrying a wooden spear each. Their dark skin gleams with sweat from the humid air. The middle hunter is different, somewhat feminine. Unlike the other two, he possesses tribal markings all over his face and body, with small bone piercings through the ears and lower lip. He looks almost to be a kind of witch doctor. A seer. A wot. The hunters walk among the trees. Brief communication is

heard in their ancient language, NO subtitles, until the middle hunter, the Woot, sees something ahead. Holds the two back. Beat. We see nothing. The back hunter, hunter number one, then gets his throwing arm ready. Taking two steps forward, he then lobs his spear nearly 20 meters ahead. Landing, shaft protrudes from the ground. They run over to it. Hunter number one plucks out his spear, lifts the head to reveal, a dark green lizard, swaying its legs in its dying moments. The hunters study it, then laugh hysterically, except the Woot. 3 E.XT. Jungle, evening, the hunters continue to roam the forest, at a faster pace. The shades of green around them dusk ever darker. Later, they now squeeze their way through

the interior of a thick bush. Hunter number two scratches himself and whales. The Woot looks around this mouth-like structure, concerned, as if they're to be swallowed whole at any moment. E-XT, Jungle, Continuos, They ascend out the other side. Brush off any leaves or scrapes, and move on. Beat. The two hunters look back to see the Woot has stopped. Hunter No. 1, Subtitles, To Woot, What is Wrong? Beat.

The Woot looks around, again concernedly at the scenery. Noticably different, a darker, sinister green. The trees feel more claustrophobic. There's no sound, animal and insect life has died away. WOT subtitles, We Should Go Back. It is getting dark. Both hunters agree, turn back. As does the Woot, 2 U.S., we see the whites of his eyes widen, searching around desperately.

Cut to The Woot's P-O-V, the supposed bush, from which they came, has vanished. Instead, a dark continuation of the jungle. The two hunters noticed this too. Hunter number one, NO subtitles, worrisomely, where is the bush? Hunter number two points his spear to where the bush should be. Hunter number two, NO subtitles it was there. We went through it and now it has gone.

As hunters number one and number two argue, words away from becoming violent, the wot, in front of them, is stone solid. Knows, feels something's deeply wrong. Exte, jungle, day, days later, the hunters. Continue to trek through the same jungle. Hunched over. Spears dragged on the ground. Visibly fatigued from days of non-stop movement, unable to find a way back.

Trees and scenery around all appear the same, as if they've been walking. in circles. If anything, moving further away from the bush. Hunters number one and number two begin to stagger, cling to the trees and each other for support. The Woot, clearly struggles the most, begins to lose his bearings, before suddenly, he crashes down on his front, face down into dirt. Beat. The Woot slightly and slowly rises, unaware that inches ahead he's reached some sort of clearing. Hunter's number one and number two, Two, now caught up, stop where this clearing begins. On the ground, the wood sees them look ahead at something, he now faces forward to see.

The clearing is an almost perfect circle. Vegetation around the edges, still in the jungle. And in the center, planted upright, lies a long stump of a solitary dead tree. Darker in color. A different kind of wood. It's also weathered, like the remains of a forest fire. A stone-marked pathway has also been dug, leading to it. However, what's strikingly different is that the tree almost three times longer than the hunters, has a face carved on the very top.

The face, dark, with a distinctive human nose. Bulges for eyes. Horizontal slip for a mouth. It sits like a severed, impaled head. The hunters peer up at the face is haunting, stone-like expression. Horrified Except the Woot appears to have come to a spiritual awakening of some kind

Beat The Woot begins to drag his tired feet towards the dead tree With little caution or concern, bewitched by the face Hunter No. 1 tries to stop him, but is aggressively shrugged off. On the pathway, the Woot continues to the tree, his eyes have not left the face. The tall stump arches down on him. The sun behind it gives the impression this is some kind of god.

Rays of light move around it, creates a shade that engulfs the wot. The god swallowing him whole. Beat. Now closer, the woot anticipates touching what seems to be, a red human hand-shaped print branded on the bark. Fingers inches away, before, a high-pitched growl races out from the jungle. Right at the wute. Crashes down, attacking him.

Canines sink into flesh. The Woot cries out in horrific pain. The hunters react. They spear the wild beast on top of him. Stab repetitively, stain what we see only as blurred orange slash brown fur, red. The beast cries out, yet still eager to take the Woot's life. The stabbing continues until the beast can't take anymore. Falls to one side, finally off the Woot.

The hunters go round to continue the killing. Continue stabbing. Grunt as they do it, blood sprays on them, until finally realizing the beast has fallen silent. Still with death. Beat. The beast's face. Dead brown eyes stare into nothing,

as hunters number one and number two stare down to sea. This beast is now a primate. Something about it is familiar, its skin. Its shape. Hands and feet, and especially its face. It's almost. Human. Hunters number one and number two are stunned.

Clueless to if this thing is ape or man. Man or animal. Forget the woot is mortally wounded. His moans regain their attention. They kneel down to him, see as the blood oozes around his eyes and mouth, and the gaping bite mark shredded into his shoulder. The woot turns up to him. the circular sky. Mumbles' unfamiliar words, seems to cling on to life, one breath at a time.

Cut to, a chameleon in the trees. Camouflaged as dark as the jungle. Watches over this from a high branch. Ext jungle clearing, night. Hunters number one and number two sit around a primitive fire, stare motionless into the flames. Mentally defeated, in a captivity they can't escape. Thunder is now heard, high in the distance, yet deep and foreboding. The wot. Laid out on the clearing floor, mummified in big leaves for warmth. Unconscious. Sucks air in like a dying mammal.

Beat. Then, the wood erupts into awakening. Coensides with the drumming thunder. Eyes wide open. Breates now at a faster and more panicked pace. The hunters startled to their knees as, the thunder produces a momentary white flash of lightning. The Woot's mouth begins to make words. Mumbled at first, but then, Woot, Subtitles, So Ente Terror. The Terror

The Terror Thunder and Lightning continues to drum closer. The hunters panic, yell at each other and the Woot, No Subtitles. Woot, Subtitles, So Ante Terror. Terror. Terror. Terror. Terror. Hunter No. 1 screams at the Woot to stop, shakes him, as if forgotten he's already awake. Woot, Subtitles, So Ante Terror. Terror Terror Hunter Number 2 tries to pull Hunter No. 1 back. Lightning exposes their actions. Hunter number 2, subtitles leave him. Hunter number 1, subtitles evil has taken him.

Woot, Subtitles Terror. Terror Terror Hunter number one now races to his spear before stands back over the woot on the ground lifts the spear, ready to skewer the woot into silence, when thunder clamors as a white light flashes the whole clearing, exposes Hunter number one, spear overhead.

Hunter number one, stiffens. Beat. The flash vanishes. Hunter number one looks down, to see the end of another spear, protrudes out his chest. His spear falls through his fingers. Now clutches the one in his chest, as the WOT continues. WOT subtitles Terror. Terror. Hunter number one falls to one side as a white light flashes again, reveals hunter number two behind him, wide-eyed in disbelief.

The Woot's rantings have slowed down considerably. WOT subtitles, So Entied Terror, Terror, Faint, Terror. Paying no attention to this, hunter number two goes to his murdered huntsman, laid to one side, eyes peer into the darkness around the head. Beat. Hunter number two. Still knelt down beside hunter number one. Unable to come to terms with what he's done. Starts to rise back to his feet when, thunder. Lighting. Thod. Hunter number two takes a blow to the head. falls down instantly to reveal the wot on his feet white light exposes his delirious expression and one of the pathway rocks gripped between his hands beat down but still alive hunter number two drags his half motionless body towards the fire which reflects in the trailing river of blood behind him a momentary white light hunter number two stops to turn over takes fast and

jagged breaths, as another momentary white light exposes the Woot moving closer. Hunter number two meets the derangement in the Woot's eyes. Seas hands raise the rock up high, before a final blow is delivered. Woot, Sillantida. Thod Stone meets Skow The Salls of Hunter hashtag 2's jerking feet become still. Beat.

Thunders now dormant. The Woot, truly possessed. Gets up slowly. Neanderthals his way past the lifeless bodies of hunters number one and number two. He now sinks down between the roots of the tree with the face. Blood and sweat glazed all over, distinguish his tribal markings. From the side, the fire and momentary lightning exposes his neolithic features. Beat.

The wot caresses the tree's roots on either side of him, before. W. Ote, Subtitles, So Ant. the terror fade out title assoli intercut slash ext modern day Boston Massachusetts 2020 streets afternoon fade I N we leave the mass of endless jungle for a mass gathering of civilization along Boston Street filled completely with protesting people of all colors most wear masks deep into pandemic they chant Protesters, Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter.

Almost everyone holds or wave signs, they read, BLM, I Can't Breathe, Justice Now, etc. Policemen keep the peace. Among the crowd, a group of six protesters. Three men and three women, all black, early to mid-20s. Two hold up a black banner, reads, Bavs, Bloodhood of African Descendants and Sympathes. Among these six are, Moses. African American. Tall and lean.

A gold cross necklace around his neck. The loudest by far, clearly wants to make a statement. A leadership quality to him. Thai Lewin. Mixed-raced. Handsome. Thin. One of the two holding the banner.

Distinctive of his neck-length dreadlocks. Nadi Hassan A pleasant-looking, beautiful young woman Short statured and model thin She's barely visible from her mask and hijab She takes part in the chanting alongside the others When, ring ring ring Nadi receives a phone call

Takes out her iPhone and pulls down her mask Answers Naughty, on phone, raises voice, hello Beat She struggles to hear the other end. Nottie, Silenteed, London accent, Henry. Is that you? The girl next to her, Shantal Clemens.

Long hair. Well dressed, inquires in. Chantal, pulls down mask, have you told him? Nottie shakes a glimpsing no. Ty looks back to them, eavesdrops. Fixates on Nottie. Beat. Noddy.

loudly, Henry, I can't hear you. I'm at a rally, you'll have to shout. Intercut W-A-H. Intercut slash int. Henry's flat, North London, night, same time. Henry, on phone, I said, I was at the BLM rally in the park today. You know, the one I was talking to you about. Henry Stevens.

Early 20s. Caucasian. Brown hair. Not exactly tall or muscular, yet possesses that unintentional bad boy persona girls weakened four to accompany his deep blue eyes. In the kitchen of a small North London flat, he glows on the other end. Back to, Noddy. The noise around takes up the scene.

Noddy, hand over ear, on phone, Henry, seriously, I can't hear a single word you're saying. Look, how about we chat tomorrow, yeah. Henry Henry, on phone, yeah Alright, what time do you want me to call? Naughty, on phone, okay. Got to go. Bye.

Bye. Henry, on phone, yeah, bye. Love why, Henry looks to his iPhone, Naughty's hung up. He lets out a sigh of defeat, before carelessly dumps the phone on the table. Slumps down into a chair. eat. Henry, Silenteed, to himself, fuck. Henry looks over at the chair opposite him.

A white rally sign lies against it. The sign reads, love has no color. Int Boston Cafe, later that day, at a table, the exhausted BADS sit in a half-empty cafe, people still protest outside. An awkwardness hangs over them. The TV above the counter displays the news. Newswoman O.S. I know the main debates of this time are racial rights and of course the pandemic, but we cannot hide from the facts. Global warming is at an all-time high. Even with the huge decrease in air travel and the manufacture of certain automobiles, one thing that has not decreased is deforestation. Beat. Moses, to BADS, that's it. That's all we can do, for now. A waitress comes over. Moses, sileneteed, to waitress, um, yeah, six coffees. Before she goes, but, I have mine black.

Thanks. The waitress walks away. Moses checks her out before turns back to the group. Moses, Silenete at least now, we can focus on what really matters. On how we're truly going to make a difference in this world. No reply. Everyone looks down at the table as to avoid Moses' eyes. Moses, so enteeed how we all feel about that.

Beat. The members look to each other, wonder who will go first. Shantal, to Moses, I dunno. Struggles for words, it's just feeling, real all or sudden. To group, right? Moses, ignores Chantal, how the rest of y'all feeling. Jerome shit, I'm going. Fuck this world

Jerome Booth Sat next to Moses, his lap dog Beth, yeah Me too And Beth Godwin Shaved head Athlete's body Beth, silented, coldly,

Even though y'all won't let my girl come Beat Moses, naughty You're being a quiet duck What you gotta say about all or this Noddy. Put on the spot. Everyone's attention on her.

Noddy, well. It just feels like, we're giving up. I mean, people are here fighting for their civil and human rights, whereas we'll be somewhere far away from all this. Without making a real contribution. Moses gives her a stone-like reaction. Nottie, so indeed, off Moses look, it just seems to me that we should still be fighting,

rather than running away. Awkward silence. Everyone back on Moses. Moses, you think this is us running away. To others, is that what the rest of y'all think? That this is me, retreating from the cause. Moses cranes back at Nottie for an answer. She looks back without one.

Moses, Silenteed Nadi. You like your books. Ever read, Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Nottie's eyes meet the others, what's he getting at? Noddy, no, Moses, it was Sun Tzu that said, Build your opponent a golden bridge for which they will retreat across. Well, we're going to build our own damn bridge, and while this side falls into political, racial and religious chaos,

and when global warming finally kicks in, we'll be on the other side, creating a black utopia in the land of our ancestors, where humanity began and can begin again. Beat. Everyone's heard this speech before. Moses, so enteeed, but, hey. If y'all think that's a retreat, hey, y'all are entitled to your opinions. Free speech and all that, right?

Ain't that what makes America great? Civilization great. Democracy. Shakespeare, no, no. That's an illusion. Not on our soul. side, though. On our side, in our utopia, that will be a reality. An awkward silence again. Jerome, retreat is sometimes, just advancing in a different direction. Right? Moses, to Jerome,

right. To others, right. Exactly. The BADS look back to each other. Moses' speech puts confidence back in them. Moses, so enteeed well. What y'all say? Can I count on my people? Nottie, Chantal and Ty, sat together. Not a hesitant, yes. T.Y. Yeah, man. No sweat. Moses opens his hands, gestures, is this over?

Moses, good. Good. Glad we're sticking to the original plan. The waitress brings over the six coffees. Moses, silen teed. to group, I got a leak. Jerome, yeah, me too. Moses leaves for the restroom. Jerome follows.

Shantal, to Beth, seriously, Beth. We're all leaving our loved ones behind and all you care about is if you can still get laid. Beth, oh, that's big talk coming from you. Chantal and Beth get into it from across the table as, T.Y. to Nottie, hey. Have you told him yet? Nottie searches to see if the other two heard, too busy arguing. Nottie, no, but. I've decided I'm going to do it tomorrow.

That way I have the night to think about what I'm going to say. T.Y.E. Supportive, yeah. No sweat. Ty locks eyes with Nottie, tries to make a connection. Tye, so and T, but, it's about time, right? Underneath the table, Ty puts a hand on Nottie's lap. Noddy reacts, ashamed. Exte, North London, Street, early morning, a chilly day on a crammed shopping street.

Henry crosses the road. He removes his headphones, stops and stares ahead. A large queue has formed outside a job center, bulked with masked people of multiple ethnicities. Henry lets out a depressing sigh. Pulls out a mask before joins the line. Beat. Now in line. Henry looks around at passing, covered up faces.

Embarrassed. Then, ping. Henry receives a text. Opens it. It's from naughty. Text reads, Hey Henry XX, sorry couldn't talk yesterday, but urgently need to talk to you today.

When's best for you? Henry pulls down his mask to type. Excitement glows on his face as he clicks away. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. INT

Henry's flat, North London, later, a door. Keys are heard screwing into the lock on other side. The door opens. Henry rushes in, goes straight into the kitchen, puts a plastic bag half full with food next to the refrigerator. He darts back out the room. Beat. Comes back in with his laptop. Puts it on the table and turns it on. The brightness glares off his face. He's on a video telelphany app, waits for the other end to pick up. Beeping. He waits, still beeping. Then, naughty, on screen, Henry. Content protrudes from Henry's face. Henry, into screen,

babes. How you doing? Intercut with, int. Nottie's apartment, Boston, morning, naughty. Without her hijab. We now see just how beautiful she is. Long, curly black hair flows down. However, bags underline her eyes, presumably hasn't slept. Nottie, into screen, yeah. I'm good, thank you. Just a bit tired though, still very early here. Henry, oh, right. Sorry. Beat, so, um, how's uni going and all that? All right, I hope. Noddy, yeah. Uni's good. Really good. Henry, right. Yeah. Good. Good. Awkward silence. Henry, so indeed, coughs, you look amazing by the way. It's been a while since we last talked on here. Nottie, blushes, I'm a complete mess of late, to be honest.

You probably think I look hideous. Henry, what? Course not. You're beautiful. Just like the day I met you. Nottie doesn't reply, just stares through the screen, a look of anxiety. Henry, silen teed, off silence, so, how is everyone? How are the bads?

Nottie, yeah. No, everyone's great. Everyone's, yeah. Beat. Small talk is just getting more awkward. Henry, so, um, you said you had something urgent to talk to me about. Nadie again stares blankly at Henry. Nottie, um, yeah.

Nadie adjusts herself on the couch slightly, as if only to delay time. time. Noddy, so and T. That's the thing, I. I don't really know how to come out and say all this. A look of concern in Henry's eyes. Henry, keeps face, say what? Babes, you know you can tell me anything, right? Nothing's changed. Another beat. Noddy, Henry, that's the thing. It kind of has. Henry's eyes scrutinize on the other end, confused. Henry, um, he now closes them. Overthinking gets the better of him, shakes it off. Henry, Silentidwa, what do you mean?

What's changed? Noddy, well, there's something that I, um, I've been meaning to talk to you about, regarding me coming back home. Henry, hopeful, oh. Yeah, go for it. Tell me. Nottie takes a breath. takes a breath. Noddy, well, the guys have decided that. She isn't sure how to say it. Noddy,

silenteed the guys, Moses, Jerome, Thai, Chantal, Beth, they've decided that they're going to live in Africa for a while, permanent actually, and... Sighs, they've asked me to be a part of that. Beat, and I've said yes. A stiff silence in both rooms. Henry, what? Why would you? Anxious laugh, why would you want to do that for? I mean. Did you say Africa? Noddy, nods, yeah.

Henry, why? Why the fuck would you agree to do that? Nottie, Henry, they're my family. They've always been there for me, ever since I first got here. I mean, Chantal and Beth were practically sisters, and even ties. Noddy halts. Noddy, so indeed when I'm with them, I feel like I belong. For the first time in my life I actually belong somewhere. I don't need to worry about them judging me because my parents were Muslim or because I'm an orphan. They're the family I chose, and I don't want to lose them.

Henry's speechless. In utter shock. Henry, well, when is this? When's this happening? Nottie, in a month's time. Henry, and you didn't think of mentioning this to me? I mean, where does that even leave us? Nottie bites her bottom lip, not wanting to say the words. Nottie, Henry, Henry, wait, wait. Whose idea was this? Nottie, Henry, why is that important?

Henry, just tell me, whose idea was it? Was it Moses? Noddy, yes. It was Moses. Henry, right, so, you're going to move to Africa, Africa, first of all, and what? Just because some guy who changed his name to Moses, tells you to. Nottie, do you know how messed up that sounds? Tears begin to form in Nottie's eyes.

Nottie, whites eyes, well, it's not like I actually want to go. But Moses said, Henry, right, Moses said, Nottie, Henry. Beat, he said we could start our very own utopia together, where we wouldn't be discriminated or even looked at funny again, because, we would be with just our own. Henry shakes his head in denial, can't believe the words he's hearing. Henry, I mean, we're in Africa. Kenya South Africa

Beat. Naughty, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Henry, where? Noddy, size, we originally planned on a beach somewhere in Gabon, so we would be living in paradise, but then we all did a DNA test together, and as it turns out, we're all somewhat descended from the Congo. So, we changed it there and, look, we'll be much safer there anyway, will be more isolated and in a life-supporting environment. Henry's anger now transfers to desperation. Henry, softly, well, you're coming back, aren't you? Beat. Nottie, I don't

know. Henry, but, what about your family? Your friends? Here. Nottie's water-filled eyes imply the answer. Henry, so enteed then, what about us? We already have a long this tea. Henry this time answers his own question. Henry, still-teed, this is, This is what you really wanted to talk about, right? Henry's eyes are on his keypad, looking at her now is just too painful. Nottie, I'm sorry. A harrowing silence on opposite ends of the screen. They both sit there.

Unsure what to say or do next. Int. Nottie's apartment, Boston, later that day, Nottie's laid out on her couch, hijab covers her face. She's displayed almost like a smothered corpse. The doorbell rings. Nadi gets up slowly, removes her hijab, her eyes red from deep crying. She goes to door and opens it.

Reveals, Ty. Beat. From Nottie's appearance, Ty instantly knows what's happened. T.Y. sympathetically, hey. Nottie, sniffles, hey. Ty stands in the doorway, as Nottie looks anywhere but him. anywhere but him. T.Y. E. enters, opens arms, come here. Tye puts his arms around Nottie,

holds her. Nottie stares over Ties high shoulders at the open door, before Tye closes it with his foot. Int. Restaurant slash pub, London, Night. The place is filled with people, eased restrictions. Barely anyone's social distancing. Chattering heard all over. At a corner table, we see four Four Caucasian adults, mid-30s. Three blokes and a woman. Henry is also among them. Tired-eyed and emotional, drinks till he's numb, oblivious to his surroundings. Darren, to friend, so, you're telling me, that if you got to go into space and be in one of those hibernation pod thingies,

and got to see what the world's like a hundred years from now, that you wouldn't take it? Steve, exactly. Darren, why not? Steve, one film, Planet of the Apes. Darren, yeah. Which one? Steve, the old one, you know, he comes back to Earth-like. I don't know, thousands of years later, but there's nothing left.

The three blokes continue their discussion, as the woman with them, Emily. Blonde. Slim, turns her attention to Henry next to her, still drinks his sorrows away. She looks concerned. Darren, oh yes, yeah, but, all I'm saying is, what if it's not? What if it's filled with flying cars and shit, or world peace? Emily, to Henry, why don't we make that your last one? Yeah, brough?

No reply. The discussion on the table continues. Beat. Emily, silen teed, sincerely, do you need money? Darren's friends and now burst into laughter, one sprays beer all over. Henry, annoyed, gets up and leaves, almost falls over his chair, brings beer with him. Emily watches him stumble out the room. Int.

Moving car, later, Emily drives with Henry next to her in the front passengers. She watches the road nervously as, Henry, Silenteed, why the fuck would anyone want to live in Africa? I mean, South Africa, coarse, or even somewhere cool like Egypt, but in the middle of a fucking jungle somewhere with mosquitoes and shit. Like COVID wasn't bad enough, she actually has to go and get something else. Emily's eyes stay on the road, yet takes this all in. Henry, Silentee, it's those mates of hers. I just knew, I knew they were going to be trouble.

They're basically a no-white's club. Henry takes a break, to hold his head in a daze. Beat. Henry, Silentied, softly, first it's my friend. my job, then it's my girlfriend. There's just no point anymore. Emily, concerned, oh, come on, Henry, how can you say that? I mean, you're young, you've still got your whole life ahead of you.

Beat, you know what I think. I think she'll come to her senses. I think she'll realize what a big mistake she's made and she'll come right back to you. Honestly, I do. Henry, nothing to say. He looks out to the city streets and lights. A despairing silence takes over. Emily, Silenteed, changes subject, hey.

Did I tell you? Me and Darren got our DNA results back yesterday. Turns out we, cause, me and you will be the same, are 6% French. That's, kind of cool, right? Again, met with silence. Emily, Silentidya. So, cool. Beat, it's probably not that accurate anyway.

It said we're also 6% Congolese or something like that. Beat. Henry again doesn't react. But then, Henry, turns to Emily, what? Emily, yeah, well, we're mostly English, but... Yeah, that's what it said. Henry, Zon, Congolese. You mean like Congo, Africa

As in the democra Africa Emily, oh shit Henry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to Henry, I need to get home right now How far are we from the tube? Emily, confused, we're just about there Henry, what's wrong?

Henry, it's fine I just need to get home Moments later, Emily's call pulls over outside an entrance to the London Underground. Henry excitedly opens his door. Emily, Henry. Tell me, what's wrong? Henry, it's fine. I promise. I think I've got this all sorted out. I'll call you tomorrow, yeah. Love you. With that, Henry shuts the door and head straight into the underground. INT.

Henry's flat, North London, later that night. Henry barges in without closing the door, too excited. Moves to the kitchen and pulls out his phone. Henry, Silenteed, to himself, okay. Let's do this. I'm doing this. Goes through contacts on phone. Henry, Silen Teed N.

Where's N? Scrolls down to Penn. Finds noddy, taps it. Henry, Silentee, okay. What's the time? Okay, she'll be up. His thumb now hovers over the screen. In position, waits to press call, when, beat.

He hesitates. Slides thumb away. Reality hits. Henry, Sileneteed, breathless. Fuck. Henry slaps his phone on the table. Leans over it. Thinking.

Beat. He now goes to the fridge, fishes out a beer and opens it. Int. Henry's bedroom, early morning, Henry. Passed out in bed. Phone and beer cans next to his face. Outside his bedroom window, night has turned to dawn, when, Henry, Tzu and Tied Wo. Henry wakes.

As if from a bad dream. Beat. Now calm, he sinks his head back into the juvei, before a coughing fit brings him back up. Henry, Sillantied, coughs, God. His eyes blink to the time on his phone. Henry, Sillanteed shit. Henry sits up. Rubs face.

Henry, Sillentied, ugh. She's gonna be asleep by now. Beat. Henry's barely awake or sober enough to think. Henry, Silenteed well It's now He opens his phone Instantly on Nottie's number

Henry, Sileneteed or fucking never His finger now hovers over Call before again hesitates Still undecided Then he presses it Henry Surprised himself Henry, Silenteed I did it

Shit The phone now beeps anticipates the other end. Henry, silentee babes, please. Just be up. Intercut slash int. Nottie's bedroom, Boston, night, same time. It's dark, yet shapes can be made out in the bed. One of them is naughty, she sleeps rough. Harder to make out the one next to her. Nottie's phone starts to ring, lights up her bedside drawer. Awake, Nottie turns and reaches for it. Her face scrutinizes over the light, barely sees who's calling. She peers back at the shape next to her. She now gets up to leave the room. Phone still rings. She looks back again to the bed,

revealed from the glare of her phone, is the shape of Thai, fast asleep. Noddy closes the bedroom door in the hallway. Presses, receive, and puts the phone to her ear. Noddy, silently, on phone, Henry. Cut to, Henry. In his kitchen. Henry, on phone, Bowich, thank God. You're up. Look, I'm really sorry, I know it must be like 4 a.m. where you are right now, but...

I just really need to talk to you about something. Back to, Noddy. Moves to the living room. Nottie, Henry, what is it? Are you all right? Henry, yep. I'm completely fine. I'm a little hungover and probably a bit drunk still,

but that's just because I was working my way up to what I'm about to ask you. Noddy, ask me what? Henry. Henry, okay. Henry works up the courage, then goes, Henry, see on t, would it be at all plausible, if I were to come with you to Africa? To the, um, what's it called? The something of Congo.

Noddy, confused, what? Henry, because I was thinking, what if we're meant to not, not be together? Muddled, I mean, what if you and I are meant to be together, but, how can we be if we're on different continents or if we're not going to see each other again? I mean, you might not even stay there, you might want to come back, but what if you don't? So, that's why I'm asking, can I come with you, to Africa? to the something of Congo beat naughty is overwhelmed by this unsure how to respond noddy it's not as simple as that it's not even up to me this was moses idea anyway it's b a ds members only no it's not even that it's only black b a ds members who are allowed to come or members with

African heritage. Beat. Henry's stumped. But then, Henry, that's it. That's the thing. That's what gave me the idea to ask about this. Okay, so, last night, my sister took me home, and she mentioned her and her dickhead boyfriend got a DNA test done and that, and then she said that her results came back, saying she was six, or something percent Congo, Congolese. Right. Like you, and your mates. Nottie's silent on her end. Tries to process this. Henry, Silenteed in other words. I'm African. Nottie, are you? Are you being serious? Because, Henry, Henry, I am dead serious. Look, I'll even get my sister to send you her results, but... You said, how do we know that we're meant to be together, and, what more proof do you need than that?

And if that's not enough of a reason to fight for us, then? What is? Nottie remains speechless. Wide awake now. Nottie, did her results say anything else? Henry, was hoping for a better answer. Henry, um, yeah. She also said that we were, like, 6% French, or something. Nottie, what, like, exactly 6%.

Henry's excitement turns to frustration. Henry, Naughty, if us not having the same, ancestry isn't enough of a reason then, maybe your answer to this is. Beat. Naughty waits on the other end. Henry, so indeed do you love me, still? Do you still love me? Naughty hangs off the end of her couch. Phone to ear.

Silent, as she stares into nothing. Almost to find an answer. Beat. She finds it. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Int.

Room, Boston University Campus, Day, inside a narrow, white room, a long table stretches from door to end. All six BADS. members, except Nottie, are here, sat talking amongst themselves. Moses stands by a whiteboard with a black marker in hand, anxious to start. Moses, all right. Let's get started. We got a lot to cover. Chantal M.O. Noddy ain't here. Moses, well, we gonna have to start with ho. The door opens on the far end, it's naughty. Rather embarrassed, scurries down to the group. Beat. Nottie, sorry, I'm late. She sits. Tye saving her a seat between him and Shuntall. Moses, right. That's everyone. All right, so, I just wanted to go over this. To whiteboard,

remembers, oh, we're all signed up with that Lutheran-African missionary program, right? Else how we all gonna get in. Everyone nods. Beth, yeah. We signed up. Moses, Silenteed and we're all scheduled for our vaccinations. Cholera. Yellow fever.

Typhoid. Again, all nod. Moses, Sylentied, at Whiteboard, Aright. So, I just wanted to make this a little more clear for y'all. Moses draws a long S. on the whiteboard, copies from iPhone. Moses, Silentee this, is the Congo River. And this. Points, this is Kinshasa. Congo Capital City. We'll be landing here. Marks Kinshasa on S. Moses, Silenit from the airport will get a cab ride to the river, meeting the guy with the

boat. The guy'll journey us up river, taking no more than a few days, before stopping temporarily in Ambondaca. Mark's Ambondaca. Moses, Silenete will get food, supplies, before continuing a few more days up river. Getting off. Draws smaller, S on top the bigger, S. Moses, Silentid here, at the Mongala River. We'll then meet up with another guy. He'll guide us on foot through the interior.

It'll take a day or two more to get to the point in the rainforest that will call home. But once we're there, it's ours. It'll be our utopia. The journey will be long, but y'all need to remember, the only impossible journey is the one you don't even start. Beat any questions? Jerome, hand up, yeah. You sure we can trust these guys?

I mean, this is Africa, right? Moses, nah, it's cool, man. I checked them out. They seem pretty clean to me. Shantal raises her hand. Moses, yeah. Shantal, what about rebels? I was just checking on mine, and...

On iPhone, it says there's fighting happening all around the rivers. Moses, to group, guys, relax, a right. I checked out everything. Our route should be perfectly safe. Most of the rebels are in the east of the country. anyway, but if we do run into trouble, our boat guy knows how to go undetected. Anyone else? Beat.

Everyone's quiet. Then, noddy. Her hand raised. Moses, so enteed, sighs, yeah. Noddy, yes. Thanks. Um, this is not, really, related to the topic, but... I was just wondering if, if maybe.

Noddy takes a breath. Just going to come out and say it. Noddy, silen teed if maybe Henry could come with us. Beat. Silence returns. Everyone looks awkwardly at each other, what? Thai, the most in shock. Moses, Henry.

Nottie, my boyfriend, in the UK. Moses, what? The white guy. Noddy, my British boyfriend in the UK. a UK, yeah. Beat. Moses pauses at this. Moses, so, let me get this straight. You're asking if your white, British boyfriend, can come on an all-black voyage into Africa. Moses is confused, yet finds amusement in this. Moses, silenete what? Is that a joke? Noddy, no. It's just that we were talking a couple of days ago and I happened to mention to him where we were going and

Moses, wait, what? T.Y. You did what? Noddy, it just came up. Jerome, to Moses, but I thought this was all supposed to be a secret. That we weren't going to tell nobody. Noddy, defensive, I had to tell him where we were going. He deserved an explanation. Moses, so, Nadia. Let me get this straight. Not only did you expose our plans to an outsider of the group, but you're now asking for this certain individual, a Caucasian, to come with us. On a voyage, specifically designed for African Americans, to travel back to the homeland of their ancestors, stolen away in chains by the ancestors of this same individual? Is that really what you're asking me right now? Noddy, since when was this trip only for African Americans? Am I American?

Moses, naughty. Save your breath. Answers, no. Noddy, but he's, Moses, but, he's white. Alright? What, you think he's the only cracker who wanted in on this? I turned down three non-black BADS members asking to come. So, why should I make an exception for your boyfriend who ain't even a member? To group, has anyone here ever even met this guy?

Chantal, I met him, kinda. Nottie, sickened, I can't believe this. I thought this trip was so we can avoid discrimination, not embrace it. Moses, look, Nottie. Before you start going on about, T.Y.E. to Nottie, it's best if it's just, Noddy, everyone shut up. Nottie shrugs tie off as him and Moses fall silent. She's clearly had this effect on them before. Nottie, Silenteed Moses.

I need you to just listen to me for a moment. Okay. Your voice does not always need to be heard. Chantal puts a hand to her own mouth, O H&O, S-H-E didn't. Nottie, Siont this group stands for the bloodhood of African descendants and sympathizers. Everyone here going is a descendant, including me. My parents were Somalian. When Henry asked me if he could come,

I initially said, no, because he wasn't one of us. But then he tells me his sister had a DNA test, and as it happens. Henry and his sister are both 6% Congolese. Which means he is a descendant, like everyone here. Moses, wait, what? Chantal, seriously? T.Y. Are you kidding me? Noddy, ignores Thai, look.

I have proof, here. Nottie gives Moses her phone, displays Emily's results. Moses stares at it, worrisomely. Beat. Moses, unconvinced, aright. Show me this an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Nottie looks blankly at him. Moses, silenita picture, show me.

Nottie gets up a selfie of her and Henry. Zooms in on Henry for Moses. Beat. Moses smiles. He takes the phone from Noddy to show Jerome and Ty. Moses, Silenteed, I guess this an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, s in the sunken place. Moses and Jerome laugh, as does Ty. Moses, silen teed, to naughty, you're telling me this guy, is 6% African.

No dark skin. No dark hair. No. Big dick or nothing. Noddy, if having a big dick qualifies someone ongoing, then only half the people in this room would be. Beth, O' Dan. Jerome Hay. Hey. T.Y. E. Over noise, he still ain't a member. Ties outburst silences the room. T.Y. Cone Tied its members only. To Moses, write M.O. Moses, write. Members only.

Don't matter if he's African or not. Noddy, he can become a member. African descendants and sympathizers, he's both. I mean, the amount of times he's defended me, and all because some drunken idiot chose to make a remark about the color of my skin, or in my choice in headwear. And if you are this petty to not let him come, then, you can count me out as well. Moses, what? Tyrone, what? Tys turned his body fully towards Nottie.

Chantal, well, I ain't going if Nottie's not going. Beth, great. So, I'm the only girl now. Moses, O.S. What do you care? You threatened out when I said no to you too. The whole room erupts into argument, as Tye stares daggers into Nottie. Beggs for her attention. She ignores him.

Int. Hallway. outside room, moments later, Nottie leaves the room as the door shuts behind. She walks off, as a grin slowly dimples her face. She struts triumphantly. T.Y.E. Nottie. Wait. Ty throws the door open to come storming after her. Noddy stops, reluctantly turns.

T.Y. Seen Teed, I told you, you were the only reason I was going. Beat. Noddy allows them to hold eye contact Sympathetic for a moment Nottie, then you weren't going for the right reasons With that, Nadi turns away Leaves Tye to watch her go Intercut slash int

Airplane In Air Night, now on a flight to Kinshasa, D.R. Congo Henry's the only white passenger Deep in Sleep Beat Intercut with a jungle, like we saw before. Thick green trees, and a large bush.

Beat. No sound. Back to, Henry. Still asleep. Eyes crunch up, like he's having a bad dream. Then, back to, jungle, the bush now enclosed in a long, sparkly spiked fence. Defends Emerald Darkness on other side. We hear a wailing.

Slowly gets low. louder. Before, back to, Henry wakes. Gasps. Drenched in sweat. Looks around to see passengers asleep to the faint sound of the plane's engine, peaceful. Henry regains himself. Beat. Henry now removes his seatbelt and moves to the back of plane. Int. Airplane restroom, continuous. Henry shuts the door. Sound outside disappears. takes off his mask and looks in the mirror, breathes heavily as he searches his own eyes. Henry, to himself, why are you doing this? Why is it so important to you?

Henry crouches over the sink. Splashes water on his sweat-drenched face and hair. Beat. His breathing calms down. Tap still runs, as Henry looks up again. Henry, still-teed, to reflection, this is insane. Fade 2. In t. Black Void. No time. Fade in. We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness, Joseph Conrad. Fade 2. E.T. Kinshasa Airport, morning, outside the airport terminal. All the BADS sit on top their backpacks, board out their minds. The early morning sun already makes them sweat.

Next to Beth is Angela Jean. Asian American. Short hair. Pretty with a Marines build. Nadi stands ahead of the BADS, searches desperately through the terminal doors. Moses checks his watch. Moses, still and Tied we're going to miss our boat. Nadia. Nadi, he'll be here, all right. His plane's already landed. Jerome, yeah, that was half an hour ago. Beat. Tie goes over to Nottie. Tye, maybe he chickened out. Maybe, he decided not to go at last minute. Nottie, frustrated, he's on the plane. He texted me before leaving Heathrow.

Moses, has he texted since. Shuntall now goes to Nottie, to console her. Shantal, NAD? What if the guys are right? What if he, Noddy, wait? At the terminal doors, a large group, all black, enter outside. Nottie searches desperately for a familiar face. The BADS look onwards in anticipation, especially Thai.

Nottie, silen teed, softly, please, Henry. Please be here. The group of people now break away in different directions, to reveal by their self, Henry. Oversized backpack on. Searches around, lost. Nottie's eyes widen at the sight of Henry, wide as her smile. Nottie, still-teed Henry. Henry looks over to see Nottie running towards him. Henry, oh my God. Henry, in disbelief, now runs to her also.

Angela, to group, so, I'm guessing that's Henry. Jerome, what gave it away? Henry and Nottie, only meters apart. Henry, babes, Nottie, you're here. They collide. Wrap into each other's arms. become one. As if separated at birth. Noddy, so indeed, you're here. You're really here. Henry, yeah. I am. They break to kiss each other, repeatedly. Really has been a long time. Noddy, I thought you might have changed your mind that, you weren't coming. Henry, what? Of course I was still coming. I was just held up at security. Nottie, relieved, thank God. Nottie again wraps her arms around Henry's waist. Beat. Nottie, Silentee come and meet the guys. She drags Henry, hand in hand towards the BADS.

They all stand up, except Ty, Jerome and Moses. Nottie, Silentied guys. This is Henry. Henry, nervous, hi. How you doing? Beat. Chantal, oh my God. Hey.

Chantal goes and hugs Henry. He wasn't expecting that. Chantal, so indeed it's so great to finally meet you in person. Noddy, well, you already know Chon. This is Beth and her girlfriend, Angela. Beth, hey. Angela waves, hey. Noddy, this is Jerome.

Jerome, nods. Sup. Nottie, and, um, hesitant, this, this is Thai. T.Y. E. Hey, man. Ty gets up and approaches Henry. T.Y. E. Sio and T. It's nice to meet you. He puts a hand out to Henry. They shake. Henry, yeah. Cheers. Nottie surprised at the civility of this first encounter. Noddy, and this here's Moses. Our leader. Jerome, leader. Founder. Father figure. Henry, to Moses, nice to meet you. Henry holds a hand out to Moses, who just stares at him, like a king on a throne of backpacks. Moses, gets up, to others, come on. We got a boat to catch. Moses collects his backpack and turns away.

The others follow. Beat. Nottie's infuriated by this show of rudeness. Henry looks to her, was it me? Nottie smiles comfortably to him, before both follow behind the others. Exte, Kinshasa slash river, later. Out of two small, yellow taxi cabs, the group now walked the city's outskirts towards the very wide and ocean-like, Congo River. A ginormous mass of water. Waiting on the banks by a long boat with a spedengen, a Congolese man, early thirties, waves them over.

Moses, Silenteed, to man, yo. You, Fabrice, Subtitle, in French, Yes. Yes. Are you all ready to go? Moses, yeah. This is everyone. We ready to get going. Ext.T. Congo River, Day.

boat. Moses, Jerome and Ty sit at the back with Fabrice, controls the engine. Beth and Angela at the front. Henry, Nadi and Chantal sat in the middle. The afternoon sun scorches down on them. The group appear to already be in paradise, the river. The towering trees and vegetation. The wildlife. Beautiful. Henry peers around at all, overwhelmed, as Nottie rests blissfully on his shoulder. Exte Congo River, later, still on the boat. Henry looks back at Moses, sunglasses on, enjoys the view. Henry, to Nottie, I'll be back, yeah.

Noddy, where are you off to? Henry, just to, make some mates. Henry steadily makes his way to the back of the moving boat. Noddy watches concernedly. Henry stops in front of Moses, seems not to notice him. Henry, so enteed hey. Moses. All right?

I was just wondering, when we get there, is there anything you need me to be in charge of or anything? Like, I'm pretty good at lighting for, Moses, I don't need anything from you, man. Henry, what? Moses, I said, I don't need a damn thing from you. I don't need your help. I don't need your contribution, and honestly, no one really needs you here. Beat. Henry's stumped.

Moses, still enteeed if I want something from you, I'll come hollering. In the meantime, I think it's best we avoid one another. You cool with that, Oliver Twist. Jerome found that hilarious. Henry saw. Jerome, stops laughing, yeah. Seconded. Henry now looks to Ty, also amused, to see if he feels the same.

Ty just turns away to the scenery. Henry, to Moses, suit yourself. Turns away, under breath, prick. With that, Henry goes back to Nottie and Shuntall. Beat. About to sit, Henry decides it's not over. He carries on up the boat, into Beth and Angela's direction. Nottie, babes.

Beth sees Henry coming, quickly gets up and walks past him, fake smiles on way. Henry halts. Throws his hands up, so much for making friends. He sits down. The boat's engine drowns out his thoughts. Beat. Angela, O'Dutas I suppose I should be thanking you. Henry's caught off guard.

Henry, sorry, what? Henry turns to Angela, engrossed in a book, her legs hang out the boat. Angela, well, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't exactly be on this trip. And they say white privilege is a bad thing. Henry, uh, yeah. That's a right. You're welcome. Beat. Henry, silen teed, break silence. What are you reading? Angela, her attention still on the pages. Angela, shows cover, Heart of Darkness. Henry, is it good? Angela, yep.

Beat. Henry, what's it about? Angela doesn't answer, clearly just wants to read. Then, Angela, sighs, it's about this guy, Marlowe. Gets a job on a steamboat on this river. Looks up, like, this exact river. And he's told to go and find this other guy called Mr. Kurtz, who's apparently gone insane from staying in the jungle for too long.

long or something. Henry processes this. Angela, sileneteed anyway, it turns out the natives up river treat Kurt sort of like an evil god, makes them do evil things for him. And along the way, Marlowe contemplates what the true meaning of good and evil is and all that shit. Henry, right. Beat. Henry, sileneteed that sounds a lot like apocalypse now. Angela, condescending, that's because it is. Henry, concerned, and it's from being in the jungle that he goes insane. Angela, still in book, M-hmm. Beat. Henry, suddenly tense.

Rotates around at the continual line of moving trees on both banks. Henry, can I ask you something? Why did you agree to come along with all of this? Angela, I don't know. For the adventure, maybe. Because I somewhat agree with their bullshit philosophy of restarting. in humanity. Beat, besides. I could be asking you the same thing. Beat. Henry looks back to Naughty, Ty now next to her, they appear to make friendly conversation. Naughty looks up front to

Henry, gives a slight smile. He unconvincingly smiles back. Ext. Mongala River, evening, days later. The boat has now entered rainforest country. Rainfall heaves down, fills the narrowing tributary. Surrounding the boat, vegetation engulfs everything in its greenness. Animal life is heard, the calling of multiple bird species, monkeys cackle, coincides with the sound of rain. The tail of a small crocodile disappears beneath the rippling water. On the boat. Everyone soaking wet, yet the humidity of the rainforest is clearly felt. Civilization is now confirmedly behind. Ext Mungala River, Day. Rain continues to pour as the boats almost now at full speed. Curves around the banks. Around the curve, the group's attention turns to the

revelation of a man. Waiting. He waves at them, as if stranded. Moses, to Fabrice, there. That's got to be him. Fabrice slows down. Pulls up bankside, next to the man. Congolese. Late 20s. Dressed appropriately for this environment. Moses, Silentidio, Abraham, right? It's us. We're the Americans. Abraham, in English, yes. Yes. Hello. Hello, Americans. ExtT. Rainforest, later that day, rainfall is now dormant. The group move on foot through the jungle, follow behind Abraham. Moses, Jerome and tie up front with him. In the middle, Beth is with Angela, who has the best equipped gear, clearly knows how to be in this terrain. At back are Shuntall, Nadi and Henry. Henry rotates around at the treetops, where sunlight seeps

through, heavenly. Noddy inhales, takes in the clean, natural air. Beth, slaps neck, A-H. These damn mosquitoes are killing me. To Angela, Ange, can you get me my bug repellent? Angela pulls out a can of bug repellent from Beth's backpack. Beth, Sientid, Jesus. How can anyone live here? Noddy, sarcastic, well, it's a good thing we're not, isn't it then? Chantal, to Beth, would you spray me too? They're in my damn hair. Beth. Beth sprays Chantal. Chantal, silenteed nod on me. Around me.

Extt Rainforest, two days later, the group continue their trek, far further into the interior now. A single line. Everyone struggles under the humidity. Tie now at the back. Henry, ah, shit. Naughty babes, what's wrong? Henry, I need to go again.

Shantal, seriously? Again. Nottie, do you want me to wait for you? Henry, nah, nah. Just keep going and I'll catch up, yeah. Tell the others not to wait for me. Henry leaves the line, drops his backpack and heads into the trees. The others move on.

Tai and Nottie now walk together, drag behind the group. Beat. T.Y.E. He ain't gonna make it. naughty pardon t y e that's like the dozenth time he's had to go and we've only been out here for two days naughty tie it's not exactly like you're running marathons out here tie looks around feels his shirt soaked in sweat t y e yeah maybe differences though i always knew what i was getting myself into and i don't think he really did clearly naughty you don't know the first thing about Henry. T.Y. I know what regret looks like. Dude's practically swimming in it.

Noddy, stops and turns to tie. Noddy, look. I'm sorry how things ended between us. Okay. I really am. But don't you dare try and make me question my relationship with Henry. That's my business, not yours, and I need you to stay out of it. T.Y.E. Fine. If that's what you want. But remember what I said, you are the only reason I'm here. What? You think I'm here for the cause? Hell no.

I'm here for you. Beat. Tai lets that sink in. T.Y.E. Seon Tid you may think he's here for you too, but I know better, and it's only a matter of time before you start to see that for yourself. Nadi gets drawn up into Tai's eyes. Doubt now surfaces on her face. Beat. Nottie, I will always cherish what we, rustlings heard.

Ty and Nottie look behind, as Henry resurfaces out the trees. Nottie turns away instantly from Ty, who walks on, gives her one last look before he joins the others. Henry's now caught up with Nottie. Henry, breathless, hey. Nottie, hey. Beat. Nottie's unsettled. Everything Thai said sticks with her.

Henry, oh, that us, I swear that's the last time, I promise. Exte rainforest, days later, the trek continues. Heavy rain has returned, is all we can hear. Abraham, in front of the others, studies around at the jungle ahead, extremely concerned, even afraid. He stops dead in his tracks. Moses and Jerome run into him. Moses, yo, Abe.

What's up, man? Beat. Abraham is frozen. Fearful to even move. Moses, Silentidio, Abe. Jerome clicks his fingers in Abraham's face. No reaction. Jerome, to Moses, man, what the hell's with him?

Abraham takes a few steps backwards. Abraham, I go. I go no more. Jerome, what? Abraham, you go. You go. I go back. Moses, what the hell you're talking about?

You're supposed to show us the way. Beat. Abraham opens his backpack, takes out and unfolds a map to show Moses. Abraham, here. He moves his finger along a pencil-drawn route on the map. Abraham, Silentee follow, follow this. Keep follow and you will find. God bless. Abraham, so enteeed, to others, God bless.

He stops on Henry. Abraham, still indeed God bless, white man. Beat. With that, Abraham leaves. Everyone watches him go. Moses, shouts, Abe, man. What if we get lost? To be continued.

Logline, a young Londoner. accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Exte, jungle, later that day, Moses now leads the way, map in hand, as the group now walk in uncertainty. Each direction appears the same. Surrounded by nothing but spaced out trees. Moses, silenete hold up. Stop. Moses listens for some something. Beth, what is it? Moses, shut up. Just listen. All fall quite to listen, to birds singing in the trees. Falling droplets from the again dormant rain. And something off in the distance,

a sort of swooshing sound. Moses, Silentee, can you hear that? T.Y. Yeah. What is that? Moses listens again. Moses, that's a stream. I think what here. Guys. This is the spot. Noddy, underwhelmed, what? This is it. Moses, of course this is it. Look at this place. It's a jungle paradise. Beth, relieved, A. H. Shuntall, thank God, Jerome, I need a lie down. Everyone collapses, throw their backpacks off, except Angela, watches everyone fall around her. Moses, wait. Wait. Just hold on.

Moses listens for the stream once more. Moses, so indeed it's this way. Come on. What are you waiting for? Moses races after the distant swooshing sound. The entire group moan as they follow reluctantly. ExtE stream, moments later, the group arrived to meet Moses, already at the stream. moses silen teed this is a fresh water source look how clear this shit is points look look everyone follows moses finger to see silhouettes of several fish moses silen teed we can even spear fish henry is it safe to swim moses what sort of questions that of course it's safe to swim henry aright then

Henry, drenched in sweat, like others, throws himself into the stream. Splash. Moses, hey, man. You scaring away all or fish. The others jump in after him, even Jerome and Ty. They cool off in the cold water. A splash fight commences. Everyone now laughing and having fun.

In their utopia. Ext.T. Jungle slash Camp, Night. the group sit around a maid campfire, eating marshmallows. Tents in the background behind them. Moses, Silenteed, to group, we got to talk about what we're going to do tomorrow. Just because we're here don't mean we can just sit around. We got work to do. We need to build a sort of defense around camp, a fence or something. Angela, why don't you just build and hide traps around the area? Moses, anyone here know how to make traps.

No one puts their hand up, except Angela, casually. Moses, Silenteed anyone know how to make human traps. Angela keeps her hand up. Moses, Sileneteed, surprised, dude. To group, aright, well, now that's out of the way, we also need to learn how to hunt. We can make spears out as sticks and sharpen the ends. Hell, we can even make bows and arrows. Chantal, can we not just stick to eating this?

Moses scoffs, too happy to even pick on Chantal right now. Beat. Moses, I think right now would be a really good time to pray. Jerome, what, seriously? Moses, yeah, seriously. Guys, come on. He's the reason we're all here. Moses closes his eyes.

Hands out. Clears his throat. Moses, Silenteed our father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come. The others try awkwardly to join in. Moses, Silenteed O.S, you will be done, on earth as is in heaven. Beth, Ite. That's it. I'm going to bed.

Moses, damn it, Beth. We're in the middle of a prayer. Beth, hey, I didn't sign up for any of this missionary shit, and if you don't mind, it's been a hard few days and I need to get laid. To Angela, come on, baby. The group all grown at this. Jerome, God damn it, Bethany. Moses, hey.

Don't take the Lord's name in vain. Beth leaves to her tent with Angela, who casually salutes the others. Moses, silen teed well, so much for that. Beat. Moses continues to talk. Noddy turns to. Henry next to her. Noddy, hey. Henry, in his own world, turns to her. Nottie, silen teed, are tense ready now, isn't it? Henry, why? You fancy going to bed early? Noddy whispers into

Henry's ear. She pulls out to look at him seductively. Beat. Nottie, sill and teed, to group, I think we're going go to bed, too. Gets up, night, everyone. Chantal, really? You're going to leave me here with these three. Nottie, afraid so. Bye. Nottie and Henry leave to their tent. Henry, yeah, we're, really tired.

Moses, seriously. We all slept like two hours ago. How much sleep you need? Nottie, to Henry, probably all I can get. Thai watches as Nottie and Henry leave together, hand in hand. The fire exposes the hurt in his eyes. Int. Tent, night, Henry and Noddy lay asleep together. Barely visible through the dark. Henry's deep under. Sweat shines off his face and body. He begins to twitch. Intercut with, jungle, as before. The spiked fence runs through, guarding the bush

on other side. Now on the other side, beyond the bush. We see, the woot. Back down against the roots of a ginormous trunk of a tree. Once again perspires sweat and blood. The woot winces. Raises his head slightly, before, int. Tent, early morning, zip. A circular light shines through on Henry's face. Frightens him awake. Moses, rise and show. Shine, Henry Boy. Henry squints at three figures in the entranceway. Realizes it's Moses, Jerome and Ty, all with long sticks. Nottie, turns over, U.G.H. What are you all doing? It's bright as hell in here. Jerome, we're taking your little playboy here on a fishing trip.

Noddy, well, zip the door at least. Jeez. Extee stream, later. All three. four men are now in the stream. Knee deep. Spread out in a line against the current. Henry, are you sure this is the right way of doing this? T.Y.E. What other way is there of doing it? Henry, well, it's just we've been here for like five minutes now and I ain't seen no fish. Moses, well, they got to come some time, and when they do, they'll be straight at us.

Jerome, it's all about patience, man. Beat. Moses, to Jerome, what are you talking about patience? What do you know about fishing? Jerome, I'm just repeating what you said. Moses, right. So don't act like you, Henry, guys. Guys. Look. There, there's one. All look to where Henry points, as a fish makes its way downstream. Moses, to Henry, get it. Jerome, to Henry, Get it. T.Y. to Henry, dude. Get it. Henry reacts, before the current can carry the fish away. Lunges at it, almost falls over, the splash of his spear brings the others to silence. Beat. All four now watches the fish swims away downstream. The three B-A-V-S, speechless.

Moses, how did you miss that? T-Y, it was right next to you. Jerome, I coulda got it from here. Henry, oh, fuck off the three of you. Find your own fucking fish. Jerome, to Henry's ankles, man. Watch out. There's a snake. Henry, what?

Oh, fuck. Henry reacts, raises his feet up, before falls into the stream. He swims backwards in a panic to avoid the snake. when uncontrollable laughter is heard around. Jerome, laughing, oh, I can't, I can't breathe. Henry's furious. Frows his spear sideways at Jerome. Confronts him. Henry, what? Do you want to fucking go? Is that it? Moses pulls Jerome, still laughing, away, while tie blocks Henry off. Jerome, mockingly, what's good? What's good, bro?

Henry, pushes Ty, get the fuck off. Ty then gets right into Henry's face. T.Y.E. pushes back, what? You want to go? It's all about to kick off, before. Angela, OS guys. Everyone stops. They turn, to Angela, on high ground.

Beat. Angela, C-O-N-E-E-O-S guys. Not a lot of fish are going to come this way. Moses, yeah. Why's that? Angela slowly raises her spear, reveals three fish on the end. Angela, your sticks are nowhere near sharp enough anyway. Beat.

All four look dumbfounded. Angela, Sioux-anteed, come on. There's something you guys need to see. Jerome, what is it? Angela, I don't know. That's why I need to show you. Angela turns away, out of sight. The four follow out the stream to catch her.

Exte, Jungle, Later, Henry, Angela, Ty, Moses and Jerome all stood in open space. Side by side. They stare ahead at something. From their expressions, it must be beyond comprehension. Jerome, what? In the name of Fuck From their POV, a long, wooden, crisscrossed spiked fence

Both ends, never-ending Exact same fence from Henry's dreams Only now, it's covered all over in animal skulls, monkey, antelope, etc. Animal intestines hang down from the spikes. The wood stained with blood and intestine juice. Flies hover all around. Their buzzing takes up the scene. Henry, beyond disturbed, he recognizes all this.

Tye catches his reaction. Angela, now you see why I didn't tell you. Beat. Jerome, to Moses, M.O. What is this? Angela, I think it's a sign, telling people to stay away. The other side's probably a hunting ground or something, belonging to a certain group of hunters. T.Y.E. They can't just put up a sign that says that. Beat. Moses, when we get back.

I think it's a good idea we don't tell nobody. Angela, are you kidding? They have to know about this. Moses, no, they don't. All right? No, they don't. If they find out about this, they'll want to leave. Jerome, I didn't sign for this primitive bullshit. T.Y. Guys. Moses. What did you expect? Rome? We're living in the middle of God damn Africa. T.Y.E. Guys. Moses and Jerome turn around with the others. To see, Jerome, oh shit. Five men. Staring back at them, 20 meters out. Armed with spears, maches, bows and arrows. They're small in stature.

Pygmy sighs, yet intimidating. Our group keeps staring. Unsure what to do or say, until Moses reaffirms leadership. Moses, um, to pygmies, shouts, greetings. Hello. We were just leaving. Going away. Away from here.

Moses gestures that they're leaving. The group now move away from the fence, and the pygmies. The pygmies now raise their bows at them. Moses, so enteeed woe. Whoa. It's a right. We ain't armed. Beat, to Angela, give me that.

Moses takes Angela's fish-covered spear. He now slowly approaches the pygmies, fish held out. The pygmy's bows become tense, take no chances. One p-y-g-g-m-y, the leader, approaches Moses. Beat. Moses, so indeed, patronizing, here, we offer this to you. Beat. The pygmy looks up at the fish. Then back to Moses. Pigmy leader, rough English, you. English? Moses, no. American, African American. The pygmy looks around at the others. Sees Henry, reacts as if he's never seen a white man before.

Henry and the pygmy's eyes meet. Then, pygmy leader, our fish. You take our fish. Moses looks back nervously to the others. Pygmy leader, silen teed, to others, you and o welcome. Dangerous. Dangerous you hear. The pygmy points his machete towards the fence, and what's beyond it.

Pygmy leader, seal and teed dangerous. Go. No, come back. Moses, wait, you want us to leave. This is our home. Our home. Pygmy leader, go. The pygmy raises his machete to Moses' chest.

Moses drops the spear, hands up. Moses, okay, calm, it's a right, we're going. Moses begins back to the others, who leave in the direction they came. The pygmies all yell at them, tell them to, go, in English and Bela, Bantalan. The pygmy leader picks up the spear with their fish as our group disappear. They look back a final time at the armed men. E-X-T camp day. All the BADS stand in a circle around the extinct campfire.

Beth, what if it's a secret rebel base? T.Y. Beth, will you shut up? It's probably just a hunting ground. Beth, we don't know that. Okay. It could be anything. It might be a rebel base, or it might be some secret Congo government experiment for all we know. Why are we still here?

Noddy, I think Beth's right. It's too dangerous to be here any longer. Moses, so, what? Y'all just think we should turn back. Beth, damn right, we should turn back. This is some cannibal Holocaust bullshit. Moses, no. We ain't turning back

This is our home Chantal, home M.O. My homes in Boston where my family live. Okay I don't want to be here no more. Moses, Chon, since when's anyone cared about a damn thing you've had to say? Chantal, seriously? The BADS now argue amongst themselves.

Noddy, wait Wait Hold on a minute. Everyone quiets down for Nottie. Noddy, Silentee why are we arguing? I thought we came here to get away from this sort of thing. We're supposed to be a free speech society, I get that, but we're also meant to be one where everyone's voice is heard and appreciated.

Jerome, so, what do you suggest? Nottie, I suggest we do what the BADS have always done, what we said we would do here. We have an equal vote. Moses, no. That's bullshit. You're all gonna vote to leave. Noddy, well, if that's the majority then, the BADS again burst into argument, for sake of it.

Henry just stands there, oblivious. Fixated in his own thoughts. Angela, everyone shut the fuck up. All of you. Just shut up. The group falls silent again. First time they hear Angela raise her voice. Angela, so indeed, none of you were at all prepared for this.

No survival training. No history in the military. No one here knows what the hell they're doing or what they're even saying. What we saw back there, if it was so secretive, those pygmies would have killed us when they had the chance. B, look, what I suggest we do is that we stay here a while longer, away from that place and just keep to our side. If trouble does come along, which it probably will, that's when we leave. Besides, they may have arrows. Angela pulls from her shorts.

Angela, silen teed, but I have this. A handgun. She holds it up to the group's shock, whoa. Jerome, Jesus. Beth, baby. Where'd you get that from? Angela, umbandaka. A few squeezes of this in their direction.

and they'll turn running. Henry, loud, can I just say something? Beat. Everyone now turns to Henry, stood a little outside the circle. Henry, so enteeed Angela. Out of everyone here, you're clearly the only one who knows what they're talking about. But, please, believe me. We really need to leave this place. T. Way, yeah. Why's that? Henry, it's just a feeling, I got when we was that, that fence. It just. It felt. It felt wrong. Moses, yeah. You know what? Maybe you were just never cut out to be here to begin with. To group, and you know what? I think we should stay. We should stay and see what happens. If those natives do decide on threatening us again, then yeah, sure, then we can leave. If not, then we stay for good. Who knows, maybe we should go to them ourselves so they see we're actually good people.

Intercut slash int. Tent, night, Henry, asleep next to naughty. Heavy rainfall has returned outside the tent. Intercut with, Henry's dream, the fence, with its now bloodied, fly infested spikes. Now, the other side. In its deep interior, again returns, the woot. Still against the ginormous. trunk. Only this time, he's crucified to it. Raises his head slightly, with the little energy

he has. W. O.T. Sinister, Henri. Back to, Henry, eyes closed, as movements now heard outside the tent. The sound now transitions to the sound of cutting. Henry opens his eyes. Cut to black. E.T. Jungle. Morning. Fade I.N. Light of the open, wet jungle returns, as rain continues from the night. An unknown individual is on their knees, a wet bag over their head. An arm removes the bag to reveal, Henry. Gagged.

Hands tied behind his back. He looks around at, the very same pygmy men, stood over him. This time they're painted scarcely in white to contrast their dark skin. They now resemble melting skeletons. Next to Henry are the BADS and Angela. Bags on their heads also.

The Pygmies remove them. Also gagged. In front of them, they and Henry C. the spiked fence. Bush and jungle on the other side. They all look on in horror. Their eyes widen with the sound of their muffled moans, can only speculate what's to happen.

The Pygmy leader orders his men in Bila. They bring to their feet, Moses, Jerome, Chantal, Beth and Nottie, force them forward with their machetes towards the fence. One pygmy moves Ty, before told by the leader to keep him back. Henry, Angela and Ty now watch as the pygmies hold the chosen BADS in front of the now-opened fence. All five BADS look to each other, confused and terrified. The leader approaches Moses, who stares down at the small skeleton in front of him. Pygmy leader, in English, you go.

Walk. Points to fence, you walk that way. The pygmies cut them loose. Encourage them towards the fence entrance. All five BADS refuse to go, they plead. Moses, please don't do this. Pygmy leader, walk. Pygmy number one, walk.

Pygmy number two, in Beela, go. The pygmy can. continue their yells, walk forward slash G-O, and Bila equivalent. Aim their bows at the chosen B-A-D-S to make them go onwards. Henry, Angela and Ty can only watch with anxious dread as they try to shout through their gags. Henry, gagged, naughty. As they're forced to go through the fence, Noddy looks back to Henry, a look of help. Henry, Sillenteed, gagged, Nottie.

Angela, gagged, Beth, T.Y.E. gagged, N-O. The gagged calls continue, as all five BADS disappear through the other side. The trees. The bush. Swallows them whole. They can no longer be seen or heard. Beat. The pygmy leader is handed a knife. He goes straight to Henry, who looks up at him. Henry panics out his nostrils, convinced the end is now. Before, Henry's turned around as the leader cuts him loose. Henry, gag off, naughty. Noddy, pigmy leader, in beela, shut up. Shut up. The leader presses the knife against Henry's throat. Beat. Pigmy leader, silen teed, to three, you leave them now. They gone. You go. Go to America. Go to England.

No come back. Henry, Angela and Ty stare blankly at the Pygmy leader. Startled and confused. Exte, Jungle, Day, Henry, Ty and Angela, now by themselves. They pace behind one another through the rain and jungle. Angela in front. T.Y.E. So, what are we going to do now? Angela, we go back the way we came from.

We find the river. Go downstream back to Kinshasa and find the U.S. Embassy. Henry, stops, no. Angela and Ty stop. Look back to Henry, soaked, ten meters behind. Henry, sileneteed we can't leave them. I can't leave Nottie. Not in there.

T.Y.E. What exactly are we supposed to do? Angela, Henry, he's right. The only thing we can do right now is get help as soon as possible. The longer we stay here, the more danger they could possibly be in. Henry, if they're in danger, then we need to go after them, on the other side. T.Y. Are you crazy? We don't know what the hell's in there. Beat. Henry faces Angela. Henry, Angela. Beth's in there. Angela, contemplates, Yeah, well, the best thing I could possibly do for her right now is go and get help. So, both of you, move it.

Now, Angela continues, with tie behind her. Henry, I'm staying. Again, they stop. Henry, Silentida used to be an entire continent away form her, and if I go back now to that river, it's just going to feel like that again. So, you two can do what you want, but I'm going in and, after her. I'm going to get her back. Beat. Angela, all right. Suit yourself. With that, Angela takes off. Beat. Not tie. He stays where he is. His eyes now meet with Henry's.

Angela realizes she's walking alone. Goes back to them. Beat. Angela, so indeed all right. So, what is it? You both want to go look for them. Tai, his mind clearly conflicted. T.Y.E. Even if we go back now to Kinshasa, it'll take us weeks. And we ain't got time on our side. Beat, I hate to say it, but... I'm going to have to stick with Henry.

This surprises Henry. Angela thinks long and hard to herself. Beat. Angela, a plan would be for you two to go in after them while I go down river and get help. Studies them both, but you'll both probably die on your own. Henry and Ty look to each other, await Angela's decision. Beat. Angela, so enteeed, size, fuck it. Extee, fence, day, rain continues down. At a different part of the fence, Angela hacks through two separate points, two meters apart, with a machete. Henry and Ty on the lookout, they wait for Angela's

Go ahead. Angela finally cuts through the second point. Angela, Silenteed, out of breath, all right. She gives the green light, Henry and Ty, with a handful of long vine, pull the hacked fence piece to the side with a good struggle. All three now peer through the gap they've created, where only darkness is seen past the thick bush on the other side. Angela, Silentied remember.

You guys asked for this. Henry, in the middle of them, turns to Angela. He puts out a hand for her to hold. She hesitates, but eventually obliges. Henry turns to Ty, reluctantly offers the same thing. Ty thinks about this, but obliges also. Now hand in hand, backpacks on, they each take a deep breath, before all three anxiously go through to the other side.

They keep going. until the other side swallows them. All that remains is the space between the fence, and the darkness on the other side. Fade out. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Inc. slash Ext Black Void, No Time. Fade in. We couldn't understand because we We were too far, and could not remember because we were traveling in the night of first ages,

those ages that had gone, leaving hardly a sign, and no memories, Joseph Conrad, Fade 2, Ext Jungle, Day, Henry. Eyes closed. He lies unconscious on the ground. Beat. Something shakes him, as sound now returns into Henry's ears. Angela, O.S. Henry. Still out.

Shook again. Angela, Silenteed Henry. Henry's eyes open. He looks up to see Angela and knelt above him. Tai stood not far behind. Angela, Sileneteed come on. Get up. Henry, dazed, what happened?

Did I faint? T.Y.E. Yeah. You did. Beat. Henry regains himself, as if from a long sleep. Angela, can you remember why? Henry, um, the heat. Angela, do you remember where we are?

Henry, looks around, we're in Africa. Congo. Beat. Angela, two minutes ago, we crossed over the other side of that fence. You remember that? We had to go through thick bush to get in, and Ty moaned like a bitch all because he scraped himself. Is it coming back to you? Beat.

tie rubs his scraped arm. Henry, afraid, we're on the other side. Of the fence? T-Y-E, oh, yeah. So where's the fence at? Where's the bush we just came from? Henry takes a good look around. Notes how much darker this side is, yet no sign of the bush or fence anywhere. Henry, it's not here. Tyrone, yeah. No shit. Henry, Well, where is it then? Henry looks to Angela for confirmation. Angela, yeah. It's true. Doesn't make any sense, but it's true. Henry again scans around, sees their right. Right bang in the middle of the jungle.

Henry, in denial, bullshit. You must have moved me. Angela, Henry, it's the truth. We're not lying to you. Henry, no. This ain't fucking right. W.H. Why is it different? T.Y.E. Dude. Just chill. Henry. No.

Wait. Ah. Fuck. Holds head, U.G.H. I must be having a trip or something. Beat. T.Y.E. To Angela. Great. Now what the fuck do we do? Angela, wait, so you both choose to venture in here, yet you're making me in charge.

Ty and Henry look helpless to her. Angela, so enteed, sigh, fine. Here's what I think, if the same thing happened with the others, if this exact same scenario happened, then I think they would have gone the way they think they came in. Which is why we need to walk that way. She points in the direction the bush should be. Angela, still and teed either way,

will be closer to the others or closer to the bush. But one thing's for certain, we can't stay. here?" I mean, seriously, what the fuck? Henry, but, what if they didn't? Angela, what? Henry, what if they chose to carry on instead? You never know, they might have.

Angela, why would they? This is clearly a fucked up place, so why not go back? T.Y. E. annoyed, guys. We don't have time for this. Alright. So, what is it? So, what is it?

That way or that way? All look to each other, undecided. E.X.T. Jungle, later that day, in a different part of the jungle. Identical trees all around. Henry, Ty, and Angela move among them, momentarily vanish and reappear behind the trunks. Henry, calls out, naughty. T.Y.E. calls out, naughty. Moses.

Rome. Henry, naughty. Angela, to Henry, Thai, hey, guys. Angela comes back to them, having gone on by herself. Henry, did you find anything? Angela, shakes head, nothing. No tracks, human or animal. It's like this jungle's never even been walked in before.

It just. It doesn't make sense. T.Y.E. And what happened to us before, did. Henry, no, she's right. Listen. Beat. All listen. Hear nothing.

Henry, silen t'linted there's no birds or anything. On the other side, that's all you could hear. T.Y.E. Insects too. Henry, yeah, that's right. Bloody mosquitoes were killing me on the other side, but here, there's nothing. Angela, so, what we're saying is, this side of the job. jungles completely uninhabited. Why the fuck would that be?

Henry, and why throw Noddy and them lot in here? Why not us two? T. Why, what? That's not obvious to you. Henry, what? Beat. Ties dumbfounded by Henry. He walks on, leaves Henry clueless.

Henry, so enteed what. Extee, jungle, night. All three now sit around a maid campfire. stare into the flames. Exhausted. Silent. Henry studies the fire closely. Determination still present in his eyes. E.T. Jungle, day. The search continues. There may be no animals, but the humidity is still clearly felt. Henry struggles, lags behind Ty and Angela. Henry then collapses, down against the trunk of a tree. Fatigue's conquered him.

Ty and Angela stop. Angela, Henry, come on. We have to keep moving. Henry, I. I can't, seriously, I. Henry removes the straps from his backpack, declares he's staying put. Henry, so enteed, I just need five minutes or I'll die. T.Y. You're fucking unbelievable.

You know that, right? You're the reason we're in this mess. So, why don't you take some fucking responsibility for it and get your ass up? Henry, Ty. Seriously. Just fuck off. Angela, guys, we don't have time for this. T.Y.E. to Henry. Nah, nah, you listen.

I'm sick of guys like you, who won't follow shit through. Oh, naughty. We need to get naughty. Yet when shit gets too tough, you'll just back out. Henry, well, I'm not the one who wanted to run back to Kinshasa, am I? T.Y.E. Hey. I was just doing what I thought was best for naughty. Henry, best for naughty.

There it is again, naughty this, naughty that. What's this obsession you have with her? I mean, seriously. Angela, guys. T.Y. What? She didn't tell you. It comes out. By Angela's look, she knows what Ty refers to. Henry, what the fuck did you just say? Angela, Ty, shut up and walk. To both, we are not doing this now. T.Y. You know what? Just fuck it. Ty walks away. Henry, hey. Henry gets up. after Ty. Henry, Silentee tell me what? What hasn't she told me? Beat. No reply. Ty walks on, amused. Henry, hey. I'm talking to you, dickhead. Henry aggressively shoves the back of Ty, who stops. Turns around to Henry. T.Y. Dude. You do not want to get physical with me.

Henry, but that's not what you said to Nottie, though, is it? Tai, now visibly angry. Angela, guys. Seriously. Henry, so indeed at least now I know why you've been giving me a hard time, you and the other two. Just can't stand to see a white guy dating a black girl, can you? Thai squares up to Henry. T.Y. What the fuck do you know about us?

You don't know shit what we've been through. Henry, well, I know one thing that's for certain, once you go white, all the rest are shite. Bam! Tai tackles Henry to the ground, with a hard thud. On top of him. throws punches. Henry, still indeed come on, then. Angela, guys.

Henry and Ty grapple on the ground. Henry gets on top. Tai gouges his fingertips into Henry's eyes, blinds him. Tie back on top. T.Y.E. You motherfucker. Tie transitions into a headlock. Henry struggles, becomes red in the face, until, Angela rips tie away from Henry, who now struggles to regain breath. Angela puts Ty in a back arm lock as she throws him against a tree.

Tie, silented a H. Get the fuck off me. Angela, shut up. I told you, we weren't doing this. I'm not here to measure your dicks. If you two assholes can't be level-headed together then I'm just going to leave you here. Understand. To Henry, Henry, understand.

Angela looks back to Henry, on the ground. He sucks Aaron desperately, before his attention turns to the dead leaves around him. Angela, so indeed, let's tie go, Henry. Henry doesn't hear. He pushes against the surface beneath him. T.Y.E. holds arm to Henry, dude, what the fuck's wrong with you? Henry begins to brush away the dead leaves with his hands, as Ty and Angela come back to him, watch over. Henry sweeps away the final dead leaves to reveal a red, rust-eaten sign over a metal fence. Now a part of the

jungle floor. It reads, danger. Restor d'Or. Henry, reads sign, danger. Angela, read sign, rest her d'Or. Henry slowly turns up his head to Angela. Their eyes meet. Beat. Angela, Sontide, keep out. Exte, jungle, morning. Tie in Angela, asleep next to an extinct fire.

Henry is still awake, stares through the rising smoke. A sound is heard. Faint, but Henry picks up on it. He looks around to see where it comes. from as it slowly rises in pitch. Henry, what the fuck? Henry moves over to Angela. Wakes her. Henry, silen teed, low voice, Angela, wake the fuck up. Angela, awake, what is it? Henry, there's a sound coming from somewhere. Angela listens. She hears it, now alert. Angela, where's it coming from?

Henry, I dunno. Beat. Angela, okay. Wake up, Ty. Henry kicks Ty awake. T.Y. E. Ah, what? Henry, get up. There's a sound from somewhere.

Tai listens. The sound far more audible, like the agonizing groans of several people. T.Y.E. What the hell is that? All three now on their feet. Angela, it's coming from that direction. The groans, now increasingly louder, as if piercing right through them. Angela, silenteed come on. Let's get out of here.

The three move away from the sound, leave their packs. Moving backwards, right into, a swarm of native people. Coming towards them. Out from the trees and bushes, almost from nowhere. Dozens of them. men, women, children and elderly. Thin to the bone, malnourished and barely clothed. Groan's exodus from their gaped mouths.

Henry, oh shit, Angela, fuck. Thai, Jesus Christ. They amble towards Henry, Ty and Angela, arms stretched out to grab them, zombie-like. The three run in the other direction, only to find they're now completely surrounded on all sides. Henry, sereneteed fuck. The swarm continued to move in. They grab them. Claw at their faces and clothing. Henry, Ty and Angela try to break free, but too overwhelmed. Mass moans continue. Henry, being pulled this way and that. Shirt ripped. He peers round at the undead faces, to realize, they're begging, women raise their crying babies, plead for them to be taken.

taken. Henry notices several of the men have no hands, instead, reach out with half-arms. All three are no longer visible, swallowed whole by the hands and arms. When, bang, bang, bang, bang. Angela, somehow able to crawl to her backpack, fires away at the people around, kills several. Rest move away, to reveal Henry and tie. Angela goes to them. Angela, come on. This way. Henry and Ty follow close on Angela's heels, as she fires her remaining rounds, throws the empty handgun as a last resort. They continue to move through the swarm, brush hands and stumped arms along the way. Angela, Sientid, come on.

Now free from their grasps, Angela, Ty and Henry retreat into the jungle. The swarm left to watch them leave, some walk after them, some not realize they've gone. Exte, jungle, continues, still on the run. T.Y. What the fuck was that? Angela, I don't know. Henry, did you see? Some of them were missing, Henry slash Angela slash Ty, ah. All three fall through the ground.

Tai almost avoids it, but is overbalanced as the floor shouts. beneath them. Leaves and branches break their long fall. Henry, Tseanty-a-H. Fuck. My arm. T-Y-E, fuck. Beat. They're now the ones who moan. Angela, are you guys all right? Henry, ah, yeah. T-Y-E, I guess so. Looks around, where the fuck are we now? Angela looks up. She sees there in a very very wide and deep hole. Angela, shit. We've fallen into a trap. Henry, a trap.

What sort of trap? Angela, I don't know. An animal trap. T.Y.E. looks around hole. What were they hoping to catch? An elephant? Beat. The three stir painfully.

T.Y.E. Cilenteed at least now we know why this place was fenced off. Fucking zombie. man. Angela, they weren't zombies. But, I think it's a contagion of some kind. Henry, well, if you knew they weren't zombies, then why did you mow half them fucking down? Angela, they were attacking us. Henry, what with? Their babies? Beat. T.Y. Great. What the hell are we supposed to do now? Angela, I don't know, but we can't be in here for more than three days. Not without water. T.Y. E. laughs, that's great. That's just great. Go into the jungle to save your friends. End up dying in a fucking hole in the ground somewhere. Beat. Then,

groans, they return gradually, from above. They shrieked down into the hole. T.Y. Sillanteed, to Henry, Hey Oliver. Good news. Your friends are back. The groans again become increasingly louder. T.Y. Sillantied, over moans, to Henry, you want to ask them to throw down a piece of rope or something. Ext. Holes slash jungle, night. The moaning's far louder now, right above them. Henry, Ty and Angela go crazy over it, cover their ears. The three can barley be seen in the dark. Beat. There is now an orange light, drains down into the hole. All three look up to notice as the light flickers upon their faces. It seems to be fire, like people carrying torches. T.Y. Seen teat, oh my God. There's people up there. To people,

hello. Henry, hello, Angela, hello, Thai, hello. There yells stir the moans above the them. Angela, can anyone hear us? There's no reply. Mones continue. Then, another sound is heard, deep, purring. Quickly transitions into a loud and aggressive roar. The moans now give way for Y-E-L-L-L-S of pain and immense screaming. Followed by the tearing of flesh. The flickering eyes of the trio become wide. Hands clutched over their mouths as the sound of the onslaught complete. completely takes over. Henry, Angela, and Ty huddle together, beyond terrified. Fade out, ints slash Exte, dark void, no time. Fade in. They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force, nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising

from the weakness of others, Joseph Conrad. Fade two, Exte, hole, morning. All three are now asleep against the side of the hole. Beat. piece of rope drops down from above. Henry wakes to notice it. He wakes Ty and Angela. Henry, guys. Guys. Look. Tie and Angela see the rope, instantly alert. T.Y.E. Thank God. I thought we were going to die down here. Ty crawls to the rope. Angela, wait. We don't know who's up there. Beat. Tye stops. Henry, to outside hole, hello Angela, Henry, shut up.

Beat. Man, oh, that's, yeah. A voice. All three look to each other. T.Y.E. to man, who's that? Man, O.D.S. It's all right. I'm an American. T.Y.E. To Angela, Henry, an American.

Beat. Henry and Ty leap quickly to fight over the rope. Angela, wait. You guys. I don't think we should go up there. T.Y. Why not? Do you really want to die down here? Henry starts to climb.

Beat. T.Y.E. Seon Tid dude, come on. Hurry up. Henry uses all his strength, still aches from the fall. Angela watches worrisomely, not sure about this. Henry's now nearly out the hole, as two sons. of dark arms grab and pull him back onto the surface. Henry, exhausted, thank God.

Henry flattens on the ground. Beat. He rolls over so to observe his saviors. Henry sees, a white man. The man towers above Henry. Mid-40s. Thick mustache. He wears a cream-white colored set of colonial-like clothing.

A sword and scabbard around his waist. Man, southern U.S. accent, well, well, well. What do we have here? Henry's taken back by the man's appearance. He now sees behind the man, ten men. All black. In dark blue clothing. Barefoot.

They hold spears as if they were rifles. Their faces are expressionless. One face is painted white. Tai and Angela now join Henry on the surface. office. Two of the men in blue helped them out. Man, Silentied, oh look. And the man has himself some company. Ain't that nice. Tie and Angela are now taken back. Clearly expect it something else. Man, silen teed, to tie, so, what do we have here? A half an asterisk asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk asterisk thing, and

To Angela, what are you supposed to be? Some kind of C. asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Angela, excuse me, man, to his men, get them. The men in blue grab tie and Angela. T.Y.E. Struggles, hey. Get off me. Others come in to hold spears to their bodies, keep them still. The white man turns his attention back on Henry.

man my it's been a while since i've seen a new white face around here let's take a look at you the man comes in close to inspect henry who backs away the men in blue hold their spears out to stop henry from retreating man so entee'd hey hey hey hey it's all right son all i want is a better look is all the man now holds henry's head still inspects his face closely. Henry's deeply uncomfortable. Man, so enteed well. You definitely have the old man's eyes.

Hard to make out an exact resemblance. Tie and Angela, spears on them, look on. Confused as to what's happening. Man, so enteed where you from, boy. Beat. No answer. Henry stares blankly at him. The man then comes close again.

Man, silen teed, intimidating, I said, where you from? Beat. Henry, London. Man, London, huh? Thinks, hmm. That might just work. The man turns Henry round to his men. Man, silen t'i boys.

I think we found him. This just might be the one. The men in blue now reveal expression. slightly in awe. Henry, the one. The one what? Who? Who are you people? Man, oh, that's right. I must apologize, I ain't even introduced myself. My name's Lieutenant Jacob Lewis. Former 6th Georgia Infantry Regiment. Former French Foreign Legionary of the Algerian Provisional Regiment, and current lieutenant of the force public. T.Y. E. Concerned. the force what? A force public soldier jabs his spear into Ty's ribs.

Ty, Silentee A-H. Ty falls hurt to the ground. Jacob, to Henry, and who might you be, son? Beat. Henry appears afraid to give his name. Jacob, Silenteed well, whatever your name is, y'all better along come with us. Get some food into you. How's that sound?

Moments later, they all know. move away from the hole. Henry walks by Jacob up front. Ty and Angela in middle. Force public around them. They now pass a body, of one of the natives. They see it's been utterly torn apart. Blood and ribcage visible, the aftermath of the night before. Ty, oh, fuck. Angela, turns away, Jesus. Henry stares at the corpse, has clearly never seen a dead body. before. Jacob, yeah. There are some dangerous beasts around these parts. Exte, jungle, later, Henry, Ty and Angela, exhausted, been walking a while. Jacob and the force public, F.P, have barely made a sweat. Jacob, so enteed, to Henry, he's been waiting a long time for you, you know. Henry, who?

Jacob, our leader, Lucian. an old son of a bitch. But seeing you might just make his day. That is if you are who I think you are. Henry, who do you think I am? Jacob, oh, I can't tell you that, but don't worry, you're bound to be him. We don't get many whites through this jungle. In fact, you're the first one to come through here in a hundred years, and I don't think Lucian can wait a hundred more. Sinister, so, you better pray you're him. displays a mixture of confusion, but also fear, as they continue through the jungle. E. X.T. Jungle, they, Henry, Ty, Angela, Jacob and his FPs now follow on a pathway.

Ty's eyes squint at something up ahead. T.Y.E. What is that? Up ahead, a large brown structure. Noise is heard coming from it. Henry, Ty, and Angela try to make out what it is. The sound is now closer, as the party continue forward on the pathway, where the structure is revealed to be, a fort. Jacob, welcome to your new home, the three of you. The fort consists of high wooden walls, made of tall logs. On top the walls are thin, wooden spikes. Angela now begins to notice the details. Angela, oh my God.

As does Ty. Tie, oh shit. Tai and Angela try to flee in the direction. they came. The F.p grab hold of them. T.Y. E. Seen Tied, terrified, N. No. What the fuck? On the spikes, every single one of them displays a severed head, impaled on top. Horrifying, distorted faces, as if their last emotion was excruciating pain. More F.P soldiers guard on top the walls. now in front of the walls on both sides of the fort entrance are far more spikes only this time it's a mass impalement of skeletons dozens of them skewered on long sharp pieces of wood protrude out the rib cage breastplate neck jaw and skulls of the victims flies hover everywhere the buzzing is maddening Henry, fucking hell.

Henry too tries to get away, before Jacob grabs him. Jacob, son, it's all right. It's all right. Those heads don't bite from up there. Even closer to the fort now. Henry, Ty and Angela forced forward. Henry tries to avoid his eyes, but can't resist. He stares at the tortured heads above the entrance.

Beneath them, the F.P guards look down upon him, as the party now enter through the entrance gateway. Angela, this is the heart of darkness. This is the actual heart of darkness. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Extee, Fort, Continuous. inside the fort walls. Henry, Ty, and Angela peer around at multiple thatched huts resemble

termite mounds. The ground has been dug up for pathways, connect to each hut. There are also more F.p soldiers, they stare at the new arrivals, especially Henry. The trio now see four wooden cages. The insides crammed full with Condolees men, women, and children. The children clenched the wooden bars like encaged animals. A short white man rampages out from one of the huts. He wears similar clothes to Jacob, as he holds a Congolese woman by the neck. He throws her onto the floor. She cries out as 2F.p drag her away. The short man sees Jacob. Ruben, subtitles, in French, Belgian accent, Jacob. How was the hunting? Jacob, why don't you look for yourself. What do you see here? The short man, Ruben, notices Henry. He appears in awe of him.

Ruben, in French, oh my God. In English, is this him? Jacob, it has to be, don't it? Just look at the eyes. Ruben studies Henry's face closely. Jacob, so indeed where is the old timer, anyway. Moments later, everyone now moves further inwards, past the huts. In the fort center are five wooden cabins. All decorated in ivory. Cleaner and better made than the huts, doors, thatched roofs. The middle cabin is twice as big as the others. Beat. Henry turns his head to something. The sight of it stops him in his tracks, a tall wooden idol. The idol displays in a elongated body with a thin neck. For the idol's head, is the exact same primitive face from the dead tree. In fact, this is the dead tree. Now carved into an idol. The roots can still be seen

at the bottom. Henry stares at the idle face, seemingly entranced. Noddy, O.S. Henry. Henry, broken from the trance, looks around for the familiar voice. Chantal, Henry. Guy, guys, Moses, guys, Jerome, guys, over here, Beth, Angie. Henry, Ty and Angela now turn to the voices, to see, three more wooden cages. Again, full of Congolese. And in the middle cage, are all five BADS members. Henry, naughty. Angela, Beth. T.Y. Guys. Henry starts towards the middle cage, before two FPs quickly tackle him to the ground, hold him face down in the dirt. Noddy, Henry. Henry, H. Noddy. Jacob, to two FPs, hey. Watch it. Do you know who this is? Bring him up. The FPs bring Henry back to his feet. Jacob, so enteed what's up, boy? Where you running to? Henry, my friends are in there. Jacob looks over to see the BAD.A.D. S in the cages. Jacob, your friends with those n asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk

asterisk in there. Beat, I'm starting to think you ain't who I think you are, boy, and if you ain't. Pulls out knife, I'll personally dispose of you myself. Woman, O. S. Jacob. Everyone turns to the far off cabin. From its entrance stands a woman, Ingrid. Blonde hair. Tall. She wears wears a white, late Victorian-like dress. She comes over to them. Ingrid, Silenteed, Swedish accent, who is this young man? Jacob, you know, I ain't too sure. Who do you think this is? Ingrid slowly approaches Henry. She stops in front of him, to caress his cheekbones with her fingertips and study his blue eyes. Ingrid, it is him. I know it is. Jacob, well, Well, we can't know that until we bring him to Lucian.

Where is he? In his cabin. Jacob drags Henry away to the middle cabin. Ingrid, by herself, catches Ty's eye. Jacob, Silenteed, to F.p, put those two with the rest of them. Ingrid's eyes stay seductively on Ty, as he and Angela are brought to the cages. Ty looks back helplessly to her. Now at the middle cabin.

Two Congolese women sit outside the door. Jacob, so entee, hey, an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. In French, where is Lucien? One woman points inside the cabin, says something in Lingala. Jacob, so entieh, hey, Lucian. Get out here. I got something for you. Henry waits anxiously for Lucian's revelation, as do Jacob, Rubin, and Ingrid.

movements now heard from inside the cabin the door opens footsteps heard on deck as henry sees the man now stood ahead of him lucian an old man late fifties a long dark gray beard white clothing a bulk of an individual he stares down from the deck at henry without much expression lucian french accent lieutenant will you not expect explain to me who this is. Jacob, Father Lucian. This is Henry. To Henry, Henry. This is Father Lucian. To Lucian, we found Henry and his friends this morning, got themselves stuck in a hole. Lucian, and where are his friends? Jacob, in the cages. Just some an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, and they see asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Lucian now moves down to Henry. Beat. Henry observes Lucian's appearance, his godly beard, his weathered skin, and his deep blue eyes. Lucian, in French, are you French? Like me? Henry's clueless. Jacob, laughs, hate to break it to you, father, but Henry hears an Englishman.

Lucian, from his face, is both surprised and disappointed. Lucian, you are English. Henry nods. Lucian, Silenteed, that was perhaps to be expected. Regardless, we shall soon find out who you are. Henry looks back to Jacob, for any sign whatsoever to what's happening. Lucian, Silenete, would you do me the honor of joining me in my cabin, where we can talk more privately? Henry says nothing, before timidly walks away from Jacob to follow Lucian inside.

Intercut slash int. cabin continuous henry enters lucian is over by a wooden table lucian silentee please won't you join me henry goes over hesitantly sits down lucian pours would you like some refreshment cautious but parched henry takes a cup of water from lucian and drinks the whole thing henry wipes mouth thank you beat Lucian, I must apologize for the surge of flies in my camp. But you should soon become accustomed to them. Beat. Henry remained silent. Lucian, so enticed so, tell me. What brought you to this ungodly side of the world, from godly England?

Henry, looks around cabin, I, um, I dunno. Beat, a holiday. Lucian notices Henry's ripped, dirty clothing. Lucian, I see you wear similar clothing to the American and asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk we found some days ago. Do you know them? Henry nods. Henry, they're my friends. Lucian, intrigued, contemplates this. Lucian, yes.

The Black American. Descended from slaves, and alas, slaves once more. Henry becomes concerned by this, slaves. Lucien, Silenteed what was the year of our Lord before you chose to venture into this place. Henry, 2020. Lucien, in French, pardon. Henry, it's 2020. Lucian gasps at this.

Lucian, subtitles, in French, to self, the year 2020. So, it has truly been a century. Beat. Henry, are you a priest? Lucian, what makes you a priest? you think that I am a priest. Henry, the man with the mustache. He kept calling you Father, Father Lucian. Lucian thinks carefully about his answer. Lucian, in French, yes. In English, I was a priest. Henry, afraid to ask, but what would? What would God say? The dead bodies?

The people in the cages? What would God say to that? Lucian, I believe he welcomes it. When one life is destroyed, another is created. Henry, but, what about? Thou shall not kill. Lucian, for a brief moment, appears unsettled, before finds amusement. Lucian, I believe we speak of different gods. You talk of the Christian God, whom I once vowed to serve.

But he is no loner, my lord. My lord is here. in the circle. We are his worshippers, his followers. And in return for our service and offerings, he gives us eternal life. Eternal divinity over the Africans. Henry's clueless, unable to process this. Henry, what other God? Allah? Lusian gestures, no. He now points outside the cabin. Lucian, look out there. Tell me what you see? Henry goes over to the window shutters. He opens them slightly, peeks out. Lucian, Silentee, do you see the idol of the court? Henry sees the idol, F. P's walk by it. Lucian,

Silentit that is our God. We pray and worship him, as one would pray and worship the cross. There are many names for him. Lieutenant Jacob's men call him, Tor, the god that births animals for the hunt, and, Nicole, the all-powerful. I believe the slaves simply call him, the god of death and blood. Henry quivers at that last name. Lucian, Silenteed and he has brought you here, to us. To live among your own. Henry turns from the window, back to Lucian. Henry, what? Beat. Lucian, it was predestined. Henry, but... I don't even know you people. I've never even been to this country before. I've never.

Intercut with, flashback, Henry, in his apartment. Henry, silen teed, on phone, in other words. I'm African. Noddy, now in her apartment. Noddy, did her results say anything else? Back to, present, Henry, things for him now add up. Henry, I want to leave, please. I won't, I won't tell anybody about this place.

Lucian, concerned, my son. You cannot leave this place, even if I permitted it. Lucian lets that stay with Henry. Lucian, still indeed but, do not worry, my son. It shall all be revealed to you. Lucian stands, goes round to Henry, puts a hand on his shoulder. Lucian, silen teed in time. Points up, he shall reveal him.

himself to you. He shall reveal you to yourself, as he has done with me." Lucien now moves to the doorway. Lucien, Tzu and Tied in the meantime, you are free to wander the camp, as long as you do not try to escape. We have built you your very own cabin, and you are free to enjoy any women here to your pleasing. As Lucian gestures to show Henry out, Henry, my girlfriend's here. Stairs blankly at Henry. Henry, so entee she's in one of those cages. Can she? Look, if you

let her out, I guarantee I won't try and escape. Beat. Lucian ponderes Henry's request. Lucian, which one? Exte, outside cabin, continuous. Henry rushes from Lucian's cabin, past Jacob and Rubin, they watch Henry with intrigue. As Henry approaches, the middle cage, he hears strange noises from the outer cabin, like a women's whale. At the middle cage, an F.P guards the BADS inside. Noddy sees Henry approach, rises to her feet, as do the others. Noddy, Henry. BADES, Henry. Hey, Henry. What the hell's going on? The F.p bangs the cage with his spear, tells them to get back. Henry backs off, before goes straight up to Nottie. Henry, my God. Noddy. Noddy, hen. Henry kisses her passionately

through the wooden bars. Henry, holds her face, thank God. Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Noddy. Noddy, almost in tears, afraid to answer. Moses, hey, what's going on? Why the hell they keeping us in here? Beth, yeah. What's going on? Henry's now the one afraid to answer. Notice as Angela sat down, disengaged with everything. Jerome, bro. Tell us. Noddy, Henry, please. Tell us anything.

Henry gives himself time to answer. Henry, they, um, Moses, what? Beat. Henry, they said that you're slaves. The B-A-D-S are rattled Moses goes weak in the legs Chantal, overwhelmed, oh my God Beth, what

Jerome, those motherfuckas naughty, Henry What do you mean we're slaves What does that mean? Jerome, what do you think that means? Chains Shackles Back whipping

The whole fucking shabang Moses, is that why your white ass ain't in here? You overprivileged motherfucker. Beat. Henry, naughty. That doesn't have to happen with you, okay? You can be out here with me, they said you could. You'll be safe.

I can protect you. Moses, you motherfucker. Jerome, that's how you're gonna do us. Jacob, oh that ass son. Jacob and Ruben come over. to the commotion. Jacob, silenteed you don't let those fucking an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk,

asterisk, asterisk, talk to you that way. To F.p, get them back. The F.p. jabs them back with his spear. Henry, no. No. This one. Her. She's a loud out, Lucien said so.

Henry points to naughty. Jacob, sarcastic, is that so? Henry, yeah. She's my. Pauses, she's my concubine. Nottie's shocked by Henry's words. Concubine. Jacob, really?

This one. Jacob takes a better look at Nottie. Jacob, so enteed well, how about that? She is a beauty, ain't she? To F.P, all right. Open the gate. Let this one out, will you? The F.p opens the gate.

Noddy, no. Henry's taken back by Nottie's defiance, even Jacob stays put. Noddy, siltid I'm staying in here. Henry, Noddy, it's okay. You'll be safe out. Noddy, I don't care. I'm staying here with my family, and I'm not going to be anyone's concubine. Henry stares at Nottie, pleads her.

Jacob, Bowie. how about that this n asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk s got a pair of big ones on her believe me i should know to f dot p all right let's shove her up the f dot p closes the cage jacob so enteeed henry i think it's time we show you to your hotel suite how that sound jacob pulls henry away with him, as Henry turns back to Nottie. Henry, Noddy, I'm sorry. Noddy watches as Henry's escorted away. They keep their eyes on each other. Moses, you see? All of you, you see. I told you that motherfucker should never have come. And look at him now. We're locked up in here, no better than slaves and he's out there with his own fucking kind. Nottie peers out the cage, motionless. Nottie, it's not his fault. Moses, not his fault. Nottie, wake up. Your boyfriend's

a fucking racist. Just look at him. Nottie, devastation takes over her. Moses, so entee, O. dot us all close and personal with M. It makes me sick. The door to the outer cabin bursts open. Two FPs drag tie out, shirt ripped. They bring and throw him back into the cage with the others. Jerome, Ty. Are you all right, man? Shantal, Ty. It's okay.

We're here for you. Tai's silent, motionless, like Nottie. Ingrid comes out from the outer cabin. She adjusts her dress, appears satisfied. Moses, that evil bitch. Nottie's attention is now on Ty, tears in her eye. She grabs his hand, gives Ty a hint of a smile, as if to say, it's okay. Fade to, int slash Ext dark void, no time, fade in, we live as we dream, alone.

While the dream disappears, the life continues painfully, Joseph Conrad, fade to, Ext jungle, day. In the dimly lit jungle, a native woman walks, carrying a baby in her arms. The woman cries out hysterically, deeply troubled. In Lin Gala, she appears to talk to someone, maybe her god, or maybe just herself. Her child looks sickly pale, as it joins in the crying. Rustlings now hurt around them. The woman stops. Her eyes red from tears.

She scopes around in circles, paranoid. She tries quieting her baby, which makes an excruciating noise, giving up their whereabouts. The rustling continues. Beat. The woman then turns to a man, grabs her, wraps his arms around her waist. She screams out in fear. Two more men come out from the trees to help control her. All three men wear long white robes and turbans on their heads. Their faces covered up, where only their eyes are seen. One of them rips the baby from the mother's arms. She screams out for it, while the other two drag her away into the jungle. Cut to, int. Henry's cabin, day, Ruben, O. That S. Henry. Henry wakes. Startled, to see Rubin above him.

Ruben, so indeed get up. Jacob wants to see you. Ext. Fort, continuous. Henry follows Rubin on the pathway towards the huts, where waits Jacob, FPs around him. They all turn to Henry as he approaches. Henry stops, waits for Jacob to speak. Jacob, did you happen to hear any commotion last night, son? Everyone eyes Henry, as if interrogating him. Henry, no, no, I. I didn't. I didn't hear anything. Jacob stares intensely at Henry, suspicious even. Jacob, well, ain't that a shame.

Jacob and the FPs move aside, to reveal two F.P soldiers laid in a pool of blood. Henry becomes woozy from the sight of this. Jacob, silenteed these two were supposed to be on watch last night. We found them this way this morning. This one's been stabbed to death with his own damn knife, and this one's had his brains bashed in. Useless fucking monkeys. Beat.

Henry, who, who? Jacob, who did this? Well, we ain't exactly the only things out here, son. And you might a thought we were bad. Two FP's start to drag away one of the dead ones, when, f.p. Hashtag one, uh. A long, agonizing groan comes out of the dead f.p, not dead yet. Jacob, so entee damn it. The son of a bitch is still breathing.

To his men, get him up. The two FPs sit F.p. H.T.1. Upwards. He's barely even conscious. Jacob, so enteeed, look at me. Look at me. Who did this? Who did this? Was it them? Did they do this? No reply. F.p. hashtag one instead look straight ahead, at Henry. Lock's eyes with him. Jacob, so enteeed hey. Jacob grabs F.P hashtag 1's head, makes him stay on him. Jacob, so entee'd look at me, you fucking monkey. I will carve out your skull and use it to drink your own blood if you don't tell me who did this.

F.p. hashtag 2, into scene, Lieutenant. Lieutenant. Jacob turns to F.p. hashtag 2. Jacob, what? F.p. hashtag 2, subtitles, in Lin, gala, a slave has escaped. The white woman. She has gone. Jacob, white woman. What in God's name are you talking about? E.T. Fort, middle cage, moments later, at the BADS cage. Jacob, so enteed, stomps cage, get up. Get up. Where is she? Where's the C. asterisk, asterisk, asterisk.

Beth, cries, we don't know. Moses, we do know, man. Two of your guys took her last night, and they never brought her back. Jacob now puts the pieces together. Back to, the pathway, where f.p. hashtag 1 is now carried away towards a hut. Jacob, to f.ps, hey, you bring him over here now. The two FPs do just that, at Jacob's feet. Jacob, Soanteed put him down.

Jacob, a hand on his sword handle, removes the blade from the sheath, sharp and curved. With one strike, Jacob lobs off the head of f.p. hashtag 1. It rolls around on the floor. Henry, having witnessed this, tries his best not to throw up, from the shock of it. Jacob, Soentied, to F.P, put it up with the others, would you? to Ruben, Ruben You better go find that see asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. To be continued.

Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Exte jungle, day, we're back amongst the jungle, away from camp. Peaceful The distant sound of bird calls. calls, when out from the trees comes, Angela. She limps painfully on a blood-soaked leg, bandaged in a ripped piece of her shirt. She glistens with sweat. She comes to a stop, gasps crisply. Looks around at the identical trees and greenery, clearly has no idea where she's going, before she

limps off again. Exte, outside Fort, Day, the B-A-D-S and other slaves have all been brought outside the fort walls. All connected by rope tied around their necks, making a long chain. In three rows they're made to dig in front of the impaled skeletons. Most of the slaves have wooden spades, while others dig with bare hands. F.p.p soldiers watch over them, with those who don't dig fast enough with their chichots, hippohide whip. Henry keeps close eyes on naughty, as he stands beside Jacob from afar. Henry, where's Lucian? Jacob, why?

You want to ask him something. Beat, he likes to keep to himself inside his cabin. He don't like me and Ruben much, you see. Henry, why? Jacob, I ain't sure. Might be because we killed all the Negro kids at his missionary post. But, that was all a hundred years ago, I doubt he still holds a grudge. Henry, so, you're all really a hundred years old, then.

Jacob, that's right. Something like that. Henry, but, how's that possible? Jacob looks down to Henry. Jacob, what? Lucian not tell you about that. Henry shakes, no. Jacob, so indeed all right.

Pay attention. Picks up stick, draws in dirt, this is our camp, where we're at. now. Draws big circle, and this is the circle, which we're all trapped in. Once you enter the circle, draws line, you can never escape, no matter how hard you try, no matter how far back you go the way you came in. And now you're here for good. Henry looks in complete disbelief, yet, it all makes sense to him now. Jacob, so enteed son. Don't worry, that ain't such a bad thing. Turns out there's a god here, a very powerful god. You've seen him, right? The idol? The idol in the courtyard? That's him. And he's been here for a very, very long time. And as you can see,

time don't exist out here, so we live for as long as we want. We're immortal. If anything, we're the gods. Henry observes around, at the slaves, the skeletons and heads on the wall. Henry, what else is in here? Jacob, what's that? Henry, you said that you weren't the only things out here. What, what other things? Intercut with, Angela, still surrounded by jungle. She again comes to a halt, forced to rest against a tree.

She sucks air in desperately, almost on the verge of tears. Jacob, oh, that's you're right. We ain't the only things out here. Angela begins to calm down. When, Angela, ah, an arrow shoots out from the jungle, through Angela's hand and into the tree. Angela clutches the arrow, tries desperately to pull it out, panics, bends the arrow every way. Back to, Jacob, a long time ago, there was a small, undiscovered kingdom here, right where we stand now. But then, me, Ruben and our boys came along.

Back to, Angela, as she fails to remove the arrow from her hand, blood oozes out. Rustlings then hurt around her. She alerts instantly to it. Jacob O.S. Soanteed whoever we didn't kill, we made slaves, and whoever we didn't make slaves ran deep into the jungle. Her hand remained stuck. Angela looks around her like a cornered animal, when, Red Silhoots now reveal themselves from behind the surrounding trees. Rusling continues. Jacob, O. D.S., so indeed we made a whole lot of enemies here.

Whoever survived our wrath, they formed themselves a new tribe, well, that's what we call them, the tribe. The silhouettes seem to come from all directions, even out the treetops. They're like red demons. Jacob, O. Dada's, so indeed evil sons of bitches. They worship the same God as us, but believe him to be a woman, a mother, or something. But, they are far worse than us, believe me. The things they're capable of, you couldn't imagine. The silhouettes can now be seen more clearly. Too clearly. They're extremely tall. Long legs and arms. Bodies painted the color of blood, with tribal markings, lines,

dots, arrows, all over. Black manis around the shoulders. Their faces hide behind monsters. Their faces hide behind monstrous native masks. Some masks expose their mouths for ears, reveal ginormous round piercings. Others have extremely long, sharp-looking nails slash claws, while others carry spears and bows. Back to, Henry, frighteningly curious, why? What do they do? Back to, Angela, now surrounded on all sides, as the red figures begin to move in on her. Angela, no. Stay away. In desperation, Angela snaps off the arrow's end, pulls out her hand. With the arrow piece, she tries to defend herself, lunges at one of the tall, red fiends towering over her, she's too slow. The fiend grabs her by both arms, as the others now move in.

Angela, silen teed no. Stop. Get off me. Two more figures now grab a hold of her, as they begin to drag Angela away. Angela, so enteeed ah, no. Angela's legs scraped through the ground. Her screams are still heard as she and them vanish back into the green inferno of the jungle. Jacob, oh that us every damn thing imaginable, they eat the flesh of man, then they'll make

shields out of his skin, and in special ceremonies to what they think is their God, they'll even drink his blood. Cut to, Angela. Now in a different part of the jungle, less green and and more wood brown. She sits, stares ahead, unblinking. Motion comes only from her heavy breaths. A long red arm comes in, hand as big as Angela's head, to grasp it firmly, as another hand holds a blade and begins to slice across Angela's forehead. Makes a long, oozing red line. Angela tries her best not to scream, but the pain is unbearable. Angela, ah. Back to, Henry.

unresponsive, yet, from his reaction, terrified beyond belief. Jacob, Silenteed they have a leader, a sort of pagan, voodoo priest. I met him once. Scary-looking thing, he is. They call him, the Woot. Henry contemplates this name, the Woot, as if familiar to him. Jacob, Silentied, it's a good thing we found you before they did, son. It's white flesh they love the most.

Beat. Henry looks concertedly back to Jacob. Now with the BADS. They dig up the ground with other slaves, appear to make a ditch. Shuntall has to use her hands. Moses digs, yet keeps his attention on Henry, still talking with Jacob. Beth, cries, but, why would she leave? Why without me? Noddy, it would have been too dangerous, surely. Our cage is right. next to where they sleep. Beth, but she was in the military. She was trained for that sort of thing. Chantal, I can't, I can't dig anymore.

Look at my nails. Nottie, Chan, here. Passes her spade, it's okay. We can take turns. Nottie now digs with her hands, a natural. Beat. Chantal, is Henry really one of them now? Nottie, of course not.

He doesn't want to be here any more than we do. Jerome, dude seems to be doing pretty good to me. Noddy looks over to Henry, as Jacob now shows off his sword. T.Y.E. They didn't want to come here, you know. Nottie, what? T.Y.E. Henry and Angela, they didn't want to come after you guys. Only reason they did was because I made them. Moses, my n asterisk asterisk asterisk, asterisk. Beth continues to cry. Noddy stops digging. Nottie, that's not true. Is it? Tye now holds his eyes on Nottie. T.Y. I warned you

about the guy. Right? Noddy looks over again to Henry, so distant from her now. When, a male slave comes right behind Nottie, throws her down on her back. mumbles in Lingala. Still tied by neck, he pulls those tied to him forward as he now tries choking her, as if his life depends on it. Shantal, Nottie, T.Y.E. Nottie. Nottie, to slave, get off me. Chantal and Ty try to pull the slave off Nottie, but he's surprisingly strong, scrapes Nottie's arms. An F.P on guard comes in, whips the slave over and over. He carelessly catches naughty, she screams out, left with a gash right through the back of her shirt.

Henry, hey! Henry races over to confront the FP. Henry, Silenteed, what do you think you're fucking doing? Henry pushes the F.P off his feet, who drops the chickup. Henry picks it up. Stans over the F.P, who just stares up at him. Henry, Silen Teet touch her again, and I'll fucking kill you. Eyes on Henry, the F.P secretly reaches for his knife, before.

Jacob, O. S. Hey. Jacob storms over to the commotion. Jacob, so enteed, what the hell's going on? Why has everybody stopped working? To F.P.S., get them back to work. To Henry, Henry, what's the trouble? The F.P that whipped noddy speaks to Jacob in Lin-Gala, points to the slave that attacked her. J.A.B. Silenteed is that true, son. Did this black piece of vermin attack your woman?

Noddy, no, he was just confused. Jacob, shut up. To Henry, son, if it did that, then it's got to have to pay the piper. You already got the chikot in your hand, go ahead. Use it. To f.ps, bring that here, now. Two FPs unloosened the rope around the slave's neck, they bring him over to Henry. Jacob, Soentid, hold him out. They hold him down on his front. Jacob, Sillentied, to Henry, go ahead, son. Henry, has the chikot in his hand. He looks down at the slave, helpless.

Jacob, Sillentied, what's the matter with you? Do it already. Henry, no. I. Jacob, what? Not good enough. All right, here. Jacob pulls out his sword.

Puts it into Henry's hands. FPs move the slave to his knees, facing Henry. Jacob, so enteed use this. Your first act is one of us, taking this monkey's head clean off. Henry, no. No, please. I can't. Jacob, what do you mean, you can't?

Can't. Do you want to be one of us or not? Henry, shouts, I didn't ask to be here. Jacob smacks Henry with the back of his hand, right across the face. Henry falls to the ground. Jacob picks back him up. Jacob, look at me. Look at me, you useless fucking Brit. Henry comes to tears. Jacob, see only t, you're going to go pick up that sword, you're going to cut off that African's head, then you're going to personally hang it up there on top that wall. Do you understand me? Henry, cries, I can't. I can.

Jacob smacks Henry again. This time draws blood. Jacob, look. Look. I'll even make it easy for you. Jacob now marches over to Nottie. He grabs her by the hair. Noddy, ah.

He removes the rope around Noddy's nose. neck and drags her forward. Jacob, I'll give you two choices. You either kill that monkey, or I'll whip your an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, women till she ain't breathing no more. So, what's IT going to be? Jacob rips the back of Nottie's shirt, exposes her bear, bleeding back. Henry, no. No. Jacob, pick it up. Pick it up. Henry picks up the sword. He stands back over the knelt slave, now speaks to himself, as if praying. Cries from the B. A. D.S. are heard in the background. Jacob, Siamt. That's I. T.

Do it. Henry raises the sword with two hands, not even sure how to wield it. Nottie scrunches her eyes away, can't watch. Jacob, Sontid, do it. Do it now. Do it, or I'll, Moses, I'll do it. I'll kill him. Let me do it. Jacob's brought to silence.

Henry stands, eyes closed, unaware he still holds up the sword. Jacob rages over to Moses, raises the chikot in his hand. Jacob, what you say, an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Moses, I can do it. I can kill him. It can be my initiation, for joining your army. Moses cowers, expects to be whipped. Jacob, you want to join my ranks.

Moses, look at me, man. I strong. I'm fast. I even kill the guy, once. Jerome, what? Jacob, is that right? Moses, yeah. Back in Atlanta.

Jacob, Atlanta. Are you telling me you're a joyous? Georgia boy an asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk moses yeah my dad's a pastor in Woodacresview Jacob shocked well how about that a Georgia an asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk all right let's see what you can do boy you say you can kill this monkey well what are you waiting for? Go right ahead. Here. Jacob removes the rope around Moses' neck, who now goes over to Henry. Moses, give me that damn sword. Jacob, hey, an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Don't you dare think about touching my sword. To f.p. you. Give him that.

An f.p. gives over his machete to Moses. He now stand. over the slave. Moses, to slave, under breath, he shall wipe away every tear. There shall be no more death, mourning, or pain, for the old order of things shall pass. Jacob, hey, an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Moses looks back to Jacob. Jacob, so indeed I want you to split him right here. Points to head, right down the middle. You ain't afraid of brains, are you? And an asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk moses to himself i ain't afraid of nothing the slave looks up to moses shows no sign of fear as if already embraced death jacob then do it already moses a deep breath And then, Moses, ah, he strikes down the slave, right between the eyes, splits his head open. Blood sprays all over Moses' shirt and face.

Henry, Nottie and the other B-A-D-S look away. Jacob, Wu. That's what I'm talking about. Boy, I wish I had ten of your kind under my ranks. Just imagine what I could do. Nottie, Chantal and Beth are in tears once again. Henry's on the ground, stares ahead at the slave's gaping head, now more acquired to witnessing death. Jacob, so enteed, to F.P, go fetch him a uniform.

To other F.t.s, get them back to work. An F.p. pulls a motionless Moses by the arm, back towards the fort. Henry now looks to Nottie, having curled herself into a fragile ball. He goes over to console her. Henry, NAD, Noddy, don't touch me. Nottie flings Henry's hand away, before slowly makes back over to the Tide B-A-D-S. She puts the rope over her neck, and gets back to work. Henry watches Noddy as she resumes digging, before turns his eyes up to see, Lucian.

He stares down at Henry from top the wall. Henry stares back, furiously, why let this happen? Before Lucian disappears out of sight. Jacob O. dot s that Georgia and asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk will be painting his face white one of these days. Intercut slash int. Cabin, night, Henry, somehow finds sleep. Torches from outside the cabin make him somewhat visible.

Intercut with, a burning native hut in the jungle. Flames wrap fiercely around it. Back to, Henry, Now winces with every breath. Back to, the jungle. Intense fire now burns in B.K, as another native woman is dragged away, this time by two F.P soldiers. She screams out in horror. Henry stirs at this sequence.

Sweat now visible on his face. Intercut with, Henry now dreams of a native village. Huts burn all around. More women are dragged off by FPs, screams and children's cries heard. Directing this horror is Jacob. Beside him, a line of FPs, rifles out. Jacob, so enteeed fire. The FPs fired directly at a group of villagers, men, women, children, gunned down. Now, the aftermath. Silence all around. Huts burnt to a crisp. Severed hands of the same villagers are thrown into large baskets.

The native villagers now lay dead outside their charcoal huts. Shot down slash hacked to death. Every one of them missing hands. Int. Henry's cabin, morning, bang, bang, bang. Henry wakes in his typical fashion, to hear a gathering outside. On the other side of the door, he sees the feet of an FP knocks again. Extee, Fort, continuous.

Henry steps outside his cabin to meet the FP. He looks down past him to see Jacob, surrounded by his men. All waiting for Henry. Jacob, Soanteed, sees Henry, son. Good, you're up. It's time we showed you how we hunt these forests. You ever hunt anything in your precious England? Exte, jungle, later, Henry, Jacob and the F.P, which now consists of Moses,

and also Jerome. They all walk among the trees of the jungle. FPs ahead, all armed with spears, bows and arrows. Henry, to Jacob, what is it you're hunting? Jacob, well, that depends. Henry, on what? Jacob, on what are God's offering on the menu today? Could be antelope.

Could just be monkey, or it could be a whole lot bigger. Henry scans around at the seemingly uninhabited surroundings. Henry, concerned, how much bigger? F.p. hashtag 3.0.S. To Jacob, boss. Boss. Jacob, to Henry, son, come on. Jacob heads up front where he's being called. Henry reluctantly follows. Now up front. FPs move aside for Jacob and Henry to see, footprints. Ginormous and round. Jacob kneels down to inspect. Jacob, so enteed well, I'll be damned.

To F.P.S., it's been a while, ain't it? Henry stares at the footprints. Now realizes what they're hunting. Moments later, all quiet as Jacob's hunting party move carefully through low-lying bush. The FPs in stalking mode. Beat. The FPs now come to a halt. Signal to Jacob.

Jacob, so enteeed, grabs Henry, whispers, there. You see it? Jacob points ahead. Henry tries intriguingly to see what it is, able to make out movement among the trees, accompanied by snapping of branches. Henry, whispers, what is it? Jacob, just keep looking. Henry looks.

Finally makes it out. It's huge, and gray. Jacob gives the signal for the FPs to move. on. Jacob, Silentee you're about to see something truly extraordinary here, son. The F. p.s., now tiny specks among the jungle, moving ever closer to the behemoth thing in the distance. Jacob and Henry watch on silently in anticipation. Beat. Then, the sound of faint yells from the FPs, followed by loud agonizing groans from the gray beast, almost heard for miles. The FPs follow the groans and what Henry sees as a continuous line of moving trees.

Jacob, so enteed, runs, come on. Henry follows Jacob. Now closer to the action. F.P yells continue. Arrows are shot alongside the stabbing of flesh. The beast's groans now more shrill and heartbreaking. Henry halts, as he watches on as the beast now falls silent. Cheers from FPs now take up the scene.

Henry's POV, the cheering FPs now hold up their spears in triumph, on top of a giant dead animal. On its side. Covered in blood and arrows. On further inspection, this beast has a trunk, large white tusks, and patches of brown fur upon rough grayish skin. It's a mammoth. Henry, holy shit. Jacob, I know. it's a beauty ain't it never seen a beast this big before to f dot p s good job boys now get to work

you know the drill f dot p's now start to hack off the mammoth's tusks with machetes getting stuck and pulled out with a struggle other fps cut holes into the mammoth's tough skin blood leaks out to be collected in buckets others hack off chunks of meat Moses and Jerome, in awe of the mammoth, try to join in. Ruben, O. S. Jacob. Everyone turns to the sound of Ruben's voice, as he pushes through bush and branch with 4F.PS. Jacob, Rubin. What the hell are you doing here?

You got the chink. Ruben, shakes, no, I lost the tracks. The jungle must have changed course. Beat. Jacob, well. She's their problem now. I hope they like the taste of chink. Ruben approaches.

His attention instantly on the mammoth. Ruben, pleased, what is this? Jacob, it's a beauty, ain't it? When's the last time we hunted one of these? Moses, get back. All of you. Just get back. Jerome, get back.

Moses, out of nowhere, grabs Henry. holds a knife to his throat as Jerome guards them with a spear. Jacob, what the hell do you an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, think you're doing. Moses, stay back. I swear to God, I'll cut his throat. He's your golden boy, right? Jacob, listen to me, you fucking and I, Moses, no.

You listen, n asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. You're all going to drop your weapons or I'm going to bleed this bitch out. And I ain't playing. Mimics Jacob, so, what's it going to be? Henry, in pain, a.H. Moses digs the knife deeper into Henry's neck, draws blood. Jacob, all right. All right.

If that's how you wanted, an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. To others, all of you. put down your bows and spears. Go on now. Beat. The FPs and Rubin reluctantly put down their weapons. Moses, right, now all of you. Turn your asses around. Beat. Nobody moves. Jerome, so indeed what? You didn't hear the man. Turn your asses around. Jacob, they'll only obey me, you stupid n asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk to others all right you heard m turn around all of you everyone turns around reuben you do not touch him an asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk moses shut up to everyone now all of you on your knees do it jerome do it

Jacob, just do what the n asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk say. Everyone goes on their knees. Moses, a right. Now, that's how I like it. To Jerome, ain't that how do you like it, Rome? Jerome, yeah. It is. Jacob, you won't like it when I make you eat your own fucking entrails, n asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk.

Moses, shut up. Silence now takes over. Everyone remains still, eyes meet. Henry, at the mercy of Moses' knife, has no idea what's going to happen next, genuinely fearful for his life. Then, Moses, so indeed Rome now. Moses and Jerome run for their life. Henry sees them go, instinctively joins after them, without thinking, now the time to escape. Jacob, turns around, after them.

Every F.P rises quickly to their feet, pick up weapons and follow in the three's direction. Moses, Jerome and Henry, they leg IT as fast as possible. Moses, to Jerome, just run. Don't look back. Moses and Jerome are now well ahead of Henry, lags behind. FPs seem faintly in the background, on Henry's heels. Moses and Jerome now leave Henry to the wind, when. Jerome falls, Big H. Jerome's foot falls straight into a small bamboo-like trap.

Wooden spikes pierce through. Jerome, Silenteed ah. Jesus Christ. Moses stops. Turns back to Jerome. Moses, Rome. Moses now has a decision to make, to stay or run. He sees the FPs right behind Henry. He makes the decision. Moses, so andete I'm sorry, man. I'm sorry. Jerome M.O. Moses, runs, I'm sorry. Henry now races past Jerome. Slows down and looks back to him, yet also chooses to continue. Jerome, cries, each Jerome's foot. Two spikes have gone straight through, one into the ankle. Looks excruciating. Jerome, so and T. Jesus help me. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey

into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Exte, jungle, continuous. Moses and Henry exhaustedly continue the escape. Glide around trees and duck under branches. Henry struggles to stay with him. They now come to a stop. catch whatever breath they can back. Henry falls to the floor. Moses, exhausted, holy shit. Ro, man. Fuck.

Henry, exhausted, what? What now? Moses, we get out of here, that's what. Henry, no. No, you don't understand. We can't leave. Moses. Moses.

I just, got to keep moving. Henry, Moses. What about the others? Noddy end. Moses, man, fuck the others. There ain't nothing we can do. Breathe's, I just left my best friend for dead. So, you do what you want.

I got nothing to do with you anyway. Henry, Moses. We have to stick together. Moses, no, we don't. They'll be looking for you. You can lead them away. Moses starts to walk off. Henry, no.

You don't fucking understand. We can't leave this place. Moses. There's no escape. Beat. Moses stops. Turns back to Henry. Moses, what the hell you're talking about?

Henry, breath back, what happened to the way you came in? When those men made you and the others go through that fence. Moses recollects. Moses, it. Moses, well, how do you know we can't get out? Moses now looks extremely nauseous. They both do. Moses, so, that's it.

We're just trapped in circles. Nah, nah, I ain't believing that shit. That's messed up. Henry, that's messed up. Moses, we just saw a fucking mammoth. In a fucking jungle. Why is this so hard for you to get? Moses, because I can't accept that I'm stuck here, all right.

With them. With my friends getting raped and killed. Henry, wait, what? What did you say? Moses, what? You telling me you didn't see shit. What that psycho white woman did to tie? What they did to the others?

Henry, no. Wait. What? What did they do? What did they do to Nottie? Moses, sympathetic, you really didn't know. Oh, you dumb motherfucker. Henry, no.

Fucking tell me. What did they do to her? Moses. Knows he just opened a can of worms. Henry, Tseon Tid tell me. Moses, man. What do you think they did? Henry.

Hit right in his core. Leans forward. Can't breathe. He now begins to cry, basically dry heaves. Moses, so and he dude. Come on, we ain't got time for this shit. They're going to catch us. Come on.

Henry, cries, oh God. Moses grabs Henry by the shirt. Pulls him forward. Henry walks, in a state of shock. Moses right behind. He looks at Henry, for the first time, with compassion. Exte, jungle, later. Henry and Moses now move at a speedy pace, as far away from Jacob and the others as possible.

Moses stops. Moses, so and T this is bullshit. Why we walking if we know we can't escape? Henry, what else are we supposed to do? Find Angela. Moses, you know what? I really hope we do, because that girl knows how to handle herself. Henry, that's if the other tribe haven't gotten to her first. Moses, what other tribe? Beat. Henry gives Moses a few seconds. Henry, there's this tribe, out here somewhere. Long story short, they're cannibals. Moses, fuck.

Henry, well, that's what Jacob told me. Beat. Moses, so, not only can we never escape this jungle, but now we have to deal with racist colonial slavers and cannibal tribesmen. It's like cowboys and Indians in here. Throws arms up, what? Anything else I need to know? Henry scans around the jungle, to think of potential threats.

Henry, booby traps. That's how they caught me. Ty and Angela, and whatever. Jerome stepped in. Beat. Moses looks to the treetops. Moses, did y'all not check the top? Henry, what?

Moses, the top the trees. Did y'all not think to check up there? See if you could spot a way out or whatever. Henry's silence implies they didn't. Moses, so enteeed then, what we waiting for. Come on. Moses approaches a large tree, and just like that, starts climbing. Henry, what?

You want us to climb up there. Moses, you got any better ideas? You said yourself, we ain't safe down here. At least up there we can see where we are, look for a way out. Come on. Henry watches as Moses climbs the tree with ease. Skeptical to join him. Moses, C-O-N-T dude.

You coming or not? Henry, okay. Hold on. I just. I'm not good with these sorts of heights. Henry approaches the tree. Extee, tree, moments later, now high up in the tree. Moses climbs with no fear.

Henry, however, has a clear case of vertigo, can't stop looking down, sees there a long way up. Henry, so indeed, um. How much more is there to climb? Moses, I don't know. Half. Beat. Henry, Moses? I don't think I can climb anymore.

Moses, whatever. Just stay there. I'm good. Henry, are right. Cheers. Moses, to himself, pussy. Henry steps carefully onto a large, steady branch. sits down with his back against the tree.

Now far more relaxed, he begins to breathe better. Ext tree, dusk. Henry remains on the branch, barely able to keep his eyes open. Beat. He becomes alert, as movements heard from the shaking branches above. It's Moses. Having returned, he climbs down. Sits opposite Henry on the same branch.

He doesn't say a word. Beat. Moses, sileneteed I couldn't find shit. Henry, a way out. Moses, the top the tree. It just keeps going and going. That thought dazes Henry. Henry, shit. Beat. Moses, just say it, man. Just say it. We're fucked. Henry doesn't want to, but, Henry, yeah. Yeah, we are. Both men. Both men, now look defeated and surprisingly calm. Henry, Silentee thank you for killing that man, by the way. I just, couldn't do it. Even when he threatened to hurt naughty. Moses, I don't want to talk about that. Henry, a right. Beat, well, thanks then for not killing me when you had the chance. Touch his neck cut, I actually thought you were going to do it in all. Beat.

Moses, I wanted to. Henry looks to Moses. Henry, huh. Moses, the thought of killing you, it, excited me. And when I killed that guy, I, I just felt so, powerful. Shamefully, it was like a drug or something. Henry's astounded by this. Moses, still indeed I was just doing what I had to, you know, what I had to do to survive, to get away. and look where that got me. By the way Henry looks at Moses, we can't tell if he judges or feels sorry for him. Henry, that's why I couldn't kill him, that man. I was that excited by the thought of taking his life that, it completely scared me out of it. Moses turns up at Henry, with relief. Henry, Silentee mate, that's not us that thinks that way. It's the jungle,

the circle, I mean. It must bring out our worst impulse. or something. Why else would we get turned on by something like that? Moses, shakes head, nah, man. Beat, I think it brings out who we truly are, on the inside. Like when you're high or intoxicated. This theory worries Henry. Moses, so indeed I'm sorry, by the way. For just being a dick. I get it, man, you just want it to be with your girl. I get it. Henry, well, I'm sorry I ruined your black utopia. Moses, yeah. Some black utopia, huh?

Both men find amusement in this, as if finally on the same page. Moses, so indeed get some rest, man. I'll keep first watch. Henry, nah. That's a right. I feel like staying up anyway. Moses nods to Henry. Moses, cool.

Moses moves to a more secure part of the tree to sleep. Henry rests his head back. Sighs Stares out at the growing darkness ahead, into nothing. Fade out. Int slash Exte dark void, no time. Fade in. The mind of man is capable of anything, because everything is in it, all the past as well as the future, Joseph Conrad.

Fade to, Ext tree slash jungle, night. pitch black barely able to make out Henry and Moses asleep an orange light now exposes them from down below Moses slowly wakes to notice it oh shit a light he goes over to Henry Moses silen teed whispers Henry no answer Henry still no answer Moses kicks him Henry ugh awake what moses look down henry looks sees a moving line of orange light henry whispers oh shit who is it moses i dunno henry well what do we do moses i do know just stay the fuck quiet both men fall silent stay extremely still as if visible from this high up The orange light slowly evaporates, moving away. Henry and Moses breathe once again.

Henry, sighs, thank God. Beat. Movements now heard around them. Creaking of branches underweight. Something's in the tree with them. Henry and Moses share a look of tension. Moses, it's probably a monkey or something. Then, a purring growl.

Heard right above Moses' head. Henry and Moses stiffen. Eyes locked. A look of terror on Henry's face as his eyes wander up, before. Henry, ah. Moses, oh shit. Henry snatched off the branch by something. Henry, help.

It drags him down the tree by his shirt. Moses, Henry. Something else takes Moses, drags him down also. Moses, so and Tidah shit. Henry collides against numerous branches, scrapes his body all over, Y-E-L-L-S in pain and fear. The same happens to Moses. Now at the bottom. Whatever had Henry now lets him fall to the ground, face first, thud. Henry squirms. Another growl. Henry reacts.

Crawls back against the roots of the tree. Cornered in. Now heard is the other commotion. Moses falls down too, in front of Henry. The four feet of whatever brought Moses down leap to the forest floor, spots on its hind legs. Henry pulls Moses back against the tree, as growlings heard once again, from more than one beast. The orange light returns, to reveal underflamed torches, the force public. They watch on it what's happening, as, from the beast's POV, Henry and Moses, visible from the torches, fear, and terror stretched on their faces. Growls continue.

Both men now turn their heads away. Eyes shut. Believe this to be the end, as two leopards now arch over them. They snarl with razor teeth. Inches away from their faces. The leopards back off. Henry and Moses slowly open their eyes to see why they haven't perished, as other noises are now heard OS.

The leopard sound to be in great action. agony. Grones. Sound of bones cracking. Predatorial growls slowly become more and more primate. The sounds now give way to reveal, Jacob and Rubin. They rise from the ground. Naked. Gasp heavily. The F. p.s. torches expose their gleaming white skin. Henry and Moses stare up to them, amazed, do not believe their eyes. Jacob, ain't you in a word? of hurt now, boy. Exte, Jungle, Day, Jacob and Rubin march with the FPs around Henry and Moses, hands tied, pulled forward by rope. Moses looks terrified, knows he's in a world of trouble. Jacob, so indeed, to Henry, if only you knew how special you really are, boy, you wouldn't be

running off into the jungle with an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, and being a gigantic pain in my ass. Well, Lucian's had his patience with you, we all have. When we get back, you're going to find out exactly who you are, if you damn like it or not. To Moses, as for you, big boy. Graves his hair, we've got something really special planned for you when we get back. Ain't that right, Reuben, I cannot wait. Later, they now pass the dead mammoth, only it no longer has tusks, or much of anything.

a fleshy skeleton. Henry stares, haunted by it as they go past. Ext.T. Fort, later, the returning party and their two captures now enter through the fort's gates to the inside. On top of the wall, the severed head of Jerome. Impaled among the others. Exte Fort, Continuos, they now approach the cabins and cages. Nottie, Chantal and Beth see Henry and Moses with them. Noddy, Relo. leave, oh, thank God. He's okay. By the cabins is Ingrid. She strides towards them, towards Henry. Ingrid, you brought him back. Oh, praise B. She inspects Henry's state. Caresses the cuts on his cheek, before she slaps him across the face. Ingrid, still entied

why would you leave us? You foolish boy. We are your family. Why abandon you? You abandon U.S. Ruben, perhaps he does not like us. Jacob, hey. Jacob points with his knife, into Tye's direction. Jacob, silen teed what's this an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, doing out of his cage. Ingrid goes to Ty. Ingrid, I set him free. Jacob, and why would you do that, you crazy bitch? Ingrid, all of you have your whores. free to roam as they please. She moves behind Ty, who appears zombie-like, as she caresses his shoulders. Ingrid, Silenteed why cannot mind.

Jacob, because he'll try and escape. Ingrid, he will not. I swear it. Jacob, oh yeah. You just wait and see till that happens. T.Y. I'll kill them. Beat. All turn to Ty.

T.Y. E. So indeed I'll kill either one of them. No questions asked. Henry and Moses share a look of fear and understanding. Jacob, oh, really. Jacob squares up to tie, eye to eye with him. Jacob, so indeed, and why is that? Ingrid, because, he wants to be with me. And I do not want him rotting away in that cage with the others.

Caresses Ty, I want him to be strong. beat. Jacob contemplates this. Jacob, all right. You want your own an asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, lover, Ingrid? Go ahead. But don't think he's joining the rest of my boys. I ain't going to have him slit our throats when we're all sleeping.

To tie, but if you truly want out of that cage, boy, you're going to have to earn it. T.Y.E. Anything to be with Ingrid. Jacob, well, ain't that sweet. Because it's right about capital punishment time for your friend over here. Turns to Moses, and you're going to whip his ass to death. Moses. Beyond terrified. Moses, wait, wait, no.

Please. Please, no. Noddy over hears all this. Nottie, no, no, no. Henry, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. Jacob, what? The only reason you're still alive, boy, is because Lucian thinks you're still the chosen one. And I ain't too sure no more.

Why else you so clueless to who you really are? You're not even a man. Too scared to kill just a.n asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk, asterisk. Henry's truly powerless. Jacob, Tzu and T, to F.P.S., stretch him out. Moses, no. Please. No. Three FPs force Moses to the ground. Face down. Noddy, no, Beth, please don't do this. Shuntall, stop. Jacob, shut them up. An F dot P bangs his spear against their cage. Jacob, silenteed alright, now strip him. Moses, stop. The FPs remove Moses' unit. down to nothing but skin. Jacob, here. Jacob passes Ty a chick-out. He looks at it in his hands.

Jacob, so enteed, when I give the command, you start whipping, don't you dare stop. Ty gets in position. The screams and pleads continue. Henry, Jacob, please. Don't do this. Naughty, no, Beth, stop, Shuntall, stop. Jacob, now strike. Ruben, stop. Stop. Wait. Tai halts the strike.

Jacob, to Ruben, what? Ruben, the punishment for desertion is the chikot, but he raised his knife to a white superior. Therefore, we take his hands. Beat. Jacob, you're right. I almost forgot about that. Moses, wait, what? No.

No, no. Ruben passes tie in F. P's machete. Moses begs for mercy o.s, as do Henry, naughty, Beth, and Chantal. Jacob, to F.PS, hold his hands out. Go on, get him, out. Moses, no. Please stop. Jacob, to tie, on my orders. Moses, no, naughty, no, Beth, no. Chantal, no. Henry, Jacob, no. Jacob, and strike. T.Y. Strikes, A.H. Moses, Ah. Tye swings the machete down towards the ground, cut straight through both Moses' hands. Takes off some of the wrist. Moses, silen t'a. Ah. Moses howls in pain. Blood quickly fills the ground around him. For F.

struggle to hold down his arms and legs. Henry, fucking hell. Noddy, Shuntall and Beth scream with horror, alongside Moses. Henry shuts his eyes at it all. Jacob sees this. Jacob, hey. To F. p.s, make the son of a bitch watch. Two FPs hold Henry's body forward. Jacob, Sivanteed, to tie, here. Jacob passes Ty the Chikot. Jacob, so indeed go on now. Finish the job. Tai raises the chikot.

Moses screams continue alongside the girls. Moses, oh God. Jacob, now strike, Lucian O.S. stop. Beat. Lucian. Now outside his cabin. He comes down to them, as Moses screams continue. Lucian, Silenteed Henry must do it. Henry, cries, no. No, no, no, I can't. Henry collapses to his knees.

Pleads to Lucian and Jacob. Henry, Silentid please, no. I can't. Lucian, calmly, Henry. Look at me. Look at me, Henry. Lucian raises Henry up, as if consoling him. Lucian, Silenteed, you must do this. You must prove yourself to us. Even Lord Christ had to prove his virtue to those not worthy of knowing. Henry, please. Lucian, rages, Henry, look at me. Lucian's tone changed just like that.

Lucian, Silen Teed, you will do this, otherwise, you lose ownership of your women. Allowing any man here to do with her as they please. Noddy heard, mortified. Henry, you evil fucking twats. Lucian, to Rubin, bring her out. Henry, no. No. Ruben stops, as Henry pulls away from Lucian.

Wipes away his tears as he tries to regain himself. He goes over to Ty. Beat. Henry holds out his arm, reluctantly signals for the chickup. Ty looks to Lucian. Lucian, give it to him. Tie hands Henry the Chiquot. He now goes over to Moses, whose screams have turned to silent shock. Moses tries his best to stay conscious. Breates in his own blood that circles around him. He now tries to pray with the stumps of his arms. Moses, stutters,

God forgive those who trace past against us. Lucian, to Henry, on my order, you shall strike his back. looks down to Moses, naked and shivering. Sweat gleams off his skin. Henry has the chikot in position, as he waits for Lucian's order. Beat. Then, Lucian, Silenteed strike. Moses, ah. Henry strikes the first blow. Moses YELPS back to life. Lucian, again. Henry pauses. Lucian, silenete again. Moses, ah. Henry strikes Moses again, met by the sound of flesh opening up. Lucian, again. A third strike. Moses, ah. Lusian, again. A fourth. Moses, ah. And a fifth. A sixth. And a seventh. Henry's completely lost it. He lashes Moses repetitively, even catches himself.

Insanity now present in Henry's eyes. Moses, silenidah. The lashing continues. The blood from Moses' back now splatters upon Henry's dirt-wrenched face. Nottie, Beth and Chantal watch on, powerless to stop this. Nottie, Henry stop. Beth, no, Shantal, stop. Nottie spectates tragically, at the man she loves become a product of all she hates.

Ingrid watches alongside Jacob and Rubin. Even she's repulsed by this. However, Jacob and Rubin enjoy every second. Lucian watches expressionless, unable to tell how he feels. Moses. He screams no longer. Face motionless. Eyes stare into nothing.

His body jerks as Henry continues to strike OS. Henry stops. Beat. Moses' back, completely ripped apart. Henry, also motionless. Blood covers him like condensation. The only movement comes from his rapid breaths. Noddy, Chantal and Beth have all curled into balls, cry on the cage floor.

Cover their eyes from the horror. Jacob, my! My! He really did it. Lucian slowly approaches Henry. He takes the chick-out from him. his hand. Henry doesn't notice, seems no longer with us. Lucian, good boy. Lucian now goes over to Jacob. Beat. Lucian, still enteeed we cannot wait any longer. We must prepare him for the ceremony.

Jacob nods to him, before Lucian returns towards his cabin. Jacob, to f.ps, take him to his cabin. Two FPs take a zombie like Henry away. His feet move, but his eyes are unblinking. Moses' lifeless body is dragged away O.S., leaving only a trail of blood. Noddy. Alone. Cries continue from behind her. She looks out from a cage, yet, like Henry, she is also now motionless.

Now, stares into nothing. Fade out. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Int slash Exte dark void, no time, fade in, they trespassed upon my thoughts. They were intruders whose knowledge of life was to me an irritating pretense, because I felt

so sure they could not possibly know the things I knew, Joseph Conrad, fade to, Extee, Fort, Evening, the bodies of both Moses and Jerome, headless, hung upside down. Moses' back covered in deep lash marks. Under the bodies are two wooden buckets filled up with blood. Intercut slash Exte Fort, Night. The fort is lit up by torches. In front of the icon, a square pit has been dug, resembles a shallow grave. At the very bottom, a human-shaped cross has been cut into it, as if sort of.

so a person can be placed inside. Lucian stands over the pit slash grave. Shirtless, blood handprints on his body in lines on his face. Walking towards him now on the fire outlined path is Jacob and Rubin, also shirtless and covered in handprints. They accompany Henry, in the middle of them. Cloaked in black fur. He wears a demonic-looking leopard mask, hiding his face. They now reach Lucian.

Jacob and Ruben remove the fur cloak, expose Henry in the nude. Henry's whole body is painted gold with black spots all over. The grinning leopard face is now adjoined to his leopard body. Jacob turns Henry around to embrace his stiff, motionless stature. Jacob, in ear, time to find out who you really are. Ruben now embraces Henry. Ruben, Subtitles, in French, Congratulations, Brother. leaving Henry with Lucian, the two follow away on the path to stand with Ingrid in a band of shirtless, blood-painted FPs, watching on at the spectacle. Nottie, Chantal and Beth spectate from a cage. Nottie's hands squeeze the wooden bars. Tye is sat obliviously against a wooden pole, tied to it by rope around his neck. Henry's blue eyes, behind the feline face. They stare straight through Lucian, into nothing.

Lucian, it is time, my child. Enter the pool of salvation. Lucian brings Henry down into the pit. Henry's too far gone to resist. Lucian places him into the cross-shaped hole, as if to be crucified. Two FPs come with the buckets of blood as they begin to fill the pit. The blood forms around Henry's body. Lucian turns to the spectators.

Lucian, Silenteed, shouts, what you are about to witness, is the acceptance of one of our own. Boy shall be rebirthed into man. A man who will guide us into a new future. A future that shall last a thousand centuries. It is the will of the Lord. Long may he reign. Jacob, shouts, long may he reign.

All, long may he reign. Beat. Lucian, let us begin. Drums now start to be banged rhythmically by members of the FP. The pit continues to fill with more buckets of blood, now covers most of Henry, spills into his mask. Henry begins to squirm. Lucian squelches back into the pit to hold Henry down. Lucian, Si'n'tee trust me, my child. Two other FPs pinned down Henry's hands into the cross with the butts of their spears. Lucian now holds Henry's head

under the blood bubbles form. Henry, not so far dawn now, begins to instinctively panic. Lucian, Silenteed, to F.PS, hold him. Lucian uses his whole body weight against Henry, as his legs kicked desperately. Lucian, Silenete hold him down. Large blood bubbles form out from Henry's mask. The blood's choking him. He blacks out. Intercut with, a young native woman.

in the jungle daylight a maternal feel about her outside her hut she kneels down to dig a small hole in the earth's ground she sings in lingala she now fills the hole with water from a clay jug continues to sing soothingly back to henry now conscious lucian again holds him under jacob waves his arms encourages the fps to dance Jacob, to f.ps, dance. Dance. The drums rhythm is even faster now, as FPs start dancing to the tribal beat. Jacob, Rubin, and Ingrid rejoice as this happens around them. Nottie looks on helplessly. Nottie, stop. You're killing him. Beth, so what?

Let them kill him. Nottie turns back to Beth. Beth, Silenteed, you saw. saw what he did to a mo. Lucien still has Henry under the red surface, as he continues to struggle. Henry again blacks out. Intercut with, the Woot. He's in distress. Lafters heard coming from, Jacob and Rubin. With helmets on. They watch over as 2 FPS nailed the Woot by his hands to a large tree, crucifying him. His small body a few feet off the ground. He's also bleeding from in between his legs. They've castrated him. Lucien is in BK. He doesn't watch,

yet deeply troubled by this. Back to, the young native woman. Her singing continues as she now breaks and grinds down several tiny clay human figures, some white, some black. She mixes the clay sediments into a bowl with water and other ingredients to make a paste. She now molds the paste into two new figures. Muddy gray in color. She puts them to dry on a large, boat-shaped leaf on the ground. Back to, Henry. Conscious again. The sound of drums is even faster. The dancing around now more of a frenzy. Feels very distorted. Jacob, faster. That's it. Faster. Faster the drummers beat and faster the dancers dance. Henry's body goes limp for a final time.

Cut to, int. Missionary Post, 1890s, Day, Lucian. Looks the exact same, except cleaner. He holds a baby tightly towards him as he scurries past native members of the missionary. He comes to a white man in Victorian clothing. The man gapes at the child. Lucian, take him. Before they find out,

Lucian hands the child over to the man. White man, English accent, I shall make sure he is cared for. Lucian removes his cross necklace and places it on top the child. The child, a mixed color of skin. And blue eyes. Cut to, intercut slash int. House, Oldham, England, Day, a seven-year-old Henry. Blue-eyed.

Very innocent looking. In the corridor of an. attached house. Nelt down to him is a middle-aged man. Middle-aged man, now, son. Who don't we trust? Seven-year-old D. Henry, darkies. Middle-aged man, and why don't we trust darkies? Seven-year-old D. Henry, because they're filth. Middle-aged man, smiles, that's a good lad. Back to, missionary post. The first native woman from Henry's dreams, now with her baby, also mixed color. Native woman, cries, no. No. She pulls her child away from Lucian's grasp. Refuses to give it over to him. Lucian, it is best for the child. You cannot

protect her. Native woman, no. The woman runs away into the jungle with her crying baby in her arms. Now, the jungle. In the same scenario as before from Henry's dream, as the very same Arab men steal her and the child away. Cut to, Int. Cafe, London, Day, Noddy and Henry sit across from each other. Noddy has on her hijab. Both look infatuated, unable to take their eyes from one another. Nottie, God. I feel like I've known you forever. Later, Noddy removes her hijab in front of Henry. Cut to, the tree with the face, it towers over. From its pov, it looks down upon Lucian.

Naked and dirty. On his knees, he prays to the tree, gropes its roots. Back to, the young native woman. All the chaos from the montage has now gone. Only silence remains. The woman returns back to singing contentedly, as she places two wet gray figures on a boat-shaped leaf. She lifts the leaf with the figures inside and places them in the hole filled with water.

The leaf floats with the figures inside. Back to, Henry, breathes in air. Lucian releases his weight as Henry rises up from the pit, removes the mask to suck air back into his body. The leopard boy we saw is now inside out, as if skinned. A red anatomy with blue eyes. The drummers and dancers have all stopped. They watch on.

Lucian, for the first time with emotion in his eyes, as he holds Henry's face with one hand. Henry's eyes peer back at Lucian. His whole body jerks with every painful breath. Henry grabs onto Lucian's arm before sinks forward into Lucian's chest. Lucian catches him, to maternally cradle Henry's head. Lucian, Subtitles, in France. French, my blood. Lucian pears down at Henry's face, he appears cleansed, reborn.

Henry, subtitles, in French, father. Lucian's taken back. He again stares into those familiar blue eyes. A tear falls down Lucian's bloodstained cheek. Lucian, subtitles, in French, my, my son, beat. Jacob, Rubin and Ingrid have come curiously. over to the pit. They peered down to see Lucian, sat in the pool of blood, latched on to Henry, like a father holding his newborn. Jacob, what on earth? Int. Lucian's cabin, moments later. Lucian,

Jacob, Rubin and Ingrid stand over a seated Henry, wrapped in the black fur, blood stained on his face, as he stares into nothing. Jacob, so enteed so, what did he say? Beat. Henry, he didn't say anything. This confuses them. Especially Lucian. Jacob, well, if he didn't speak to you, what else could he have done? Henry seems to be somewhere else. Henry, he showed me. He showed me everything. Everything I need to know. Jacob, you want to tell us that? Or shall we wait another hundred years? Lucian, Henry.

Lucian moves away from the others. He kneels down intimately to Henry. Lucian, Silentee tell us. What did the Lord show you? Henry now looks through Lucian. Henry, he downloaded. He downloaded everything into my mind. Beat.

He showed me who I am. Jacob, yeah. And who is that? Lucian, he's my son. Beat. my son and heir. Ruben, so, it is true. He shares your blood. A tear once more falls down Lucian's cheek. His eyes remain on Henry. Lucian, yes. It is true, and when my time in this evil place comes to its end, he shall inherit the earth. Everything here shall belong to him. To Henry,

for the Lord chose you, Henry, long before you were ever born. Long before you. Long before you. the exodus of my seed. Henry shows no emotion, continues to stare into nothingness. Beat. Lucian now bows to Henry. Caresses his feet. Lucian, so enteed, my son. My heir. Jacob does the same, on his knees, bows. Jacob, long may he reign. Ruben and Ingrid now on their knees. Ruben slash Ingrid, long may he reign. Henry already appears long gone. Insanity in his eyes, stare into nothing. Beat.

Henry, I have gifts for you all. Exte, cage, continuous. Henry walks from Lucian's cabin towards the middle cage. Nottie sees him come, throws herself at the bars. Shantal, Nottie, no. Nottie, Henry. Henry, are you okay? What did they do to you?

Henry stops, stares blankly at her. This clearly isn't the Henry she knows. Too far gone. His blue eyes the only thing recognizable. Nottie, so enteed, Henry. Nottie reaches out her hand from the cage for Henry, to pull the reel him back. Henry coweres from her, as if she's dangerous. He now turns away to Lucian, Jacob and Rubin.

Henry, in Lin Gala, to my subjects. My gift to you. Beat. Henry goes away, past the three men. Nadi watches him leave, without a glance back. Jacob and Ruben share a smile. They go over to open the cage, to drag out the BADS girls. The F.P's help.

Nottie, A.H. Chantal, ah. Beth, no. Jacob has Nottie. He hands her over to Lucian. Jacob, here, father. This one's for you, Henry O.S, no. Henry, faced back to them. Henry, so indeed, Jacob. That one's yours now. Beat. Noddy can't comprehend those words. She collapses by Jacob's feet. Destroyed. Jacob, smiles, well, that's.

very kind of you, my lord. Henry turns away again, for good. Jacob, Silenteed, to f.ps, boys. Help me with this one, would you? She's a fighter. Two FPs take Noddy away in the direction of Jacob's cabin. Noddy, screams, and no. No. Rubin drags Chantal towards his cabin as two FPs bring Beth to Lucians. Both scream as they're brought away. Ingrid approaches Ty, Ty to the pole. She leans over and kisses his cheek. Ingrid, good night, my love. She leaves to her cabin, leaving Ty, to stare into nothing. Henry now stands by the pit. He stares up at the icon towering over him, at the face. Entranced by it. Lucian comes behind Henry. He stares at the back of him.

Embraces Henry once more. Lucian, good night, my son. Sleep well. Lucian now leaves Henry for his cabin. Henry, now alone. Remains fixated on the face. Screams continue to be heard behind him. We don't know if he's listening, if still entranced, or just completely insane.

As thunder is heard from the distance. fade out int slash ext dark void no time fade in I couldn't have felt more of lonely desolation somehow had I been robbed of a belief or had missed my destiny in life Joseph Conrad

fade to Exte fort night rain now falls upon the camp The distant thunder is now closer Tie Alone Remains against the pole Soaked wet

The flickering torch is highlight him as he sleeps amongst the mud. The sound of footsteps now approach. Ty wakes to raise his head at the coming footsteps. He blinks the rain from his eyes to see, Angela. She stands over him. Barely clothed, covered in red paint the rain washes away to reveal tribal markings all over her body, and forehead. Tie stares at the knife revealed in Angela's hand. She comes closer with it. before Angela cuts loose the rope around Ty's neck cuts free his hands

Ty looks at them to see the tight marks now free he brings his eyes up again to Angela as she backs away she throws down the knife next to Ty before she runs away through the mud back into the darkness tie with us again he stares in the direction Angela fled before turns his attention to the knife beside him

He grabs it. Int. Ingrid's cabin, continues. Ingrid sleeps peacefully in her bed as the rain and enclosing thunder continues outside. The door opens to reveal an orange light. Ty enters. The sound of his footsteps as he approaches. Ingrid, now awake, turns over, to see Ty over the bed.

Ingrid, my love. She reacts as if this is a dream. Ingrid, silenete my love, come to me. Tai moves sensuously on top of her. She gently caresses his face, as he runs fingers through her long blonde locks. He moves down to her pale swan-like neck. Feels collar bones protrude out. Then, Ingrid, Sionteed A-H, thunder strikes.

Tai wraps his hands around Ingrid's neck. Squeezes tightly. Ingrid struggles desperately. She scrapes Ty's arms and face with her nails. Her legs kick onto the bed. Thunder ruptures again. Ingrid, unable to even cry out for help, as the life slowly drains from her body. Her arms fall limp to each side of the bed.

Ty stares at Ingrid's now peaceful image, before delicately presents her on the bed. Interlocks her fingers. She now resembles a sleeping beauty. Ty quietly returns to the door. Closes it on the way out. He leaves Ingrid in the thundering darkness, as a white flashing light reveals her lifeless body. I'mt. Jacob's cabin, moments later, another white flash reveals naughty in the darkness.

Hands tied to the bed next to a sleeping Jacob. She appears lifeless, yet wide awake. The door gives way to the orange light. Let's in the rain and thunder. Nottie turns her head round to the approaching footsteps. She sees Ty, torch in one hand and a bloodied knife in the other. Tai gestures for Nottie to be quiet, as a glimpse of hope resurfaces on Nottie's face. Ty leans the torch down against a small wooden table, next to Jacob's sword.

Tai puts the knife down and takes it. Removes the sword from the sheath. Jacob stirs at the sound of blade grazing leather. He now wakes to the orange light, as a white flash of thunder reveals Ty over him. Sword in hand. Jacob, you fucking an eye, Jacob instinctively reaches out for the chikot on the floor, before Ty cuts his hand clean off. Jacob, so enteed awe.

Ah, Ty covers Jacob's mouth before his screams can bring attention. T.Y.E. Shut up. Shut up. Jacob tries to gouge Ty's eyes with one hand. Ty reaches for the chikot. Grabs it. Raps it around Jacob's neck and drags him to the floor to strangle him from behind. Jacob claws at him with one arm.

His face turns red. Kicking his legs, Jacob knocks the torch over on the floor which now faintly catches fire. Noddy sees this and tries desperately to pull herself free. Jacob now turns purple. Tai sees the catching fire and throws him off. Ty goes to Nottie. Nottie, quickly. Quickly.

Ty cuts Nottie's hands free and pulls her up from the bed. T.Y.E. Come on. Let's go. They rush to the door to leave, when, Jacob, gasps. Jacob. Not dead yet. He tries to pull himself up. Nottie, strength back inside her now.

She returns over to Jacob. T.Y.E. Siontied Nadi. Jacob goes for his sword on the floor, but Nadi gets there first. Jacob coweres into the corner of the cabin. Nottie now towers over him. T.Y.E. Silenteed Nadi, we need to go. The flames have now spread up the walls. Jacob, gasps, do it, you little bitch.

raises the sword, pauses. She can't bring herself to do it. Ty comes from behind to take the sword from Nottie. Jacob, Suntid, wait. Wait, without hesitation, Ty plunges the sword into Jacob's stomach, until nothing's left but handle. Jacob, Sontid, groans. Jacob looks down at his own blade inside him. Holds it with one hand as he coughs up blood. T.Y. E. to Noddy, Come on. Ty and Nottie move quickly and carefully back to the door as flames consume the cabin around them. They leave, discard Jacob to his fate. He pulls out the blade with his remaining hand. Exte Fort, Continuous. Now outside, Ty leads Nottie through the rain behind the burning cabin as F.P voices come closer. Nottie, stop. They stop. Noddy, so indeed we need to get Beth and

Chon. T.Y. E. There ain't time. Come on. Noddy T. Y. T. Y. Listen. T. Y. G. G. K. G. K. Kroves Noddy's face. Makes her focus on what he says. T.Y. Seon Tid we can't save them. If they catch us now, just imagine what they'll. Jacob, O dot S. Ah. Jacob screams from inside the cabin, now fully ablaze, as more voices spring from the high. T.Y.E. Come on. They go again. Now at the camp entrance. Tye removes the wood blocking the gates. Opens them. Ready to go. Noddy, wait. Wait. T.Y. Noddy, there's no time. Noddy, what about Henry? T.Y.E. There is no Henry. Come on. We need to go. Tie point. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. We knolls noddy through the gates. Past the skeletons. Slowly they disappear. Together. Into the gaping mouth of the jungle's darkness. Ext. Fort, Continuous. Back inside the fort. Ruben runs out from his cabin to meet the FPs outside Jacobs. Ruben, Subtitles, in French, What Is It? What Has Happened? Jacob O. S. Ah. Ruben's horrified by Jacob's last dying screams, as Lucian now hurries outside.

Lucian, Subtitles, in French, What Has Happened? Rubin, Subtitles, in French, Jacob is inside. Lucian sees the flames consume Jacob's cabin. Lucian, where is Henry? Lightning strikes. A white bolt comes straight down upon Henry's cabin. Sets it ablaze. Lucian, silenete Henry.

Lucian raced. over to Henry's cabin. Before, lightning strikes again. Lucian falls to the ground. He stares as his own cabin is also now ablaze. He gets back up to continue to Henry's. Ruben panics over to Ingrid's. Ruben, subtitles, in French, Ingrid. Come out of the cab, he's too late. Lightning strikes both his and Ingrid's cabins simultaneously. Blasts Ruben off his feet. All five cabins are now fully consumed as the flames rise over the entire camp. A look of horror on Ruben's face as he can do nothing but watch. FPs bring buckets of water to throw over the fire, it's no use. We now see, Henry. He spectates from the shadows. Away from the surrounding chaos. He displays no way. He displays no

visible emotion. Lucian O. Dot S. Henry. Henry, where are you? Moments later, Henry now stands on top the wall over the entrance. Expressionless. The continuing chaos ensues down below. A blazing inferno behind him. Henry stares out at the unseen jungle ahead, into the immense, surrounding darkness.

Fade out. To be continued. Logline, a young Londoner. accompanies his girlfriend's activist group on a journey into the heart of African jungle, only to discover they now must resist the very evil humanity vowed to leave behind. Int slash Exte dark void, no time. Fade in. It was written I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice, Joseph Conrad. Fade to Exte, jungle, day. The jungle is still. Quiet. Except from the faint call of birds in the trees, no other sound is heard.

Before, Ty and Nottie storm through. Hand in hand. Exhausted. Force themselves to keep moving. Their legs now give out as both collapse to their knees. Try to regain their breaths. Nottie looks around at the numerous identical trees and vegetation. Noddy, breathless, which?

Which way do we go now? T.Y.E. Breathless, I don't. I don't know. We've just got to keep moving. Come on. They rise to their feet to continue through the jungle. Too exhausted to run. Tai leads the way with Nottie behind.

Nottie, why did you do that to Moses? T.Y.E. Noddy, don't ask me that. Nottie, why? Why did you do it? T.Y. I said don't ask me that, A.H. An arrow shoots out from the jungle, straight into Ty's back. Nottie, Ty. Nottie rushes to tie on the ground. She looks back to see Ruben and a handful of FPs, coming straight towards them.

Nottie, Sill and Tie. Tye. They're coming. We need to go. Nottie helps Ty to his feet. Tie, A.H. Pushes her away, go. Just run. Nottie, Ty.

Please just come, tie, go. Nottie, no. Come on. Ruben, Suttles, in French, sees them. Nottie tries to drag Ty with her, it's too late. Two burnt FPs snatch Nottie away from Ty. She screams, as two more force tie back to the ground. One rips out the arrow.

Tie, ah. Ruben's now caught up. Ruben, Subtitles, in French, Turn Him. Turn him around. Ty sees Ruben stood over him. His skin is scabbed and fleshy from horrific burns. He looks monstrous. From his sheath, Ruben pulls out Jacob's sword.

The blade is black with charcoal. He puts it into Ty's mouth. Ruben, Silenteed, to Ty, do you know what we do with murderers? stares back and forth from the blade to Ruben. Nadi tries to fight off the FPs, before a machetes held to her throat. Ruben, Sill and Teed, we skin them alive. Beat. And then, a roar. Races into F.p. p. hashtag 2, ah. F.p. hashtag 2's taken off his feet. On the ground, as a leopard tears into his throat. Everyone caught off guard. The leopard turns to F.p.p. hashtag 3, fumbles with his bow and arrow.

Manages to let loose, before. F.p. hashtag 3, ah. The leopard pounces and rips into him. Ruben, subtitles, in French, kill it. Kill it. One of two remaining FPs decides to run, so does the other, as the leopard continues to devour their fellow private. Ty now moves to Nottie, away from Ruben, who's focused solely on the leopard. Ruben tries to sneak up on it. It sees him. The leopard, mouth-stained red, snarls intimidatingly

at Ruben. Begins to move in, eager to devour him. Beat. Ruben, Silentee come on. Ruben thrusts up the sword to strike. Before the leopard takes him off his feet with momentum. Leaves the rest to imagination. Ruben O. Dot S screams, H. Ah. Tye and Nottie don't run. They watch this happen. Ruben O. Sontid, in French, H. Help. Help. Tie now bravely goes and takes Jacob's sword. As, Ruben falls silent. His torso ripped apart. Eyes open, stare into nothing. The leopard, having taken his life, turns away, to Ty in Nottie's direction. Ty holds out the sword. T.Y.E. to Nottie, get behind me.

The leopard prowls up slowly to them. Growls. Tie and Nottie look completely helpless. Beat. The leopard now whimpers. Turns its body away from them. Tai and Nottie watch on as the leopard groans and wimpers o'est accompanied by the sound of morphine and bones cracking. Ty and Nottie's expressions have now changed drastically. As they now

see, Henry, crouched down on the floor. Naked. Nottie, Henry. Nottie runs over to Henry. She holds him. Nottie, so enteeed Henry. It's me. It's Nadea. Tie comes halfway over. T.Y.E. Dude. You can turn into a leopard. Henry regains consciousness. Yet, he's in pain. T.Y. E., so indeed, why would you do that? Why would you, save us? I thought you were one of them.

Henry, I was never one of them. T.Y. Well, what the fuck were you thinking, man? First you kill M.O., then you let them, naughty, tie. Just leave it. Okay. If it wasn't for Henry then, Henry, Ogg.

Noddy, Henry. What's wrong? Henry sits up. Stares at his hands as he tries to tense them. Beat. He now realizes he's naked. Henry, I need trousers. Nottie, Ty, bring him some trousers.

Ty pauses at Nottie. Nottie, Sienti go on. He gives her a look, as to say, I'm the one who saved you, before he goes over to a dead FP. Noddy, Silenteed, to Henry, are you in pain? Henry doesn't answer. Continues to stare at his hands, now moves them better. Noddy, Silentied Henry. Why did you come for us? Henry now looks up to Nottie. She sees the return of emotion to his face. Henry, they were going to kill you. Beat. Tears now form in Nottie's eyes, before she rest. She sees the return of emotion to his face. her head on Henry's shoulder, a sort of thank you. Ty comes back with clothing from the dead

FP. He sees Nottie and Henry together. Moments later, Henry dresses himself in the F. P's uniform. T.Y. Well. Now what? Beat. Henry, follow me. Henry begins to walk ahead. Leaves Ty and Nottie confused. T.Y. Why? You taking us back to the fort. Nottie, Ty. Don't. Henry, we've been in this jungle long enough. Beat, turns to them, it's about time we left. Nottie and Ty share a look. T.Y.E, you know a way out. Beat. Henry, Henry, follow me. Nottie, Henry. Henry stops, as Noddy approaches him. He has his back to her. Nottie, sileneteed Henry, look at me. Henry turns round to Nottie.

He can barely make eye contact with her. Noddy, so enteed, how do you know? How do you know we can find a way out of here? Henry now makes eye contact with her. Stares into those innocent, pleading eyes. Beat. Henry, the jungle is dying. E.xt. Fort, Day.

Everything is burnt to a crisp, the walls. Cabins. Huts Smoke still rises from the ashes Dead F. P's lay scattered on the floor. The idle, however, remains untouched. The pit beneath it. The middle cage.

Only slightly burnt. An arm reaches out from between the bars to try and grab a knife from a scorched F.P. Inside the cage, the arm belongs to Beth. Shuntall beside her. Beth, God. He smells nasty. Chantal, can you reach it? Beth groans as she forces her shoulder through the bars. Yet, the knife is too far away.

Beth, Ack. Damn it. Lucian. He lays lifeless against the same pole tie was tied to. He stares into nothing. A large number of footsteps are now heard coming towards him. The sound of rattling. Beth, shit.

Beth quickly brings her arm back in. Shantal, what? What is it? Beth, someone's coming. Extee, Jungle, Day. Henry leads the way through the forest as Nottie and Ty follow together. T.Y.E. To Henry, how much further do we need to go? Beat.

No answer. T.Y.E. So indeed, are we at least close. Henry still doesn't answer. T.Y.E. So and T. Dude. Henry stops. Stairs ahead. As do Nottie and Ty. Nottie, Henry.

What is it? Beat. Henry continues, into the trees. Nottie and Ty lose sight of him. T.Y.E. Come on. They rush after him. Push their way through branch and bush. Beat.

They come back on Henry, as he stands next to, a large bulldozer. Windows smashed. Large tracks left in its wake. T.Y. E. Seen teed, shit. Beat. Noddy, this. This came from the outside. Henry goes round to the cab.

Climes up and pulls the door open to reveal, a dead driver inside. Two arrows protrude out his chest. Nottie and Tainau C. Nottie gasps. Beat. Nottie, who did this? T.Y.E. Who do you think did this? It was the force public.

Nottie, no. These aren't their arrows. To Henry, Henry. Whose arrows do these belong to? Beat. Henry, come on. Henry jumps down. He follows on the tracks,

the way the bulldozer came. T. Y. Wait, where the hell are you going now? Henry stops. Henry, this entered from the outside. Beat, we now have a path. Henry continues down the tracks. Noddy and Ty share a look of hope to one another, before they hurry after him. E.XT. Fort, continuous.

Lucian now snaps out from his trance. Now here's the coming sounds. slowly raises his head T.O.C. The tribe's people. The same that took Angela, only now a small army of them. All armed with spears and bows. They halt a few meters away from Lucian. Lucian stares back at the masked faces. Unafraid. He instead begins to laugh. Beat. The laughs turn to hysteria. At the cage, Beth and Chantal retreat back as they see the tall, red figures approach. A handful of the tribespeople now stare in through the cage to see them together, terrified. Beat. The tribes people remove their masks. To reveal, all women. Beth and Chantal see the feminine

faces through the bars. Now more surprised than afraid. A small commotion now happens behind them, as someone pushes their way through to the cage. Angela. Angela, Beth. Beth sees Angela searching through the bars. Angela, so indeed Beth. Beth, oh my God. Angie.

Beth throws herself towards Angela. Angela, Beth. They embrace through the gaps. Angela, Silenteed, oh my God. Are you okay? Beth, Angie. Thank God. please you got to get me out of here angela okay okay hold on angela cuts loose the rope holding the cage door shut swings it open beth oh god angie angela beth exits out the cage as her and angela embrace again beat beth up from angela slaps her

angry, cries, where the hell were you? You left me. Where the hell did you go? Angela, I know, baby. I know. I'm sorry. Beth now realizes Angela's appearance. Beth, oh my God. Baby, what happened to you? Looks at women, who are all these people. Angela turns her head back to the red women. Angela, smiles, they're my tribe. Chantal now steps out the cage. A red woman, sees she's weak, helps her out. Chantal stares up at the woman nervously. Lucian continues to laugh madly.

Beth and Chantal follow Angela as she tries to find her way through, as all the women's attention turns on Lucian. He now soliloquises in Latin. Lucian, subtitles, in Latin, Father, forgive them, for these heathens do not know what evil they do. In French, they believe you to be their mother, as their mothers were raped and slaughtered. The red women now part in the middle so to let an unseen someone come through. Angela tries to see through the narrow red bodies, as, childlike footsteps now come through the gap to Lucian. Lucian, still laughing, as he sees the figure come closer.

His laughter now abruptly gives way. Beat. Lucian sees, the wot. Only now, he is Esichy, a Wootis, small breasts and long, braided hair, a staff in hand. Esichy stares eye level with Lucian. He clearly recognizes her, stunned by what he sees. Before laughs again, Lucian, Tzil and Teed, laughs, in French, an abomination. The Wutas signals with her hand, as two tribeswomen bring Lucian to his feet.

They tie his hands behind the pole. Angela now sees what's going on. Lucian laughs no more, as five women stand out to knock their arrows. Lucien, Soanteed, Hen, Henry. Henry. Lucian searches round the remains of the camp. Lucien, subtitles, Soantied, in French, My Son. Exte tracks, later, Noddy and Ty continue to follow Henry on the tracks.

Beat. The tracks now come to a stop, end in a U-turn. T.Y.E. shit. Ty and Nottie see where the tracks end. T.Y.E. Silenteed, to Henry, I thought you said you knew a way out. Henry returns a blank reaction to Ty, before points out his arm. Henry, ahead. Noddy and Ty share in each other's confusion. They now begin ahead to what Henry points at. Now ahead of Henry. Nottie and Ty searched the jungle in front of them. Nottie sees it. Nottie, Ty. Look. Both of them now look. To see, a distant circular light.

T.Y.E. Thank God. A fucking light. Come on. Tai and Nottie race towards the distant light. Henry, expressionless, watches them go. He now ambles after them. X.D. Fort, continuous, Lucian, tied to the pole. He panics, mumbles to himself. The Wutes comes forward towards him. Lucian, subtitles, in French, My Son Shall Inherit the Earth. It is his destiny. The Wutess rips off the buttons from Lucian's shirt, exposes his chest. She steps back,

as the five archers now raise their bows in position. Lucian, Subtitles, So Antide, in Latin, and those of false gods and prophets shall not delight in the abundance of his reign. The archers now hold. They wait for the Woudis orders. Angela, Beth and Chantal hold their breaths. Lucian, Subtitles, So Antide, in French, His Seed Shall, Wudus, Subtitles, in ancient language, vanquish the terror. The Archer's Fire Five arrows pierce straight through Lucian's chest and abdomen.

Lucian, Og. Beth and Chantal cover their mouths in shock. Angela, however, takes pleasure in Lucian's execution. Lucian struggles to stay on his feet. Sways sideways. He collapses down against the pole. Absorbs his final breaths of air. Lucian, Silenteed, winces.

Lucian can't. can only manage to raise his eyes, towards the jungle in the distance, as he utters his final words. Lucien, Silenteed, winces, Henri. Lucien's body falls limp against the pole. His blue eyes, stare into nothing. The Wutas stands over Lucian's dead body. Her face reveals a sadness. Exte, outside jungle, later, Noddy and Tai stare out at the brightness ahead, in despair.

The ripple of a large sum of water is heard in front of them. Nottie, it's just water. Nottie and Ty now stand outside the jungle slash circle in the middle of a small clearing. Ahead of them, a surrounding mass of dark murky water. A flood. Nothing else remains aside from floating branches and objects lost to time. The water covers far beyond the horizon. Noddy, see what is it just water?

T.Y.E. This can't be happening. Beat. Henry O.O.S. You're free now. Noddy and Ty turn round to Henry at the top of the clearing. The jungle behind him. Henry, silentee, you're free from this place. You can now find a new beginning. T.Y.E. searches around, but there's nothing left. Where are we supposed to go? Henry points ahead. Tai and Nottie turn back to see a small boat for. floating in the distance. Henry, Silenteed, you both need to go.

Noddy stares back confusedly to Henry. Noddy, Henry. She comes closer to him. Nottie, Silenteed, are you not coming with us? Henry takes a couple steps back. Henry, I can't. I can't. Noddy, Henry.

What are you talking about? Beat. Henry, we were always supposed to come here you. you and I. But, only one of us was ever supposed to leave. Nadi, but. I thought. Nadi looks helplessly back and forth from Ty and Henry. Nadi, sileneteed I thought we were supposed to be together. Remember? That's why we both came here. Beat, Henry, just come with us. Henry's drawn down into Nadi's pleading eyes. Henry, Nadea. I just can't. naughty well if you're not going then i'm not going okay i'm not going anywhere without you without the three of us henry naughty it's not our choice

naughty then we'll have to make it our choice we'll have to make it noughty hits and grabs onto henry he now holds her as she begins to break down naughty so indeed cries i don't want to to be lost again. Tai cannot help but feel sorrow for Nottie, as she sinks herself into Henry's chest. Henry, Noddy. The whole world is yours now. Yours alone. You can finish what we thought we came here to do. What Moses wanted. You can make your very own utopia. Henry brings Noddy back up. Henry, Tsilantita utopia where there is no hate. No discrimination. No color. No pain. Noddy listens despairingly. Henry, Silenita Utopia where all lives matter. Beat. Tai now approaches behind Nottie. He puts a hand on her arm. T.Y. Nottie. Let's go. Noddy, no. Henry, Noddy, listen. Listen. Henry now holds Nadi's face in his hands as she continues to cry and wail. Henry, Silenteed, listen to me. All the bad things you've experienced in this world.

All the bad things. It's all in there. Henry points to the jungle. Henry, Silenete all the evil things our history has made us carry. It's inside there. It's inside me too. Beat, the jungle is dying, Medea, and I have to die with it. Beat.

Noddy, no. Noddy shakes her head in denial. Her tears glisten in her eyes as she stares into Henry's. Nottie, no. Please no. Henry, I'm sorry. Beat. T.Y.E. Soft, naughty.

Come on. We need to go. Ty pulls Nottie away towards the flood. She helplessly tries to stay. Keeps her eyes on Henry. Emotion has finally returned to her. to Henry's face. Beat. Tye and Noddy now enter the water, when, Henry, Nadea.

Nadi looks back. Hopeful. Henry, Subtitles, So Indeed, in Lingala, You and I Share a Blood. I am always in your heart. Nottie, somehow, understands. Tai again pulls Nottie with him as she turns away from Henry with despair. Ty and Henry hold on each other. Ty nods to him, appreciatively.

Henry nods back. Ty joins Noddy as they now make their way through the water. Henry struggles to hold back his pain. Exte boat, flood, moments later. Now inside the boat. Ty rose with a large branch out into the flood's open space. Noddy, heartbroken, stares back to the distant clearing. To find, Henry is no longer there.

E.XT. Fort, later, the idol. The tribeswomen have tightened rope around its body, where they now heave with all their combined strength. Manage to rip the idol from its roots. It now tilts forward slightly, before, it crashes down into the pit. The idol's head breaks off where the face has now split into two paces. The Wutas stands over the pit. Beat. She turns to face the tribeswomen. All grouped together. Angela, Beth, and Chantal amongst them. The Wutas meets their eyes. Then, with a bang of her staff, Wudis, subtitles, in ancient language, the old gods are now dead. All that remains is the spirit of the forest. Ext T, jungle, day, and F.P's clothes are thrown to the jungle floor. Among the moving trees, Henry, now a leopard, moves

quickly through the forest on all fours. He roars in anguish. E.T. Fort, Continuous. Wootis, subtitles, So Antide, in ancient language, hail the spirit of the forest. Hale the spirit of the forest. The tribeswomen now join in the Wootis chanting. Raise their spears into the air simultaneously. Tribes women, in ancient language, hail the spirit of the forest. Hale the spirit of the forest. Angela now passionately joins in the chanting. Angela, in ancient language, hail the spirit of the forest. Beth and Angela watched this happen around them. They look fearful to one another, before hold the other by the hand.

All, in ancient language, hail the spirit of the forest. Exte, jungle, continuous. The chanting continues, as Henry moves high up in the trees. Leaps with ease from branch to branch. All, v.0, so entee, hail the spirit of the forest. Hail the spirit of the forest. Henry now scurries down the trunk and roots of a large tree. Back on the forest floor.

He roars out again. All v.0, so indeed, hail the spirit of the forest. The chanting continues. Henry now races forward. Losing U.S. as he continues through the ongoing trees and vegetation. until we eventually lose sight of him altogether as he disappears into the unseen darkness of the jungle fade out the end