Episode 73 - Retributions

## Retributions

A black background with a white border, the lower half depicting simply drawn vines, the upper scribbles. Within the border is a campfire, the flames making a shape similar to that of a yawning cat skull, and one of the burning logs has an eye on it. Bellow this image but still withing the border are the words "73.RETRIBUTIONS"

### Author

William A. Wellman

Virgil Kane contemplates bygones, Mort rides the carousel, and Harrow watches the fire. The theme of tonight’s episode is Retributions.

***Content Warnings:** Abuse, Animal death (Bert as usual), Violence, Kidnapping and abduction, Death + Injury, Blood, Mental illness, Sexism and misogyny, Needles, Homophobia, Birds, Gun Mention, Strangulation/suffocation, Emotional Manipulation, Drowning, Body horror*

## Intro - She Of The Straw Hair

Nikignik describes to the Dreamers a child having made a doll with straw for hair and buttons for eyes and imagined that the doll had a better life than that. Thie father would whip their brother for his jests, and their mother would burn them to try and vanquish their witchcraft, one day she pulled apart their doll and threw it into the fire. They kill their parents, lure their father into a grain silo as it filled, burn their house down while their mother was in a drunken sleep, a funeral pier for their doll, as they and their brother walk away hand in hand, the years taking them somewhere that they could sew in peace.

Nikignik hovers in the communal kitchen cabinet of the Scoutpost, commenting that it was barer than usual. Virgil Kane removed a can of bean as he pontificated on vengeance.

## Story 1 - Howdy, Neighbor

Virgil Kane sits down with his son Cole Kane eating dinner in the Scoutpost communal dining area, Virgil putting down their dinner of baked beans and telling his son "Bon appetit", that it was something that hid dad hadn't told him enough, so now he was saying it to him. He tells him that he was proud of him, that in Episode 59 - Friends when he'd been held hostage, he hadn't so much as cried, that this might have saved his life. Cole comments that Virgil hadn't saved him, Jacob Wicker had, and Virgil tells him that Jacob was a fast draw, he was grateful to him, but he still wouldn't let Cole have gotten hurt. He asks if Al was still "giving [Cole] grief" in class (see Episode 53 - Rivers), and Cole tells him of how Al had made friends with Russel McGowan (see Episode 64 - Stations), Virgil asks if this meant they were picking on him less, but Cole tells him that they were both picking on him, having pored wax all over the strings of his violin. Virgil tells him that he was sorry to hear that, advising him to steer clear of the duo to avoid trouble, also asking why Al's drum was with him in Episode 59 - Friends. Cole tells him that he hated Al, that he'd just wanted to teach him a lesson, but Virgil tells him that they had to be the bigger men to protect the people of the Scoutpost, so if he didn't bother Al, Al wouldn't bother him. He'd talk to Zelda Duckworth if Al kept being a problem after that.

Virgil hears the sounds of Fort Freedom approaching (see Episode 61 - Protectors), and tells Cole to go to his room, before leaving the communal dining area himself and heading to the front gates, telling Russel to start ringing the bells to announce their arrival. Violet Keene joins him at the gate ramparts, and asks him what was going on, and he tells her that Fort Freedom had arrived, the sound of the bells waking the denizens of the Scoutpost. A dozen Fort Freedom trucks roll to a stop at the gate, Jacob getting out and waving at them with a grin, shouting "Howdy, neighbour" asking is they cared to let them in. Violet begins to quietly panic, pointing out that they had Big Mikey with them (see Episode 69 - Angles), asking why there were so many of them, and that she couldn't see Mrs. Wicker (see Episode 61 - Protectors). Virgil says that he couldn't see Mrs. Wicker either but points out that Jacob had been the one to save Cole (see Episode 59 - Friends), and they did need the extra help. Violet asks her if she was sure about this, and he nods. She gives the order to open the gates and let their 'guests' inside.

### Interlude 1 - Old Afterclaps

Nikignik speaks of Old Afterclaps to the Dreamers, telling them that if they intended to commit wrong doings, to be weary. If they stood along the old rail lines of Wyoming, they may be haunted for nights afterwards by the train, and then, he would be upon them, bearing down at a hundred miles per hour, fire belching from his furnace chest, skull half formed of pouring flame. Chains were his burden and his weapons, and with burning eyes he would pull them down into destruction. Long has he haunted these empty rails, a mission never complete, to those who once rode along those metal lines, but even they did not know the depths of his tempestuous hate, for he was one of hell’s engines, the collector of tithes, the auditor of deeds whose vehemence shook the very earth.

## Story 2 - The Time Of Your Life

Mort sits in a carrousel of Polly's making (see Episode 70 - Lines), the circular movement causing his skull to stick against the glass of his helmet. He finishes, and asks Polly if he could ride it again, Polly tells him he'd gone three times, asking if he was sure he wasn't dizzy, but Mort tells him he didn't know what dizzy was, that he wanted to go again. Polly allows this, telling Mort he was going to try and find Yaretzi before leaving. Mort hears an urgent cry, looking to find Bert who he invites to join him. Bert does not. Mort gets out of his seat, tripping over in the process and crashing into a cotton candy machine, which disperses into little red embers as he crushes it. He spots Bert again, approaching to find him crowing at the half-submerged forest beyond the carnival. He calls Bert silly, that there was no one there, but Barb speaks up from the darkness (see Episode 66 - Morals), saying that Bert had "a heck of a nose". Mort asks him is he was there for the Carnival, Barb tells Mort that he was just in the neighbourhood, asking where Polly was. Mort tells him that he'd gone to find Yaretzi and starts talking about all the games and prizes they could win together. Barb tells him that he did 'love a jackpot', turning back and whispering something into the trees (see Rick Rounds), Mort asks if he'd brought a friend, Barb tells him he hadn't, the be hoped Mort loved games, asking if he'd ever played "the secret game", that he'd show him it while the others were busy. Mort follows Barb away from the carnival.

they emerge onto a little beach away from the rest, Mort still able to see a light on the ocean from the carnival and the echo of music. Barb tells him that they were almost at the secret game, that all he had to do was swim into the ocean, once he was underwater, he'd see a little light, telling him to go towards it. Mort asks him if he was going to be coming with him, but Barb tells him he'd already gone, people could only go once. Mort asks if it would be fun, and Barb tells him that it'd be the time of his life. Mort sprints out into the ocean, sinking into the flooded ruins of New-York city. He does find a light, following it to the open door to a Morturary, watching as something large moved inside. A fish of sorts with lights dangling in front of its bonelike skull. Its eyes were little green fires, and they stared at him, it's mouth opening to reveal rows of needle like teeth. Mort realises that Barb had lied, and this infuriates and hurts him in equal turn, as he was begging to feel like everyone lied to him and treated him like he wasn't old enough to know the truth. Everything goes dark then, and he wonders why before realising that this was because the Carnival had gone out. Swimming to the surface to find that this was the case, watching as a burst of flame appeared from far away, and someone he loved screamed.

### Marketing - Stars Align

Lady Ethel Mallory interrupts Nikignik's broadcast with her marketing segment. She speaks to her marketing class, telling them that in the world of business it would often happen that people would try to humiliate them, disrespect them publicly. When things like this happened, they would want to strike out, but them in their place; but it was not the time, as they also represented their brand, and if they wanted to portray graceful, serene, and powerful, they must demonstrate it even under fire. They should wait until the starts aligned just right, and they had identified which threats they needed to pull. And when their opportunity arrived, she tells them to savour every moment, to let them suffer tenfold for every atrocity they tried to commit against them.

### Story 2, Continued - The Time Of Your Life

Mort sprints through the trees trying to find Polly and Yaretzi, ending up in the wrong clearing a few times before he arrived in the one that used to host the carnival. The first thing he notices was that the clearing was on fire, the second was Polly in the distance being help by his lapels by Rick Rounds (see Episode 19 - Devils, Episode 23 - Sunsets, and Episode 56 - Thorns). Rick throws him, Polly rolling across the beach making his extensive injuries apparent to Mort, before he [Rick] turned to Mort, telling him that he was 'late to the party'. Mort starts to run towards Rick, but trips over that beaten wolf form of Yaretzi laying in the sand. She begins to stand up, telling Mort that he didn't have to fight if he didn't want to, charging at Rick only for him to spin around and whack her, sending her flying back across the beach. Mort starts to charge towards Rick, but Polly tells him not to, Rick agreeing with him. Mort slows his steps, telling Rick not to talk to him as he wasn't his friend, and Rick tells him that he wasn't, but Polly sure was, picking up Polly by his throat, telling Mort no to take one more step closer or "pretty boy here won't be so pretty", grabbing Polly's cane and holding the sharp end to Polly's neck. He tells Polly to get them out of there, that he'd seen him do it (see Episode 18 - Bones) so he knew he could, but Polly tells him that he was out of fire (see Demons/Devils) having burnt it all on the Carnival. Rick tells him to use some of his (see Episode 56 - Thorns), and Polly does, creating a vorpal and teleporting them away, leaving Mort standing on the beach.

Mort hurries over to where Yaretzi lay, and she asks him if Rick had hurt him. He tells her that his head felt heavy, like he was going to break, like when Polly had died (see Episode 36 - Swords). She tells him that she didn't know if he could cry, be he was allowed to. And when he was done, to give chase, she could smell them (see Starwolves), and she swishes her tail to point in the direction that Polly took them to. Mort asks what she'd do, that if she 'turned small' he could carry her, but she tells him that if she 'turned small' she'd die, she was going to go to sleep, if she slept, she'd be fine, but she didn't know for how long. She tells Mort that he could beat Rick, he would kill Polly if he did not stop him. He tells here he'd do his best, and when he came back, they'd be a family again. She asks him if he could make a place to sleep for her, and he does, slamming his claw into the ground until a flattened bed was mad, which Yaretzi crawls into, she asks him to cover her to keep off the rain, and he grabs the shell of an old carousel, and dragged it over to cover her. She falls asleep. Bert comes circling down and lands on Mort's shoulder, and Mort tells him that it'd all be okay, he'd save Polly, then they'd all go and find another carnival.

### Interlude 2 - This Broadcast Will Continue

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that he was everywhere at once, all seeing, he had lived aeons, visited in cities and temples lost forever to the starry expanse. And if he was able, he would reveal all that unfolds in the Hallowoods and the world beyond it. However, they had been interrupted once before, even now Lady Ethel schemed for methods to silence his, but if they had any concern for him, he tells them not to, as t was concern wasted. His broadcast would continue until its inevitable, and somewhat beautiful end. When at last their sun went dark like a closing eye, and he ran out of story to tell.

## Story 3 - Where All The Stars Have Gone

Harrow Blackletter sat by a campfire, along with the rest of the Summer Campers. Friday Rescher comments that the fire might attract savage animals, but Victoria Tepiani tells her that they weren't putting it out as it'd taken long enough to make it. Harrow nods, but is aware that the fire was probably more important for the others then it was for them, wondering briefly if the other could also see as well in the dark as they could, or if they could see the eyes that blinked at them in the stars or the knotting in tree wood, the one that stared at them now on one of the burning logs in the fire (see Nikignik). Clara Martin tells them that in the morning they could get their bearings and make a plan, Arnold Eggers tells her that it was like a group project, and he hated group projects, but she tells him to think of it as a group project that would get them home in one peace (see Episode 68 - Sands). She mentions that she'd hoped that Winona Carline would have been back for them by then, like her dropping them in the middle of nowhere like she had was a mistake. Arnold asks if she'd sent them somewhere, or if she'd teleported somewhere and left them behind. Clara tells them that she hadn't seen any tracks around, but she hadn't checked, Fridays asks why it mattered, and Victoria tells her that if they were lost twenty miles from Downing Hill Public Library they might be able to make it back, if they were lost a hundred, they'd never be able to.

Harrow speaks up, telling them that maybe they didn't have to go anywhere, when they didn't make it back in time (see Episode 56 - Thorns) C. S. Blackletter would send someone to look for them, the Omen would be able to find them much quicker than then could find Downing Hill. Arnold points out that The Director was Harrow's mum, she might let the rest of them starve to death, but not them. Friday asks if that was actually the case, and Victoria tells her that of course it was, she'd know that if she had a mum (see Episode 21 - Mornings), and Friday tells her that she was sure she'd [Victoria] be fine out in the wilderness, calling her an animal. Harrow tells them that they feared they [Harrow] were being punished, that they [Harrow] had done something bad and now The Director didn't want any of them. Clara tells them that no one had done anything wrong, this situation was only about Winona, and they were going to get out of there. She didn't know what their histories with each other were, but she was going to need all of them to pretend to be a team, at least until they got back to Downing Hill. The group nods, Victoria last. Friday suggests that they tell ghost stories, Harrow tell her that ghost stories scared them, but Clara tells them not to be afraid, scary thing were still people, just maybe ones that didn't remember as much as they used to (see Booker and Zora Martin). Harrow isn't sure if this is true, but they fell asleep looking at the sky, and wonder where wall the starts had gone.

## Outro - Retributions

Nikignik waxes poetics about retributions, asking the Dreamers if they were frightened of what could happen, of what they could do, of the future lying in wait to snatch them up. They tell them to be careful when it was called for, not all they met in life would wish them well. He also tells them to have no fear of life itself, as it was a simple creature, without malice. It held for them no special love or hatred, not a hell-bent reaper but an ocean, flowing in and out like the tide. Sometimes when they walked upon its shores it would wet their feet, and others not, but the shore was still for them. He tells them that he hoped the sharp rocks and sea urchins worth the treasures they found washed up by the waves. For all they had done, all they felt they deserved, there was nothing due, no reward, no punishment. People held grudges, but they would find existence free of such grievances.