Episode 8 - Names

## Names

A white drawing on a black background of a skull at a three quarter profile with a flower crown overhead. The skull's eye has a red dot inside of it. The border of the drawing is made from the signatures of Dylan Democracy Waites [top], Diggory Graves [right], Walter Pensive [bottom] and Percy Reed [left].

### Author

William A. Wellman

Walt shares a coffee with the dead, Diggory meets someone new, and Olivier rings a most important doorbell. The theme of tonight’s episode is Names.

***Content Warnings:** Static, transphobia, body horror, death + violence, violence, abuse, kidnapping + abduction, homophobia, sexism*

## Intro - Deadname

Nikignik speaks to the Dreamers about a given name. It is one of the first words you understand and the first thing people think of when they think of you. One day you realize that the name doesn't fit you, so you change it. Your old name, though, haunts you like a ghost. Your family still uses it. When you die, it is written on your tombstone. This grave with the wrong name does not welcome you, so you search for a place you can rest. When you find this place, the wind whispers your true name, as well as "Hello from the Hallowoods".

They are speaking from a watchtower. It is made of raw materials in a desperate place that is a patchwork of houses and strangers. Below the tower, a man writes his name on a clipboard. It is already on his jacket and on the side of his hearse.

## Story One - Democracy Is Dead

Walter Pensive is talking to Violet, although he is distracted by thoughts of Mr. Friendly. One of the creature's victims fell into a lake with their mouth and eyes stuffed with pine cones last night. One day he's going to have to get rid of Mr. Friendly.

He zones back into the conversation in time to hear Violet telling him about the the Instrumentalist's attack. She tells him that he looks like he hasn't slept in a week and offers him some coffee. They walk to the tower where the Instrumentalist attacked Riot. Bern seems to have gotten a good look at him during their altercation, because they are now certain that he is an old man with white hair, a beard, and glasses. Walt asks to speak with Riot, but Violet tells him that she's been in the infirmary since the attack. Walt says that he doesn't have any solutions for Violet right now but warns that the Instrumentalist will probably return.

Walt leaves to visit a friend in Lurch Lake, leaving his car at the Scoutpost. At the lake, voices can be heard whispering below the surface of the water, which is blanketed in white flowers. He then calls for Dylan with no response. After a few moments, he calls for "Democracy". A voice grows to be louder than the rest and Walt hears it say "never lasts long", along with a few other phrases.

A skeleton with glowing green eyes rises from the water, a crown of flowers hanging on the skull, and sits down next to Walt. He offers it some coffee and hands it a cup from the thermos Violet gave him. Walt asks if there is any news from the lake and Democracy says there are "warning signs of a recession" and other signs of an economic collapse. Walt says that Democracy has always liked "that doomsday stuff".

A change seems to come over Democracy. The skeleton looks at Walt and says that it likes Walt, but that he can't run from "it", that "democracy is dead", and to "lay down your arms, and sleep."

Democracy stands up and begins to wade back into the lake. The skeleton turns and offers Walt a hand, telling him that the water isn't cold. Walt considers for a moment, but decides against it. He is tired, but he is far too busy to sleep.

### Interlude One - Garden Party

Nikignik expresses their distaste for Lolgmololg, stating that it is a stupid name for a bottom feeder worshiped by bottom feeders. If they threw a party and had to invite every being in the universe but one, they would choose to exclude Lolgmololg.

You, the dreamer, are welcome at their garden party, though. They would send your invitation first. You would sit and talk until the stars came out. Of course, you have never truly seen stars.

## Story Two - Come Crawling Back

Diggory and Percy are still walking. Percy asks if Diggory knows where they are going and they admit that while they feel that this is the right direction, they do not know where they are going, or why. Percy asks how much they remember from "before". Diggory says that they remember scattered things, like learning piano or driving a car, but they feel these memories belong to other people. Maybe people that Diggory used to be.

Diggory asks what Percy remembers in return, but regrets it when Percy takes a long time to respond. He says that he is very uncomfortable talking about his past. For most of his childhood, he thought that his parents were the best in the whole world, but they hurt him a lot. Percy thanks Diggory for asking, though.

Diggory tries to reach for Percy's hand, but the two are attacked by a pack of dogs. Percy disappears and Diggory prepares for a fight, although they are hesitant. They can only sew and patch up so much damage. Right as a dog leaps at Diggory, they see glowing green eyes and a sixteen foot tall figure. Big Mikey walks into the clearing. The dogs cower before him and back away from Diggory. He asks Diggory what "suss-pick-i-on" means. Diggory correctly interprets that as "suspicion," tells him what it means, and compliments the book he is carrying. Big Mikey grins and states proudly that it is above his reading level.

Diggory and Big Mikey introduce themselves, although Percy is nowhere to be seen still. Diggory asks what's in the direction that Big Mikey came from. He explains that it's the Scoutpost, but it's dangerous to travel there with the "Instermenist", who makes instruments out of people. Big Mikey begins to leave and warns Diggory that if they hear music at night, that is "sush-pish-us".

### Marketing - Brands Are The Gods

Lady Ethel Mallory is broadcasting a segment of BotCo Marketing Training. She asks if the listener has ever looked at someone and wanted what they had or wanted to be them, but then think that they could never? Have you ever tried to console yourself by saying that deep down, everyone is worth the same? You, Ethel says, are wrong. You are worth nothing because you have made yourself worth nothing. And you are worth nothing because you haven't developed your personal brand.

A brand is all anyone has and it is important to capitalize on your differences. Show your strengths in the best light possible so that others will feel inferior. If you weaponize your brand, no one can stop you.

In the next segment of the training program, Lady Ethel will destroy everything you think is unique about yourself so it can be replaced with something more marketable.

### Story Two, Continued - Come Crawling Back

Nikignik says that they cannot find the source of the broadcasts, which is odd since they are nearly everywhere. This broadcast felt closer too. They are worried for the fate of the Hallowoods.

Diggory calls for Percy, who has still not reappeared. They take out the piano key, but can't see the thread that leads to Percy. Diggory sits at the base of a tree, places the piano key beside him, and listens.

Valerie Maidstone is talking to Diggory about changing a line of music from one of her songs. Diggory is a woman standing in a New York apartment. She agrees, but asks if the change will make a difference. Valerie says that it will. The world is influenced by art and anything they can do to change what's happening now is important. Outside the apartment is a billboard advertising the Dreaming Boxes. A model wearing heart-shaped sunglasses, presumably Lady Ethel Mallory, holds a silver box and asks, "Why work when you can dream?"

When Diggory opens their eyes, Percy is sitting at the base of the tree, his hands covering his face. Diggory asks what's wrong, but adds that Percy doesn't have to talk about it if he doesn't want to. Percy, on the verge of tears, says that he had hoped the Instrumentalist was gone. He says that the Instrumentalist is his father.

Diggory isn't too surprised by this information. They sympathize with Percy's pain. He is an instrument made out of a person, they are a person made out of other people. Percy says that his dad made him into what he is and he hates him for it. Percy punches the tree, his fists burning in anger, and shatters the trunk.

Percy worries what will happen to him when his father finds out that he destroyed the piano. Diggory says that nothing will happen to him because he did not destroy the piano, they did. The two of them sit at the base of the tree all night holding each other.

### Interlude Two - Vault of Memory

Nikignik speaks about how certain names, or people, should be forgotten. There is nothing wrong with locking them away in a vault of memories and left in the past. Memories are not always bad, though. There can be good memories in a bad childhood, an ended relationship, or in an old friendship that you left behind as you grew.

## Story Three - I Would Not Be Denied

Olivier Song walks through the forest on a path wreathed in tree branches. He is trying not to worry about messing up his most important assignment yet from the director of the Downing Hill Library. Finally, he reaches a manor in a clearing. The lawn is covered in statues of people with strange proportions wearing red coats with golden buttons. They seem to the stitched together, possibly with human flesh. The faces of the statues follow him as he walks through the yard. A rusty red truck is parked outside the house.

He rings the doorbell and the Instrumentalist opens the door. The Instrumentalist asks if Olivier is from the church, but Olivier says he is from Downing Hill. The Instrumentalist notes aloud Olivier's unnaturally colored hair and pride and asks if he is truly a student of the sacred arts. Olivier says he will find him to be very capable. They discuss Olivier's payment and his specific task: he must bring the key that was stolen and the girl with the shaved head who took it.

## Outro - Names

Nikignik closes the broadcast by speaking about the power of names. They give us identity and purpose. We listen for our name when we are lost and miss it when we are alone. Nikignik says that no one has called their name in a long time but that they hear it in the whispers of the forest.