Episode 19 - The Time Is So Wrong, It's Right

## Summary

It's a showdown at the end of the world! The Club makes their way through a topsy-turvy Haverford to confront Lailah's Lizards in the old Haverford Generating Station. But Salamander CEJ may not be the only betrayal in store...

## Previously On...

Dear Diary, this is how Shamanda felt.

Last week, like always, we had a lot going on. We exorcised a Christmas demon. Sure, that's wonderful. We had to rush off to a power plant. And everyone just kind of ignored the fact that I revealed that I have two souls inside of me. What am I supposed to do with this? Every single time I feel like something big happens for me, it's overshadowed.

CEJ's dead. I get it. That's a really big deal. But also, I'm a young girl with more than enough souls inside of me. What happens if I die? Maybe I wanted to be a demon. Who knows?

Maybe Adam and I were moving too fast. We're in high school. Who knows if we're supposed to end up together? And he seems to be fine just becoming a Moth Man, whoever he is. But who is Shamanda?

I guess I'll find out later.

## Plot

### THE HAVERFORD GENERATING STATION

>
> "We've been waiting for you."
>
>

Jeremy, Cynthia, and Joel step out from the shadows to join Salameejay.

> "The time is wrong Susan Wexler! She must be served!"
>
>

Susan screams in anger and grief. Her pure distress summons forth a Grief Demon. Shamanda stares at Salameejay, beating herself up over not following him closer, keeping better tabs on her friend. She feels so guilty.

Janice, in Krashlee's body, is reminded of the last time she took LSD. In fact, she thinks that Salameejay was there. She walks up to him and asks:

> "Is your name Charlie, because I think I remember you from, you know, that place with the rocks. I followed you and your friends, but we had a nice talk. How you doing? It's been a while."
>
>

Salameejay licks his eyeball and looks confused.

> "Yeah, you're *too* weird."
>
>

A schism between dividing lines of dimensions appears by the other three Salamanders as a Grief Demon is pulled into reality. The demon is two feet tall and almost all legs. It's presence causes immediate unease. It's telepathic abilities really ruin the vibe as it dampens all feeling except grief.

Grief rolls through everyone in the room, including the monsters. As the Salamanders carry memories from the people they impersonate, Salameejay feels CEJs greatest memory of grief. The day that CEJ got pulled out of school when his parents disappeared, a year and a half ago. Feeling completely overwhelmed, Salameejay runs.

Susan points to the Salamanders, saying 'Take them', and the Demon gleefully jumps onto the Salamanders who are beset by memories of their stolen hosts. The Demon gleefully feeds on their grief.

Janice is also affected by the Grief Demon, letting Krashlee take back her body. Losing her insecurity, Krashlee feels fully herself and ready to confront the Salamanders. Krashlee has recently obtained a haven that contains an armory. It fits in a fanny pack that is strapped to her waist. She pulls a lasso out of the armory and captures Salameejay. He turns, charges Krashlee and tries to push some of his skin into her mouth. Krashlee's lasso has the ability to compel truth, and Krashlee demands Salameejay to tell them why he brought them here.

Salameejay stops charging and answers honestly. Susan Wexler has the ritual that they Salamanders need to free Lailah. Susan pulls out her flame thrower.

Adam Miller runs in to the generating station. He hears Salameejay describing how CEJ died, complaining to the end. Adam turns into a caterpillar and charges at Salameejay. Shamanda is a little frustrated that he didn't seem to even notice her. She calls out some negs to Adam to get him to pay attention to her.

As Susan runs to Adam, either to stop him, or help him, she yells out, "MY HAIR HAS CHANGED!".

Adam bites into Salameejay, hard. Some of the neurotoxin spurts out and hits Krashlee in the face. She avoids the brunt of it, and isn't hurt by the toxin. Completely lost in the caterpillar form, Adam Miller drains the life out of Salameejay.

"She must be served!"

The Salamander screeches out before dying from Adam's life drain.

### OLD JUNKYARD

Derrk Plifer is sitting on one of the old abandoned school buses that he sleeps on at night. He is curious about the strange people he saw at the Quivik house. Something new is happening. Nothing new ever happens. Not to Derrk.

The last time he noticed change in Haverford was about 35 years prior. He heads into town.

Derrk walks to the Cold Stone Creamery. Ranger Ilong is ordering a cone and says hi to Derrk. Derrk warmly greets him, using his first name, which surprises the ranger.

"Oh, you remembered my name."

"Of course I do, we know each other."

Derrk giggles to himself, knowing that he went to high school with Byron Ilong. The ranger heads out with Blizzards for him and Diane Miller. Derrk sees that he is now in a Dairy Queen, and he knows that the Coherence has begun.

He knows that he has to get to the power plant.

### THE HAVERFORD GENERATING STATION

Derrk walks to the power plant. As he goes, Haverford is shifting through realities and Derrk feels that the checks and balances that keep the universe running have come undone. As he walks into the entrance area to the power plant, the guard, Maggie, at the front waves to him. As he watches, Maggie changes into an older man, then a child, then Maggie again dressed in a sleeping shirt.

"Um, hi?" She says, before she disappears.

"Ha, classic Maggie."

Derrk continues into the power plant proper, and the power plant is not shifting at all.

Adam shifts back to his human form, covered in Salamander goo. As the group debates what to do next, Adam sighs feeling hopeless.

"It doesn't matter. It's too late. Everything's over. We needed CEJ."

And he explains how CEJ was one of the 36 that needed to be kept safe. He tries to walk further into the power plant, but Susan holds him back.

While that is happening, Shamanda pulls a conch shell out of her JanSport backpack and blares out an alert. The softball team assembles, lead by Adriana and Astrid. Shamanda tells them to keep Adam with them, and the team creates a perimeter around the room.

Shamanda has been mulling over what has been going on to and around her over the past several years. Her friends are important people and the world seems to be affected by them. She has been affected by them. Her life and the choices she has made seem like they have been secretly controlled by someone else to bring her to this moment, holding on to Adam's soul.

Shamanda is livid that she has wasted her time being concerned about her friends when it seems they were always going to end up here. She summons Rider Strong. He appears before her and is not impressed. Shamanda does not care. She tells him that she is taking the throne of Hell. Right now. He talks down to her, tries to leave, and can't.

He asks Shamanda where they are. Runes light up around the power plant walls, and Rider Strong starts to panic. Shamanda feels so wronged by everything that has happened, and as she is standing in front of Rider Strong, a voice touches her mind.

> *-You can be free of this-*
>
>
> "Lailah?"
>
>
> -Help me and I'll help you-
>
>
> "How do I know this isn't another bull shit deal?"
>
>
> -It is, but aren't they all?-
>
>
>
> "You're damn right"
>
>

Krashlee tries to persuade Shamanda not to give in to Lailah, and Shamanda tells Krashlee that her past lives wouldn't have a problem with it. Krashlee doesn't give up, but Shamanda runs further into the power plant. The softball team follows behind her in lock step as Shamanda's telepathy has taken over the entire team. Lailah tells Shamanda to bring Susan to her.

Susan looks over at Adam. "I know you're very upset right now but we're gonna have to fix that."

Adam mentions that he isn't sure they can fix it, maybe not even Susan. Susan responds, "I'm Susan Wexler, bitch."

Then the softball club picks her up and takes her away.

As Krashlee and Adam are left in the room alone, Derrk walks in.

"Hey everybody!"

He introduces himself to Adam as Krashlee's classmate. He tells them that the town is not doing well, and he thinks Lailah is trying to break free. His language is a bit dated, and Krashlee, suspicious, asks him if he knows Janice. And Derrk did. He went to school with Janice.

Adam shakes his head, "I don't think we have time for this right now, Derrk are you in or out?" And he runs after Shamanda.

Krashlee takes off after him, and Derrk follows.

Derrk asks if they are going to fight, and after Adam and Krashlee say they probably will, he reaches out into space and a glowing line appears in the air. He stick his arm into the space and it vanishes, only to take it back out, holding a giant flaming sword.

Adam looks at Krashlee, "I'm glad he's on our side."

Krashlee laughs, "Yeah, I think I like this guy, if you know what I mean!"

Behind them, the door to the loading dock of the Haverford Generating Station is open. Outside is darkness. There isn't anything there.

Nothing else exists.

## Characters

**Main Cast**

* Rashawn Nadine Scott as Shamanda Felt
* Jeff Murdoch as Adam Miller and Tom Knutts
* Erin Rein as Krashlee Grenadine
* Claire Linic as Susan Wexler
* Alan Linic as Salameejay and Derrk Pflifer
* Tyler Samples as Lailah, and everyone else

## Introductions

Tyler: Welcome to Mystery County Monster Hunters Club, where we use dice to tell a story of missing mundane and amphibious antagonists. I'm Tyler Samples, your Keeper of Monsters and Mysteries. Let's meet our players.

Rashawn: Hi, everybody. I'm Rashawn Nadine Scott, and my character is Shamanda Felt, the Crooked. And they say one is the loneliest number, but I think two. Two is excessive.

Jeff: Hi, I'm Jeff Murdoch, and I play the character Adam Miller, the Monstrous. And let's just say I love sin, my cou-sin.

Erin: Hi, this is Erin Rein. I play Krashlee Grenadine, the Flake, and I mean, I don't need a lust demon to tell me I'm about to kill a lizard.

Claire: Hi, everybody. I'm Claire Linic. I play Susan Wexler, the Expert, and everybody always asks me, yes, I've met Bigfoot. He's a little hoity-toity.

Alan: Hey, everyone. I'm Alan Linic, and I play Derrk Pflifer, who is a new character that I created, ♫and he's fine, and he's mine, and his playbooks divine, and come and get Derrk Pflifer.♫

## Notable Quotes

* "Lizards are not salamanders. And salamanders are not lizards." - Tyler Samples
* "Why was I offended by that?" - Alan Linic
* "You know what, it's my fault every time. I understand that." - Tyler Samples
* "Salamanders can't lick their eyeballs, Geckos do. So maybe it is a lizard?" - Jeff Murdoch
* "Susan Wexler, bane of monsters and also lover of monsters. Also, second best Wexler." - Salameejay
* "Why don't you Salameander your ass over here." - Shamanda Felt
* "I'm tired of being bonded to this bozo. I'm taking back my power right now!" - Shamanda Felt
* "I'm Susan Wexler, bitch." - Susan Wexler

## Links

* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* Google Podcasts