Episode 28 - Threads

## Threads

A drawing of a white sweater with red scissors in the middle takes the center of the image, with the words "28 • Threads" underneath. There is a border of thread, with two spools and two name tags (reading Adam and Shannon) in the corners.

### Author

William A. Wellman

Young Lady Ethel makes a deal, Solomon finishes a harp, and Irene Mend has a dinner guest. The theme of tonight's episode is Threads.

***Content Warnings:** Abuse, self-harm, suicide, violence, kidnapping and abduction, death + injury, blood, mental illness, sexism and misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, strangulation/suffocation, misgendering, static (including sfx), emotional manipulation, body horror*

## Intro - Broken Teeth

Nikignik describes someone trapped in Solomon's fiddle. Your memories come in melody: You were a woman, a spinster, and a store clerk when the world ended. Now you are only a song. When Solomon plays, you are compelled to do his will. You hate everything, especially him. You will never be free of him, though the stars call to you.

Nikignik is in a busy city in the past, before the black rains. It is hot, and smells like sweat on expensive suits and gasoline.

## Story One - The Next American Icon

Ethel takes a selfie in front of the Botulus building in Los Angeles. Her glamorous online presence is enjoyed by followers all over the world, but she expects this day to lift her from an amateur influencer to a professional marketer. She pauses to appreciate her reflection in the doors before entering. Ethel feels colorful and shining in this rich but boring setting. She has researched the layout of the building, and after an employee takes her up in the elevator she knows exactly where to go.

She meets with Oswald Biggs Botulus, who asks what she sees in the city. She responds that she sees insects, all looking for a purpose and a distraction. He is glad that they see eye to eye and tells her about his newest project, the Dreaming Boxes. They let people dream at will, and connect their dreams.

Oswald takes Ethel into his own dream, the farm where he grew up. He looks thinner and more handsome. He explains that reality is whatever you make it here, and it doesn't matter that they're still in his conference room. Oswald lays out his plan to create massive Dreaming Boxes that will each hold a million people who will never have to wake up from their dreams.

Oswald says that soon the people won't have a choice but to buy Dreaming Boxes. The world is quickly changing, and when it does the Dreaming Boxes will be waiting. He asks Ethel if she'll be the face of the company, to make the public fall in love with the company. She immediately agrees.

### Interlude One - Tangle of Threads

Nikignik warns the Dreamers of changes occurring in the Hallowoods. These events are connected in unexpected ways to shape the future. Your future is still unknown, but it will be beautiful.

Lady Ethel has arrived at Box Polaris. Solomon Reed has reclaimed his key and his son. The Scoutpost is preparing to fight for their future. The Faceless King is preparing for the changes to come.

## Story Two - Original Sin

Solomon ponders Zelda's disappearance, and wonders what the being that took her away was. Percy cries that he doesn't want to be in an instrument, and Solomon insists that this is for Percy's own good. Without a tether to the world, Percy's ghost would drift forever. Percy demands that Solomon stop calling him Persephone, and Solomon refuses. He blames Abigail for what happened to Percy, and insists that he has only ever helped Percy. Percy says he's been terrified of seeing Solomon again, and hoped he was dead.

Solomon tells him that Diggory was ripped to shreds. Percy insists that he's lying and attacks Solomon with burning hands. He retaliates by strangling Percy with his own fiery power. Then, exhausted by the effort, Solomon falls back into his own memories.

At summer camp, Adam tells Solomon that he loves him, and Solomon is filled with dread. He feels this is wrong, that he should have stopped it sooner. Solomon tells him that he can't say that because it's not allowed. Adam says it's okay if he doesn't feel the same way, but begs him not to tell the youth leaders, because they would tell his parents. Either way, they are best friends. Solomon is conflicted, because parts of him wishes he could take Adam's hand and run away. The rest of him wants to crush the feelings he thinks are deeply wrong. Solomon tells the youth leaders, in hopes that the church will help him. Over time he sees less and less of Adam until he hears that Adam was sent to a home for troubled boys, and later killed himself. Solomon falls into a deep depression until he meets Abigail and begins killing people.

### Marketing - We Miss You

Lady Ethel Mallory asks the dreamers if they are tired of running and hiding, and tells them that they can rest and dream of a better world. Each Dreaming Box contains a family, and safety. Everyone is together there, and they miss you.

### Story Two, Continued - Original Sin

Nikignik tells the dreamers to live in the world around them. You are still alive, and you experience all that life has to offer.

Solomon wakes up in the dark, with his child crying in the corner. He tells Percy that his clothes are not fit for a Reed, or for a new instrument. He has no dresses, and cannot sew, so he offers Percy a deal. He will give Percy some of his own clothes if Percy will listen to him and try to understand him. Percy agrees, and Solomon brings him upstairs and lets him choose new clothes from his closet.

In the green glow of the open cabinet, he cuts away the ghostly dress with the silver scissors and sews the new clothes on with a silver needle. He realizes that Percy looks like he did when he was young, and thinks of Adam. Then he breaks the piano key and transfers the bone fragments into the harp.

### Interlude Two - Both Ways

Nikignik tells the dreamers that everything in the universe is both small and large at the same time. Everything is important, from subatomic particles to the superstructure of the universe. You are in the middle of infinity, with threads stretching in every direction. Nikignik hopes their future will be as rich as their past. They are full of wonder and fear, and trust that the future will pass, as all things do.

## Story Three - Work Left Incomplete

Irene Mend finishes sewing Diggory's face. She regrets Rizwana's failure, but she did all she could to help. Irene is still cold from retrieving the bodies from the north, but she is pleased with her work. Diggory will perform their task well, and has protections against mold and worms, among other things.

She changes clothes and checks on dinner, waiting for someone to join her for the evening.

Solomon comes to the door with roses, and she invites him inside. When they sit down to dinner she notices something hidden in his eyes. He mentions that he has been struggling to bind a spirit to a fiddle, and offers to discuss the process further after dinner. He knows she is not squeamish, based on her staff. She says she only uses found materials, and would never kill a person for her projects. Solomon insists that fresh materials are the only way to make perfect instruments, and Irene turns back to her dinner She notices Abigail behind him, and asks if she should have set a third place at the table.

Irene challenges Solomon, reminding him that they both practice the hidden arts but she is older than he, and has far more knowledge than anyone else. Solomon mentions that he is a master as well, and commands Abigail to kill her before she can respond.

## Outro - Threads

Nikignik closes by discussing threads. You are not one solid object, but made up of many memories, thoughts, experiences, and gifts from others. All of these can be passed on and tangled together, and hopefully you will hold them close and do something amazing with them.