Don't Mind | Sealskin Rock | Ep. 8

Hello, this is KA Stats, the writer and creator of Don't Mind Sealskin Rock.

I wanted to say today that we over here at Fool and Scholar Productions are always so entertained and enthused when we see your theories and ideas on what's happening, either in our Discord or on Reddit or on comments on our Instagram or TikToks.

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And now?

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I've got a homicide in Springfield's North Woods by mile marker 16.

You are now entering Springfield.

Where's the body?

Off the side of the ditch down there.

You know,

surrounded by all this crime scene tape.

Hello?

Am I dead?

My name is John.

I'm the new forensic pathologist.

I can see you, and that's how we'll figure out how you were murdered.

That means ghosts are real!

Since then, I've noted multiple additional missing case files and even missing bodies.

Let's say I believe you came across some record-keeping discrepancies in a string of deaths.

You're not an investigator, Jonathan.

Stop trying to be one.

After everything I've discovered, I just need to know.

Why?

What happened in Springfield?

Going somewhere, Dr.

Spacer.

Listen to How I Died, a full cast police and medical procedural podcast with over 40 episodes already available.

Then, tune into season four of How I Died, releasing now on all podcast apps.

Previously on Don't Mind Seal Skin Rock.

Days have passed since Melody learned about the chateau's hidden silver and Maxine found a woman who looked like Julia in World War II era photos.

Frustrated with studying on the weekend, Melody and Maxine ventured downstairs to search for more information on the chateau's history and encountered Julia, who was unresponsive to their presence.

And so the Morris sisters looked up all they could about the chateau, finding stories of Henri d'Anagrot's oddities, the family's history, and about the Grot Cabinet of Curiosities.

After another slow day on the isolated island, Sunday morning rolled over the rock.

Don't mind Sealskin rock.

I wish

Mel?

Did you start breakfast yet?

Hmm?

No, sorry.

I'll start it now.

Do you think we could do something special this morning?

Since it's a Sunday, maybe.

What do you have in mind?

I was thinking of pancakes.

Oh, pancakes.

I think that's possible.

I can only cook about three at a time in the pan we have.

And they'll be pretty small, but I can just fry up a bunch of little ones, make a tall, skinny tower.

We've got syrup and enough propane, so yeah, I can make that happen.

Great!

We haven't had pancakes in weeks.

Can I do anything?

Uh, prep anything?

No, no, no, not yet.

Are you super hungry?

Should I make the macehap?

I'm hungry, but don't rush.

It can be a lazy morning.

Wait, do you know where dad is?

Do you think he'll want any?

Didn't he say he wasn't going to work today?

It's Sunday.

Are we stuck here again?

I think I heard him leave earlier, but I'm not sure.

Might just have have been him or someone in the hall.

You know, I'm not even sure he came upstairs last night.

But whether or not I make extra doesn't matter.

We have enough flour, and we have nothing but time.

One of the benefits of nothing to do.

You can leave it open.

It's not cold out this morning, and the room needs the fresh air.

Alright.

Well, I'm hungry, so I'll go down to get the syrup and and almond milk.

If you do want to prep anything, just bring the other ingredients out to the balcony.

Otherwise, I'll do it when I get back up.

Don't open anything, though.

There are bugs out.

Ah!

Dad,

what the hell?

What are you doing just standing there?

You scared me!

Dad, are you okay?

Did you even come upstairs to sleep last night?

Dad?

Hello?

Is he sleepwalking?

Hey, Dad, wake up.

Stop him.

Don't let him in.

His boots are gross.

Wake up, Dad.

What's up, girls?

You're sleepwalking again, and you keep wearing your girl's boots in the room.

Oh, sorry.

I didn't mean to.

How long were you standing outside the door?

I don't know.

I don't remember coming upstairs.

Or was I leaving?

Are

you sure I was sleepwalking?

Could you just try to keep your boots near the door?

And come up at a normal time.

This place is scary enough as it is without you creeping through the halls at night.

And we'd like to lock the door, but we can't if you're just going to wake us up to get inside at night.

Do you need to get something?

I didn't think you were working today.

I was gonna make pancakes.

Do you want any?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down.

I think

I just came up to check.

Yeah.

Are you girls alright?

We just woke up.

Uh, why wouldn't we be?

What's that pipe in your hand?

Is that

well?

If dad's going back down, I'll go with him.

I'm starving.

I'll just.

I'll get those ingredients and be back up in a minute.

You prep for the pancakes, okay?

Remember not to open anything out on the balcony.

Yeah, okay.

Bye, Dad.

Dad, you can't walk around with silver like that.

What if Maxine had seen it?

She probably did see it, but she might just think it's a normal pipe.

And she doesn't need to get caught up in your scheme.

What about Miss Julia?

If she saw, she'd be totally suspicious.

She's probably seen the old pipes down there, and we know that that thing is not one of them.

Why do you have it up here?

That stuff should stay somewhere out of sight.

Mel, you don't understand what we're doing?

What we've found?

What do you mean?

More than the silver?

Ian said you found more seal bones?

Oh god, please tell me they were just seal bones.

No,

yes, they were seal bones.

But there's more.

There's just so much of it.

It's not just the grooves in the basement floor.

It's out into the rocks like you saw.

And it's down into the stone, deep down, and in the walls.

We've started cutting the silver lines, but they're everywhere.

What do you mean into the stone?

You mean like holes like what I saw outside the ledge?

No, Mel.

No.

It's like the rocks they put on top to cover something.

Concrete, poured concrete, and pipes of silver run down into something.

Something is down there.

More silver, for sure.

And solid rods.

Rods like this in the walls, all connected.

Like a colander, like a basket.

It just keeps going.

I have to check up here, but I found them in the walls on the ground floor.

Second floor.

We're gonna be rich, Mel.

Rich.

You can get Maxine that gift, and we could get a nice apartment somewhere.

I need to check the roof, the attic.

Do you think it goes to the top?

That was why I was up here.

I need to go.

Dad!

I heard him run off.

So, you still gonna go get the pancake stuff?

Yeah, I'll be right back.

Then I had super tall legs after this place.

Miss Julia, are you here today?

That's an oven.

A phone?

Wait, we have a phone?

Oh, no, it's a Wi-Fi number thing.

This can be huge when it's ancient.

Miss Julia, I'm gonna pick up this call.

Hello?

Uh, hello.

Julia?

No, Miss Julia's not here right now.

Um, I'm Melody.

Who's this?

Timothy Emlin from Anne Rock.

I'm sorry, who are you?

What are you doing at the chateau?

I'm Melody.

I'm just here to help out Julia today.

But, like I said, she stepped away for a moment.

I can take a message, of course.

Okay.

Thank you, Melody.

Just uh

just tell her that we expect the next update by email, this time.

The package she sent just got here, and the information is already a month old.

She has my email address, so just tell her to send it there.

There's no reason to print and ship things.

Not after we went through the trouble of getting satellite internet out to the rock.

I can tell her that.

Of course.

Not a problem.

Oh, since I have you on the phone, do you happen to know how the renovations are going?

I heard we're still in the demolition, deconstruction, and clearing phase.

Should be for a while, from what I saw.

Yeah,

there's certainly a lot to clear out of here.

Some of the demolition has revealed different periods of additions.

New boards in some places, the power cables run out during the war.

It's a real

mix, and not all the work was done at the same level of quality.

Well, it'll all be modernized once the renovations are complete, but the chateau will keep its original charm.

Until then, it's kind of a dangerous place, really.

If the photos are any indication of the water damage, decades of neglect will do that, huh?

Yep.

You know, I'm not a boat guy, but I can see the investment paying off in the end.

The place has a charm.

We don't get a lot outside of Quebec.

Actually, when I was there, Julia said she'd have to bring over some work clothes for the demo work.

So, if she purchased any for herself or you, let us know.

We can reimburse the costs.

I don't.

Maybe I don't understand.

Julia is a bit too frail to be helping out with the demolition.

I mean, she's a wonderful woman, but she's certainly not spry enough for tearing out subfloors.

What?

What are you talking about?

Miss Julia is a bit too frail.

Maybe a bit too old.

Okay, uh, maybe we're talking about different Julias.

Julia Soft Hair is the one in the employee of Anne Rock.

Young 30s, late 20s, maybe?

Uh, with brown hair, likes to wear red lipstick.

Reminiscent of a young Hetty Lamar.

Very, uh, very fit.

Who are you talking about?

Hello?

Melody?

The woman I saw the first day.

So,

if I said the Julia I knew was about 50, brown hair with strings of gray, red lipstick, and sunken, tired, wrinkled eyes.

Hmm.

Not the Julia I met a month ago.

Maybe a uh a different Julia from the demo crew.

I'm sorry, I'll have to have Julia call you back, Mr.

Himlin.

Goodbye.

What is going on with her?

The tower.

It was the only place she said first and foremost not to go.

Maybe she's hiding something there.

You want it by the stairs again?

Where are the ingredients?

Sorry, I got distracted.

I'll go back down and get them later.

Can we do maybe a bit of exploring with the radios?

You stay here, and I'll...

I'll go see something.

I just don't want to go alone.

Sure, but you'll still be alone.

Where do you want to go?

The tower rooms on the east side.

You mean the exact rooms you were told not to go near?

You're the one always telling me I should listen to dad and do what you guys tell me.

Well, in this case, I'm not really sure, and

I want to know if what they said about the floorboards is true.

You liar!

Tell me.

Tell me why you really want to go.

Look, I'll go alone then.

I don't want to, but I will.

What?

No.

I'm fine.

Bring the radio.

Tell me about it, please.

Let's make this quick.

Miss Julia isn't downstairs, so I'm not sure she's here today at all, but I don't want to run into anyone.

I think she might be hiding something there, but I don't know what.

Just be careful.

I will be.

Let's go.

I can hear you speedwalking like a grandma.

I just want to make sure I get there before anyone shows up.

Do you know where you're going?

I think so.

Um,

east to the upmost hallway, then I'll look for the door, check a few, and hope for the best.

And try not to fall through the floor.

Well, don't take too long.

We're still planning on painting some of this.

Absolutely.

You've got from room number four, right?

What's it look like?

A lot of the same TBH.

Wood, Antargia.

Nice designs.

Pretty dark, though.

hallway doesn't have any windows.

Alright, I'm on the east side.

I'm just gonna start checking doors.

I should have brought a mask.

Smelly.

I found a powder room.

A spooky powder room?

Does spookiness reek like an extended family of dead mice?

If so, then yes, very spooky.

I think I found the tower room, but it's franc.

Smells worse than the bathroom.

Actually, it's almost the same.

Smells just worse.

Maybe it's just going through the walls.

That's nasty.

Are you going in or not?

Yeah.

Yeah, just preparing myself.

What's in there, Mal?

Light.

There are windows on the towers.

It's a round room, and there are stairs.

I'm going up.

Some boxes and furnitures with sheets over top.

Very cliche.

Just be careful.

What's happened?

I fell.

Cut my hand.

Not so rancid.

No, I mean, what was the sound?

Who was that?

Wait, you heard the two?

Of course I heard that.

Is someone up there?

I didn't understand what they were saying.

Is it Julia?

I don't know, but it sounded like a man's voice.

I think I've heard it before.

But I'm going up there.

What the fuck?

Don't go quiet.

I'm alright.

What's up there?

It's disgusting.

The smell.

It's coming from here.

It's a bunch of dead bats.

The window is cracked open.

Nasty.

Don't touch anything.

They can carry diseases.

There are maybe forty.

Did they get stuck inside?

Die of starvation?

Oh,

no.

No way.

They could get out if they wanted to.

He's like partially eaten.

I think I'm gonna.

I hear heels.

Julie's coming.

I'm coming back to the room.

Did she spot you?

I didn't see her.

I don't know if she saw me.

Where was she coming from?

I don't know.

I just heard her heels.

Were you on the top floor?

I don't know.

But I didn't see any more stairs.

What did the bots look like?

How did they die?

I don't know.

Give me a second to catch my breath.

I heard her, but I didn't see her.

The pets.

It looked like something was eating them, but also killed way more than it needed to eat.

Maybe that cat you saw.

Maybe.

But they had been there for a while.

And it smelled rancid

Some look dried out, but like some were still rotting for sure

So not to be gross, but I'm getting hungry and could really go for those pancakes

Yeah, no problem.

I should have my appetite back by the time I'm done cooking them

I'll go down and get the ingredients here

Syrup on my milk, syrup, almond milk, syrup, homie milk.

Yep, and yep.

Wonder what he found upstairs.

We can't stop.

Not now.

There's too much relying on this

silver and bone.

silver and bone,

take it away, take it away,

make way.

It's up

in the rooms, in the attic, on the roof.

I'll bring this all and the torch.

We can get it all done tonight.

Take it away to shore.

Silver will be up.

Relying on us.

Need us.

Needs us.

Take away silver.

Take away gold.

Make way.

Make way.

Make way.

Dad, stop!

You're hurting yourself!

Look, look at him!

He's bleeding on everything!

everything!

Melody,

you can help.

Pick it up.

Take the silver.

Silver, make way.

Pernotal.

Make way.

What's wrong with that?

Oh, hey, see English.

He's bleeding all over your tools, and you're not acting normal at all.

This isn't okay.

You've been working working all night.

You need to stop.

Yes.

Tomorrow, we'll break the last of the silver rings.

We'll take it away.

Make way.

And imagine what we could do with it all.

It's time.

And the silver is in the way.

Make way.

Stop saying that.

This isn't okay.

This place is crazy.

Julia is crazy.

We should leave.

We could find another place and another job.

We always do.

No.

It's time.

And the silver is in the way.

What are you saying?

Time for what?

It's our time.

Our time.

And the silver is in the way.

The way to something better for us.

For you.

For Max.

We just need to get it out of here.

Tonight.

The rest of the lines.

I'll cut the rest of the lines.

Tomorrow, make way.

Just call Mr.

Lucas.

Let's get on the boat and go back to the truck.

Please, Steph, we don't need this.

I'll get a job.

We can go back to Hamilton.

Make way.

Do you even see?

His hands are bleeding.

Just stop.

Ian, put it down.

You need to stop.

I have to make the way free.

The time has come.

Melody, stop.

Let him work.

Just put it down.

This is insane.

Go!

We need to work.

Get out of here, girl!

Don't you see what this is?

This is some occult shit!

Look at it!

It's not just some circles or lines!

You found something terrible!

And we need to leave dead!

Look at it!

You hate this kind of stuff!

We'll take the silver.

It's real.

It's in our hands.

You can't deny it.

I deserve it.

I deserve it.

Maybe you do.

It's good for us.

Imagine what we can get from this.

We'll be set forever.

We'll be rich.

Another to break.

Vaccine!

You took everything from me!

Maxine, stay inside!

Lock the door!

Don't let Julia in!

She's not here!

Maxine, it's me.

Let me in.

Close it once I'm in.

Hurry.

What's happening?

What's wrong with Julia?

I don't know, but something is wrong with Dad, and he won't listen to me.

This place is scary, Maxine.

It's so scared.

What do you mean?

What's wrong with Dad?

He's been acting so weird.

He's sleepwalking.

And why?

Why hasn't he needed his pills, Max?

Why is he not complaining anymore?

There are all these things in the house, noises and voices.

Like scratches on things?

Max,

what did you say?

You can tell me.

Um,

after you left, I heard noises on the door and I stood next to it, but I didn't open the door.

Eventually, it stopped, and I wanted to look, so I opened the door.

And there are scratches on the door.

No marks.

Maybe.

It was a phrase.

In the silver sleeps.

Max, I'm so sorry.

I hadn't told you everything.

I thought it was all nothing, and that I didn't need to tell you.

I didn't want you to worry.

I'm so sorry.

But it's weird.

And it's scary, and I'm scared.

It's okay to be scared, and we need to get off this island.

What's happening?

Melody, what do you mean you didn't tell me?

Why didn't you tell me?

Julia's not okay.

She was young when we got here.

She was.

She changed it so fast.

And she's been doing messed up shit.

She's breaking things and crawling on top of furniture, stands in closets.

She types random shit on the typewriter.

Yes, and so much more, I'm sure.

Dead found bones and symbols in the basement, Occult symbols carved into the ground.

You said it was asbestos.

It is asbestos.

Asbestos and demons.

I don't know, but I think whatever Dad and Ian are taking apart down there is letting something out.

What's that look?

What did you do?

Before,

when you went to the tower, I didn't stay in the room.

I went down the hall.

I wanted to see the room with the peeling wallpaper that you saw the first time we explored.

And it wasn't far, so I thought I could go there and come back before you even got to the tower room.

Maxine,

I got confused.

I went in the wrong door and ended up in the little linen closet.

All of her hair was on the floor, brown and gray hair.

It had to be hers, all over in little clumps.

Like it all just came out.

Who's there?

Don't come out, girls.

Don't leave the rooms.

Why?

Girls,

leave.

Melody, I'm not hungry.

Let's back.

Tomorrow, when we see Mr.

Lucas's boat approaching, we'll flag him down, and we're getting the fuck out of here.

Don't Mind Sealskin Rock, written and created by K.A.

Stats.

Produced, directed, with additional sound design by Travis Vengroff.

Co-edited and directed with dialogue editing, editing, sound design, mixing, and mastering by Finner Nielsen.

Writing assistance by W.K.

Stats.

Music by Brandon Boone.

And executive producers Dennis Greenhill, AJ Punkin, Carol Vengroff, and Michael Viegas.

Starring Marcy Edwards, Lily Pichu, Ewan Sheng, Stefan Konekart, Russ Moore, Ryan Philbrook, and Caroline Caroline St.

Pei.

For bonus content, early releases, and ad-free episodes, please support the creators at patreon.com slash foolandscholar.

With your help, we have so many more stories we'd love to bring to life.

This is a Fool and Scholar production.

Thank you for listening.

I've got a homicide in Springfield's North Woods by Mile Marker 16.

You are now entering Springfield.

Where's the body?

Off the side of the ditch down there.

You know,

surrounded by all this crime scene tape.

Hello?

Am I dead?

My name is John.

I'm the new forensic pathologist.

I can see you, and that's how we'll figure out how you were murdered.

That means ghosts are real.

Since then, I've noted multiple additional missing case files and even missing bodies.

Let's say I believe you came across some record-keeping discrepancies in a string of deaths.

You're not an investigator, Jonathan.

Stop trying to be one.

After everything I've discovered, I just need to know.

Why?

What happened in Springfield?

Going somewhere, Dr.

Spacer.

Listen to How I Died, a full cast police and medical procedural podcast with over 40 episodes already available.

Then, tune into season four of How I Died, releasing now on all podcast apps.

Greetings, adventurers.

Today

They will never be the same again.

One of the players is not what they seem after a doppelganger, a creature that can assume the form and voice of whatever it kills, infiltrates the team.

As the players are picked off and replaced one at a time, can they figure out who the monster is before it's too late?

Can you?

Here's a quick example of what our show sounds like.

The uh shambler with the jar of liquid inside of him.

Soren Arkwright let loose an arrow that cracked the glass, passing through the spine of the creature.

The shambler still managed to maintain its forward momentum, but stumbled as it eagerly tried to bite and swipe at Soren, landing near his feet.

As Jeff Goldbloom has now joined our cast, Dark Dice is available however you listen to podcasts.