The Gentleman From Hell |S1| Ep. 8

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be a little bit of a single skin.

you're dead.

Where the hell my head was at on this whole thing, I had no idea.

I know I felt like a schmuck for trying to get everyone to stay on my account, but despite all I'd seen, there was still something holding me back from completely buying the whole thing.

And being a paranormal witness, or whatever they might be called, wasn't something I was looking forward to.

I could already hear the guys down at the bar and grill, chuckling behind my back, leaving napkin ghosts over the top of my beer whenever I got up to use the John.

But the money, the house,

was all I had left.

Was it blinding me to real danger?

Danger that had it out for all of us.

Christ, we opened fire on them.

Whatever the hell it was.

The holes in the artwork might have vanished, but the bullets were real enough.

That's dangerous, if ever anything was.

I think I was hoping Hughes would kick us off the project, and that way I wouldn't have to muster the willpower to pull the plug on the whole thing myself.

Because honestly, I didn't think I had it in me.

Hello, Mason.

It's good to hear from you.

Though I hadn't imagined it would be so soon.

Yeah,

I didn't think so either, but uh

something sort of come up.

I'm intrigued.

Tell me all about it.

Well,

we uh

we ran into something we weren't expecting

and I don't exactly know how to say it other than just blurting it out.

We uh seem to have run into some uh

ghosts.

Did I hear that correctly, Mason?

Did you say ghosts?

Yep, sir, I uh I did.

And I sure as hell wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't hadn't seen it myself Well, I can't say that in the course of my own work the notion of ghosts hasn't popped up from time to time And do the others believe similarly that the property is host to the supernatural?

I was the last holdout.

I see

And you're certain about all of this are you?

I wish to hell I wasn't but I saw what I saw And we're not talking about figures floating around on the sheets either.

Phil

Phyllis says it's not even ghosts, but something...

demonic.

And honestly, from where I was standing, I can't say I disagree.

Well, I was confident this case would take some turns, but I confess that I didn't expect ghosts.

So, just to be clear...

Are you saying these supernatural forces are somehow linked to the missing people?

Or...

Phyllis says the stuff in the house is what took the people.

That they were sort of.

Jesus, it's hard for me to even say it.

I can see this isn't easy for you, which makes me all the more inclined to believe you.

What does Ms.

Chambers recommend?

She is, after all, a psychic of considerable reputation.

She.

I mean, we all think it might be wise to bring in some more people.

Like paranormal specialists.

Hmm.

Mason,

why don't you tell me more about all this from the beginning?

Come on.

Come on.

Let's go.

Let's go.

I don't know what just happened.

I thought...

I thought I saw a man.

He was sort of staggering off in the distance.

But then...

But then it was like he saw me.

His movements were

very strange.

He just closed the distance so fast.

I don't know what I saw.

I have no idea.

It was...

It was dark.

And then of course there's the fog, which has entirely cleared now.

But I also know I heard someone call out for help.

They seemed to be in pain.

I'll have to go over it all in the morning, as I am am completely exhausted.

Though, I'm not looking forward to the dreams my little excursion is sure to conjure.

Hmm, that seems to be the end of Side A.

Hard to tell if that's just Ben getting spooked by some guy out for a walk or something else.

I wish he'd caught the voice on tape.

Given the circumstances, I can't say I wouldn't have made a break for it myself.

But you're right, there's nothing telling about any of that.

Eh, at least he didn't run into a hyena.

Oh, you mentioned that...

thing so casually.

I don't think I'll have a peaceful night's sleep ever again.

Eh, it's the sunlight, I think.

Makes all that stuff seem unreal.

Like it never happened.

But I haven't been getting much sleep since I saw it either.

So, you want to listen to side B or wait till we've taken a peek at the farm?

Because that's it up ahead.

Well, then, why don't we hold off for a bit on the tape and enjoy the sun while we have it, shall we?

Let's see this city-sustaining farm.

Works for me.

I think that's the entrance right there.

Hmm, it's a fairly sizable place, but I suppose it should be feeding an entire town as it did.

You getting any weird vibes from it?

Not really.

But then, I didn't sense a thing when what happened last night happened.

Is that normal?

Things sneaking past your gift, I mean?

How often have you been hearing these voices?

Almost since the beginning.

But you must remember, I'm not at all unaccustomed to hearing them, nor am I in the habits of believing everything they say.

Are you upset I didn't say anything earlier?

No, nothing like that.

I guess I just want to get as much info as I can on all this.

If this were an ordinary case, I'd want to bring you in for questioning, so I had all my facts straight.

Well, Agent Oates, ask me whatever you'd like.

I have nothing to hide.

All right.

When was the last time you heard one of these voices?

And what did it say?

Ah,

you would have to ask me that, wouldn't you?

It was right before

the thing.

Hyena came into my room.

It seemed to be speaking to me through the radio.

It said...

If you want to see who I am,

just open the door.

You mean to tell me it was the hyena talking to you?

I don't know why that should surprise you.

It spoke to you and Mace, too.

Yeah, I guess it did, didn't it?

And that

moment you had when we showed you the archway?

That another time you heard the voice?

Yes, it's an Look out, Leon.

There's something right in front of us.

Oh, shit.

Oh, I was so busy looking at the house.

I didn't even see it.

Looks like a tire.

Huh?

What's wrong?

There's fresh car tracks next to it.

Uh, sit tight for a sec.

I want to check something.

Don't you go far?

Not going any farther than right here.

What do you see?

Be right there.

Just want to grab a few pigs.

Looks like somebody had a flat and stopped there to change the tire.

Car tracks came from that way.

Must be another road onto the property.

Someone was here

last night?

Looks like.

See?

Tracks are in fresh mud.

The tread's clear as day.

So are the footprints next to him?

About a ten?

Ten and a half boot.

What do you make of it?

I suppose not much.

This place probably gets more than its share of thrill seekers.

The tracks head that way, though, around the the other side of the house.

I don't see any harm in following them, do you?

I think I can deal with a normal human being driving a normal, earthly vehicle.

Alrighty, let's see what there is to see.

Looks like they go right up to that bomb.

Back door's open, too.

All those must be their cigarette butts, right?

Yep.

And whoever was driving only started smoking once they got here.

Burned through quite a few of them, too.

Hmm.

There's no decent cell service, so they weren't talking on the phone.

I'm thinking maybe they were nervous about going up to the barn.

Footprints leading to the door are real close together, so they weren't in any hurry to get in there.

Or out out of the rain for that matter.

You're not thinking of going in there, are you?

We agreed not to do anything unless we were all together.

Just gonna peek through the door, that's all.

Leon Sebastian Oates, you had best not take one step into that barn.

No more than a peek, I promise.

What's that you've got there?

A sheet of paper from a notebook.

Oh, is there anything written on it?

Looks like someone was trying to write something, but screwed it up and threw it away.

Says

A J

E 12.

Then a bunch of stuff that's been crossed out.

Given the condition, I'd say it likely belonged to a mysterious visitor.

Other than that, nothing stands out in the barn, just piles of old junk scattered all over the place.

Ah, alright, you've had your peek.

Now get back here.

Yes, ma'am, en route.

Oh, now what are you looking at?

Ben said that all the silos were crooked, but they look pretty straight to me, even after more than 20 years.

I mean,

things don't generally get more orderly with time.

I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at.

Oh, I'm not getting at anything, just an observation.

Maybe the lighting created some kind of illusion.

Could be.

Anyway, let's see what else there is to see.

Maybe find that other road in and then take a closer look at the town.

That's fine with me, but let's find a place to park once we're in town.

I could use a walk to straighten out my nerves.

Does that suit you, driver?

Whatever the lady likes.

Excellent.

Hey, I'm back early.

Anyone there?

Over.

Hello,

Goddamn worthless thing.

The hell could that be?

Hey there, uh, can I help you?

Hello.

I'm from the County Historical Society and Portafoy.

My name is Samuel Whitlock.

All right, you guys have been taking care of the mansion, right?

Indeed, we have.

May I come in?

Sure, come on in.

I'm Mason Rhodes, Mace, but I'm sure Hughes already told you who we are.

Indeed, Mr.

Rhodes.

Mace,

I know exactly who you are.

I gotta say, you guys have been doing a great job keeping the mansion up.

You can hardly tell the place has been abandoned for 20-some-odd years.

Have a seat, Mr.

Whitmock.

Can I get you something to drink?

Water?

Tea?

Coffee?

Thank you, but no.

Nothing to drink.

But as for the house, one such as this, built from the ancient trees of the pitch-pot woods, does a fine job of keeping itself.

Uh, yeah, I guess.

Hey, since you're the expert, where does the name come from?

Pitch pot?

From the stout black cauldron that was said to have been been used by the witches of Isabel.

Witches really use that sort of stuff, huh?

Oh, it's not always just made up for Halloween, you know, like firing on broomsticks, turning people into toads.

Oh, no.

The Isabel witches were said to wheel round the big pot.

Hands joined to form a circle.

Mouths full of hexes.

Eyes flashing foxfire.

Some of the tales suggest that the odor of their awful awful conjurations wafted for miles.

You see, the brew of apostates is said to help them conjure the spirits.

I always hear people say that.

Conjure the spirits, but nobody ever says what any of that means.

Like,

what kind of spirits?

All sorts.

Spirits can take many forms: frogs, crows, snakes,

hyenas.

So, uh, how long have you been working for?

Hyenas are especially prized, Mr.

Rhodes.

They are said to be beloved of the devil, who sometimes even takes their shape.

Especially when seeking a very particular soul.

One marked for hell.

What the fuck?

How'd I fall asleep?

Mace you in there?

God

damn it

Come on pick up.

I see a truck out here.

Yeah, it was it John.

What's up?

Engine light came on while we were in town.

I need your mechanical expertise Mind coming out and taking a look

Maybe you uh should have spent some time in a garage absorbing some proper life life skills rather than learning Latin.

And what, show you up at yet another thing?

Even I'm not that cruel.

Smart ass.

I'm oil.

The Gentleman from Hell is a Maltopia production.

Today's episode was written by Mark Anzalone and performed by Stephen Zivik, Sam Stark, Aubrey Akers, and Matt Van Hove.

Sound editing was completed by Stephen Anzalone, and script editing was conducted by Walker Kornfeld.

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