The Magnus Archives - The Magnus Protocol 14 – Pet Project

Episode Date: May 2, 2024

CAT1RB4426-01081995-15032024 Transformation (snake) -/-hordeIncident Elements:- Body Horror- Snakes- Implied Harrassment- Mentions of: rodents, insects, dead animalsTranscripts: https://shorturl.at/gzF15 This episode is dedicated to Sari-Anna Ballard, thank you for your generous support! You can a complete list of our Kickstarter backers https://rustyquill.com/the-magnus-protocol-supporter-wall/ Created by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J Newall Directed by Alexander J Newall Written by Shaun PellingtonScript Edited with additional material by Alexander J Newall and Jonathan SimsExecutive Producers April Sumner, Alexander J Newall, Jonathan Sims, Dani McDonough, Linn Ci, and Samantha F.G. Hamilton Associate Producers Jordan L. Hawk, Taylor Michaels, Nicole Perlman, Cetius d’Raven, and Megan Nice Produced by April Sumner   Featuring (in order of appearance) Billie Hindle as Alice DyerLowri Ann Davies as Celia RipleySarah Lambie as Lena KelleyShahan Hamza as Samama KhalidJonathan Sims as ChesterAnusia Battersby as Gwendolyn BouchardDialogue Editor – Lowri Ann DaviesSound Designer – Tessa VroomMastering Editor - Catherine RinellaMusic by Sam Jones (orchestral mix by Jake Jackson) Art by April Sumner SFX from Soundly and previously credited artistsSupport us on Patreon at https://patreon.com/rustyquill     Check out our merchandise available at https://www.redbubble.com/people/RustyQuill/shop and https://www.teepublic.com/stores/rusty-quill   Join our community: WEBSITE: rustyquill.com  FACEBOOK: facebook.com/therustyquill  TWITTER: @therustyquill  REDDIT: reddit.com/r/RustyQuill  EMAIL: [e-mail]   The Magnus Protocol is a derivative product of the Magnus Archives, created by Rusty Quill Ltd. and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share alike 4.0 International Licence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, it's Kareem, the voice of Simon Fairchild from the Magnus Archives, here to tell you about the audible original George Orwell's 1984. It's 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip 1, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except perhaps for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it's hard to distinguish

between friend and foe, he meets Julia and vows to rebel. This bold new take on George Orwell's classic features an epic cast including Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Scott, featuring Tom Hardy as Big Brother, and includes a haunting original score by Matthew Bellamy and Nilan Eshkerri that takes this thrilling production to the next level. Experience an immersive listening experience like nothing you've heard before, and listen to George Orwell's 1984 on Audible now. To learn more, go to audible.ca.com.au slash big brother. This episode is dedicated to Sariana Ballard. And I just wanted to say I absolutely love this series and everything you've done.

You guys are an inspiration to me and I always look forward to seeing more of your content. Keep it up. Rusty Quill presents... The Magnus Protocol. Episode 14, Pet Project. How's the new blend? Vicious. Excellent. Chocolate lightnits? Mmm. They're good stuff. I'm honoured. Damn right you are.

So, how's tricks? Not bad. You? Same old. Been anywhere good recently? Yeah, I've been to a lot of places. You've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places.

I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places.

I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. I've been to a lot of places. Oh, how's tricks? Not bad. You? Same old. Been anywhere good recently? Yeah, well, you know. Do I?

Oh, the day! Yeah, I was going to ask you about that actually. Oh yeah? So, how was it? It was...good. Ah. No, no wait, it was good. It's just, well... Just? We mostly talked about work.

Oh, some. You know what he's like. He's a sweet guy, but he can just be a bit... Infuriating. Intense sometimes. Yeah. What were you actually talking about? He's been worked up about the job ever since you two went out. It's like watching a dog with a toffee.

Funny at first, but it's hard not to worry. We were just speculating what the actual deal is. You know, the big why. Sure, I went through the same thing when I started. I mean, it wasn't all work. Let me guess, discount roses, 2 for 1 sushi and a split cab home before 9, that sort of thing. I'm over Lily's gal. A woman after my own heart.

Well, don't be too hard on him. He tries his best, he's just a bit naff sometimes. I'm sure you'll do better next time. Ha! Yeah. Oh. Cool. Listen, Alice. Here we go. Is this going to be a problem? Golly gosh, I hope not!

I'm serious. You need to tell me if you're gonna have an issue with us. I don't know what the deal was between you, but I'm not interested in getting tangled up in a workplace drama. The only drama is the dilemma of how I could possibly get by without you all to myself. Alice, I- I'm too intimidated by your genius intellect and desperately hot-bottomed, think we should just stay friends? I couldn't agree more. And on that note, I'm going to head off before I make you any more in love with me.

Just try to restrain yourself, yeah? Sam's masculinity is already hanging by a thread. Sure. Good evening Sam. How are you getting on? Yeah, good great. Thank you Getting into the groove. I'm glad to hear it Was there Something else Have you seen Gwen tonight? I've not I'm afraid but if I do I'll send her your way see that you do Thank you, Sam sure Okay I'll send her your way. See that you do. Thank you Sam. Sure. Okay.

Treatment report. Elemapest Limited. Attending technician, Alyssa Beck. Date 0108 1995. Job number 8146. Client contact, Anthony Walker. Property time, 1 minute.

I'll be there in a minute. date 0108 1995 job number 8146 client contact Anthony Walker property type commercial address resounding reptile Emporium Hearts Hill Newcastle under lime follow-up required yes report type call out note follow-up postponed until location of attending technician determined. Initial assessment, 1530. Call out received from dispatch at 1505 to attend the property. Client reported that a rat had been spotted in the shop's break room. Upon arrival, I met with the proprietor. Shopkeeper was concerned about the potential of fleas or ticks brought in by the rodent. He had clear red slash sore patches around his neck from itching.

I assured him that, unless he had come into close contact, it was unlikely that he had been bitten or suffered from parasite transference, most likely psychosomatic phantom bites as an effect of the current heat wave. Worth noting, however, that the strong odour of the shop indicates that the IAQ of the reptile emporium is likely below recommendations. Follow-up probably required. I suspect that due to the heat and humidity of the shop, mosquitoes may be present, which might also be the source of the shopkeeper's skin irritation.

The resounding Reptile Emporium backs onto a marshy nature reserve, which increases this risk although none spotted during initial inspection. Requested shop be cleared of customers for full inspection. Client's agitation increased presumably due to business worries, resulting in a brief altercation. Kept mentioning his burden and grabbing at my sleeve. Received slight scratch by accident, but no escalation or violence, so no need for full incident report. Although anyone following up should be advised, there may be a mental health problem. Inspection 1541. Break room situated in an annex separated from the main shop by a formerly external door. Adequate barrier between main shop and affected

area. Customers vacated from premises by client. Multiple uncovered food sources present in break room. Open bin containing various unfinished food items and empty frozen mice packets, snake food presumably. Discarded crisp and sweet wrappers on countertops. Even with the window open, there is a strong smell of spoiled food. Recommended consideration, sealed waste disposal and food storage. Ants spotted in and around cabinets. Follow-up required for treatment if full infestation identified. Further inspection, 1550. Found cylindrical droppings with sheared ends, indicating squirrel. Minimal volume, likely just the one. Woodland area and trees directly

outside break room window. Recommended prevention, mesh grate over window to prevent further ingress. Squirrel discovered on overhead cabinets. Window left fully opened to aid exit. Area sealed. Treatment 1610. Retrieved live capture trap from van. Customers granted reentry to shop floor. During room preparation, small hole discovered between wall of break room and adjacent room, used by Squirrel as point of egress. Adjacent room locked, key requested and signed out with client. Hole sealed. Summary. 1630. Squirrel found among storage boxes and captured alive with trap. Will seal

ingress hole after removal. Captured squirrel appears lethargic, likely injured or poisoned. Remove- Please aren't here yet. They say any minute but I don't think it'll matter. I can hear the operator on the phone but it's just noise. Snakes. Thousands of them, how could he keep so many in there? Dad, this is for you, for everything

you taught me, everything you shared. I need you to know what happened and I know you'll believe me. Don't blame yourself for not answering the phone. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. The other room, the one the squirrel escaped to, the one I'm in now, it's a sort of makeshift CCTV office, just a storage closet really. All the cameras show the shop interior. Just after I caught the damn thing, when I was about to head out, something caught my eye on the screen. I wasn't being nosy, I promise it was just there, I couldn't help but notice. The client, the guy who owns the shop. He was reaching over the counter grabbing at a customer while their daughter stood crying

nearby. I recognized the girl, or at least the toy Gosling she was holding. Remembered how she looked at her dad when I told the two of them to wait outside. It reminded me of us. It's selfish how I wish you were here now, Dad. When I unsealed the shop floor, the shopkeeper seemed obsessed with continuing his sales pitch to the pair. He was adamant that they purchase a snake and pretty much ignored me entirely. It made me a bit uneasy, so I hung back to watch. Thinking back, I should have noticed he was off. As I watched the monitor, the shopkeeper suddenly lunged

forward, clearing the desk, smashing the glass on his way with a crash I heard even through the closed door, leaving him sprawling among the crickets previously boxed on the shelf behind him. They were jumping, flowing, twitching, thousands of them just juddering pixels on the monitor, but the noise was palpable, punching through the wall like a fist. I grabbed my phone and called the police. I should have gone out there and helped, but I was scared. I just couldn't. I started to explain over the phone, and they said something back, but I wasn't listening.

On the screen, I could see the customer had scrambled to his feet, and he and his daughter were nearly out of the entrance. The shopkeeper lunged one last time, and that's when I noticed he'd started to change. He was bloated, swollen around the neck. The door slammed in his face and as he stumbled backwards something fell from his mouth. I couldn't make it out though, the screen was so fuzzy and it was just a blur. Moments passed with no noise except the screaming crickets and my own thudding heartbeat. The shopkeeper lay completely prone. He hadn't moved at all and I wondered if the fall had knocked him out, cracked his skull or something. Then

there was movement near his head and he began to twitch and spasm. I thought it might be a seizure but then his mouth began to open, wider and wider, impossibly wide, his jawbones snapping with the strain, and then a horde of slender shapes slithered out. Snakes, Dad. Thousands of them. All from inside him, pushing up through his deflating throat. The floor was lost beneath the heaving, writhing mass of them. I could hear the scrape of their scales on the linoleum, but they made no other sound. Then the owner's body began to slide across the floor towards the closed door between us. It took me a moment to realize his body was being pulled over the broken glass and debris,

carried on the creature's creatures backs towards me. I got the door locked just in time. This room it's a mess. Printouts, delivery notes, a bunch of rejection letters from some Institute he pinned to the wall with a kitchen knife. And it's hot in here dad. Too hot. Oh God, I can feel it. My throat is swelling and it itches. I can still hear all the snakes brushing up against the door and in the walls, I think. Christ, they're in the walls. Oh God, I forgot about the hole.

I love you, Dad. No, Dad. No. No. Could be any institute. The letters... Jesus! Don't sneak up on people like that. I didn't sneak up. It's not my fault if you're distracted.

When did you get here? Just now. Seems pretty straightforward to me. Snakes. Not sure what the collective noun is. Hoard, maybe? Crosslink with infection, too, probably. I wouldn't have thought the letters have any bearing on the classification. Er, right. Yeah. Thanks. You can check the binder yourself, though. I've got other stuff to do.

Yeah. Oh, hey, speaking of, Lina was after you. When? Dunno, a few minutes ago. She seemed, uh, not happy. Is she ever? Huh. What did you tell her? Nothing. Just that I hadn't seen you. Something wrong?

Nothing you can help with. Listen, Gwen... Just leave it, alright? Focus on your cases. You wouldn't understand. Of course not. That's not... I don't have time for this. No one ever does. The Magnus Protocol is a podcast distributed by Rusty Quill and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial share alike 4.0 international license. The series is created by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J. Newell and directed by Alexander J. Newell.

This episode was written by Sean Pellington and edited with additional materials by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J. Newell, with vocal edits by Lowry Ann Davis, soundscaping by Tessa Vroom, and mastering by Catherine Rinella, with music by Sam Jones. It featured Billy Hindle as Alice Dyer, Shahan Hamza as Samama Khalid, Anujah Battersby as Gwen Bouchard, Lowry Ann Davis as Celia Ripley, Sarah Lambie as Lena Kelly, with additional voices from Jonathan Sims. The Magnus Protocol is produced by April Sumner with executive producers Alexander J. Newell, Danny McDonough, Lynn C. and Samantha F..G. Hamilton and associate producers Jordan L. Hawke, Taylor Michaels, Nicole Perlman,

Cetius de Raven and Megan Nice. To subscribe, view associated materials or join our Patreon, visit RustyQuill.com. Rate and review us online, tweet us at The Rusty Quill, visit us on Facebook or email us at mail at Rusty Quill, visit us on Facebook or email us at mail at rustyquill.com. Thanks for listening. Hey, Sean Pellington here, the writer of the episode you've just listened to. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it. If you did and you'd like to hear more of my work, be sure to check out my show Wake of Corrosion, an apocalyptic thriller that follows a story of two brothers who inadvertently

find themselves in a world filled with eldritch horrors and bizarre occurrences. You can listen to Wake of Corrosion by following the link in the show notes below or by visiting RustyQuill.com. Enjoy. To give you an idea of the show, here's a quick trailer. The recent and as of yet unnamed events have completely changed life as we know it. The whole place, it's covered in blood. Where a human chest would be, these bony finger-like appendages stretched out.

There's something at the vent. Oh Jesus, grab your stuff! What is that? Does it fricking matter? Grab your stuff! Those people, those monsters I saw the other day, I think they followed me here. Oh god. Hello, it's Kareem, the voice of Simon Fairchild from the Magnus Archives, letting you know

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