Chapter 10: It Grips My Tongue, My Throat

An illustration of a wired telephone. A darkened, necrotic hand with claw-like nails reaches for it. A quote below reads, "Looks like this place used to be... a call centre."

## Credits

### Featured Voices

* Lucille Valentine as Paige and Whisper
* B. Narr as Faulkner
* Méabh de Brún as Carpenter

## Episode Guide

Carpenter, Paige, and Faulkner find refuge for the night in an abandoned call centre- but they're not alone there.

## Description

### Nana Glass' Lesson On Tides

This episode begins, as it so often does, with sounds of the river. Carpenter tells us of a lesson her Nana gave her and Em. She tells them about the many tides, and lectures them on the importance of learning how to recognise each tide. One of these tides is the Wither Tide.

### The Call Centre

The Whisper begins narrating, referring to their god Babble. Whisper is alone. There is the sound of a door slamming as Carpenter and Paige enter. They find somewhere to lay Faulkner. Whisper’s ranting about phones makes sense, as Carpenter proposes that this used to be a call centre. Whisper tells us that they have chosen Patrick’s desk to clear. Paige asks Carpenter if she heard something, which Carpenter responds to by claiming it could be rats. Whisper continues about how no one really ever listened to them. They talk about their job, whilst Carpenter and Paige change Faulkner’s dressings. Paige asks Carpenter if Faulkner will be alright, Carpenter doesn’t have an answer. They look around at their surroundings, and Carpenter comments about how beat up the place looks. There’s no electricity, the phone lines don’t work. The call centre is owned by a company called Fate & Company Solutions.

Carpenter asks Paige about herself. Paige reveals to her that she is from Nesh, and works in advertising. Carpenter decides to use the waste paper to light a fire. Paige asks about the two. When Paige points out that they hurt people, Carpenter replies dismissively. Eventually, Paige asks what the Wither Tide is. Carpenter echoes the lesson she described at the beginning of the episode. According to Carpenter, the Wither Tide is a weapon. She empathises with Paige’s position, promising to drop her off somewhere in the morning. This comes with the caveat that Paige helps Faulkner survive the night. Carpenter decides to leave and lock the gate - she seems to trust Paige.

Whisper begins whispering again. They talk about love, how Babble is the only one who loves them. Paige decides to take a look around. She checks the phones, seemingly wanting to speak to someone. Whisper tries to get Paige to listen to Babble, and a phone rings. Paige talks on the phone as if she is talking to the police. Whisper tries to persuade Paige to kill the two false faith renegades, Paige responds to this with horror. She pleads with what she seems to believe to be the police to arrive quickly. Faulkner groans and Paige makes him aware that she has returned.

Meanwhile, Carpenter pleads with her god. She needs to know where this path ends. It appears as though she is losing faith. She hears noises and calls for whoever may be watching her. At that moment she hears Paige call for her, Faulkner has woken. Faulkner is disoriented and Carpenter comforts him until he falls asleep again. Carpenter does not trust this place, she claims to want to take the first watch but falls asleep leaving Paige awake and alone. Whisper begins trying to persuade Paige to kill Faulkner and Carpenter again. Paige does not follow this, she decides to leave instead saying goodbye. We hear how Whisper, persuaded by Babble, sacrificed their coworkers and took their ears.

Carpenter wakes and spots Whisper. She addresses them directly. Faulkner is awoken by this. This angers Whisper, who is sat on Faulkner’s chest. The phones begin ringing, as Whisper follows Carpenter. Paige shoots Whisper, who scrambles away. Paige shoots Whisper again, before it escapes into the air ducts. It is at this point that Carpenter notices that Paige has stolen Carpenter’s gun. Paige returns the gun to Carpenter, and the two follow Whisper. Whisper pleads to hear from Babble but gains no reply. Carpenter finds a phone on the floor, unplugged, and a pile of human ears with Whisper. Whisper dies, and Carpenter finds a team leaderboard which marks the top salesperson of the month as Jane Sinclair, and the silver star salesperson as Patrick Waites. Carpenter tells Paige to help her get Faulkner to the car. The door slams, and the car drives away. A phone rings. No one picks up.

## References

1. ↑ Episode Release Announcement at [1]
2. ↑ Official episode synopsis at https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/5fec690f8211cf453a1b89e2