Part 1

Ellis East Elementary Walk through, May 18th

The Gymnasium

Perhaps I need to begin with the elephant in the room. There is a large Victorian carousel in the center of the gymnasium. It goes without saying that this was not here when the school was in operation.  It takes up most of the gym floor. The canopy is red and-

Wait, is there someone on the other side of it? Who’s there?

[Beat]

No one.

Anyway, the canopy of the carousel is red and it is covered in lights, which are turned off at the moment. Most of the animals are horses, but I see a zebra and a mule hiding in the crowd… [in the next lines, A-G has dropped her academic tone and is clearly in awe of the carousel] Oh wow, there is a chariot pulled by two large grey dappled horses. The carvings are absolutely lifelike, with the animals having distinct personalities. For instance, this horse [as if she were motioning to a horse] seems gentle as a lamb, but his friend and next door neighbor [as if she is motioning again] is full of fire, as if he could rear up and run away. 

[Return to academic tone]

At any rate, I’m not here to talk about the carousel. 

The gym floor is polished oak, a shade or two lighter than the floorboards of the front vestibule. It is currently covered with a faded blue tarp because of the carousel, I presume. When the floor is not covered, you can see the lines painted for a basketball court. If memory serves, the lines are painted in navy blue. The bottom half of the walls are pale brown brick and the top half are painted white. About 12 feet from the floor on the eastern wall, there is a row of frosted glass windows that light the room. The eastern and western walls are lined with blue and yellow mats. In the southeastern corner is a heavy steel door leading outside to the school yard. 

Part 2

[Carousel Music, AG and Billy are on the carousel, riding horses side by side. We can’t see this because it’s an audio drama, but you get the idea. They are bickering slightly, but it is friendly in tone]

Billy: AG, I really think you have to stop feeding that possum.

AG: Opossum, possums are in the antipodes.

Billy: Missing the point.

AG: You will thank me when you don’t get lyme disease. 

Billy: I’m not going to get lyme disease spending all my time indoo--Whoa. Did you know it could do that?

[in the shift the carousel has started to spin backwards, there might be a slight shift in the music]

AG: No, I didn’t know it could [emphasis on this word] go backwards.

Billy: We might want to get off.

AG: My turn to stop it.

Billy: We can’t have you jumping down. You’ve only got one arm to brace yourself. Here, let me.

[There are his feet landing on the carousel, footsteps, his feet landing on the floor, the switch, and the music stopping, he walks back to A-G]

Billy: Let me give you a hand [He helps A-G down] Now is there someone we can contact about this?

A-G: I’ve been in touch with a repair company in the past–it’s how I found the appraiser. Let me call them. 

Part 3

Audio Diary of Dr. Anna-Georgina Plume, June 30th, 2pm

Recorded in my home office.

I’ve called the carousel repair company, they’re set to send their [say the phrase skeptically] certified carousel technician out tomorrow at four. We have been instructed to avoid using the contraption until it can be serviced, as they could not say without looking at it what has caused its reversal of fortune (chuckles softly to herself at her own joke).

Now I just need to find… [sounds of papers rustling around on the desk]

What’s this…

Another vellum envelope? Not again.

[Envelope opening, sound of paper] 

It’s a horse charm… and a paper–that newsprint they have in elementary schools– with “Anna-Georgina” written in a child’s handwriting in orange crayon. 

[Voice shakes]

I recognize this…

This is the charm I found when George left school suddenly.

I’m… 

I’m beginning to think that George might not have been… normal? Real? 

Could he have gotten hurt that day in the forest?

Or could it have before that? 

I need to think. I need to approach this rationally. 

Which class was he in? He wasn’t in my first grade class, but there were two others, so I always assumed… but I don’t know that he ever said… I would see him in the hallways and outside, but now that I think about it, I don’t think I ever saw him going into any of the classrooms. 

Funny how you just kind of take things at face value when you’re a kid.

Did I ever see anyone else interact with George? I need to remember…

Part 4

Audio Diary of Dr. Anna-Georgina Plume, July 1st, 9 am

Recorded in the Archive Room, formerly classroom 3-B

I am taking a break from Lucy Hobbes’ journal and am reviewing some other documents from the box in which I found it. I am hoping that the additional documentation will provide some context for my reading of Lucy’s journal.

There is a packet of papers labeled “letters of Helena Reeve, Ellis Field Normal School Librarian” The contents are all scans–no delicate rare documents here, thankfully. Lucy’s journal seems to be an anomaly in that respect. 

Without further ado, 

Letter dated November 1st, 1890, Helena Reeve of London, England writing to Lucy Hobbes of Ellis Field, Ohio, United States

Dear Miss Hobbes,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and in the midst of an excellent academic year. 

I am writing on behalf of my husband James Reeve. We are scheduled to arrive in Ellis Field on January 3rd, 1891, so that James can assume his post as Latin professor. I wish to inquire on the status of our family’s accommodations in Ellis Field. We have a few remaining questions regarding our arrival: Who will be meeting our train in Hayden’s Landing? Where will we be staying in Ellis Field? What educational options are available for our young daughter, Elizabeth, age six? 

On a personal note, I am curious about any libraries in the area surrounding the school.

We appreciate your consideration on these matters and look forward to formally making your acquaintance. The work you have done thus far to facilitate this move has been much appreciated and I am confident that our needs will be met with the utmost care.

Sincerely, 

Helena Reeve

Letter Dated  February 1st, 1891, Helena Reeve, now living in Ellis Field Ohio, writing to Miss Grace Thornwood of London England. 

Dear Grace,

I apologize for not writing sooner, but our travels to the United States have been eventful. While we arrived on time, Elizabeth was ill during our travel and it created difficulties for us.

 Things have since calmed considerably, and James is settled in at his posts as Latin professor at the Ellis Field Normal School, which is run by a curious set of siblings. The brother–the elder of the two–is a quiet and slightly abrupt man named Algernon Hobbes with whom I have had very few interactions. The sister–a lovely woman named Lucy–is becoming a fast friend. 

We were greeted with a full banquet, with Miss Hobbes at the head of the table as the most charming and engaging hostess. Despite what one would assume upon learning the school was run by the pair, Miss Hobbes is in charge of the school, and she seems to be universally beloved by students and faculty alike. While she no longer teaches, she is still directly involved in the lives of students, a constant presence throughout the halls of the school, and the community as a whole. Despite being ten years my senior, there is a youthful spark to her that lights up every room she enters. Where Algernon is terse, though showing a great deal of care for his students, Lucy is an engaging conversationalist, speaking English, French, and reading Greek and Latin. 

The school building is beautiful. It is three stories, with polished wooden and marble floors, with a grand hall on the third floor where the students gather for assembly and Miss Hobbes hosts faculty dinners. The grand hall has black and white flooring like a chessboard and the walls are lined with green plants, maintained by the dean herself.

Note from A-G Plume: This is the most detailed extant description of the third floor I have found to date. 

The crown jewel of Miss Hobbes’ institution is her library. The walls are lined from floor to ceiling in bookshelves with books on every subject imaginable. The floors are covered in rich red wove rugs with a blue pattern somewhere in between a floral and a paisley, and the room is filled with comfortable reading chairs, stately tables, and brass lamps for evenings.  Miss Hobbes currently manages the library herself, despite repeatedly asserting she needs to hire a librarian, as her school has grown greatly in the six years it has been open and her responsibilities have grown along with it. Still she seems reluctant to yield control of the part of the school she holds most dear. We’ve had opportunities to talk at length about philosophy and literature, as I have spent many of my days in the library tending to Elizabeth’s education. 

Elizabeth has been adjusting well to her new environment, though at times she behaves oddly. There are no other children at the school, though there are moments in which it appears as if I have interrupted a conversation between her and an invisible playmate. She explores the building at great length, and yesterday, I found her sitting in a beam of sunlight in the front hall and she told me “it’s a happy building here,” as if she could will life into the joyful light that reflects off the oak floorboards in the front vestibule in the early afternoons. I hope, in time, she can find some friends her own age, no longer has to rely upon the powers of her own imagination. 

James has taken to his work here very well, though he takes issue with Mr Hobbes’ fascination with alchemy and spiritualism. He has no evidence that these interests are part of the science curriculum, but is uncomfortable with them nevertheless. I have asked him not to bring this to Lucy’s attention until he has evidence that these unscientific approaches are being presented to the students, though I know he continues to worry. 

Overall, we are happy here, despite my initial hesitance to relocate our lives to Ohio, and I suspect that James’ career at the school will be long and fruitful. My fear was rooted in the desire to stay close to access to  continued self-improvement and education. I agreed to marry James on the understanding that he would never intervene in my education as I had seen many of my peers’ hopes and dreams derailed by an unsympathetic husband. I took James’ interest seriously because he was a scholar, and we spoke as equals about ideas and the world around us. When he was offered this job, I was terrified for what it would mean for us, especially for myself and Elizabeth, but it is evident that Miss Hobbes has created a space in which I can continue to learn.

I miss you greatly and hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Helena

Note from A. Plume: as I have remarked, records show that Helena Reeve would go on to become the librarian and stay with  the school building after the normal school consolidated with a university and the building became used for a primary and secondary school.Historical records also show that she, like Lucy, lived in Ellis Field until her death. This is the first I have heard of Latin professor James Reeve, so I will be interested to see how Helena’s story progresses. 

Part 5

Daryl, The Carousel Repairman: I've never seen one do anything like that.

Anna-Georgina: You haven't?

Daryl: I mean, it's a Looff. It's supposed to go one way. The mechanicals and the gears only go one way. The motor only goes one way. The wiring's right. And it's unplugged. But it just starts spinning backwards.

Anna-Georgina: I've noticed that, yes. Do you have any recommendations?

Daryl: I, uh [beat to rub the back of his neck], this is a custom job and they don't build them like this anymore. But ones that run on themselves, they never built them like this. Maybe holy water?

Anna-Georgina: [Breaking from properness, incredulous] Holy water.

Daryl: Yeah. My brother Daryl blesses fonts on the weekend. I've got some in my van.

Anna-Georgina: Your nametag says Daryl.

Daryl: Yep. That's my name, too, but don'--

Anna-Georgina: And I take it you're going to say you have a third brother of the same name?

Daryl: Our parents were unoriginal, not cruel. I'll get the holy water. [leaves]

Billy: Did I hear "holy water?"

Anna-Georgina: You did.

Billy: What can it hurt?

Daryl: [Walking back in] Heeeeeere we go. My brother blessed this the weekend, before our raid.

[sound of splashing]

Anna-Georgina: Raid?

[continued splashing, pauses]

Daryl: Yeah, we LARP at renfaire. He's ordained and all. A priest of some kook online religion. But I'm guessing this still counts.

[Carousel creaks back to life starts running backwards again, faster, splashing water from its base onto the floor around it]
Daryl: I think we'll just refund all but the mileage on this one.

Anna-Georgina: That would be best.

[Carousel Repairman leaves again]

Anna-Georgina: Billy?

Billy: Yeah?

Anna-Georgina: We need to mop this up. And make sure we get a refund.

Part 6

[mop sound]

Billy: Almost done! Shame we wasted perfectly good holy water on this.

Anna-Georgina: You’re not going to believe Daryl just told me.

Billy: He also has a cousin named Daryl?

Anna-Georgina: No, but apparently carousels are the most commonly haunted carnival equipment. Personally, I question the sample size there. 

Billy: I would have guessed it was funhouses. 

Part 7

Audio Diary of Dr. Anna-Georgina Plume, June 30th, 7pm 

I went for a walk and found another letter at the gate. Again, it appears to be our friend Sam’s handwriting, so at least we know it is human in provenance. 

What am I saying? 

I digress. 

Well, I might as well see what this is all about [envelope rips]

Dear Anna-Georgina,

Do you see someone moving behind you in the mirror? Do you lose time? Do your dreams seem to have hidden meanings?  Do you wake up with poetry on your tongue that’s not in your own voice?

Please, come talk to me at the library a week from today, 1 pm, –Note from Anna-Georgina: that is July 7th– in the poetry section.  If you don’t show, I will assume the worst.

• Sam

  
  

What. The. Actual. Hell?

Part 8

Ellis East Elementary Walkthrough, May 18th

On the northern side of the gym is auditorium seating. There are six rows of tiered seating from the edge of the gym floor to the back wall, with two wide aisles, separating the seats into three sections.  The outer two sections are slightly narrower, with about 12 chairs across each, while the middle section is about 20 chairs across, though the wall protrudes into the back two rows in the center of the middle section, cutting out about six seats from each row. There is a door on the east side of this protrusion and a window about 12 feet up the wall protrusion, suggesting there was, and maybe still is, a spotlight for the stage in there. 

The chairs are wooden, a light honey oak, with seats that fold up when not occupied. The ends of each row has an art deco motif, emerald green with strong lines, and the font of the seat number plates at the top of each seat mirrors those lines.

The back wall is painted white with domed window cutouts which open to the hallway behind the gym, and the two doorways at the ends of the aisles between sections are similarly domed. Taped to the chair in the front west corner of the middle section is a sheet of notebook paper with a drawing in purple sparkly gel pen of an x with a circle with two dots between the two lines at the top. 

I walk up the stairs between the western and central sections of seating to the back hallway, which will take me to the ticket office. 

Lavender Evening Fog is a fiction podcast. This episode was written by Victoria Dickman-Burnett and Tony Barrett, directed by Ben Baird, produced and mixed  by Nick Federinko and edited by Nick Federinko and Victoria Dickman-Burnett. Executive Producers are Ben Baird and Victoria Dickman-Burnett. The voice of Anna-Georgina Plume is Victoria Dickman-Burnett. The voice of Billy is Nick Federinko. The voice of Daryl, the carousel repairman is Tony Barrett.  The Lavender Evening Fog logo was designed by Alicyn Dickman and our Season 2 concept art was designed by Matt Lowe.  This episode is brought to you by an old acquaintance re-entering the picture. This episode pairs well with a cherry blossom green tea. 

And now, a promo from our friends, Residents of Proserpina Park, a mythical fiction podcast. We highly recommend checking them out!  

Proserpina Park Promo
INTRO: 

So you think you know mythology? Come visit Residents of Proserpina Park today and find out!

SAM: 

My name is Sam, who are you?

ALINA: 

My name is Alina, I’m a student reporter investigating a current online rumor about this park. I want us to be friends. No offense, I feel like you need more of those.

SAM: 

This park… isn’t exactly that safe. Mythology was created to warn people of the past what not to do.

ALINA: 

So how bad could the rest of the park be?

KAPPA: 

I am a Kappa.

ALINA: 

What’s a Kappa?

KAPPA: 

(growls) Hold still!

DREW: 

Hey, stay away from us you freak. Don’t think I won’t hurt you, I got a bat!

KAPPA: 

Enough! Just give me your shirikodama!

THE JERSEY DEVIL: 

What is this? Another human? Here in this park?

ALINA: 

The Jersey Devil? That’s a real thing? So we’re currently talking to a murderer right now.

THE JERSEY DEVIL: 

I’m a devil.

ALINA: 

(gasp) O-oh my god, dragon!

SOUND: Dragon’s roar.

JUN: 

Alina, you’re too close to those things, get over here!

DOG: 

Let’s go Alina, now!

ALINA: 

Sam, what are you doing here?

SAM: 

You promised, never to bring people here.

ALINA: 

Sam, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.

SAM: 

I should have never allowed you to come here. 

OUTRO: 

Listen to Residents of Proserpina Park on all your favorite podcasting platforms today! We hope you visit soon.