Part 1

Ellis Ease Elementary Walkthrough, May 18th

Classroom 3-A

We begin the next segment of exploration in the Title I Classroom, which is next to Classroom 2-C. The room is barely larger than a closet. When the school was in use, there were typically only a small number of students in this classroom at any given time. It was likely repurposed from a storage closet by the looks of it. There is a low table with children’s books stacked on it,  reading chair in the corner.  The walls are covered in empty bulletin boards. There is not much else of note here, so I will cross the hall to classroom 3-A.

I have not been waxing poetic about what the classrooms were in my time here, but other than Classroom 1-A, this was one of my favorite places in the school. My third grade year was such a good year. It was the year I started to make friends. Friends that stuck around.  And while this is not the last part of my tour, this is the last classroom. 

Okay, breathe… you can do this.. I enter the classroom…

Part 2

AG: Audio Diary of Dr. Anna-Georgina Plume,

Assistant Professor of Architectural History at Hollingsworth University. 

July 31st, 9 am. Recorded in the formal dining room.

Billy: So this is THE necklace?

AG: It appears so.

Billy: Interesting carousel motif…

AG: The best that I can tell, it merged Great Grandma Vivi’s emerald necklace with the charm bracelet Nana Plume offered it.

Billy: And have you been able to talk to Nana Plume about this?

AG: She got cleared by her doctor to visit the National Archives, so she is doing a six week research stint there… 

Billy: I thought she moved into a retirement home?

AG: Yes, but they’re allowed to travel. At any rate, she hasn’t been answering her cell phone, but she’s never been great about that, so there is no real help there. Dad is coming over soon, though. Maybe he’ll have some answers.

Billy: And how are you feeling?

A-G: Better. Less tired.

[Enter Daryl] 

Daryl: It looks like everything is fine with the carousel. You said it sped up?

A-G: Yes. 

Daryl: Well there is no damage, also no sign of cause.

A-G: I think I know the cause…

Daryl: I wonder…

A-G: Yes?

Daryl: Have you considered switching it to solar? They’ve had some good results with that in Buffalo.  Of course, that is a Herschell, not a Looff, but the internal workings have been updated once, so maybe…

A-G: what is the benefit of converting the carousel to solar?

Daryl: Well, it’s better for the environment… [beat] but also vampires can’t come out in sunlight.

A-G: That’s not… You know what, never mind

Daryl: More importantly, wouldn’t that disconnect it from the school as a power source? Maybe make it a little harder to adjust to the supernatural goings on?

Billy: It has potential, I suppose.

Daryl: Well, I’m going to look around some more…

A-G: By all means..

[Exit Daryl]

A-G: I never fully know what to say.

Billy: He does take this all very seriously. [beat] So when is your dad supposed to arrive?

A-G: Any minute now

[from outside]

Mayor Plume: Hey, Georgie!

Part 3 

Mayor Plume: How are you feeling Georgie?

A-G: Better. But things have been weird. 

Mayor: Well that’s progress at least. 

A-G: I was about to go into the archives Melinda Basil sent me…

Mayor: [interrupts] You said Basil?

A-G: Yes, why, is that name familiar?

Mayor: Umm… Well… You know Georgie, it’s kind of a funny story…

A-G: You know what, the next box is likely about you anyway. 

Mayor: What do you mean?

A-G: Okay. I got a series of boxes sent over from the library, all about the history of this place. Following generations of the family that founded the school. Which is normal enough. But about three generations in, in what I am sure will be no surprise to you, I discovered Great-Grandma Vivi. And then I spent the past few days reading Nana’s field notes form when she was working on her PhD. Which means… you are the most likely candidate for the next box.

Mayor Plume: I think I know what this is about. You may want to grab a comfortable seat because it could take awhile. 

A-G: Okay. Lets adjourn to the sectional in the informal living room in about fifteen minutes. I’ll bring some tea, and then you can tell me the whole story… And Dad?

Mayor Plume: Yes Georgie?

A-G: Don’t leave anything out. 

Part 4

Mayor Plume: I don’t see why we have to record this

A-G: It’s for my records. If we’re going to dive into the history of this place, I need to keep track of everything.

Mayor, yes, but if I reveal this…

A-G: Please don’t say it will make everything worse somehow

Mayor: No, it’s not that, it’s just, well, I was 18. I don’t want you to judge me.

A-G: Dad, I was 18 once, too.

Mayor: Technically, yes. But you were always… studious. Serious. Like you had a fake college ID. To attend lectures. Most kids get fake ids to buy alcohol.

A-G: You knew about that?

Mayor: Yes.

A-G: And you didn’t do anything?

Mayor: You were sneaking onto college campuses to hear people talk about history and architecture. Honestly, that’s kind of a parent’s dream. I knew there was no way you were going to get yourself into any trouble. 

A-G: Well there goes any illusions I have of a rebellious past.

Mayor: [sarcastically] I hate to disillusion you. But anyway, It’s a little embarrassing and some it may be lightly illegal.

A-G: Not a legal category, but as long as no one got hurt, I won’t judge you.

Mayor: So you promise this stays with us…

A-G: As much as I can, yes.

Mayor, okay, then yes, you can record this.

A-G: Okay. [beat, and she takes up her academic voice] Interview with Mayor Duncan Plume, about his experiences in the Ellis Field Normal School Building, which in his time would have been the Ellis Field East Elementary School Building. Recorded on July 31st, at 10 am. Also in attendance is Billy Ocre.  [beat, more informal tone] Okay Dad, you can tell your story.

Mayor: Unlike you, I grew up knowing my connection to the school’s history. In fact, if you look in that box, I’m sure you’ll find a photo of me as a baby being held by my great-great grandmothers, Lucy Hobbes and Helena Reeve-Hobbes, as she was known in her later years. I don’t remember either of them, as they both passed away within the first year and a half of my life, but I remember my great-grandmother Elizabeht, who was around until I was 20. Between her, Grandma Vivi, and Mum, I pretty much grew up in these halls. 

Specifically, I grew up in the library. Your grandmother worked there, as you knew, and when I started attending the school, it surprised me just how autonomous the library was from the rest of the school. My mother was pretty much free to run it how she saw fit, which is how they wound up with the shared library between the school and the public library. I don’t know if you know that, but that was all your grandmother. 

A-G: I had no idea. [beat] Sorry. Continue please.

Mayor: Every now and then, Mum would call me from class into the library. Usually to meet someone. I didn’t realize it at the time, but later, when I looked back on photos, it was her, it was Lucy. I know it seems weird, I already told you she was dead, but she was back, somehow.  I just assumed it was an old friend, but my mother did seem to glow whenever those visits would happen. 

Sometimes, when I was in the building alone, after school, waiting on Mum to finish for the day, I would find myself sitting in the hall outside the library. No reason why I couldn’t be in the library itself, but the first time, I wanted a change in scenery, so I sat in the hallway. Suddenly, the lights of the hallway started changing color, and there was music, an entire symphony. The colors matched the music in tone and speed, it was a glorious experience. From that day forward, I would wait in the hallway. 

I told one of my friends–Ed Jennings. Nice Guy, still around, he sells artisanal kitchen tiles now. His business is always a platinum tier sponsor of Gazebofest. I think you met him from time to time.

A-G: Yes, I remember Ed. We got into an argument about the school board race at a community forum…

Mayor: That doesn’t surprise me. Anyway, I told Ed what happened. I was in first grade, I didn’t realize it was odd. That day he decided to stay and wait with me.

A-G: Wouldn’t his parents–

Mayor: A lot of the kids in those days stayed on the school playground until dinner time. I assure you no one panicked

A-G: You panicked that time in the woods.

Mayor: That was different. 

Anyway, the first day it didn’t happen, but Ed never doubted me. He kept coming back–Ed was great like that, he knew I wasn’t making it up– and eventually, after like four days, it did. After that, Ed was convinced that we needed to find where the music was coming from. We spent the next two weeks looking for it, and when we didn’t find anything, he became convinced that the school was magic. 

We would explore to see what else we could find. Now, at that age, many occurrences that have rational explanations seemed like magic, but there are still a few, to this day, I can’t explain. 

We found a few secret passages, which I don’t doubt this place actually has, but some of them defy logic. A cabinet in the kindergarten room led to the library.  A trap door in the gym floor–which I have never seen again, took us to a pantry in the supply closet by the front door–you know, the room you use as a mud room now. One time, a tube slide took us from the teacher’s lounge to the stage. 

A-G: it’s like it was playing with you.

Mayor: Yes, exactly. And we kept this up until one day your Grandpa Plume found us as the school day was ending. He calmly told Ed to go home, and we walked upstairs where we met Mum. She looked as if she had been crying, and the three of us walked home. They didn’t say what was happening, but I heard them talking that night, and they seemed worried. From that day forward, either Mum would walk me home, or one of the adults in the house–Dad, Grandma Vivi, or Great Grandma Elizabeth–would find me and we would Ed home before going home ourselves. One day I asked Great Grandma Elizabeth if I would ever hear the music at the school again. She smiled and said she remembered the music, and she was certain that it would be back. A few weeks later, I woke up in the middle of the night to find my parents returning home. They were both covered in bruises and Dad’s arm was in a sling–kind of like yours is now… It wasn’t until I was in third grade that Mum felt comfortable letting me stay in the building to wait for her, but she made me promise that I would not have any other students with me. But I heard the music again.

And that was the end of it until I was 18.

Billy: I’m sorry Duncan, but it sounds like Daryl needs a hand with the carousel, could we resume this later?

Mayor: Certainly. 

Part 5

Billy: Hey A-G, are you okay?

A-G: You don’t have to keep worrying about me. I’m not that fragile.

Billy: You’ve had a rough few… months. I was going to say days, but honestly, it’s months. 

A-G: You can say that again.

Billy: Hey, what’s this?

A-G: Let me see it

[beat] 

A-G: Where did you find this? 

Billy: It was shoved under the music room door.

A-G: Woe to the heir, the lineage of the matriarch must end.

Billy: That doesn’t sound good.

A-G: It’s a threat.

[beat, and then addressing him directly]

If you have something to say, why don’t you come discuss it with me like an adult?

Part 6

Daryl:  So, uh, I was trying to communicate with whatever you’ve got going on here with a ouija board, and I thought I was getting somewhere.

AG: Oh?

Daryl: It turned out it was just giving me the lyrics to Thunder Road. 

[beat]

Daryl: Still everything on the Looff looks good. Whatever caused it to speed up doesn’t seem to be bothering it now.

AG: Of course not.

Daryl: For what it’s worth, carousels used to be a lot faster.  We’ve slowed them down in the name of safety. No more brass rings either. 

AG: Well, I can understand the safety concern, having to insure this thing. 

Daryl: It won’t hurt you. 

AG: I know. It’s just a carousel. It’s the school—the carousel is just torn between two opposing forces. 

[Enter Billy] 

Billy: Hey, the front door won’t unlock

AG: This can’t be good

Daryl: I’ll get my tools

Part 7

Billy: Fieldnotes from William Philip Ocre

Today, I am discussing the gazebos of Ellis Field. While Ellis Field has many instances of public sculpture and use of green space, it is perhaps best known for its title “Gazebo Capital of the Midwest.” That is, of course a title Duncan–I mean Mayor Plume–created himself, and I don’t know that there is much competition for the title, and yet, Ellis Field embraces its claim to fame with such gusto that if any other town were to try to claim the title, they would be sorely lacking. 

In the center of the town is the Sarah Gorak Grand Gazebo. This gazebo was newly rebuilt after it was damaged in a thunderstorm two years ago. It is owing to the fundraising efforts of a violinist from Cincinnati that the rebuild was able to happen, and the town has honored her generosity by decorating the structure in a musical motif. It’s also worth noting that this structure is huge. It is about 3 stories in height and, when operational, can contain the entire gazebo-themed festival the town hosts annually. 

The town recently unveiled a new gazebo on the West Edition of town–that is the part of Ellis Field that was established later, and while incorporated into the town, is does not attach to any of the streets within the town and requires following the country road a quarter mile out of town. It is a grid of nine blocks. Previously, residents of the West edition have had complaints about being ignored in the public art efforts, but it appears Mayor Plume-and an especially driven lepidopterist from Toledo Ohio– have heard them, because in the central square is now Butterfly Bob’s Monarch Gazebo. This gazebo has Romanesque  influence with stained glass windows that depict different types of butterflies in very realistic detail! 

[to himself] That seems like a good stopping point. What am I doing? We’re locked in the building and I’m completing field notes like I’m Anna-Georgina? I should see what she’s up to. Maybe Daryl can help us?

A-G: Billy? 

Billy: I was just about to look for you.

A-G: Well, it looks like we’re stuck inside for the evening. Daryl can’t seem to get the lock open. 

Billy: What’s happening?

A-G: If the scrabble board and the refrigerator letter magnets are any indication, it’s Algernon.

Billy: That’s not good.

A-G: Yeah, it’s not a great message to find, though I’ll take it over the ominous HIM scrawled across several of the chalkboards.

Billy: I know the school is on our side, but I sometimes have second thoughts on encouraging it to communicate with us.

AG: You’re telling me. [beat] My dad and Daryl are stuck here until we can get it unlocked, I guess. I’ll make up the guestroom and set up the air mattress in the informal living room, though I doubt anyone will be able to sleep.

Billy: Is it safe to? It feels like it’s escalating. 

A-G: Maybe in shifts? 

Billy: One person keeps watch while the others sleep?

A-G: How about two and two. I don’t want to be up alone

Part 8

AG: Audio diary of Dr. Anna-Georgina Plume,  July 31st, 11 pm. Billy and I are on the first shift of keeping watch. 10 pm- 2am, at which time, Daryl and My Dad will relieve us and take 2-6. 

We figured we could use this time to check in about what we have learned in our search.

Billy: Uh, yeah, while you were on your upstairs adventure, I discovered the trap door to the tower. I got a ladder to look at it, but it is locked–do you know where the key is.

A-G: We could check the board with all the keys in the Ticket Office. [As if talking to the school] Or maybe it will just fall from the ceiling. 

Billy: Sounds dangerous

A-G: [As if talking to the school] Maybe just leave it on my desk, okay

Billy: [Quietly, almost to himself] Better. [To Anna-Georgina] Here is a question for the ages: Do we know why here?

A-G: Please elaborate.

Billy: So Lucy Hobbes has these abilities, right? She’s able to make the school into a conscious entity… [trails off]

A-G: Yes?

Billy: Well, we know she belonged to a group of people who believed in this. Why here though? Why didn’t she summon the genius loki [pronounced like the Norse god] or whatever they’re calling it when she was living in her commune? 

A-G: She was protecting the school, so perhaps the danger of the whole situation?

Billy: But weren’t her family run out of town before? Weren’t her parents, as the kids are saying, unalived as a result of their beliefs? If she had these abilities, why couldn’t she use them then? And don’t say she had time to hone them, because it sounds like she spent years pretending there was nothing there to be honed in the interim. 

A-G: Fair, I don’t know. Something about this place? But like that feels trite.

Billy: Whatever it is, there could be your answer.

A-G: Can we talk about something else? Anything. I’m just tired of this mystery. Tired of thinking about how my life is so tied up in all of this and I’m not going to get any sense of normalcy until we figure out how to banish Algernon, and I just want my life to be normal again for a moment. 

Billy: But you live in a haunted school, your life never will be normal again. 

A-G: Yes, but if we can fix the [whispers] Algernon of it all, I think I can settle into something akin to normal. Normal for me. Or–forget normal–just non-existentially threatening. 

Billy: I could go for non-existentially threatening. [beat] Okay. So what’s new.  What do you want to talk about? 

[beat]

A-G: This is harder than I thought.

Billy: How much shorter do you really think Goncharov would be if in the hotel room scene, Katya–

A-G: Not this again… 

Billy: Sam at the coffee shop asked about you. She noticed you hadn’t been in when you were recovering from  upstairs.

A-G: What did you say?

Billy: I said you were fine. I didn’t want to tell a teenager you were recovering from severe exhaustion due to being pulled into a phantom part of the building. Even now it sounds–unhinged to say that. Plus she’d use it as an excuse to go ghost hunting.

A-G: Probably smart. That reminds me though, she wanted my help with a research project.

Billy: Actual research project or more school shenanigans. 

A-G: Actual research project. She actually wanted Nana Plume’s help, but since she’s traveling…

Billy: Are you going to do it? Take on a protege? 

A-G: I’m up for it, if I know I can keep her safe from all of this. Certainly not my first protege, I’ve got grad students and a couple dedicated undergrads, but she’s younger than any student I’ve worked with. And also more likely to try something dangerous… Which is never something I expected to say when I got my PhD in history. 

Billy: Well it stands to reason more willing to take risks, something about the prefrontal cortex and all…

A-G: I know. Hopefully it won’t be an issue soon enough. [beat] Dad? What are you doing awake? You’ve got a few more hours before it’s your shift.

Mayor Plume: I couldn’t sleep, so I figured now was as good of a time as any to finish my story. If you’re up for it…

A-G: I’ll put on a pot of tea. 

Part 9

A-G: Anna-Georgina Plume recording a second interview with Duncan Plume about the events in the Ellis Field School.  July 31st, 11 pm. Recorded with Billy Occre in also attendance. [Beat] Ready Dad

Mayor Plume: Yep. The year was 1977. I had just graduated from high school. A little movie you’ve probably never heard of called Star Wars had just released–

A-G: Dad.

Mayor: I’m just setting the scene. [beat] anyway, I had just graduated. Ed and I were still good friends. Along with a few of our other friends–Bob Lassiter and Neil Smith, and Neil’s girlfriend who was two years younger than us, we spent most of our days together, usually, at your grandparent’s house. You can see the place from the front vestibule, you know how big of a house it is. I had the entire fourth floor to myself, so it was ideal. I had grown up with all of these people, and it was the last chance we had to spend any amount of time together before we went our separate ways. 

Bob and Neil were really into ghost stories. Personally, I never really made the connection between the music in the school and a ghost stories, but Ed must have.

“Duncan, remember that weird music in the school?” 

Well, that was enough for them. They started trying to find a way into the school–at night. I offered to steal Mum’s keys, because I didn’t want them trying to hop the fence or break into the building or anything like that. But the reality of it was that I didn’t need to steal the keys–any time Mum needed to send me over to get something she had left at the school, I would just go and the gate would open for me. The same of the front door and the library door. It didn’t work on all of the doors, I tried it, but if I needed to get into the room, I always could. But the keys were to ensure that if somehow it wouldn’t unlock for me, we would be able to get in. 

With the promise that we would be able to get in, the only thing left to do was to plan for the best day to go. Mum had a conference in Chicago  in early June and my grandmother and great-grandmother agreed to go with them. Grandma Vivi  had grown up in Chicago and hadn’t been back in years. 

It was decided–stupidly–that I was responsible enough to stay by myself for the week. Ed, Bob, and Neil they decided that the first night would be the best night to explore the school, because then if we needed to explore more, we could use the extra nights. 

I’m not sure if it is breaking and entering, since we had a key, but we should not have come in here.

A-G: Was it scary?

Mayor: Not at first. 

A-G: So what happened?

Mayor: We went to the second floor and I told them about the music. That was what they wanted to hear, and I thought maybe talking about the music would make it happen, but after a while, it was clear that it wouldn’t. 

A-G: Yeah, I don’t think the school is really good at being told what to do. 

Mayor: So when it didn’t work, they decided to wander around and see what they could find. All of the doors to classrooms were unlocked. I’m not sure if it thought we would break in if they were locked–we wouldn’t have, we were mostly good kids, incredibly stupid, but good kids. 

Ed wanted to look for secret passages, Neil’s girlfriend went into the library, clearly more interested in reading than exploring, but Bob and Neil were convinced that the most scary place, the place where they were most likely to experiencing anything scary was—

A-G: [muttered] You have got to be kidding me

Mayor Plume: Yep. The basement. And I didn’t know the whole story of the basement, but unlike the others, I had spent a lot of time in this building, most of it only partially supervised. There weren’t a lot of rules, but the basement had been solidly off limits the whole time. 

So I found myself running after them, trying to stop them from going down there. I even offered to find the keys to the tower. It was a partially empty promise–I think Mum had a key in her desk draw, but I was trying to do anything to keep them from that basement. But they, of course, were 18 year old boys who wanted to see a ghost, and my insistence that the basement was dangerous just made it worse. 

They had brought a lantern with them, which was good, because the lights in the basement were not working that night.  So we got down there. It was pretty much like it was before you cleared it out.  A lot of school equipment, piled haphazardly, I tried to point it out to convince them that there was nothing here. I didn’t love the idea of exploring the school at night on the whole, but I knew I had to make sure everyone got out of that basement safely. 

I had just told them “See, there is nothing here.” when a voice said “Oh, but there is.” It wasn’t one of us. They shone the flashlight around, not seeing anyone else, until finally, there was a man-shaped shadow in the back corner. 

For all of their bluster, Bob and Neil were terrified. Bob tried to run up the stairs, but he twisted his ankle and fell back down.  So I just assumed that this man was a person like us, and that he wasn’t supposed to be there–also like us. And since neither of them would talk to him, I realized I had to be brave.

“Who are you.”

And I kid you not, he said “Your mortal enemy.”

I told Bob and Neil to get upstairs. I used stronger language, but you get the idea. They protested that they didn’t want to leave me, but I think they were secretly relieved. When they were gone, I asked my mortal enemy to show himself. There was a glowing light in the corner, and man in old fashioned clothing was standing there. He told me we could come to an understanding if I invited him up into the library. I knew enough to know that this was probably a terrible idea, and I said as much. With that, he said “I have all the time in the world” and the light went out  in a gust of wind  and he disappeared. I got the hell out of there. At the door to the basement, there was a padlock, and I locked it. I second guessed myself, because if he was an actual person, I might be condemning him to death, but I tried not to think about that. 

I went looking for the others, and the only one I could find was Neil’s girlfriend. She was still in the library, and when I found her, she looked shocked, and was holding an old bound book. She told me she had something she wanted to show me, and I agreed under the condition that we do this in the safety of my house. What she showed me was Lucy’s journal and Helena’s letters.  

So, the two things that you’ve probably figured out–first, I realized looking into those journals that I had probably encountered Algernon. And second.

A-G: Melinda Basil.

Mayor: Yes, she was Neil’s girlfriend. We returned the journal a few days later so my mother wouldn’t notice it was gone. Over the years, she studied with your grandmother and became entrusted with the history of the school. The documents you’ve been reviewing aren’t from the library, they’re from her private collection, which comes directly from your grandmother.

A-G: Well she could do a better job preserving their integrity 

Part 10

[Anna-Georgina is mid conversation with Daryl and Billy]

AG: And that is why archival gloves have gone out of fashion. I told Melinda Basil this, but she wouldn’t listen. So if you see me wearing them, I’m respecting her preference, but I  of course know better. 

Daryl: This reminds me of a big debate in my field. Wooden carousels vs. Metal. And don’t get me started on fiberglass

[Rooibos starts hissing]

AG: Rooibos, that is very rude—Excuse me, who are you? Why are you in my home?

Algernon: Insolent feline! Of course there is more to you than meets the eye, not that they would notice

[Rooibos hisses again}

Algernon: Take a swipe at me! You cannot protect them.  Foolish orange creature.

AG: Leave my cat alone, Algernon.

Billy: [Genuinely surprised] Really?

AG: Who else can it be? And I did summon him when I said we could talk about this like adults. 

Algernon: You are correct. Though you are more this being’s pet than she is yours.

Billy: My dude, you’re describing every cat. 

AG: Why are you here?

Algernon: I want what is mine. You have usurped my legacy.

AG: And that would be what? You want me to give you the school? You think it is *owed* to you because of what? Because you’re less talented than your sister and you think the world owes you? Because you couldn’t control the school like you wanted to? Because people moved on and had lives and families and stories and yours ended? Listen, I understand your pain, but you are hurting people. You hurt me. You killed James. If you don’t stop, you’re going to kill Sophia.

Algernon: You’ve said it yourself several times over, she’s not a person.

AG: I was wrong. She’s not only a person. But she has a consciousness, and she can clearly feel pain, so leave her alone.

Algernon: I have watched your family for generations. My sister didn’t want her talent and then she took up with that Scotswoman. And then when the time comes, she gives her legacy to all of you. As if you were her family.

AG: We are. 

Algernon: She put herself into this building. And as long as she’s here… I will be. [darkly] But I don’t think she will be much longer. Get away from me, you insipid cat!

[Rooibos yowls]

AG: Algernon Hobbes. Intruder and unwanted visitor. You have shed my family’s blood and you have maimed me. You have threatened people I loved and you have made my home unsafe. I will not stand for it any longer. I do not know how to banish you permanently, but mark my words, I will learn and then it is all over for you. 

But until then.

As the legal owner of this property and the heir of Lucy Hobbes, I banish you from this room and this floor. Retreat to your basement and do not return.

And for the final time: LEAVE MY CAT ALONE.

[Rooibos hisses which transforms into a lion’s roar]

Billy: Is he gone?

AG: For now, but I don’t think it’s a permanent solution 

Daryl: Are we gonna talk about the cat or…

AG: One thing at a time.

Part 11

Ellis East Elementary Walkthrough

May 18th

The room has no furniture. The blackboards are pristine. They have been washed.  The walls have been painted white. There are, along the windowsill, tiny models of the various gazebos and public sculptures of Ellis Field, with a model of the school at the far end. They do not look like students made them. They look professionally done. The ceiling has a map of the constellations painted on it.  There are light oak cabinets lining the southern wall of the classroom. They are… [Cabinet opens} filled with even more tiny landmarks. 

I wonder why these are here. Who did this? The building is a puzzle box, and the further I explore, the more it feels like there is more here than just an old, abandoned school. 

Having completed all of the classrooms and the two floors of the building, all that remains is… The basement. 

Lavender Evening Fog is a fiction podcast. This episode was written by Victoria Dickman-Burnett, direction and script supervision by Ben Baird, produced, mixed, and edited  by Nick Federinko with additional editing by 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 is Tony Barrett. The Voice of Algernon Hobbes is Danny Huri. The voice of Mayor Plume is David Girmann. The Lavender Evening Fog logo was designed by Alicyn Dickman and Ms. Bitey, our carousel opossum was designed by Matt Lowe.  

This episode is brought to you by being on the precipice of a pivotal moment

This episode pairs well with a white tea with notes of orange blossom.