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b'Episode Notes
The Chain of Time by Killian Crane
After the disappearance of a little girl in the woods by a Middle School another boy is lured into the woods, the house isn\'t made of gingerbread but the oven is just as dangerous!
Music by Ray Mattis
http://raymattispresents.bandcamp.com
Produced by Daniel Wilder
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Transcription:
Andrew Leid felt like a freshly poured fountain drink; from his blond curls to his pudgy 12-year-old belly, he absolutely fizzed. He was blind to the children enjoying recess around him on the playground of Pine Hill Middle School. His entire world was a bridge of grass to Claire Ellis.
Claire sat in the front corner of his class. Andrew, who would never admit it to anyone, found himself looking at her more often than the white board.
She faced away from him, staring into the expansive forest behind the school. She had brown hair held up in a long pony tail by a pink ribbon.
He knew he had no business talking to a girl like her, but he decided that morning that he would ask her if she\\u2019d like to go to the Gumbo Festival with him. He just couldn\\u2019t seem to move his feet.
He finessed past several crinkling snack wrappers and drew his brass pocket watch. Flipped open, it showed there was still fifteen minutes of recess.
As he tried to put the watch away, the chain went taught and flew from his hand. Bewildered, Andrew turned to see Thomas Daniels. Thomas jiggled the watch, making it glint wildly.
\\u201cWhatcha doing, chubber?\\u201d Thomas asked.
Andrew\\u2019s fist clenched. \\u201cThomas, please. Just give it back.\\u201d
\\u201cOh, I will,\\u201d Thomas jeered. He swung the watch evenly. \\u201cIf you can catch me.\\u201d Andrew saw Claire still staring into the woods, and then focused on Thomas. He
made a clumsy lunge, and Thomas pulled it taught, palming the watch then letting it fall free again as if he was walking the dog with a yoyo.
\\u201cTry again, fatty.\\u201d
Andrew did, but Thomas still held the watch.
\\u201cCut it out, Thomas!\\u201d
The metal grazed Andrew\\u2019s fingers before it was pulled free a third time. Children gathered around to watch the spectacle. Thomas, the circus master, led
Andrew in a wide circle like a prize animal.
\\u201cUh uh uh!\\u201d he teased.
Andrew\\u2019s face grew blood red with anger and effort. He charged, head low. Thomas
dodged and stuck his foot out to catch Andrew in an embarrassing trap. The crowd roared approval as he thudded to the ground.
He struggled to his feet, his heart limping in his chest. He put his hands over his head, fighting the need to puke.
\\u201cLook at those fat titties!\\u201d one kid squealed.
Andrew, instantly shamed, covered his chest with his hands.
\\u201cWho said that?\\u201d he squeaked, spinning around, trying not to jostle himself. No one
answered, they simply pointed and laughed.
Thomas spun the pocket watch high above his head, cocking his arm to throw it,
when an adult voice cut through the laughs of the children.
\\u201cWhat\\u2019s going on here?\\u201d Miss Minner demanded.
The circle fell instantly silent. Her eyes locked onto Thomas.
\\u201cOffice, mister Daniels. Everyone else, back inside. Recess is over.\\u201d
There was a collective groan as the crowd headed for class. Thomas flung the watch
hard into Andrew\\u2019s chest.
Once the watch was safe, Andrew searched the crowd for Claire. He didn\\u2019t see her
pink bow anywhere.
The tree line, like a storm on the horizon, loomed silent and empty.
Ten minutes into class, Claire still wasn\\u2019t in her seat in the front corner. When he saw that Miss Minner still hadn\\u2019t noticed, Andrew raised his hand.
In the five weeks after Claire\\u2019s disappearance, Andrew gained twenty pounds.
He sat at the dinner table of his mother\\u2019s small apartment, watching a man who claimed to be an expert on the occult.
The man waved his hands excitedly. \\u201cIn fact, people back then always kept precious metals on their person. Certain metals were believed to ward off the evil eye.\\u201d
Andrew\\u2019s mother changed the channel to the news. The oven chimed, and soon a baking sheet packed end to end with French toast lay before Andrew. Crispy crusts, buttery middles, and the perfect amount of cinnamon. It was Andrew\\u2019s favorite dessert.
\\u201cThank you, mama.\\u201d Andrew said as he dug in.
She tousled his hair. \\u201cLove you, gummy bear.\\u201d
The Leid family hadn\\u2019t always lived in a small apartment. Once upon a time, the
Leid\\u2019s were the proud owners of a successful restaurant. Andrew\\u2019s father ran the business, and his mother was head chef. Andrew was the professional taste tester, if he finished his homework. Monday nights, when business was usually slow, they watched Westerns at the bar.
Despite great business, Andrew\\u2019s father had made many mistakes with the money. The last thing Andrew ever heard his father say was \\u201cIt\\u2019s getting where we can\\u2019t even afford to feed him!\\u201d
The next morning, his father was gone.
Andrew\\u2019s mother sold the restaurant, their house, traded in her car, and moved them into the apartment. Despite their tight budget, she always made sure that her son was fed. She cooked three hearty meals every day, with plenty of snacks in between.
Shortly after his father left, Andrew began to gain weight.
The telephone rang and she quickly answered it. She looked over her shoulder before going out of the room to take the call in private. Andrew wiped his fingers clean, and downed the last of his chocolate milk. On the television, the window over the reporter\\u2019s shoulder faded into a picture of Claire sheepishly smiling.
A piece of ice lodged itself in his heart, and the reporter\\u2019s words drove the ice home.
\\u201cThe search for Claire Ellis, twelve-year-old daughter of James and Olivia Ellis, has been discontinued by authorities. Claire was last seen wandering into the woods behind Pine Hill Middle School. The Ellis family asks that anyone with information involving Claire\\u2019s disappearance to call the number below.\\u201d
Feet pattered from down the hall back into the living room.
\\u201cA candle light vigil will be held Saturday at six p.m. at the Pine Hill Middle School. On behalf of all of us here at Channel 6 News, -\\u201d
The channel abruptly changed to cartoons. Andrew\\u2019s mother held out the remote, letting out a sharp breath as she replaced the phone.
\\u201cI\\u2019m sorry you saw that, gummy bear. Let\\u2019s not think about that tonight, okay?\\u201d
But Andrew had thought of Claire every night. As far as the police had learned, Andrew was the last one to see Claire. Despite being full, he wanted something to snack on.
He flipped open the brass pocket watch. It was only seven.
His mother sounded like a cracked china cup as she spoke. \\u201cWhat\\u2019s your watch say, cowboy?\\u201d
The previous year, Andrew and his mother went to the movies and saw a vintage western. When the hero strode into town, two bad guys leveled their guns. The hero
pulled a brass pocket watch from his duster and said \\u201cWill ya look at that? It\\u2019s high time things changed \\u2018round here.\\u201d He pulled his gun and shot the men down. Andrew had been overjoyed, clapping loud enough to draw a \\u201cShhhh!\\u201d from somewhere in the dark. On Christmas day, Andrew had an exact replica of the watch.
\\u201cSeven. It\\u2019s getting late,\\u201d he told her, holstering the watch.
Though he truly loved the watch, it reminded him of times with his father, watching westerns. They had been a family then, and Andrew, whether he meant to or not, had ruined that. He was the reason his father left. The more he thought about his failures, to his family, to Claire, the more he wanted to eat and forget.
He rose and gave his mother a gentle hug. \\u201cI\\u2019m gonna go to bed, mama. I feel really tired.\\u201d
She hugged him back, and Andrew remembered a time when she had been able to wrap her arms all the way around him.
\\u201cGoodnight, gummy bear. I\\u2019ll have a big breakfast for you in the morning.\\u201d \\u201cSounds good, mama. Love you.\\u201d
\\u201cLove you too.\\u201d
He drifted to his room, closing the door behind him. He no longer felt nice and full
and sleepy. He felt fat.
If he hadn\\u2019t been fat, he wouldn\\u2019t have been picked on by Thomas. He wouldn\\u2019t have
had a problem asking Claire to go to the Gumbo Festival with him. Claire wouldn\\u2019t have disappeared.
The large bag of pretzels he kept in his night stand lay in his lap, open. He sat on his bed watching the pocket watch tick away the seconds, silently eating the pretzels until they were gone.
The next day, the children were allowed on the playground for the first time since the disappearance. Andrew sat at the edge of the forest eating from a plastic sleeve of mini donuts, watching the other kids play. Thomas was occupied humiliating another target.
Behind Andrew, the new fence polls stood, but no fence barred the forest. During a lonely lunch two days before, Andrew heard Coach Bart say to another teacher, \\u201cthose guys building the fence are really dragging butt.\\u201d
In the distance, Thomas gave some poor soul an atomic wedgie, pulling him off the ground, feet kicking.
\\u201cI wish I could help you, kid,\\u201d Andrew said around a mouthful of donut.
A familiar voice hissed behind him. \\u201cYou could help me, Andrew.\\u201d
He turned wide eyed to see the back of Claire Ellis. She looked exactly the same as
the day she disappeared, down to her long ponytail tied with a pink bow. \\u201cClaire?\\u201d
She laughed.
There was a scream from the playground, making Andrew wheel around. Coach Bart, who had taken Miss Minner\\u2019s place as Andrew\\u2019s teacher, had Thomas by the ear, marching him towards the school. A crowd of kids followed, cheering and laughing.
When Andrew turned back to the forest. \\u201cClaire?\\u201d
The smallest crescent of Claire\\u2019s face peeked from behind a tree deep inside. \\u201cClaire... people have been really worried about you. Where have you been?\\u201d She grinned, saying nothing.
The wrapper crinkled in his trembling hand. \\u201cYou want a donut?\\u201d
With a laugh, she turned and fled deeper into the woods.
\\u201cClaire, wait!\\u201d he called out as he breached the tree li'