Don't Mind | Cruxmont | Ep. 2

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I'm K.A.

Stats, the writer and creator of Don't Mind Cruxmont.

And I'm Travis Vengroff, the producer and director.

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Previously, on Don't Mind Cruxmont, Dr.

Gwen Kingston found her patient miraculously recovered from late-stage neural degeneration with the only possible clue being a mysterious visitor who brought gifts from the small village of Cruxmont in northern England.

While driving late at night in hopes of reaching Cruxmont, Dr.

Kingston nearly hit American Neil Mitchell on the narrow single-track road into the village.

Neil, she found out, was in search of his missing brother Colin, who was last heard heading to Cruxmont.

Continuing on, they were stopped before reaching the village by the appearance of a body lying in the dark country road.

Don't mind Cruxmont.

I can't imagine you intended to be hiking on these narrow roads at night without a light nail.

No, I didn't want to wait to get to Cruxmont, but I don't have a car, and I couldn't find a bus that was going out that way.

Uh-huh.

But uh, why is an American heading to such a tiny place?

There are hundreds of far more interesting things to see nearby, unless, of course, you're a plum connoisseur.

What?

No, I'm looking for someone.

Stop!

Do not move.

This is too, too many suspicious things in one night.

One wrong move, and I will hurt you.

Don't threaten me.

I haven't done anything.

I thought you were a doctor.

There's a body in the road, Gwen.

Oh my god.

Okay, uh

yes, yes, uh, I.

Uh, I know.

I know.

Running into two men on this road this late at night is not impossible, no, but uh,

Neil, get out and check on him.

Uh, if he needs medical assistance, I will get out and uh I'll prepare an emergency call.

Sure, fine.

Mm-hmm.

Stop!

What?

Over there.

In the hedgerow.

Hedgerow?

I saw something moving in the underbrush.

What?

I don't see anything.

Was it a squirrel or something?

England doesn't have any dangerous animals, right?

Like bears or cougars?

No, no, no, no, nothing that big.

This looked like a person moving between the trees.

You saw someone?

I saw something that could have been a someone.

Okay,

keep the car on.

If there's any shit, I'm gonna run back to the car.

Don't lock the door.

I will most certainly be locking the door.

I have to say, as far as your reputation as a doctor stands with me, hitting me with a car and leaving someone face down in the road is really not putting you in a good light.

As an intelligent woman driving alone at night in an unfamiliar place, I am already stepping outside my normal level of risk tolerance by giving you, a stranger, a lift into town.

Now, I agree we should check on a person in need, but as you are available to do so, do so.

I'm here and ready to assist if needed.

Does that body look normal to you?

It's difficult to tell in this light.

It looks small.

And the legs are really flat.

Keep an eye out.

And tell me if you see anything again.

And honk if you see something.

No, don't.

It'll scare the shit out of me.

Just.

Do you see anything?

Nothing.

Okay.

Alright.

Hello.

Are you okay?

Hello?

On the road, sir.

Are you okay?

Ma'am?

Can you hear me?

This is such a freaking stupid idea.

Hello?

Sir?

Are you hurt?

Do you need any help?

Hey, I'm gonna feel for a pulse, alright?

There's a doctor in the car, and we can call an ambulance if you're hurt.

You little shits!

What?

Get back here!

Where are you?

Hey, are you alright?

It's just some stupid teenagers.

What?

Some kind of dummy or doll thing on a rope?

They could seriously get someone hurt.

What if we had been.

What if we'd been driving faster, like you were earlier?

If you tried.

If you tried not to hit that dummy, you would have smashed in a tree or a boulder or some.

I'm fine.

But you are bleeding on my car.

Oh, really?

Crap.

I'm sorry.

I scratched my palm when I fell.

It doesn't look bad.

Um, open the door and rinse the scratch off with uh with water.

And there are some some plasters in that glove box.

Some what?

Uh, some small bandages for your hand.

Thanks.

You know, they took a picture of you when you fell on your ass.

Yeah,

I saw the flash.

I'm sure they found it super entertaining.

Let's get to the village.

Please.

Why did you go after them?

To get them to delete the photo?

No.

I thought I saw something that belonged to my brother.

Your brother?

Yeah.

He has this corduroy jacket and ugly green thing.

It's just a bit reflective, and I thought I saw it in the headlights.

And when the flash went off.

No.

Not really.

Hmm.

Maybe it could have been a possibility, but that's not the kind of crap he pulled.

I'm here looking for him, and when I saw the jacket, I didn't really think anything.

Just follow the jacket.

So,

uh, your brother isn't here.

Yeah,

he's missing.

I'm sorry, so uh, he's supposed to be in Kruxmod.

Yeah, uh,

he always checks in every day.

What?

Stupid photos, video clips, weird ideas that pop up into his head.

He generally leaves messages because of the whole time zone thing.

Cruxemont was the next place he told me he was headed.

Heard about it from this short podcast show he listens to and wanted to check it out.

That was

about a week ago.

What's his name?

Colin.

Huh.

Um, yeah, uh, he looks like this.

A lot like like me, really.

Younger.

Though he doesn't look it.

Yeah, yeah, show it to me when I'm not driving.

But uh,

yeah, I hope you find him.

And um,

welcome to Cruxmont.

It's uh

really dark.

Yeah, they don't seem to have street lighting.

That's peculiar.

Looks quaint

and small.

small.

Do

people live in these, or are they just shops?

I'm not sure.

Bit of both, possibly.

Uh.

Do you have somewhere I should drop you off?

Um,

no.

I couldn't find anything to book online.

So maybe a hotel or a hostel?

If we see one.

I hope.

I'll just keep looking.

There.

There, the lights are still on.

Fox in bloom.

I think it's a pub.

Well, pubs sometimes have some

rooms available.

Should we give it a try?

Yeah.

Okay.

So, so when did you get to England?

Just this morning.

It's been a long day.

Yeah.

Okay.

Hello?

Is anyone here?

Someone's taking really good care of this place.

All this woodwork and no dust.

Meticulous.

I wouldn't have noticed.

Clean freak.

Hello?

Oh!

Jesus!

You scared me.

Where'd you come from?

Just round the corner.

But at my age, I've shrunk a bit, and it can be tricky to see me coming.

Can I help you?

Bit late to be rolling into town, isn't it?

Car trouble?

Uh, no, uh, nothing like that, but I am sorry for the late hour.

If possible, I'd like a room for this evening and maybe the next few days as well.

And a room for me, too, please.

Um, at least for tonight.

But possibly more.

Give us a moment, dears.

Uh,

we have four rooms available, all clean and tidy.

After tomorrow evening, everything is booked up, so only tonight and tomorrow.

Rooms are sixty a night paid up front, and I will need to see some identification to take down information in case of damages.

Yeah, sure.

Ah, right.

That should be the exact amount for two nights.

Thank you.

Miss Kingston, you can have room four, up the stairs and on the left.

Mr Mitchell, yours is room three, up the stairs and on the right.

Sinks are in the rooms, but the loo and showers are shared.

The door has a sign on it.

All clean, no worries.

And I'm Mary.

I'll be heading to sleep after this, but if you need any extra bedding, the linen cupboard is the first door at the end of the hall, and I wake up when the service bell rings.

Everything seems to wake me up these days.

Oh, breakfast is not included in your room rate, but we do have a breakfast service starting from seven, down here in the pub.

Fill you up for the day.

And what brings you to Cruxmont?

Uh different things.

I'm sorry.

I'm about to crash.

Uh

Here's the cash, 120 pounds.

Well, just remember, you can only be here tonight and tomorrow night, if needed.

Not after.

Here.

Thank you, Mrs.

Birch.

But Mary is perfectly fine.

Hmm.

Then

thank you, Mary.

Have a good evening, and I'd love some breakfast in the morning.

Sweet dreams.

You two, dear.

Stairs are just over there.

Good night.

Thank you for the ride into town.

Sorry?

Uh thank you for the ride.

Oh, yes, you're um you're welcome.

And I I apologize again for the near miss.

Well, I'm alive.

No harm done.

Not by you, anyways.

Good night.

Night.

Christ, these keys are big.

Yes, yes I know.

I've been running this place for decades.

You don't have to remind me.

I told them.

They'll be out after tomorrow night.

Festival has us booked up regardless.

It won't be any kind of problem at all.

But one of them's American.

Yeah, come by tomorrow.

I'll put kettle on for you.

Night

small town

sweet sleep.

Colin, you didn't answer my text

Colin!

Colin!

Colin, open the door!

Colin!

Colin, open the door!

You know you're not supposed to lock it!

Colin!

I don't even hear the water running.

Colin, answer me, please!

You said you had a job interview.

Did you even have a job interview?

Answer me.

You don't.

You don't have to lie to me.

You don't have an interview.

I don't care.

You can't lock this door.

Colin.

Colin.

Colin.

Don't do this.

do this!

Gwen,

it's like 4 a.m.

Yes, sorry.

No worries.

Wasn't sleeping great anyways.

What's up?

I saw something strange out of the window in the bathroom.

You should be able to see it from your window.

There,

follow the fence and look up a bit further back at the hilltop.

The lights!

What's weird about it?

They started closer and have been moving over the hills.

You said you were looking for your brother, and one of those teenagers may have had his jacket.

Well, I believe that that is them.

I saw a teenager running over the hills toward the lights.

Possibly better to catch up with them.

How could you tell it was a teenager?

Listen, no one but a teenager would wear what I saw.

Ah, yes.

The time of conspicuous poor life choices.

I remember them well.

Are you going after them?

I'm already awake.

And finding Colin is the whole reason I'm here.

If I find him tonight, that's great.

Seeing that jacket, or at least thinking I saw that jacket, was the best lead I've had so far.

At least until I can ask around town tomorrow morning.

Okay, okay.

I'll come with you.

What?

Why?

I'm already awake, and I have my own schedule to keep to.

I won't find what I'm looking for in my room.

Fine.

Works for me.

You ready to go?

Yes.

Okay.

So, what are you looking for?

Think those teenagers will have it?

No.

Well, perhaps.

The pub landlady, Yeah.

How did you find her?

Find her?

Uh

how did she seem to you?

Oh

fine.

Old?

I wasn't really paying attention.

She seems nice enough.

Maybe a bit weary.

Since it was midnight and everything.

So, um,

is it possible your brother gave away his jacket?

Maybe.

He has.

If he was out of money, he tends to pawn things.

But he was pretty prepared for this trip, and he's not a big spender.

Not anymore.

And if that's the case, that he pawned it.

Then at least someone saw him.

Maybe more recently than I have.

Not maybe, certainly.

And anything helps.

Yeah.

I owe you an apology.

About the car?

You already apologized?

No, no, no, no, no.

About sending you out to check on the body on the road alone.

It's it's fine.

It's done.

Totally normal to be mistrusting in a situation like that.

Very, uh...

Hills have eyes set up.

Hills have eyes?

The hills have eyes?

A horror movie?

West Craven in the 70s.

Redone sometime in early 2000s.

I don't like horror films.

That's not the point.

I just meant that it makes a lot of sense that you wouldn't want to get out of the car to check on a body in the road when you've already got a stranger in your car.

All very understandable.

Besides, no one was actually hurt.

Well, thank you.

And I'll keep an eye out for Colin.

Can I see that picture from earlier?

Yeah, yeah, of course.

He looks a lot like me.

Well, yeah, but he looks.

You said he's younger than you?

Yes, but

he's had a hard life.

Hmm.

Yeah, you can see it in his eyes and cheeks.

Look a bit hollow.

This is from a few months ago.

He looks a lot better now.

He filled out a little once.

He discovered the joy of cooking.

You're a good brother.

Not everyone has someone who would come looking for them.

Yeah?

Well, thanks.

We're getting close to the lights.

But where should we hide or?

No, with teenagers, never show fear.

They'll pounce.

Approach with confidence and determination.

Okay then.

Shit.

That is Colin's jacket, no doubt.

Hey, Blondie, where did you get that?

Who?

It's you.

Want the dummy or the photo?

You know, we got your best side.

Yeah, you're right.

Dummy's not here, so fuck off.

Where did you get all of this alcohol?

The village shop.

What?

You want some?

No.

But your terrible friend, if you haven't even noticed, your friend over there is blackout drunk.

She's completely out of it.

Hello, love.

Hello?

Can you hear me?

Neil, grab her shoulder and roll her over.

Yeah, sure.

Mm-hmm.

She's a lightweight anyway.

She.

How much did she drink?

I don't know.

We're not responsible for her.

She can do what she wants.

Just hand her half a bottle of voddie, maybe's more.

Is she gonna be okay?

Do you have any water?

Come on, you prick, give it to her.

Whatever.

Fine.

What's her name?

Amy.

Amy?

Amy, can you wake up?

Can you hear me?

Amy?

Okay, yes, I now I need you to wake up, Amy,

how long has she been out?

I don't know.

Yeah, maybe like half an hour.

We're walking around setting the dummy up until she has to sit down.

After a while, I guess she had too much.

I'm gonna be sick.

That's it.

You lean over.

Mm-hmm.

Keep your head up.

All right.

All right.

All right.

Now try to drink some water.

Do you know where she lives?

Mom.

Yeah, she's she's me cousin.

She's she's just over there in the yellow house.

You take her home and you tell her parents to keep an eye on her.

I can't believe you just sat here laughing while your cousin was in such a state.

Sorry.

Yeah, come in.

Yames, let's go.

Mike.

Mike, how are we supposed to do this?

It's so warm.

What are we supposed to do?

It'll be okay.

Imes,

let's get home, eh?

Drink the water.

Now that's much more doctorly.

I can't stand the stupidity of it.

You should be ashamed of yourselves.

You could have hurt someone with that dummy, and your friend was right next to you, suffering, and you did nothing.

She should take care of herself.

If she can't handle the drink, she shouldn't take the bottle.

Shut up, Jeff.

Amy isn't.

Well, you should care.

I'm leaving.

And you better return the dummy, you prick.

Bitch.

Wanker.

Jeff, then, right?

Where did you get the green jacket?

Why?

Where did you get it?

Let go!

The jacket.

Tell me.

Did you see this guy?

Yeah, and?

You saw him?

When?

Where?

Where?

How did you get the jacket?

Why should I tell you?

What are you gonna do?

Listen, you little shit.

That's my brother.

If you saw him, you tell me.

Now.

And after all that shit with the dummy, I'm sure no one would mind if you got a few bumps on the way home.

Got a few bumps?

Okay, skinny rumble.

Neil, you can't frighten kids.

Where did the other girl go?

She didn't walk toward town.

What was that?

Knob End.

Shit!

Get back here!

You!

You said you saw him!

Good!

Good!

Oh!

Shake!

Listen!

I don't care about the drinking.

You being a shitty person overall.

I just want to know where my brother is.

So again, where did you get it?

Fine.

Get the fuck off me.

Wasn't it already, old man?

Maybe.

It takes a lot of energy to put up with your bullshit.

And I'm what?

Maybe ten years older than you?

If you think that's old, I've got some bad news for you about the majority of your life.

So, where did you see Colin?

And the jacket?

I saw him here in Crooksmont.

Don't make this like pulling teeth.

Just tell me the whole thing.

Fine.

Jesus.

It was last week, maybe.

Maybe less.

I don't know what day, but it was in the middle of the night and I was heading up this hill with a pack of smokes I'd nicked off me dar.

And I went to sit on that wall over there, right?

And then coming over the hill, while I'm having a drag, runs this bloke, American.

I can tell because he was yelling.

What was he yelling?

I don't remember anymore.

Like, maybe, what do you want?

It wasn't important to me.

I would remember that.

A lot of drinking nights between then and now, man.

You need a hobby.

So, what happened next?

Nothing.

He disappeared over the hill.

I didn't go after him.

I smoked and then I went home.

Why lie?

Why now?

If you just went home, how did you get the jacket?

Fine.

I smoked and then I went up the hill to look around.

Which direction was he coming from?

That way.

It was running up the hill from the tree line over there.

And the jacket?

Yeah, so I went up the hill, looked around, walked down the other side, didn't see anyone, but the jacket was lying on the ground.

Green's my colour.

So I took it.

Yeah, great.

So now you can give it back.

Not happening.

Do you really not understand how stupid that jacket looks?

How could I have possibly picked you out from the trees without you wearing that hideous thing?

Fine, take it.

Things too tight round the shoulders anyway.

Your brother's a right skinny runt needs to fill out a bit.

He's working on it.

Where did she go?

She didn't seem as drunk as Amy.

What?

Hey!

Excuse me!

Where are you going?

Amy's friend!

Wait!

Throw off!

Don't Mind Cruxmont.

Written and created by K.A.

Stats.

Produced and directed with sound design by Travis Fengraff.

Edited with sound design mixing and mastering by Dane Leonardson.

And with script and casting consulting by Gemma Amour.

Starring Ajua Ando, Daniel Demerin, Erica Sanderson, and Sue Bomer.

Featuring additional voices by Jack Waterman, Dan Pye, and Becky Lindsay.

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

And music by Stephen Malin.

This episode would not be possible without the support of our listeners on Patreon, so please consider supporting us there at patreon.com/slash foolandscholar, or by sharing this show with a friend.

This episode is copyrighted 2022 by Fool and Scholar Productions.

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