welcome back to creep cast how you doing how you doing today we are talking about the Left Right game this is something that we've been seeing in the comments a lot lately is the Left Right game which test time I'm so excited especially for this one I love it like it's fun to torment you don't get me wrong with things I know are going to be terrible but it's equally fun to just go in blind I I've heard of the Left Right game I don't think I ever read or listened to it so this is a new experience for me I'm oh okay so new virgin experience for you as well that's nice to hear very good I mean the amount of people that have been telling us to review this one or to read it and stuff like that has been a lot and this is it it seems like a long one I'm looking at it it's 10 parts whenever we get into it we can see but right now it looks like it was uploaded six years ago by Neon Tempo to the r/ No Sleep subreddit which here before too long I think we're going to have to we're going to we're going to have to Journey outside of r/ No Sleep we're going to have to find a story outside of here we're we're giving a lot of love to r/n sleep I know that there's other things you're want to do like the uh what was it the Twitter the Twitter args I think would be fun uh a few like short horror stories that didn't originate on no sleep as hard as that may be to comprehend yeah no no sleep's a lot of fun but there's there's other uh corners of the internet we want to touch on for sure if you are watching this on YouTube and you're thinking about saving it for later maybe listen to it during work or school and be a degenerate and listen to it at a bad time on Apple uh podcast or Spotify we it helps us out a lot if you can go there listen to it there and also you know give us a nice little rating they say it helps us I don't know who it is these powers that be but they do say it helps helps so I'm just going to go with it I have no I know how the YouTube algorithm works I have absolutely no idea how like the the listening algorithms work so I'm just going to say they probably right so do that thing yeah there was the well actually what was the the thing here I tried looking at the uh you said on podcast we were we were doing pretty good on podcast we got up to like someone someone told me that we were like number one in our category for a while and when I looked at it we were like number 20s something overall like 20 8 27 so of all podcast on Spotify so that that's pretty that's pretty cool thank I hate the tutar and horn but I think that you know we are uh to we're tooting way we appreciate it very much um yeah so I think without further Ado I say let's just get let's get into it and see what we can do here because like I said this is a 10-part series and it starts off with just saying has anyone heard of the Left Right game part one let's go you want to do the same thing we did last time narration I seem like it was resonating well I can do the voice acting and also it seems like this time there's a lot more actual character stuff so we can do that cool all right a few points before we start firstly I am not the protagonist of this story I just went to University with her and though she went on to become a professional writer I most certainly did not she'll be taking over from me further down but until then please forgive my slightly awkward delivery while I give you guys the necessary context secondly I don't know what you will make of the following events and I'm sure many of you might consider it all some sort of hoax I wasn't present for any of what transpired in Phoenix Arizona but I can vouch for the person who wrote The Following logs she is not and has never been a fantas a a f a fantasist yeah that's it what the hell's a fantasist someone who makes up stuff lives in fantasy lives in a fantasy world yeah pretty much yeah a lot also a liar I guess meant here anyway oh okay okay so I once knew a girl called Alice Sharma she was an undergrad at Edinburg uni the same time I was my educational poison was history a degree which has greatly benefited my career as a bicycle repair man Alice Sharma studied journalism though perhaps studied isn't the word it's not an exaggeration to say that she lived and breathed the subject editorinchief of the campus paper recognizable voice of student radio she was frustratingly tunnel visioned and she was a journalist in her own right before anyone gave her a professional shot so he's going to a uh he's going to a professional School the Ed Edinburg uni uni and she's a journalist and it benefited my career as a bicycle repair man that was sarcasm okay yeah he's like don't worry I have a degree in history definitely helps for what I currently do yeah yeah yeah I see I see uh we met in student halls and became friends almost immediately a Meandering waser trying to stay off his parents farm and an Intrepid ambitious reporter may not seem the most obvious paring but I learned not to question it she was inspiring and smart and she proofread all my essays I'm not too sure what she saw in me we were eventually flatmates down in London Where She chased her dreams and I chased my tail she got a few jobs here and there but nothing befitting of her skills after months of fruitless internships and rejections Alice called a flat meeting telling us that she was moving to America accepting a position chasing stories for National Public Radio the job had come out of the blue the result of a hell marry application she thought had been dismissed out of hand we threw her a Bittersweet going away party and put the room up for rent the party was the last time I saw Alice Sharma she dropped out of contact a few few months after her departure complete radio silence I assumed she was just busy so I carried on with my small but happy life and waited for her to pop up on television with some important words below her name Chief correspondent senior analyst something like that the radio silence was broken last week and for reasons you'll glean further down I'm less happy about it than I would have thought arriving home from work I found a lone email in my otherwise Fair inbox an email that would later be described as suspicious by my tech ill by my tech literate friends despite being born in the early 1990s I didn't own a computer until uni and I've missed several important lessons in the world of cyberspace lessons like don't call it cyberspace of course and more importantly don't open emails with no text no subject and no senders address I realized most of you would have deleted this Anonymous blank email immediately my friends certain would have but beyond my basic ignorance about Online safety something further compelled me to open it the only thing of substance in the entire message was a zipped folder labeled left. right. as I don't have to explain what I was hoping those final initials stood for wait what what what was he hoping what what what what I don't have to Sharma her name her name I bet yeah okay God I'm telling you it's going right over my head today yeah yeah I was I was these little sarcastic jokes I'm like I'm so distracted by him being such like an unconfident little piece of [ __ ] that I'm just like I'm like oh bling the that's a lot of violence just out of the gate I'm sorry I'm so distracted about this little piece I'm sorry I'm sorry all right anyway now that Hunter's got that emotion out of the way I got it out it's it's dumb no more no more that's good yeah I'm sure you won't have a single other one yeah no more negativity for this whole time opening the zip folder I found myself staring at a stack of text files each one titled with a date continuing sequentially from the very earliest file 72 2017 to any Americans in the room this is the 7th of February see I would have read that completely backwards as yeah yeah yeah anyway as July 2 like a true American I've since read the files a few times and shown them to some friends they don't know what to make of it either but they certainly aren't as concerned as me they think Alice is just in a creative writing phase and if I didn't know her I'd have to agree but the thing is I do know her Alish Sharma only cares about the truth and if that's the case with these files insane as it may sound then it's very possible my friend has documented her own disappearance ooh that's a all right you got me in with that that's a good T I like that little that's that's not a nice little hook yeah you're going to keep calling a stupid idiot of I will I I will give my thoughts here in a moment but yeah it's a fun deal the people who suggested this form said you discuss strange occurrences Etc if you guys have come across anything to do with the below or know any of the people involved then please send any information my way has anyone heard of the Left Right game hello everybody sorry to take your attention off of such a Grizzly story but if there's one thing that we can both agree on it's that we like stories but sometimes stories can be frustrating because at least for me if the original story wasn't written in English then it can be hard to tell what the author's true meaning really was I mean I can't tell you how long I had to struggle through different translations of the Divine Comedy but there's so many good stories out there and so much to be learned from things that weren't just written in our native tongue and today's sponsor Babel is here to help Babel is the language learning app that is scientifically proven to get you to start speaking a new language in as little as 3 weeks lessons are designed by real language teachers and can help with everything from translating writings to having conversations with someone in a different language to travel in different countries I understand that a lot of us especially those of us who are done with school couldn't be bothered to take on another subject but not only is it incredibly fulfilling to learn more about cultures outside of your own but it's also a lot of fun because Babel's interactive teaching method and even games they incorporate into their lessons makes it more of a relaxing Pastime than a chore I myself am using Babel because in the next couple years my wife and I would like to take a trip to Europe and during that trip we want to hit countries like France Italy Germany because there's so many exciting and interesting things from history to see over there that I'm never going to experience if I just stay in the United States my whole life and if I'm going to travel over there I want to at least know the basics like how to ask for directions how to order off a menu Etc and since I took a year of German in high school I'm brushing up on my German skills because might as well start there and Babel Has everything from beginners who just need to learn things like gutentag and a Zan to the real nitty-gritty stuff that I need to learn like being able to sayon which basically means I'm not from here and I'm stupid help to learn a new language Babel offers everything from Individual games to interactive live lessons on top of that Babel offers a 20-day money back guarantee so you've got nothing to lose in trying it out so if you're looking to learn a new language to talk to friends or better understand Media or just to challenge yourself then there's never been a better time to get in on this offer that's because if you head down to the description and use our link you'll be able to get 60% off your Babel subscription that is right 60% off Babel Has all kind of different offerings and different subscriptions even up to a lifetime subscription but if you head down to the link in the description then you'll be able to get your subscription for 60% off the world is out there and waiting for you and all you've got to do is pick up the phone again head to the link in the description to get 60% off your Babel subscription today thank you all so much for watching the ad and thank you so much to Babel for sponsoring the show it really does mean the most hope you all check them out link is in the description and we are back to the show okay so this is that's the entryway to what I think is the first part here which is the first course responding into the the uh 72 2017 post here it says draft one uh before we get into that well I'm C this little Preamble this little int intro how how you feeling about this how you feel I'm in I'm in I like the concept to she's a journalist she goes away and then for whatever reason he gets the email uh I imagine we'll figure out why as the story progresses but this is from uh Alice's point of view so I'm I'm interested I'm down for for it yeah it is good I think it's good there's a lot of nice cringy uh you know little jokes here and there nothing too egregious or whatever but my god build up some confidence I'm wondering honestly with this just to have a little a little fourth a thorough thing is uh kind of you know does he feel you know he's he's wondering why did he send it to her you know kind of thing is she using him and his insecurities against him or something like that I it's too early to tell but I it it is very interesting I do love the line insane as it may sound uh then it's very possible my friend has documented her own disappearance it's pretty cool it's a good yeah I like that that's nice so without further Ado I guess let's get into draft one 07 or it' be February 7th 2017 yeah because this is uh this is dumb speak it's an England Town isn't it it it makes no sense I know that there I know the reason it's structured that way is because it's going from less to Greater but that makes no sense it's not how you say dates like if I ask you hey Hunter what's today's date you don't go oh it's 20th February no you go it's February the 20th and then the year if need be that's how that's why America does it the correct way anyway all right all right you talking you talk about hostility for me listen to you well well you brought up Bri we got it out now you brought up British people I can't help myself okay that will that will make anyone mad it's just bringing up the sheer thought of a British person yeah I can't believe they exist anyway yeah they they draft one from again February 7th they say great stories happen to those who can tell them Robert oh that's a good that's a good immediately say great stories happen to those who can tell them that's a good saying I like that anyway Robert Jay guthard is an exception to that rule as I sit at his table sip his coffee and listen to him recount the past 65 years it sounds like he's reading off a shopping list every event his first job his second wedding his third divorce none of them receive more than one or two sentences Rob plows through the years the Kurt dispassionate curator of his own personal history yet the story itself is so fascinating so rich with moments and so wildly Meandering that it somehow stands on its own merits it's a great story no matter how you tell it by the time Rob was 21 he got married had a son worked as a farmer a mover a boat engineer and grown aranged from his spouse here's him talking about it yes ideally all right all right so of course my wife started to get dissatisfied I was away a while for work Vietnam you were in Vietnam how was that for you I never been back since that was everything he had to say concerning his first divorce and the entire Vietnam War Rob had four marriages after that and even more professions after the war he worked with a firm of private detectives got shot at once by the mob then he became a courier which is how a poor boy from Alabama got to see the world I think Rob is spinning some [ __ ] Tall Tales I I think I think Rob may be lying of it true most guys I know who have done cool stuff don't talk about it that much but I don't know to just be like well I ain't been back that's a bit too short yeah yeah I've been to most of the continents with that job I've been to India you from India my mom and dad are from India yeah I forgot I need to do like a British a British accent here my mom and dad are from India yeah that's actually oh that's pretty good all right anyway see I could tell he' been arrested once in Singapore after one of his packages had been found to be full of white powder he spent 3 days locked up before someone got around to checking the substance it was chalk a friend he made during his brief custody heroi sedo invited Rob to stay with him in Japan just getting over the breakup of his third marriage Rob took the offer he stayed in Japan for another 5 years the Japanese are good people good manners but they got all these urban legends and ghost stories that heroi was crazy for spent all his free time chasing him down like you heard of Jor gumo I don't think so was she I'm sorry but with that that delivery I imagine like a bewildered elf I don't think so okay well she's the spider lady lives in the jorro Falls round e your southern accent with this is so good well she's a spider lady that lives in the jro Falls around e I'm sorry is that not the caricature that you're I just don't believe Rob is actually going to these places but he seems to be a learned man so who knows he one of them educated types he just talk to Big okay anyway well sh before I was rudely interrupt I'm sorry I'm sorry with a criticism over my Rob speak like I don't understand the character okay well well she's the SPID go oh my god well she's the spotter lady lives in the jorro Falls round U meant to be real pretty but real dangerous Roi took us out there to get a picture of her did you ever meet jorro gumo okay that that voice I don't mean to keep I can't you know that that like the fairy from Legend of Zelda it's like the 50-year-old man in a fairy costume you know what I'm talking about hey come on man I'm a cute girl I'm a cute I'm I'm Alice Shera did you ever meet jorro gumo okay in my head it's that it's that is tinsel its name the Elf or whatever know I have no idea it's that but trying to sound like a British woman did you ever make jaro thank you okay nah she didn't Jo none of them did I didn't believe at all until we went to Alara sure Alara gahara Alara wa Ali gahara sir if you've been there for so long how do you not know how to say it listen little missy I don't even think that you're real I don't I don't know what you is but it ain't right why do you say such horrible than no I don't see now you're whispering and that that makes me all kinds of bothered and uncomfortable and I don't stand for it [Laughter] ma'am okay you done got me R that's it I'm getting my gun all right AI gahara affectionately titled the UN alive Forest ha got you YouTube the next stop on Rob's Adventure it's an area of Woodland at the base of Mount Fuji a notorious Hotpot for young people looking to take their own lives heroi Rob's ghost obsessed jailmate turned best friend took him to Alara to chase Yuri the ghost of the forest did you find anything in the aari a kagara I thought the unal living Forest I thought I thought I couldn't pronounce it now you can't pronounce it what's this about you little educated British lady I wouldn't say I'm a cultured woman I just wanted to know if if you've seen any did you find I see how it is you think you're all sophisticated better than me just cuz I'm from down here in Phoenix well let me tell you this you think that it's fine for you to mispronounce it but when I mispronounce it it's CU I'm some dumb Yoko is that right [Laughter] yes well that just Rob I need you to just get back to the [ __ ] story you deranged old man well that ain't quite Christian of you now is it okay did you find anything in Al gahara well I ain't going to ask you to believe me but I was a pi professional cynic even I can't deny there was a spirit in those woods H from that moment on Rob sent his es started getting longer a childlike excitement creeps into his voice I get the distinct feeling we're moving beyond background Beyond Rob guth's old life towards his new one the one he wants to talk about the one that led him to contact the show it walked up to me through the trees looked like static to see on a TV screen but it had a it had a human shape almost almost it was missing an arm it reached out to me but I bolted out of the that Forest so fast heroi never saw it holds it against me to this day heroi had good reason to be annoyed Rob says that Mr SED had been going to the forest two to three times per year for three decades de rookie come along and claim to have seen a URI on his first trip I'd be more than a little cranky but Rob didn't stay a rookie for long in fact it was in those woods was that he discovered his current passion Supernatural or more accurately the documentation and investigation of urban legends Legends like Bloody Mary the Jersey Devil Sasquatch Robin looked into them all I figured if one was true then who knows how many others could be how many have you proven so far since Alara iin none of them had any proof to him except for one that's why I called you guys up at this point Rob can't hope to repress his smile the Left Right game appeared on a paranormal Message Board in June 2016 only a few people frequently visited the Forum and of these regulars only Rob took an interest in the post the whole thing had a level of detail you don't see in other stories what datails grabbed your intent what datails grabbed your interest logs highquality pictures the guy documented everything said he wasn't going to play the game anymore I think he wanted somebody to keep investigating and you that somebody that's right I said about trying to verify his information right away and how did that go well it didn't take long to realize the Left Right game is the real thing the rules of the Left Right game are simple get in your car car and take a drive take a left then the next possible road on the right then the next possible left repeat the process add infinum until you wind up somewhere new the rules are easy to understand but Rob says they're not so easy to follow there ain't all that many roads where you can turn left and right and left and right and keep going most of the time you find yourself at a dead end or needed to turn in the the wrong direction Phoenix is built on a grid system so you can keep going left and right as long as you need to did you move the Phoenix for the left and right game that's right I try not to seem in Cress selling your house in another state packging up and moving your whole life to Phoenix Arizona just to play a game you saw on the internet it seems like insanity Rob Smiles as he reads my expression I can clearly read his expression too you'll see it says just wait I wouldn't have to wait long included with the nine-page submission robs in our show was a long list of suggested items that chosen reporters should bring with them clothes for 3 Days a pocket knife matches bandages there were also a set of qualifications the reporter should have the ability to drive basic vehicle maintenance and its human equivalent first aid training he didn't just want to talk about the Left Right game game he wanted to take one of us along Rob leaves a short while later to embark on a few errands prepping the run as he calls it he shows me to the guest room and we part ways on good terms but very much aware of the others poorly veiled opinions he knew I saw him as a Charming obsessive chasing after a fairy tale he saw me as a naive cynic on the cusp of a new world all I could think as I heard the front door close is that by tomorrow afternoon one of us would be right more after this when I wake up the next morning Rob is in my room holding a tray which he knocked on the bottom of to Rouse me I don't manage to record the start of our conversation I got bananas strawberries chocolate syrup we got some more downstairs but I wanted you to wake up to something good we won't be eating this stuff on the road robas made me waffles he said them down on the nightstand and talks through the coming day as I eat I'll admit it feels a little uncomfortable waking up in a stranger's home to find said stranger already standing over me but I quickly moved past it I tell myself that he's an older man accustomed to living alone in his own house not usually having to think about boundaries anyway he certainly knows his way around a waffle iron we hit the road at nine I wanted to give you time to get ready before everyone shows up there are other people coming we got a five car Convoy on the road today they'll be here in an hour this is the first I've heard of a convoy and to be honest I'm surprised the game is Rob's Obsession and I'm here at his request the idea that anyone else would have an interest in today's Drive is a little perplexing half an hour later sad showered and dressed in the functional clothing Rob had so painstakingly outlined I take my pack out to the port porch Rob's already there waiting for his associates to show up I thought you'd be conducting a few more errands if you ain't prepared by morning of you ain't prepared okay I guess that's fair oh Rob is the garage locked the inside door won't budge and I wanted to mic up the car yeah it's locked uh I'll open it for you thank you in fact it's about time I wield her out fair warning Miss Sharma she's a thing of beauty to Rob Gard Beauty took the form of a dark green Jeep Wrangler Rob climbs in did oh yeah oh yeah a dark Jeep green Jeep Wrangler oh God you know I like I like the the Jeep Wrangler from uh how do you swich in and out of that voice so fast it's supernal my gosh the you you remember the the the I think it was it was either a a Jeep Grand Cherokee or it was a Jeep Wrangler in uh the beginning of Goonies but that that style of Jeep back in the day oh man good stuff it was a good car it was a good car good for you rob guthard good for you yep Rob I like how you make that noise if it's Jeeps or questionably young women in stor oh my god oh good God this is just oh oh my word yeah stop moaning I can't do it Rob climbs in and lets it roll out of the garage where it dominates every inch of the driveway car as soon asate me as soon as I read the word dominates every inch oh god oh gosh the car is large I was waiting on yeah I know know you're waiting for that one y all right four doors with the roof enclosing the entire compartment it's also been modified extensively yet another example of Rob's dedication of the game what are you thinking I think you're twoo caterpillar tread short of driving a tank yeah I fixed her up good I put the winch in heavy duty tires the lot r on top is LEDs they'll make midnight look like noon but they don't use hardly any power aren't chep's open top usually or not at all this is the unlimited I like to have a covered car when I head on the road I climb in and sto my pack Rob had removed the back seats to afford more storage space the place is packed to the brim Jerry cans of gasoline barrels of water rope snacks and his own neatly packed set of clothes I wonder if the rest of our Convoy would take the game so seriously we got Apollo coming up in 10 minutes no one else has given me a time I sent the schedule weeks ago this always happens his name's Apollo that's his call sign Apollo Creed I think he said why are you using call signs did I not tell you oh yeah we're we're going to use call signs on the road keep communication clear what's your call sign fairy man what's my call sign I thought about it I was thinking London you're from London right I'm from Bristol [Laughter] switch sorry back is Rob Bristal that's fine I guess it's less than 10 minutes before Apollo turns the corner Rob jumps out of his chair and paces briskly over to the edge of his property as his first guest pulls up and steps onto the sidewalk Apollo vaguely resembles his namesake dark skinned tall and noticeably wellb built though it's clear he couldn't be less of a fighter this Apollo Creed is all smiles and seems to have a pinch in for laughing at his own jokes how far have you come I've come out of Chicago took 3 days hard driving and you know Rob from the for everybody knows Rob Rob's the [Laughter] God I can't wait so there's like six people and they're all it's it's going to get very very very difficult very I'm so pumped okay Rob walks over to Apollo's car gesturing him over to talk shop Rob's clearly impressed with Apollo's choice of vehicle a blue Range Rover packed to the ceiling with kit I was more impressed with Rob himself somehow this 65-year-old farmer son had become respected in a vast online community my dad is Rob's age and he's just discovered copy and paste the rest don't take long to arrive two Minnesotan Librarians also around Rob's age pull up in a gray for Focus they're brother and sister and they've shared ghost hunting as a hobby their entire lives I find it hard to suppress a smile when they meekly introduced themselves as Bonnie and Clyde we would have gotten here sooner if we had to drop by to get some blankets pleasure to meet you ma'am pleasure to meet you too would you would you be the journalist that's right you used you used to write for the town paper didn't you you this is like your schizophrenia setting it yeah which I know like one you used to write for the town paper didn't you I'm a little girl I'm a little girl it's all your different like characters like crumbling in on each other this is it this is his mental break I can't wait oh I'm G to let viewers know too there's a lot of characters coming up and this is going to get very messy so if you're not on YouTube watching this and you can see the characters names there I'm sorry it's going to get very sloppy you know it's it's pretty funny because like initially I was like oh maybe he doesn't have enough to read but now that I'm looking down I'm like no he's fine oh I got no I got I have plenty I have plenty he's talk he's talking to his sister there she nods Clyde is clearly the spokesperson for the pair yet they both seem incredibly shy whether they admired the famous Outlaws or just the name it's pretty clear they couldn't be more different from the real thing next to show up are Lilith and Eve oh what a great what a great pick English L students at New York University University and Proprietors of the YouTube channel paranorm con unlike Bonnie and Clyde Lilith and Eve have no issue holding a conversation as soon as they learn who I am and what I do for a living they attempt to conscript me for an expedition to Roswell we we have a friend there he's been seeing some he's a seismologist yeah and he's been recording readings over the years that show Subterranean movement predictable movement we're going to see him in July but we could work it around but we can work it around you if you're free I'll have to check my schedule okay let me give you my email they quickly hurry off to film an intro for their latest video featuring a quick interview with Rob who seems pretty welcoming of the attention the last two cars arrive within a few seconds of each other a li strong willed older lady who goes by Blue Jay and a younger man going by the Call Sign Ace Blue Jay has arrived in a gray for Explorer Ace bu Rob's annoyance has arrived in a Porsche did you think that's going to help on the road I didn't write that it's my car what am I meant to do it's my car you didn't read my itinerary you got nothing packed in there I did read it okay calm down I have a bag I won't ask you for anything well I know that's true Ace and Rob were off to a bad start Ace takes a phone call and despite my best efforts to get an interview with blue jay she doesn't seem interested in talking to a journalist with five cars and seven Travelers waiting for a green light Rob hands out radios and charging packs then launches into a quick safety briefing where seat belts stay in position communicate clearly and often it's at this moment I start to feel a little dismay I like Rob and clearly so does everyone else he convinced all of them to drive around the country to join in with this game I start to worry what will happen in the likely event that the whole thing isn't real would Rob lose the respect of his peers would he accept failure when it comes after seeing the effort he's put into these runs the next few hours have the potential to be wildly uncomfortable with a smile and a few encouraging words Rob ends his briefing and beckons me over to the Wrangler I clamber inside and make myself as comfortable as possible you ready for this Bristol I'm ready okay then let's hit the road the Wrangler pulls out of the driveway and the Convoy follows in order of arrival Apollo Bonnie and Clyde Lilith and Eve blue jay and Ace keep a steady Pace behind us as we welcome as we come up to the first Corner Rob slowly and deliberately turns left checking on the others in his rear view mirror he looks back to the road as AC's Porsche completes the first turn of the game shortly afterwards Apollo checks in on the CB radio this is Apollo for Fairy men how many more to go [Laughter] rob as many as it takes I could tell Rob wanted them wanted them to reserve the radio for something other than Apollo's quips but he seems to like Apollo enough to let it slide I'm not sure Ace would have received the same treatment we take the next right then another left now safely assured that everyone's following correctly Rob speaks my thoughts aloud you're wondering the same thing Apollo is what do you mean you're wondering how many turns we're going to take before we hit some wall or something before you find out this is all just a story does that disappoint you I'd be disappointed if you weren't thinking something like it but now we're on the road I got to say something and you got to listen to it okay we're coming up to a tunnel soon anytime before we reach it you can get out walk in any direction you like and you won't be in the game no more once we go through youve got to retrace the route we took to get yourself back out that tunnel that's when you're home and you got to convince someone to take you back in the car cuz I ain't fairing you back 20 minutes in you got till the tunnel just skip out on on this understand I I understand though I have to say I'm getting a little nervous ain't nothing wrong with a little nervous we've taken 23 turns by this point already I feel like we're traversing the city pretty effectively Rob's heavily modified Wrangler solicit a few impressed glances from passerbys as well as several honks of respect from other Jeep drivers other than those few moments everything seems completely indistinguishable from a regular morning drive I havan start to worry if there will be anything at all for this story reporter takes drive with interesting man isn't exactly pit were worthy turn 33 leads us onto a short unassuming Street a row of small businesses in a quiet Phoenician neighborhood liquor secondhand clothing tools and at the end of the street a little shop selling antique mirrors 10 or so people shuffle along the sidewalk smiling talking planning their weekends the only lone person is a young woman in a gray coat I briefly glimpsed her at the End of the Street standing on our next Corner the back of her coat reflected in 50 old mirrors even from a distance I can see that she Solen wide-eyed and nervous she s she shifts constantly on her feet tugging at the bottom of her coat I Look Away to write some notes as we roll down the street when I look up again the woman is standing by my window staring right at me she's smiling a wide unfaltering grin that seems almost offensive in its complete insincerity Lambs at the gate hoping for something better than Clover when all they find are things worse than the slaughter well Rob what's happening so now I was about to be like well that's a that's a statement all right Lamb's at the gate yeah hoping for something better than Clover when all they find are worse than slaughter huh very uh almost like uh not poetic but like a rhyme or something like a like a Nursery Rhyme or something weird like that it reminds me of uh the Gates of Hell in Dante's Inferno abandon all hope ye who enter here right yeah yep yeah feels very for boing Rob what's happening I ignore he wanted to leave me so I cut him out yeah I love the she does this all the time oh yeah the the gray ghost lady stupid ass gray woman who cares ignore God he wanted to leave me so I cut him out the lake was hungry it drank the wound clean Miss are you all right the smile vanishes it snaps from her face and suddenly the woman is furious what do you think you're doing have you gotten mad I reflexively pressed myself back in my chair as the woman wild-eyed and gaunt slammed her fist against my window with every intent of breaking through would you dance down the lion's tongue it will shred you you [ __ ] it will shred you down to your sins you [ __ ] bastard the joke okay weird this story amped up so quick God just ignore yeah this started with ah she does this it's just God who gives a [ __ ] about this old broad just don't even look at her good Lord man she's like I'm the great woman yeah who cares there's blue there's pink who gives a [ __ ] there's women all over the world lady that's what should have said he wanted to leave me so I cut him out the lake was hungry it drank the womb clean I imagine this is all foreshadowing for events later it yeah yeah yeah definitely foreshadowing for sure leave me so cut yeah what do you think you're doing have you gone mad would you dance down the lion's tongue it will shred you you hor it will shred you down to your sins you [ __ ] bastard so I'm wondering if saying what do you think you're doing have you gone mad is it the idea of uh them maybe going into this tunnel like she's like is something I think that's what she's talking about she was she might have been a victim of it because remember Rob says you've got to retrace the steps you're not getting out maybe this is what happen yeah she clearly seems like someone who yeah she seems like a byproduct of like somebody getting lost in there or the repercussions of not uh making it out in time or something I'm by the way this whole concept of like you just take left right turns I love it I'm this is great this is such a fun Horror in concept right yeah I'm curious to see where part one ends to kind of give some feedback because I'm curious so far it is nice it is fun though I like it it's it's like it's in a way it's it's its own like it's like a universal puzzle box thing just by just by doing these things uh and going down these movements you're unlocking like a certain kind of Passage or something I kind of want to play it like I read this like that sounds fun anyway sorry yeah exactly you're going through your own town yeah I don't know where my husband went yeah Rob puts his foot down and the Wrangler rolls defiantly away from the woman as we turn the corner I watch her as she wretches her every movement cradled in abject his area she yells despairingly at the rest of the Convoy bursting into tears when the last car passes her by as she shrinks into the rear view mirror I see her turn to a large mirror on the side of the shop which the owner is in the process of polishing I watch as she walks up to it and with a convulsant scream slams her head into the glass God wait so she saw this from the rear view I mean it's pretty it's pretty small I guess you could make out someone like you know throwing their body back kind of like a silhouette oh definitely still but it's just it's crazy she's just like watching this happen this woman is basically screaming at the Convoy crying and then out of frustration or some kind of emotion walks over and just slams her head into the glass it's pretty crazy yeah the mirror Cracks around her forehead the owner jumps back in shock as and as the woman pulls her head from the mirror surface the fractured spiderweb is dripping red it all happens in a split second and she quickly swerves from my view as we take the next left Rob what was that she's there sometimes on that street on the 34th turn who is she I don't know she's never acted out that much before though must be a special trip I find Rob's lack of concern a little unpleasant and his implication that This Woman's ravings were the symptom of an internet game leaves me more than a little perturbed as I see it there are a few explanations for what just happened and none of them lead to a comforting conclusion if we had just encountered a Bonafide crazy person then one could argue that Rob is just seeing what he wants to see maybe he'd bought into the game story so much that every strange but explainable occurrence would be rationalized as the next step in his favorite paranormal narrative alternatively the woman could have been an actor a more elaborate theory Sure but not unheard of people have lied on the show before and Rob was receiving a ton of publicity for this attempt for from Lilith Eve and I I admit Rob didn't seem like a liar but good liars never do there's a third alternative however an alternative which if you put logic aside explains all the troubling little details that I couldn't help but notice because as strange as the gry woman was isn't it stranger that no one on the street would react I couldn't recall a single glance in her Direction by anybody on the sidewalk perhaps that theory falls apart when you consider the shock on the mirror seller's face but when I think about it he only reacted once the mirror shattered and even then I feel like his attention was on the mirror itself the radio crackles Lilith to Bristol Sarah Eve got that on camera do you have the Audio I think I picked her up my God that was so weird can you send us the file when we stop can you ask the Fairman when he when we're stopping when's our stopping point for them in about 30 minutes for you well you tell me Rob turns off a busy street just before a large intersection onto a much quieter stretch of two-lane road ahead of us the road slopes downward leading into an underpass which disappears Into Darkness we'd arrived at the tunnel what is this supposed to pass under ain't supposed to pass under anything it's just there and if we weren't playing the game then it won't show the question is are you playing the game or not Rob turns to me it's the first time he's taken his eyes off the road since we started he pulls the car to a slow stop at the mouth of the tunnel you get out now you can go wherever you want to go but through there you'll need a car to get yourself home home and like I said mine ain't turning around a long while you understand it's a dramatic statement but unsettlingly it doesn't feel like he's attempting to dramatize it feels like I'm having something genuinely asked of me am I ready for what's to come do I accept the risks involved do I consent to be taken down this road and the next Road and the next am I prepared to see this game through real or otherwise to its end what are you waiting for Rob smiles and turns back to the road he picks up the CV radio holds down the button on the side the microphone crackles this is fairy man to all cars anyone want to step out then pull to the side now otherwise stay in formation and have some supplies at hand got a long ways to go much like the game I'm so tentatively playing my view of Robert J guthard seems to change direction for frequently I'd heard all about his life but I'm sure that I know him I like the guy but I'm not certain that I trust him and though I admire his dedication to the Left Right game I'm not sure I'll like where it might lead us yet as he takes us into the tunnel his face Vanishing and reappearing under the dim sodium lights I can tell that he expects this trip to be a major step in his already impressive story and this time For Better or For Worse I'm long for the ride that is the end of part one which there's a lot of interesting stuff I I the buildup to that I will say a bit of a slow burn a little bit it kind of takes a second to get to get going but it I to towards the end of that I think it really sets it up also the the game the Left Right game being set up is really fun too like I think like um I really enjoy uh this kind of like wondering if this is real I mean obviously I'm thinking that it is a real thing but I'm wondering to what extent there's been a lot of like different pieces of uh information that we've received throughout the story the person who is not our protagonist who isn't Shera um she isn't the protagonist who leads us into the story instead it's somebody that she knows an old classmate who basically says that he thinks that she wrote her own Disappearance in a weird way so it makes me think of something too with the gry woman who only appears on the 34th turn that we're maybe going to go into like different dimensional travel or different kind of like existence especially with the idea that she presents that she's like oh he only really reacted with the mirror so I'm guessing that that woman doesn't exist in the same reality that these people do and he only reacts whenever she breaks the the glass that physically affects the thing in his reality yeah I think that's what it's implying that they're kind of viewing a a layer Dimension or some kind of alternate Dimensions so the only thing the mirror guy noticed was the glass breaking suddenly not the woman that caused it so it's like the Left Right game opens you up to another plane that exists on the same like like three-dimensional spaces ours but you know in in like reverse of it or like mirror of it so to speak I think um something weird too when he's like she always pops up on the 34th term I had a question for you I was curious what you thought so is it the 34th turn anywhere in the world do people see this particular woman I think he was implying cuz she asked like on that corner he goes well the 34th turn is where she pops up so regardless of where you play the game you'll see similar things at similar turns I also like that there's uh that the game is mostly played in grid system cities like Phoenix or something get lost or anything right like and also I think you're able to actually take take the left and right thing since you're on a perfect grid yeah there's plenty of actual around here Le to a dead end pretty quick I think yeah definitely definitely I think that you would you would definitely end up that or even like in someone's driveway or something weird like that I think that like there there's not a lot of streets and stuff so it's interesting but I'm curious so the basically part one we just a recap ends with Shera and she is um in for the ride she accepts the the call here and pretty much made it very very clear which I think this is going to bite her in the ass later down the line that uh Rob is like I'm not going back like it's going to be a long time before I go back the Long Haul yeah yep exactly so she came in to this person who's obviously very eccentric and I think they build that in a good way of a person who is definitely clearly obsessed with this game he has this whole Community around him yeah yeah yeah Community to people around him and now he's at a spot where I think she's going to it's soon going to become very real to to an extent where she's like I didn't know that this is what's going to be and I feel like there's going to be some kind of I'm wondering the it's an interesting building the group dynamic that way because what it makes me think of is almost like in like horror movies with if it's like people are going like camping right how does the group how does the conflict in the group start and start separating people or how do people get picked off it's going to be very fun to see I'm curious especially with this thing where it's a long tunnel I'm very curious to see what that happens with that too yeah I'm like they like I said they've already sold me I'm so excited to see where it goes from here concept I love I'm down for I love like we just I just got back from doing this thing with friends where we went to uh the donkey lady Bridge in San Antonio where the whole thing is like you pull up and then you roll down the windows and turn the car off and you'll hear like a donkey brain in the woods um I love I love stuff like that so having like one a creepy pasta build to round one I'm here for it this is great I love a I love a universal puzzle you can be anywhere in the world and if you do this if you perform these Left Right game correctly you will unlock like an you'll be able to go into a different kind of Dimension or something which I I know i' love to play the Left Right game for fun I don't know how it could be creepy though because I don't think we'll get you know different dimensional entities but it would be a fun like video to do that at night see where end up yeah we go to Phoenix and just start driving that be pretty cool' be pretty cool that would be sweet yeah I be if this video gets 8 bajillion likes then we'll yeah yeah exactly if if we get 40 43,000 um comments on this video we will go to Phoenix Arizona and live stream the game there you go that's the spirit all right all right let's move into part two so part two once again has has anyone heard of the Left Right game part two and it starts off again back with the student who's putting all this yeah the person who is basically the the not the main protagonist like he said but just the narrator who is presenting these stories online so they open with hi everyone I've got the day off work and I wanted to start it by posting up the next log I also want to thank you all for your responses so far a few people have linked me to the sites that Robert J guthard may have operated on someone even offered to look for the mirror shop in Phoenix and try to retrace the route to Rob's neighborhood I'm going to spend the day making a few international calls and sending emails out but if you guys have any other ideas about how I could pursue this I'd really appreciate them in all honesty I'm going to need all the help I can get the whole ordeal has proven pretty categorically that I am no Alice Sharma speaking of which I'm going to let her take it from here thanks again so the Story begins it is still the same draft although this entry is from February the 8th 2017 yeah so we're on the day still where the day that she got there was the seventh so this is the next day when she woke up and he made her waffles that stuff so it's still that day the next term comes immediately after the tunnel we'd been in the dimly lit passage for almost 2 minutes but at the pace Rob likes to travel it's hard to figure out how far we'd actually gone when we descended into the underpass we were just nearing the outskirts of Phoenix scrutinizing the rear view mirror as we leave it's fair to say we aren't that much further out everything else the temperature the time of day the weather all seems exactly like it had been before we ventured into the tunnel I'm not sure what I was expecting of course but it certainly doesn't feel like we're anywhere new the tunnel itself had been similarly underwhelming especially considering the importance Rob seemed to place on it in fact the only thing of true entrance since we passed through was something Rob said once we hit the halfway mark as the tunnel's mouth loomed towards us Rob picked up the CB radio transceiver and issued a casual warning to the Convoy the message itself was straightforward his choice of words however was curious I decided to ask him about it Rob just a second ago when you told us the next turn was coming up why did you use the word trap H I have it in my notes you said folks we coming to the end soon first little trap's coming up our next turn to Sharp left as we leave our next turn to Sharp left as soon as we leave look out for it is there a reason you used word trap just one of those things fellow who wrote All the original logs he liked to think the road would try and trick you into making a wrong turn small roads off large highways roads obscured from view sharp turns like this one he thought the road was trying to deceive him yeah pretty much I got to say I agree with the guy by this point we've taken the offending corner and the next right a little further on I can't help but feel that Rob is reading a great deal into what is essentially an Abrupt turn in an ordinary Road the level of conspiracy is able to place behind such a simple thing going as far as to subscribe some mischievous quality to the asphalt itself it's hard to take seriously in fact I'm starting to wonder less about whether Rob can convince me this game is real and more about whether I'd ever be able to convince him that it isn't perhaps this story will be less about where a magic roadway goes after a few zigzagging turns and more about where the human mind can go if it invests too heavily in an idea to his credit Rob has noted my cynicism he even seems to welcome it but if our current surroundings are supposed to convince me then he's going to find me more cynical than he anticipated Rob keeps his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road any attempt at an interview receives a pleasant but Curt response he's not being evasive his attention is just elsewhere before I know it half an hour has gone by without Rob speaking speaking a word it seems like a part of the Left Right game involves driving in complete silence once again I'm not sure what I expected but it's certainly not been an earth shattering start at least it gives me time to type up my notes fairy men to all cars we stop here an uneventful hour and a half has passed since we left the tunnel I didn't notice Rob pick up the receiver but before I know it the Wranglers pulled up at the side of the road leaving a large large space behind us for the rest of the Convoy to park up the buildings are getting few and far between now it won't be long until we were in the desert proper with this in mind I assume Rob is simply stopping to let everyone drink up I probably shouldn't assume when it comes to Rob Guth though this is definitely a rest stop Rob also has some important words for the crew he gathers us around in a rough semicircle talking while we eat our Provisions now I mentioned in the emails that at certain points on this trip you need some things just because I say so this is one of those times y'all understand uh yeah I guess we get to know what it is right this is when he tells us to give up to give him our money right Rob yeah I'd rather know what's going on I I hate Apollo by the way the Apollo voices so good he laughs every time he speaks oh he does it okay and I and I don't intend on keeping anything from you I just want to be clear that across this next stretch you need to follow my orders to the letter yeah we get it just tell us already Rob takes a few moments perhaps to lend gravity to his point perhaps to swallow some Barbed words intended for the increasingly impatient Ace when he does when he does speak it's in a measured and serious tone he's clearly adamant that we take his words on board for about half an hour the next 13 turns will be going one by one we travel in order of formation me and Bristol will go first then I'll radio the next car to follow when you reach the Jeep you park up behind me then we keep going as normal now Rob takes a deep breath in when he starts up again his speech is even more pointed than before there's a hitch Hocker on the road A well-dressed man with a case you pick him up you take him where he needs to go you do not under any circumstances talk to the man to be safe don't look at him don't take anything he offers you don't open the door for him or wave goodbye when he leaves you do not acknowledge Him in any way you want my advice don't say a word till you get to the stopping point why do we have to go one by one guy who wrote All the log says he don't like choosing cars I don't know what that means but I'm lucky I never had to find out why don't we just not pick him up that isn't an option well I mean yes it is I don't see why we damn it you'll pick him up whether you want to or not okay for one let let me just say about that whole interaction I'm immediately in that whole thing about The Hitcher with he has a case don't look at him just drop him off where needs to go this is the kind of like old school Americana folk tale that I'm all about go so hard yeah we I love the introduction of just like weird rules yeah or something just like yep so you're going to see a hitchhiker just pick him up don't talk to him at all and just drop him off Y which I'm so so stoked to see this uh interaction with him I I hope the hitchhiker is just [ __ ] deranged I'm I'm so excited this is great all right the group is silent this is the first time Rob's raised his voice in the ensuing Stillness Ace looks like he'd be more than happy to turn his car around and retrace the route back to Phoenix leaving Rob in the dust with a few Choice words I can sympathize with him a little Rob has been treating him as an annoyance a tag along who didn't do the homework but at the end of the day Ace is doing nothing to fix things also Rob is essentially right he didn't do the homework well okay I suppose we should give back on the road then if everybody's ready deciding he has nothing more to say to us Rob marches over to the Wrangler Bonnie Clyde Apollo and Eve sit on the floor sharing snacks Ace loses himself in his phone and blue J still maintaining a noticeable distance from the group takes to her car with a copy of Us Weekly Bristol can we talk I turned around to see Lilith holding her cell phone with the screen facing me yeah sure what's up have you tried to make any calls since we came through the tunnel no not yet why could you try I pull up my own cell and dial into the office the line's busy which isn't exactly uncommon lth watches intently waiting for a reaction H I'm not getting through they were busy yeah why everyone is we have signal we can make calls but everyone on the other end is busy don't you think this should just be a don't you think this could just be a coincidence I really mean everyone Bristol well 's been driving I've been calling my camera's automated to support line 911 you dialed 911 for for science yeah all of them are busy I even called this guy at my dorm who has a serious thing for me and and trust me he is not [ __ ] busy this is weird right it's like we've crossed a threshold and the world's suddenly doing something else you know in all honesty I'm not sure I do know I don't want to to say it but it still seems like a massive stretch luckily Rob saves me from commenting when he calls me over to the car clearly eager to get back on the road I tell Lilith will look into her discovery on the other side and she nods in agreement retreating to her friend and immediately stealing a handful of apple slices I climb into the Wrangler and wave goodbye to the Convoy we slowly roll back onto the road and set off on our way watching the rest of the group disappear into the background I feel noticeable Poss L more isolated despite Rob's presence or perhaps because of it I'm not exactly sure hitchhiker shows up about 10 turns later just like Rob said the man is incredibly well dressed in a well-fitting brown suit with a dark green tie even from a distance I can see his shoes are expertly shined as is the varnished wooden case resting on the floor beside them he stands on the side of the road and raises his hand gingerly wearing a look of hopeful anticipation who is he the hitch Hocker is that really all you're going to say it's all I can say you understand the rules here don't talk to him I'd say don't talk at all not until we stop when we stop we're safe Rob veers slowly over to the side of the road The Hitchhiker smiles appreciatively grasping his hands together and shaking them in thanks picking up his case he strolls over to the Wrangler whilst unbuttoning his Blazer say you on the other side the back oh man this is so good the back door the back door opens The Hitchhiker pulls himself into the storage area finding no seating he settles himself cheerfully on some of the softer luggage just behind me not much in the way of seating back here huh I have to admit I do feel a subtle urge to respond even after the storm warnings I've received to ignore the man seems almost instinctively rude I was raised British after all so where yall from I'm traveling in from oakwell dude I'm like I'm actually kind of scared right now like the idea of just like a happy man who's trying to start a conversation but for some reason you can't oh go yeah there there's so many like weird red flags too or not necessar red flags but like if you do respond I bet you that demeanor is not going to be so chipper yeah yeah for sure oh this is good all right I glance at him in the rear view he meets my gaze and smiles I flick my attention back to the road continuing the white lines stranger persists in trying to start a conversation 10 minutes go by the silence grows palpable broken intermittently by yet another cheerful attempt at conversation topics include what nice weather we're having our professions our hobbies in response I busy myself with pointless but occupying tasks I find myself playing games in my head thinking of common phrases and making them into clunky anagrams it seems to work and after a short while I start to I start to habitu habituate my word to the man Small Talk almost don't notice that he's there maybe that's what allows him to catch me out you're just a [ __ ] disappointment aren't you that's a fun turn that's a fun the statement comes out of the blue it's sharp venomous completely divorced from the idle questioning I'd been turning out tuning out I'm daydreaming when I hear it and before I can register what I'm doing I'm turning to face him my lips are already parting as I go a reflexive thought reflexively vocalized what I almost say it out loud the word is on the edge of the word is on the edge of my tongue a single note my vocal cords were all but ready to play only the sudden Vice like grip of Rob's hand on my forearm anchors me in the moment I stare at The Hitchhiker my mouth still open he's different now all of the warmth all of the pleasantry it strained from his face like running makeup his smile is malale calculating and finally it feels honest you want to know things I can tell you rob keeps his eyes focused on the road but his grip of my arm tiens I can I can tell you everything you want to know even the things you never knew about yourself even the thoughts you didn't know you were thinking those little critters all the way at the back we stare at each other for a moment longer before I turn around and back to the road I don't count the white lines anymore now I'm focused intently on anything our passenger has to say for the next 10 minutes ignoring him is going to have to take my full attention he only tries a few more times reverting back to more innocent questioning nothing takes 5 minutes later he indicates to a seemingly random point at the side of the road and Rob drops him off the man thanks us climbs neatly out puts down his case and waves as we depart when we disappear around the next corner he still hasn't stopped surprisingly the silence caused by The Hitchhiker's presence isn't nearly as intense as the one left in his wake I decide to break the tension somewhat ungracefully to be fair we are having a nice we are having nice weather don't talk well you mad at me I'm s he got to me I I wasn't expecting you did fine we don't talk till we stop I go back to my notes making a point to write down my current feelings for the record embarrassed but relieved once I put the words down on paper however I feel something else confusion mixed with concern because at the end of the day what was I relieved about that I didn't talk to a strange man who had tried to talk to me was anything really at stake the more I think about it the more I realize that the entire episode with this mysterious hitchhiker reduces the Left Right game down to two possible States it's either real or it's an elaborate hoax perpetuated by Rob J guthard the crazy woman the tunnel the malicious left turn all of those could have been explained as rationalizations but the hitchhiker was far too elaborate far too difficult to predict if he was an actor then Rob is nothing more than an impressive fraud if he was genuine then I'm not entirely sure where that leaves us something in the corner of my eye pulls me from my thoughts a transient peripheral object that almost completely passes Me by before I turn in a weak attempt to catch it it only gets a few seconds to look before it's gone from my field of view I face forward once more sit back in my chair and let Rob carry us ever further down the road it's not too long before we finally pull over you did good I'm sorry for grabbing you I just didn't want you to do something you'd regret no it's it's fine I I was going to do you know what happens if you talk to him not sure claim close came close myself once a few years back the way he looks at you when he thinks he's got you I don't think I want to know Rob I saw something a few minutes ago I don't know if you've noticed it afraid I had my eyes forward most of the time there was a car on the side of the road it had crashed off the bank have you seen that before I ain't never seen that but random stuff sometimes shows up here and there have other people have people other than you run the Left Right game no one I know of whoever it is whoever it was they'd probably just rather crash than face that damn hitch shocker again he's there on the way back too if you're unlucky well something to look forward to Rob picks up the CB Radio and messages for Apollo to set off repeating his warnings concerning The Hitchhiker I feel like everyone's going to get a similar speech before they Embark Ace will probably get it twice half an hour later Apollo shows up though he laughs about his ordeal he's clearly a little shaken guy should call himself an Uber you can't shut those guys up did you guys have Uber in England or yeah then you know what I mean right I imagine if I had where he said Apollo Creed I imagine actually oh he just passed away you know who I'm talking about the actor yeah yeah I imagine actual Apollo Creed shirtless in his American like American flag Trunks and boxing clubs like stepping out of the car and you like guy should call himself an Uber like in your yeah steering the car with boxing gloves on yeah that's what I imagine oh boy I love this story this is already concept all of it there's a group of people I can imagine people getting picked off to these different creatures are going to come across this is awesome I love it this is this is my kind of Creature Feature I'm wondering if Ace is going to get [ __ ] here probably uh he may stay around he may stay around to pester our uh to pester rob a bit more but I don't think he's making it out of this trip for sure oh yeah I'm probably not all right Bonnie and Clyde arrive quicker than Apollo they pull up at the back Clyde helps Bonnie out of the car and they proceed to stretch their legs once Apollo joins them it's clear that everyone has a different story to tell the hitch hiker offered Clyde travel suits pleasantly but firmly insisting he take one upon APO almost got talking about his music taste after The Hitchhiker asked to play something on the radio that particular story does leave me curious about whether we still get MPR on this road Rob customarily greets Bonnie and Clyde then walks off to Signal even Lilith he's still sitting in the Jeep when I meet him at the door do you think she's wondering about the radio just because of the busy signals that they're getting with their phones maybe yeah I think that's what she means like does it does it does the radio still work with how bubbly Apollo is I'm actually surprised that he didn't fall prey here honestly I I kind of that kind of makes me think that Apollo's kind of covering up a nervousness but he gets it you know yeah I mean him being so laughing like him being so like you know bubbly makes it seem like yeah like almost like it could be red is nervous yeah he's trying to he's trying to override stuff he actually believes in with like humor yeah yeah hey what are you up to just went by by the phone the girls are on their way you need anything um maybe I I think Apollo's been affected by the whole hitchhiker thing a bit more than he's letting on oh good call yeah he seems just fine to me I'm not so sure he's only smiling when people are nearby could you talk to him well I ain't much comfort I got 4X wives to tell me that think I think I might think it might be better coming from you I think this is a a manto man conversation I might just be I might just get a brave face Rob doesn't look comfortable but he acquiesces climbing out of the car last manto man conversation I had my son didn't talk to me for three months God damn Rob is a bit of a crustation himself Lord yeah Rob's had some time he's got he's got some weather under his wings yeah yeah yeah I watch him Wander over to Apollo who is standing by his Range Rover staring into his phone Rob puts a calming hand on the man's shoulder from a distance it's actually a sweet moment I start to feel bad for lying to him I carefully open the driver's side door and climb into the Wrangler assuming I have around 20 seconds before Rob comes back picking up the CB radio receiver I stare at a list of presets labeled 1 through N I don't know which button I press to talk talk to even Lilith and I certainly don't have time to call everyone up Rob handed us all transceivers before we left it's what he's been making all the allar bulletins with preset one puts him in touch with a transceiver in each car I've seen that in practice enough times the rest of the press must access transceivers individually and if Rob is the man I think he is he gave our radios out in order of position if that's the case then either Rob or I could be preset to Paulo would be next then Bonnie and Clyde without knowing where Rob has placed himself in the queue the only option which would guarantee me getting through to Lilith and Eve would be preset 7 I think that makes sense with no time to check my work I press the button and snatch up the receiver this is Bristol to Lilian Eve are you guys there the receiver crackles quietly I look in the wing mirror and see Rob making awkward small talk with Apollo perhaps his four Ex-Wives were on to something Lilith to Bristol how's it on the other side we haven't seen a hitchhiker oh by the way I just phoned Eve and it went through could I could I have your number to test sorry Lilith I'm phoning about something else why what's going on over there Apollo's nodding to Rob I can't imagine him making assurances that he's perfectly fine I really don't have long at all I have a mission for you but you have to keep it a secret sounds awesome what's up once you pass the hitchhiker there's a crash car on the road on the passenger side while you're while you're going past it would you mind getting some footage what sort of footage just zoom in and get as much detail as possible you don't need to stop just anything will be useful Rob starting to walk back to the car I shift into the passenger seat still holding the receiver is there anything specific you talk to me lat now thank you bye I slam the receiver into its holster a moment before Rob opens the door he shrugs at me he seems fine unless there's something he ain't telling me okay so I think I had the suspicion when she first mentioned it I think the car crash she saw is something that actually happened to her yeah yeah definitely like it's like a friend or family member in the car or maybe you think it's possible because she almost interacted with the hitchhike that it's like something that maybe just like Dove to her some her mind a little bit because the hit trer was also like I could tell you all the things that you don't even know yourself or whatever yeah and I'm wondering if it's just like the universe or this kind of like dimension thing like kind of digging memories out of her I think mind or something I think that's probably what happened it's some deep subconscious part of her that's been you know portrayed now sure yeah I think so too the rest of the day is fairly uneventful L and Eve pull in be me about their experience with The Hitchhiker and bragging about what the dash cam footage would mean for their Channel Lilith ERS Story by insisting that nothing else happened for the rest of her journey whilst directing a highly intentional look in my direction I look away and make a mental note to catch up with her when less people are around blue jay seems to be the least face by her runin with the hitchhiker we do manage to get a few words out of her though perhaps a few is an exaggeration I'm tired after which she goes to sit down on her own when Ace pulls up to the side of the road he almost falls out of his car his legs are weak his face gunt his breaths quick and shallow I try and get him to talk about it on tape but he shrugs me off Eager to hear about what we're going where we're going rather than talk about where we've been as we travel for a while longer now at around 486 turns and nearing our first night on the road Rob signals are stopping point a quiet clearing at the top of a hill Rob clears a sleeping area in the back of the Wrangler leaving a line of luggage as a barrier between us I appreciate the thought but don't really know how to tell him in the end I just say thanks for making room Apollo attempts to keep everyone from going to bed issuing a vague statements about making a fire but people quickly Shuffle off to their cars the early start and the subsequent events of the day have taken their toll I watched lth and Eve break away from the group and head to bed as spell as off to talk to them tomorrow morning when Rob isn't around I still feel a bit bad for lying to him and for pulling Lilian Eve into what could be a blatant Act of dumb paranoia Rob seems like a good man a reasonable man excuse me a reasonable man as flawed as any of us but fundamentally decent but the fact remains that when I talk to him about the crash car he clearly said no one I know of whoever it was they'd probably just rather crash than face that damn hitch shocker again I want to trust Rob I want to believe him when he says he didn't see the car that he never seen a car on that stretch of road but for a man of so few words he might have said too much if he truly never saw the car how did he know the direction it was facing I make all my notes concerning this subject on paper and in Shand which I'm hoping in Rob's long and varied life he hasn't inexplicably learned to read long after Rob's gone to bed I stay in the passenger seat typing up my thoughts of that day that was Sister Moon by Leslie Estrada another song to calm you folks down as we head into the evening it's truck Greenwald and I'm with you to the witching hour all right I also love that I love a radio h on like a desert kn middle of all this Supernatural stuff going on yeah I'm with you to the witching hour yeah that's so good I decided to put the radio on in the end I was curious and I also wanted the company I turned the volume way down so the noise wouldn't reach Rob and searched around for something to have in the background there aren't many stations to choose from out here clearest one is Radio Jubilation the local station from a nearby town the current DJ Chuck Greenwald has been playing soul full folk music for an hour it's been a busy week in Jubilation as we welcome in our new school principal a very impressive guy who's bringing some new and interesting proposals to our community it's got a few people talking about funding for the Arts if you got a view we'd love to hear it I finished typing up my less clandestine notes and just then realize how tired I am wanting to sleep but not yet prepared to move the single yard between me and the air mattress I lie back in my seat listen to to Mr Green Wald address his beloved Town well we're going back to your request very soon and I can tell you we've got some goodies on the way for now though let's take ourselves to the new box they're going to hurt now immediately at the volume of a whisper radio Jubilation begins to broadcast a cacophony of bone rending screams the noise shreds the air what sounds like hundreds of people each contributing their own voice to a collective Symphony of pain and torment I instinctively move my body away from the radio suddenly upright and Wide Awake the cries are ceaseless agonizing punctuated only by half stiffled tear choked pleas for whatever is happening to stop a moment later it does or at the very least the screaming cuts out as the soft tones of Chuck Greenwald take over I look for I look from the radio over to the sleeping figure of Rob J guthard I can't help but stare at him and a single thought runs through my head I hope this man's a fraud I hope he's playing me because if he isn't there's something very wrong with this road hope you folks enjoyed that we're going to be bringing you much much more this is Chuck Greenwall telling you you're always welcome in Jubilation stay with us and part two bro I'm I'm in I'm I'm so I'm in I'm so in I like shera's character of being a uh reporter kind of thing it kind of makes her it makes her uh like the I guess the speculation that she have has as a reporter and as like a truth Seeker yeah it makes her feel like of course she's going to want to dive deeper and find the truth to the situation which also gives her a lot of like I think um motivation and it gives her a lot of like reasons to why she's sticking with this thing or why she would on this crazy why she stick with it as long as she is I just went to the next thing and it has an immediately 18 mature content oh no uhoh uhoh uh rub real ring well okay so before we go anything yeah so you have to click it to say not safe for work you have to click that so here we go just putting that out there for our viewers here as we roll into part three and if this goes the barasa pimp pal Direction I didn't mean for it to Hunter suggested this one it's his fault that is true but I am doing it because of the suggestion of the comments so it's your comments are the ones that are are guiding always or also Hunters as long as it's not mine I don't care as long as you all know that's true well as long as it's not mine I don't care either so I'm in the same boat as you and then so basically if we can recap really quick since we've been you know we're we're we're about an hour and half in it's been a I can't believe it's it's already been that quick the the story's been kind of flying by after the story kind of slow start in the First Act it's been very fun The Hitchhiker really perked me up I'm I'm very excited hitchhiker was dope I love the radio broadcaster yeah Chuck Greenwall first off what a name what a name I'm ready great name I'm so also it seems like how how much of the things of like if there's been it's been a lot of different stuff we've been hearing a lot of things about people's perceptions of things you know trickling in with the gray woman smashing her head and only the guy reacting until the mirror breaks so I'm thinking that whenever she talks to Lilith and Eve whenever Shera talks to Lilith and Eve I have a sneaking suspicion they're going to be like yeah we never saw it I we never saw a car wreck and I think it's going to start to unload that all of these things are it's like this weird Dimension is talking to you directly and that's why also um Rob has these very strict rules he's like yeah you know be follow my design because the this like Labrinth of a uh of a series of streets which also did they say that it's just like are we still in kind of a residential area or is it just we're I imagine they're out of the desert now cuz like a small town nearby is the only radio signal that so they're kind of the I imagine there's not like civilians walking on the side of the road you know sure so I imagine they're in the desert around Arizona yeah okay all right well I mean here we are uh part three let's get into it all right once again we have an intro from our friend of Alice who says hello again guys I finally got a around to posting the next log I would have put this up sooner but unfortunately I've had bikes to repair and if I don't do it the customers might go online and discover it's not actually that hard I want to thank you again for the help you've given me in finding Alice the guy who said he track down the mirror shop is giving me regular updates on his progress and I've received a whole lot of help going through American missing person reports it turns out Alice's work Alice's work haven't heard from her either and they're going through their emails for Rob's submission to the show everyone's been really helpful so thank you I've got to say I'm sleeping worse since this whole thing began it's strange to think that all the time Alice was out of contact I was pretty content yet now that she's got back in touch every day I don't hear from her makes me that much more worried that's assuming of course that it was her who sent me the email I really hope it was thanks again everyone and please let me know if you find anything and with that so to kind of to kind of uh I just just to kind of retouch on that a bit so she sent him the first message or he assumes that he sent her the first message that had no email or it had like no did it have the email address or it said like no subject no sender it was just an email that had like a file it it was left. right. as okay and then that file was these text logs yeah right okay and he's assuming that the as stands for Alice Sherman so that's what that's what he's hoping okay and then so but he did she send just to like just to reiterate did she send all of these text logs at once or has it been these kind of things like oh I got the new he said that each one had a different date each log had a different date attached to it so he got all of these at once he's uploading them he's converting them to text and uploading them for No Sleep one at a time sure I see okay so that that's why the title of the whole series is has anyone heard of the Left Right game because he's trying to get answers to it yeah and he hasn't heard from her in years right this was just something that one day he's like oh [ __ ] yeah I remember Alice Shera we graduated together and now she's like used him as the benefactor for these stories for some reason and even he's confused yeah yeah okay so now it starts off the Left Right game the draft here is the next day on the 9th so she's been with Rob for two full days now yep all right so this is uh the ne part three also uh February the 9th as the last entry so anyway rice non perishable soy sauce non perishable salt non- perishable eggs well they're they're perishable but I bought them fresh and I got hardboiled that'll last a week it's breakfast time start of our first full day on the road Rob's been up since 7:00 cooking a meal for anyone who wants it the aroma pulls us out of our our makeshift beds and arranges us around his portable stove our bowls are already full before we realize there's a catch the tradeoff for this supposedly free food a 10-minute lecture from Rob about the power of rice see in the Pacific our guys used to be terrified of the Japanese whole armies marching on grains thought they were super soldiers see the Japs knew the secret you give people rice in the morning and they're going for the whole day after after dropping two large spoonfuls of his favorite staple into a bowl and handing it to me Rob breaks a raw egg over the top the yolk clouds over as I stir it in to be fair the food is delicious and it's fun to watch Rob on a soap box at least there's some things he's willing to talk at length about I stare across the circle at Lilith and Eve the ladder has spilled rice onto her top and her friend is teasing her playfully Eve sees me looking over meets my gaze and turns back to Lilith her tone dramatically muted I returned to my food making a point to seem attentive to Rob's speech a minute later the two girls decide they finish their meals and I quickly realized so have I devouring the last few bites I plac my bowl in the small tub of hot water next to the stove and casually Wander over to their car Lilith and Eve are facing away from me silently packing up their sleeping bags they refused to look at me once I reach them in a deeply conspicuous attempt at subtlety I is he watching I glance over at Rob he's still talking at Bonnie Clyde and Apollo asking them to guess what breakfast translates to in Japanese I think we're fine so did you see the car without answering Eve reaches into the back seat and picks up a Macbook the repository for all of paranorma con's footage paranor con's pretty decent YouTube Name by the way like just oh dude not bad at all someone's probably stole it since then but pretty good she presses play as Lilith and I huddle around her blocking the view of any potential onlookers the footage depicts a familiar Road Lilith and Eve must have dropped off The Hitchhiker and just made the next corner I can hear them talking about the experience both terrified and thrilled at the events of the day Eve reminds Lilith that they need to look out for the car Lilith swears and the camera immediately starts scoring the scouring the roadside look there it is I I see it Slow Down slow down the abandoned car comes into a view with Eve slowing to a crawl and Lilith maxing out her camera's zoom function a precious few details can be similarly gleaned sarily gleaned the cars wind screen and driver's side window are broken the keys are still in the ignition and once he overtakes the wreck it's just possible to make out a dark stain soaked into the driver's seat stop the car just as video Eve starts to slow to a halt the real Lilith shuts the laptop I glance between them trying to keep my voice as low as possible you stopped the car I mean yeah we know you told us not to but but it was like really weird so I went over and you got out of the car for the record I was super against it anyway there wasn't much in there that we didn't get from the road except there was a bag on the back seat did you did you get a look inside yeah yeah do you want to lth nods her head towards the back of their car it takes me a second to realize what she's getting at it's in the boot it's in the what it's in the trunk yeah obviously we couldn't just leave it there look you can watch the rest of the footage at anytime we'll even send it to you but you need to look in the bag before we hit the road I check on Rob once more he's washing up the bows and Cutlery exchanging small talk with Bonnie oblivious to watch transpiring a a mere 5 m away Lilith and Eve escort me to the trunk reforming our secretive huddle before Eve lifts it open a brown leather duffel bag sits front and center it looks expensive but worn probably a few decades old the pair gesture for me to unzip it just to preface this I want to say this whole trip has been [ __ ] weird the bag isn't exactly full I rumed through the loose contents finding a few sets of good quality men shirts and a pair of jeans further down I find a small and well-used shaving kit I'm starting to wonder what Lilith and Eve are so bent out of shape over when my hand hits the hard edge of a straight rectangular object slowly and with great care I managed to extricate it from the layers of wool and D denim it's a package a heavy Square block about the length of my forearm neatly wrapped in brown paper it seems completely unassuming except for a black wire hanging from the underside leading back into the back itself lifting the wire a black plug Rises out and swings slightly in midair turn it around with both girls watching me intently I turn the package in my hands the wire connects to the charging port of an old noia 3210 which in turn is superglued to the package along with a few shards of exposed circuit board last but certainly not least are the words em blazen on the brown paper in imposing black type face C4 explosive my mouth feels dry I wasn't expecting that I know [ __ ] this road right there was tons more in the trunk too it was in insane is this dangerous not right now it's basically inert unless you have the Detonator you sure we have the Wikipedia downloaded on our hard drive it's the only reason Eve let me bring it it's the only reason Eve let me bring it here she read the article like three times anyway the no is out of battery okay well I'm not even going to ask how you know that I don't get this why would someone bring plastic explosive for Left Right game I mean what what the hell are we heading into I have no idea do you know if Rob has any if I have any what when I look up Rob's only a few steps away from us I hide the C4 behind my back dropping it into my Satchel next to my notbook I just managed to pull my fingers out of the way as Eve instinctively slams the trunk shut tips for sleeping in cause these guys had a rough night H well I'm sorry to hear that just something you got to get used to I guess we're hitting the road in 15 20 minutes is that all right with you guys yeah totally Bristol you mind helping me pack up not at all okay so pause real quick that's fascinating uh the implication is someone D so I think Rob's line when he says no one else has led a game before right I think other people have and then uh Alice makes the point that how would he know what she saw if he didn't see it he's like oh I didn't see what you were looking at oh yeah someone probably just didn't want to go to the hitchhiker that's why he crashed going that direction uh but it's like how how do you know you didn't see the car how do you know what she's talking about so this is someone who rob either played with before or knows about who for some reason decided to bring a bunch of explosives like a bunch of phone bombs into the Left Right game which with some of the creatures we're going to run into is probably uh reasonable right um but he wasn't in the car and despite this wreck potentially happening a really long time ago the car's still on fire this is interesting a lot of questions well here's a couple things I'm wondering too I'm curious what you think is one why do you think Alice Shera is being so deceptive to him do you think that has he warranted that kind of response for her because really he's only had what one emotional outburst and it really wasn't even that crazy no is there a reason why is it just because he's such a is he because he's just such a stickler of the rules no I think it's because she caught him in a lie I see so she doesn't want to reveal that she's like that she feels deceptive that that she feels deceived by him what more more more than that it's the fact that she saw a car and was like what's the story with that and she catches him lying about not knowing what the car is so she's like I bet there's something with that car he doesn't want me to know about so that's why that's why she's doing this yeah so that's why she's like hey can you guys secretly get me this info she does want him to know not that she thinks Rob's going to get her killed or anything like that but Rob is hiding something from her with the whatever that car is at this point at this point do you think Rob is hiding this information to it just from I mean like there's obviously so much more that we have to read but do you think it's because he is trying to help her or do you think that it is deceptive like how are you I I read it as Rob probably has such an obsession with what he's doing he may not be I mean may may this may be a bit harsh read of his character at this point but I suspect he has such an obsession with this and he knows people can die in this game like whoever was driving that car right he knows accidents could happen and he's still willing to bring people along for the ride so well that the reason I'm wondering is if he knows that people can die in this game and he wants to make sure that people are ping by the rules is I'm wondering if he needs bodies later that's a good point I didn't think about that these people these people are coming along because he knows like oh yeah at certain points people are going to get [ __ ] and I'm not going to be one of them to get through I didn't even consider that oh that's dark I'm wondering if I'm wondering if that's his intention or whatever cuz he's playing the nice guy now and stuff he's very much by the rules and stuff so I that that's where my mind's going oh boy we'll see though we'll see you know I I also suspect uh Bluebird or ladybird whatever her name is knows more than she's letting on uh maybe she play maybe she's played the game with him before or something yeah too too quiet and also too like um the only person that he hasn't really talked about he has kind of an opinion on everybody but he hasn't really communicated with them exactly and bluebird's kind of doing their own thing just like being by themselves very short very that may actually explain why she's so distant from the group because if she knows that some of them are going to have to die she doesn't want to get attached could be I mean could could very well be of stuff and something where maybe the character doesn't like Rob in that way and then like they uh because of something like maybe like they know somebody who's trapped in the game or something you know what I mean there's just a lot to unravel I I'm I'm I'm I don't want to get too speculative too early but just we're get we're coming up on the halfway mark of the story and I just feel like we're this is the point of like we're going to start seeing some truth come out good stuff good stuff uh let's see painfully aware of what's hanging at my side I step away from Rob towards the now dismantled stove looking over my shoulder I see Lilith and Eve are watching us go their faces a wash with apprehension I can't say I feel the same despite my surroundings and the multitude of unsettling events I don't have space in my head for apprehension just now all anxiety is slowly being pushed out its territory annexed by a bolstering sense of resolve there are far too many strange things happening on this road and even if it kills me I'm going to find out what they all mean Rob can I talk to you we've packed everything in the back of the Wrangler and are about to get back on the road when Ace comes up behind us Rob turns around and I sense an icy Shield raising up as he curtly addresses our compatriot what is it Ace can I can I ask you something it it's okay if you need me to go home after the shield thaws this isn't the ace we've seen before Rob's percep enough to notice he engages I'll be it cautiously what do you want to ask a shuffles uncomfortably suddenly he seems much younger does The Hitchhiker does anything happen if you if you don't pick him up damn it Ace I told you you can't tell me what happened I I was making my way down the road and I was angry at how you'd been and when I saw the hitch trer I thought I should you know do what I said just drive by Ace starts to tremble unable to meet Rob's eye a minute later I look in the river mirror and he's sitting in the back of my car he's just just talking about the weather I mean I swear I didn't pick him up but when I think about it all these memories come back I start to remember pulling over letting him in it's like I did it but I didn't even did you talk to him no no no no no I promise I didn't say a word Rob stares at Ace in silence Ace hangs his head like a penitent criminal facing judgment feels awful don't it Ace finally looks up confused at Rob's words searching the man's expression for Clues I did the same as you the first time just drove right by wasn't going to let some stranger in my car nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw him in the rear view Rob grins at Ace who manages to smile shakily back you ain't got the right gear for this Ace I like to run a tight ship and I got to say it pissed me off if you want to turn that Porsche of yours around no one will think any less of you but if you want to keep on this road how about you try to listen more and I'll try to be less of a hard ass Rob holds his hand out for Ace to shake it's an offer of peace or at the very least an offer of terms Ace accepts it grimacing only slightly as he faces Rob's iron grip about time we hit the road 5 minutes later we're rolling into a deep valley each member of the Convoy appearing over the crest of the hill behind us everyone one's present and accounted for including Ace I have to say I'm impressed with what with how you handled Ace one might presume a guy who's been divorced four times isn't the best at conflict resolution divorce is conflict resolution that's a that's a good point he seemed to be saying the hitchock have made him pull over is that really what happens yeah yep he always ends up in the back seat and you always remember picking him up it's just it's just not scientifically possible yeah get used to that I love that rule I just want to say that I love that deal of like it doesn't matter I think that I wonder if he told them like hey stop and pick him up just to make it a little more rational in your brain so you don't feel totally [ __ ] psycho like Ace felt yeah so you don't get CAU off guard CU remember if you speak to him that you're gone you're in right so like it's if you don't pick him up and then yeah it's best to keep your in that situation exactly exactly and if you don't pick him up cuz I'm wondering if Al he's also like hey if you don't stop and pick him up you're going to be really surprised when he just shows up in your back seat and you're probably be like what the hell why you here you and then boom you're in you you spoke exactly Yep this is so good this is so good this is like a drug okay we spend the next two hours in Silence with me typing up my notes and Rob navigating the sparse few turns that show up every now and then Ace's testimony troubles me perhaps because it stretches my favorite theory that the game was an elaborate hoax perpetuated by Rob guthard I was content that The Hitchhiker could have been an incredibly deaf performer but even if that man was a ratat train thespian that doesn't make him capable of Mind Control Ace could be insane or maybe an actor himself but those ideas sound exactly like the idol rationalizations I decried in Rob earlier I'm not sure what my theory is at the moment I keep working hoping to tip my way to Revelation a few lone trees have started to show up in the distance towering wild Pines with trunks as thick as barrels without my noticing the trees grow slowly more numerous and in that creeping way the Landscapes change is isn't long until they spam both sides of the road encapsulating us in a deep bright Forest realizing I've recorded everything of substance and with Rob concentrating on the drive I have no choice but to lay back in my seat and watch the world Roll by despite the pervasive strangeness of the Left Right game there's Beauty on the road under the light shade of the canopy the smell of pine needles permeating the still air I actually feel myself starting to relax it only takes three words to change that the words don't come from Rob he's a squad as always they aren't spoken by the rest of the Convoy either the words are writ large in callig calligraphic uh gold paint resting on a spotless white sign even from a distance with the letters little more than a blur I know what they're going to say they're the words I've been dreading since I switched off the radio the words I spent a long troubl night hoping I'd never see welcome to Jubilation it turns out there is room in my head for apprehension this is Fairman to all cars we're going to be heading through a small town no rules here just keep driving and we'll be fine Rob puts his radio back into the receiver I try to ignore the distinct knot in my stomach what does the name Chuck Greenwald mean to you about as much as John Doe why he's the radio DJ here in Jubilation how do you know something like that I was listening to his show last night what do you know about this place seems like a good town folk don't pay attention to you I just head straight through you've never seen anything unto some weird stuff now and again I like to keep my eyes on the road the forest clears abruptly like a parting curtain to reveal a picture perfect American Town archetypal almost to the point of self- parody we've arrived in Jubilation there's no denying this town is beautiful we're welcomed by a row of vibrantly colored shop spaning the length of a long wide street at the far end an ornate gry wall Town Hall proudly surveys its domain the place is immaculate I failed to find a solitary piece of litter on the sidewalk a single smudge on the plate glass shop Windows every inch of Jubilation is pristine tranquil and noticeably deserted where is everyone I don't know there usually some around maybe there's a game on we take the next right then another left the story is the same at every turn a beautiful leafy Suburban Town entirely bereft of its human population the cafes are free of buzle the surface of the public pool is still we even see the school a row of finger painted faces smiling at us from the kindergarten Windows as we pass by the building itself is locked up however which is odd seen as it's noon on a Wednesday eventually the Wrangler pulls onto the first residential street we've encountered the sign on the corner reads Sycamore Row the quaint shops are replaced by luxurious houses all of them identical White Walls wide porches and fresh green Lawns cut to a uniform length the road stretches in a straight line for about a mile creating an eerie Corridor of copy pasted buildings the strangest thing about the street however is vocalized by Rob well I guess we know where everybody is now in front of every house a dining room table stands on the lawn okay this I love this story so much oh my gosh it's so oh I love this weird unexplainable horror of like The Uncanny yes oh my gosh I'm so in as soon as it's like there's a dining room on the front lawn man oh this is good I'm here for it okay in front of every house a dining room table stands on the lawn occupied without fail by a family of four one husband one wife one son and one daughter they're sharing a meal together a unit on on the left clink their glasses of orange juice as they dine on pork chops and salad the family on the right share a large hunk of Meatloaf broad Smiles on their faces staring along the road I estimate upwards of 800 people in neat subsets of four all dining at the same time none of them seem to notice us fairy men to all cars looks like we've come during a town celebration let's not bother these good people as we pass on through Rob lets a car roll slowly down the street his foot light on the gas pedal trying to make a as little noise as possible the more families we pass the clearer it becomes that every single one of them share common characteristics all of them are impecably dressed all of them consist of the same subset husband wife son daughter though their chosen meals very slightly they all share a rackus almost oppressive happiness small town America am I right [Laughter] guys Apollo Apollo's jokes don't make things any better I feel claustrophobic trapped some Screaming animal deep within me knows that it's surrounded on every Side by something it doesn't understand I don't know if I'm imagining it but as we've continued down the road everyone outside seems to be laughing a little harder celebrating a little more we've successfully crept more than halfway down the street a sharp left term coming up at the end representing the road out of Jubilation another Street comes up on the right Acer road while we pass by it I take the opportunity to glance down this new Avenue curious as to whether every street is like ours I don't like what I see the houses are similarly prestigious the walls prisy and white but like a spot the diff but like a Spot the Difference puzzle it's the subtle changes that make the picture there are no tables and no families on the wide greed Lawns almost every window I can see is broken cars lie abandoned in the road with one smashed into a splintered porch above every door an X has been drawn in red paint and outside of each house a small mound of clothes lies on the fresh cut lawn a huge Collective pile of men's women's and children's shoes Tower at the End of the Street seemingly ownerless great going everybody let's get back out there we've reached the end of the street I breathe the sigh of relief as we bid farewell to Jubilation I vindictively see it off in my wing mirror as we turn the corner I immediately wish I hadn't when in the split second before it disappears from view I Glimpse the 800 plus residence of Sycamore Row they aren't smiling anymore and they're all looking our way I I welcome the forest as the trees rise up around us once more the indifference of the nature is a welcome change to the S sacarin faux civility of Jubilation towns like that make me glad I'm a city boy I thought it was nice wasn't it like wintery Bay I don't think I've been oh maybe it was shelburn Falls oh it was a little like shelburn Falls guys we got to keep this channel clear we hurry along the next Road and turn right the further we get from the Eerie town of Jubilation the higher our spirit seem to be how long until we stop uh about another 4 hours nothing big in between us and there though shouldn't be a problem good to hear so what does does breakfast translate to in Japanese you heard that yeah I've been curious all day does it have something to do with I jolt forwards sharp pain in my neck as my head recoils back against my seat Roba stamped his foot onto the break bringing us to an immediate and shocking halt before I can ask why my question is answered as one of the Colossal pine trees slams into the road ahead of us blocking our route forward damn it you all right I'm I'm fine massaging my neck I looked towards the base of the felt tree the low end is covered in straight sharp cut marks someone has brought this tree down timing its fall in an attempt to [ __ ] the Wrangler Rob what's going on fairy men to all cars full reverse watch out for the people behind you the Convoy pulls away back down the road towards Jubilation Rob waits for Apollo to start moving then backs up himself there's a second second sholt as Rob abruptly stops the car surveying our means of egress fa M to all cars Road's done for but there's a gap at the end be careful Rob's right though the tree has fallen across the tarmac only the thin Treetop Lies Over the grassy Bank between the road and the forest there's a bit of Valley between the edge of the road and the grass and Rob wastes no time in showing the others how to negotiate it twisting the wheel Rob dry steers towards the Gap and proceeds cautiously towards the roadside I watched the asphalt disappear beneath us moments before the tail tall bump the Wrangler drops down the small Bank side and turns around the fallen tree I watch the needle covered tip brush against my window as we roll past with the second bump Rob brings us back onto the road and pulls us over to the far Edge turning the Jeep to face toward the Convoy okay Apollo make your way on it Rob as Apollo swerves towards the the Gap I hear something sound of a running engine at first it's so quiet that it's almost impossible to isolate it from the Convoy's own Rumblings it since grown louder however and it's growing steadily more noticeable Rob someone's coming Apollo get yourself over here right now all cars you're on double time get moving Apollo accelerates towards the Gap his Range Rover shutters banking on the grassy decline but it's hardly any effort to pull himself around the tree and back onto the road I also like not to kill the tension but I do predict something bad's going to happen to Ace here in his Porsche yes definitely the noise in the distance grows louder I can picture the vehicle carering towards the corner just one turn away from having its windshield locked on the Convoy though I have no idea what it might be I don't want to share road space with anything coming out of Jubilation the rest of the Convoy can hear the noise now Bonnie and Clyde roll over to the Gap and quickly but tentatively push themselves down onto the side it's clearly harder than Rob and Apollo make it look after a few moments they travel across the bank bringing themselves out on the other side the vehicle turns the corner a white truck skids into view its tires shrieking against the road a metal beam sticks up behind the driver's compartment and a hook Swings with the momentum of the hard right turn it's a tow truck though something tells me it's not here to lend us assistance oh [ __ ] all cars once you're on the other side Drive wait around the left turn I'll radio if they get by me what about you guys I'll come once everyone's across now ain't the time for questions even Lilith get over here now we still we still have time to get everyone across but every passing second feels like a precious fleeting loss even Lilith are impatient for their turn dropping onto the roadside and coming back up in a matter of seconds the truck is gaining with Incredible speed I could just about make out the words Jubilation recovery scrawled AC across the hood though the letters are rapidly becoming easier to read blue jay takes her time dismounting the road in fact she's almost casual in how she Maneuvers whittling away at the remaining seconds we have a swell of anger Wells up inside of me as her Wheels hit against the road if she's calm about the situation then good for her but I can see Ace drumming his fingers frenetically against the steering wheel now stranded alone on the other side I watched blue jay follow the rest of the Convoy to the next turn displaying none of the urgency any one else has shown take it easy Ace you ain't buil for this Ace takes the corner heating Rob's plea for CAU but unwisely taking it almost headon his front wheel thuds over the edge of the bank and the chassis hit the tarmac the drop is just a little too steep for the Porsche's clearance Rob's warning rings in my ears as Ace accelerates on three wheels his car engaging in a slow turn with a little forward motion Rob what do I do Rob the pickup truck maintains its speed and aligns itself with A's Porsche its thunderous velocity Define all logic all concern for Aces or their own safety get out of the car Ace get out of the damn car Ace struggles with the seat belt stress overpowering his motor functions he unclasps it and throws the belt to the side he grabs the door and pushes it swings open slightly then immediately slams against the bark of the pine tree for a moment that lasts all too long he shares with me a look of pleading Terror the door is slammed shut crumpling as the tow truck collides with the passenger side of A's car Ace is launched against the door his head smashing against the window the ungodly racket of shrieking metal suddenly gives way to silence [ __ ] Rob climbs into the back of the car Rob what can I do stay here I hear Rob raging among the luggage as the tow truck reverses out of ases point Porsche the hood of the tow truck is completely and impossibly unharmed by the impact as are its two occupants they parked the truck side onto us the hook hanging a few meters away from the back of the Porsche and the words Jubilation recovery appear again now accompanied by a slogan here to help two men in white shirts and a blue overalls climb out and Wander over to the ruined Porsche they barely seem to register the situation at all casually chatting together as they throw open Ace's passenger side door the stunned Ace looks like he's battling a concussion only barely cognizant as he's pulled out of the car he quickly grows more aware as the mechanics grab him by each arm struggling against them as His captur talk amongst themselves let him go when I turned around Rob is stepping out of the Wrangler Wrangler apparently hidden within those neat stacks of luggage was a loaded hunting rifle Rob raises the stalk to his shoulder and repeats himself let him go the mechanics pay no attention to Rob they continue to frog March Ace over to the truck one of them making a quiet joke to the others as they go they laugh an awful bang erupts beside me and a deep red hole burst from one of the mechanics torso blood slowly seeping out of the wound inexplicably the mechanic does nothing more than look down at his wound up at Rob and then back to the matter at hand he hardly break stride as he continues towards the truck bleeding freely onto the floor I hear Rob said about reloading his rifle the mechanics arrive at the back of the truck with Ace there are two short Loops of thin chain hanging from the lowest of the hooks chain links the mechanics feed Ace's arms through one Loop each until he's hanging by the armpits in front of the hook itself Rob fires another shot that goes nowhere the mechanics grab a handful of Ace's hair chatting as they do so and lift Ace's head up until his lower jaw is just above the hook in that moment despite everything despite all my my journalistic ideals my Pursuit Of Truth my duty as an observer I close my eyes the visual disappears Into Darkness but the sound doesn't the impact and the sorrowful obstructed groan that follows penetrates my bones reverberating through my very being another gunshot and the sharp twang of a metallic Ricochet AC's cries continue as the engine starts up and Carries him off back to Jubilation I hear another gunshot that sound like it hits nothing but air as the engine and Ace's whimpers grow quieter a few moments pass before one final measured gunshot Echoes around the car Rob I I I won't say that for the sake of my Christianity but Rob's upset yeah yeah yeah he just says damn it damn itam damn it damn it yeah yeah yeah that that gets it across yeah the Wrangler chassis clings as Rob kicks aside with all his considerable might I open my eyes to see a fallen pine tree a ruined Porsche and an otherwise empty road when Rob climbs into the car it's clear he's trying to regulate his breathing an eternalized rage lighting him up barely under his control we have to go rob turns us around pointing the Wrangler back down the road the quiet of the car echoes in my ears along with other noises I can't hope to forget I watched the Fallen Pine grow smaller in the rear view mirror overwhelmed by a feeling that I'm leaving more behind on this road than I can currently imagine B of conversation of logic of any semblance of comfort Rob and I do the only thing we can we take the next left oh man nice this is great interesting this is so good yeah very very interesting oh gosh I love the the the the very the very quaint visual almost like Dr Seuss visual of this like perfect pristine town that I'm noticing in my mind's eye all the houses are these like very like vibrant pastel y like you know heavily saturated beautiful colors and they're all having these meals and stuff and once again you kind of get Rob in this situation where he's like hey we're just passing through don't mind them these good people they're just doing their thing but as soon as she takes a look back they're all looking back at her which makes me once again think that he's been in a situation where he has uh a situation where he has uh maybe been in a situation that has led bad in Jubilation and he's just like I I my opinion he's not telling everybody the full scope of things because I think he's trying to keep them levelheaded whatever that is one possibility the other possibility is that it's different every time you go in like sure you still see the Hedgehog and stuff but things change and they've currently added a lot of variables right she listened to the radio uh they they got C4 off of that body off of the car wreck I mean they're adding more variables to it so maybe they've changed something that has caused Jubilation to change or maybe it's maybe it's like a coin flip maybe sometimes Jubilation is fine other times it's not um I I like Rob's dedication to like fighting them off kind of implies to me that he he didn't want he of course didn't want this to happen right um I I kind of suspect that blue J her casual nature of it maybe she knew someone had to die in Jubilation or whatever maybe maybe it's like a series of rules right like if Jubilation is active someone has to die for them to be appeased or something like that right right um I don't know but maybe there is a rule set for it maybe it's like a matter of chance if things are going I say I say if Jubilation is active like it's like a video game well I think NC is on in the match the character cannot use their light yeah yeah like yeah yeah oh I think that you're right like there's some there's just that little detail of uh of Shera saying blue jay was just so calm which makes me think that she's like I'm going to take my time so they can catch up and grab him and take him away so then like I'm not the one who's took away you know what I mean yeah yeah cuz because it seems like regardless those guys were coming cuz I feel like if if it was something that they disrupted in the town we would have known sooner but instead no they're just driving out and then everyone's like oh thank God we're out of this um town but nope here they come and also perfectly time thing of like somebody waiting in the forest to disrupt this party to where they have to be slowed down yeah um did Rob know about that there's just a lot of things where I'm like wondering how much of this does Rob know which is also why he's like bring a truck bring some bring a vehicle that's you know you're going to be able to off-road in and stuff um it does make me wonder how what his intentions are and how many times has he done this it is interesting too I guess just as like before we go into part four which um which I just was this final thought I have is the uh are these all people that have just played the game before or have they all just met on these forums and they're just all talking about it and they've met in person after um having talked on these forums for so long I think there are people who have just met before maybe we'll find out more detail cuz like clearly Apollo and Rob know each other um yeah yeah but I think for the most part they're people who met on forms is my guess may maybe they maybe they've played this game before I I definitely think Blue Jay has if not the others um yeah I'm thinking that at least blue jay and Rob in my opinion so far is going to be that I think that they have met each other in person before whereas maybe Rob has not maybe has not indicated that much yet to them yeah yeah we are on part four hey has anyone heard of the Left Right game part four so uh I guess just as like a little recap because so far I mean we're we're in kind of We're In It thick now and pretty much Rob and Shera are on the ride of their lives or pretty much shera's on the ride of her life and she's just wondering what the hell's going on I know that um Rob Rob I how do you feel about Rob do you think do you think his intentions are malicious or no I don't think he's malicious at all I think maybe he knows some details about what's coming that he either hasn't told people because they won't believe him or maybe it's too much for them to keep track of I still kind of go with my idea that more bad has happened in the game than he's willing to let on like with that crash car but I think his intentions are legitimate like I don't think he wants people to get hurt like I could be wrong but that part where Ace was getting dragged away and he was firing the rifle off you know trying to stop him and stuff that doesn't sound like a guy who knows you can't kill the people here he wouldn't waste the ammo right it sounds like he was trying to help him um I think so too what what's weird though is that he hit the guy and like the guy's guts were pouring out didn't him kep walking yeah oh so I'm wondering I'm I'm wondering what kind of uh what kind of like weird parallel universe are in or something something like that or what kind of Dimension where that kind of [ __ ] can happen and people are like oh I got shot who cares also Alice here this has to be a turning point for her because before she was like maybe it's real maybe it's not I don't know but after seeing that this would take like you know Studio film level coordination to pull everything off um so she has to recognize it as real especially with when Ace doesn't come back right yeah well I mean that's the thing is that this whole time she's been thinking it's a ruse so you know I there's no I don't think there's any logical way to look at it like this is all planned out like this is all fictitious yeah so now so now she's in she's like into play right so I'm I'm excited to see where it goes from here uh this is so fun this is such a fun story I could see this being a movie so easily and I know that's kind of like people kind of say that's a weak thing to give a story like oh I'd like it better if it was a different format but I just mean these are such compelling visuals like the stuff being described um I'm here for it this is awesome I know we were talking about it off uh camera but I I just every time I see Rob I see Ron Swanson in my head yeah like Rob is Rob is perfectly Ron Swanson in my head for some reason he's a Ron swans yeah I think like a Matthew mccon but not like not like a True Detective one or something yeah like a True Detective or a what was that movie where he was like dying uh the one all the dallers club yes so like a d a Dallas Buyers Club like a kind of old you end of his days Matthew mccon that's kind of where I imagine him uh yeah somewhere between those two I think it's a good fit I I like I like I I really like Rob's character I hope he doesn't turn out to be a bad guy that being said I think blue jay almost certainly yeah knows more than she's letting on if Rob doesn't yeah that's what it feels like she she's treating all of this way too casually yeah yeah one way to find out far far too casually far too casually you're right so let's go ahead and dive into part four uh part four part four and once again we open with an intro from the person who's compiling all of this in the first place yeah Michael Sarah okay that's I picture is hi guys hi guys firstly I want to apologize for not being a okay yeah hi guys firstly I want to apologize for not being at my laptop for the past few days I had to attend a wedding in Scotland for one of my uni friends they booked it in midweek and between you and me I don't think it's going to last which means not only have I neglected you guys but I've also wasted money on a rental suit and a John Lewis T set it's funny how like I I know that obviously this is fictional right but the whole point of no sleep is is supposed to be realistic and to have a guy go from describing the events of part three to being like huh marriage is Never Last am I right anyway let's get it that that that's what I mean too I'm like I'm always just like I feel like are you not reading are are you not transcribing these vogs do you see what you just post what if it's Apollo yeah bro that'd be funny what what if the guy's original suit at John Lewis [Laughter] T Apollo Creed typing with the boxing gloves on he had the giant boxing gloves ding this as always thank you for your help in my ongoing attempt to find Alice I'm now in full contact with the radio show she was working for and they'll be sending over Rob's submission to the show as soon as they can I've also looked up every town named Jubilation and I've contacted residents from each of them none of them have the particular Junction mentioned in the previous log Sycamore Row and Acer Street I even comb Google Maps to make sure I'm not sure what town Alice passed through last February but it doesn't seem to exist on public record the guy who promised to retrace the route from the mirror shop came through and has sent me a few possible addresses for Rob He also mentioned looking into the game itself more I'm not sure what he means by that but I want to be clear please don't play this game on my behalf I don't want that on my conscience okay without further Ado here's the following log thanks again so our next log is from February the 10th 2017 let's get into it second day pretty much second pretty much yeah second full day so really three days if you count the you know the excise I think yeah so right day day three possible opening H I want to address you The Listener for a moment with an advanced notice concerning The Following episode I'm sure it's not been lost on you that every installment of the series so far has played host to some strange unexplainable occurrence and SP a great many miles of travel it goes without saying this has been by Design I've been summarizing the countless hours of uneventful Meandering and taking extra care to document the strange phenomena we've encountered along the way I wanted the story to be fast moving to have a real feel of progress with every chapter and that sense of exploratory Intrigue is why you're listening to this show I completely understand I'm certain it's a primary draw for almost all of you the twists the turns the mysterious strange encounters along an impossible road but if that is the case I feel it's my duty to inform you that apart from a few notable Exceptions there will be almost no ground covered in this segment and the monsters we encounter will be all too human stress divisiveness discomfort and as one might imagine grief if you want to read the synopsis of this episode on the website and wait for the next part then you'll be all caught up and I'm sure we'll be back on our way heading once more into the great unknown but I feel it's important to give the aftermath of ases capture its own episode in part due to the significance of the revelations that are Unearthed in its wake but also as a gesture of deference to the man we lost is this a story of our second nine on the road interesting so that's that's uh Alice talking correct yeah that's her it seems like it's her preface prefacing the log so going that's interesting I was thinking maybe we were reading like her notes of everything but that implies that she's at a place further along that she makes note of what's happening so does that imply Alice gets out at the end of all this I don't know if it necessarily gets out but do you think that this could just be foreshadowing for something or or as you could also see she could be um cuz I don't think that even the dialogue is supposed to be extremely accurate if we're supposed to be under the impression that this is a like a journal entry so it could be something where it's like her recounting this in the future and writing this after the fact versus in real time or like at the end of days or something that's true okay good point as we make the left turn the horrifying space behind us is quickly replaced by a quiet emptiness ahead the Wrangler crawls defeated toward the waiting Convoy the remaining four cars are parked halfhazard Le taking up more than half the road Rob drifts to the far end of the tarmac looking to overtake and resume formation both of his hands rest on the steering wheel with eyes fixed on some distant point in space it's not hard to imagine that behind the focus and the quiet control there's a man in turmoil a man who can't bring himself to say anything in fear of saying too much this is Bristol all CS we're heading back on the road get yourself inform formation and make your way to those around you we've got a while to drive before we sto for for the night Bristol where's Fairman faan's here where's Ace Ace is Ace didn't make it across what what the [ __ ] Bristol where is he it would be simple to describe what had taken place or at least summarize the Bear's facts what happened to Ace where he is now why he isn't coming back but for some reason I can't utter a word about what's transpired something about the event itself makes it impossible to retell as if the requisite phrases have been locked behind glass we need to get to the stopping point it isn't safe to stay here shortly after we turned the corner out of Sycamore Row Rob implied that the rest of the day's drive would be uneventful had he waited just a few minutes longer he would have been entirely correct we're on the road for another 4 hours hours both of us quietly attending to our own preoccupations as the forest gradually thins out the landscape gives way to Rolling corn fields that stretch out Beyond the Horizon on both sides with the sun descends through an orange sky as we pull into a clearing beside a wild Grove of apple trees Rob turns off the ignition and the two of us sit in silence Rob's need to concentrate on driving had been a good excuse to stay quiet a good excuse used to not face each other now the wheels aren't turning however and the true reason for our mutual reant is all too clear so they started out just to be just to be clear they started out in the desert and then it seems like they're moving towards the Midwest now like we got into trees and stuff so I'm wonder if that's like Utah or Colorado and now they're kind of getting into like Kansas um Midwest like Iowa territory or something like that yeah cuz they're driving for like days at this point right so you can cover a lot yeah mhm even if you broke it up in like 8 hour shift I mean like you know two 8 hour days is still 16 hours worth of driving I mean it would be a lot do you think he's dead I don't know Rob's response isn't reassuring and I'm oddly grateful for that there are no comforting words he can give me and any attempt would have seemed horrifically insincere a mockery of the situations onerous gravity given the circumstances of Ace's capture I'm not not even sure which answer I want to hear Lilith appears at my window wrapping her Knuckles against the glass with an aggressive impatience I'd expect nothing less about now everyone in the Convoy has been made to follow a unilateral order my order without explanation they've been traveling for hours accompanied by the glaring absence of another human being looking in the wing mirror I glimpsed the rest of the Convoy standing by their cars watching the Wrangler expectantly Rob's hands still haven't left the wheel with a sharp intake of breath I push the door open and step out onto the grass the ground is soft below me as I walk over to the group there's recently been rain I began to address the rough semicircle it almost feels like one of Rob's briefings what's happening Bristol did Ace turn back I me a Paulo's eyes for the briefest of moments I considered telling them all exactly that maybe it would save them from the slow heavy ache that's currently weighing down my chest maybe it would just save me from a difficult conversation either way I know I can't lie to them they deserve the truth however unpleasant no he didn't turn back they crippled his car the low truck did he get out the answer doesn't come easily I've been pressed to say the words aloud and in doing so though to fully acknowledge what happened feels like I'm being driven to a funeral like I'm being verbally marched towards an open casket what happened to him Bristol he's dead Eve I hadn't heard Rob step out of the car when he reaches the group it's hard to hide my relief as he takes over proceedings addressing the group matter of factly now it really is like one of his briefings two guys in the tow truck coming out of Jubilation I got them they took him back with him to town way they Retreat him he won't last long oh goodness what Rob what what are they going to do to him I can't tell you nothing like this ever happened before well we need to go back that ain't happening we're not going to [ __ ] abandon him Lilith we're going back no we're not me and Rob can go you know the place right Rob the kid's dead Apollo but he was alive when we last saw him that's right so what point did you decide he was dead when I saw him being carried away with the tow hook sticking out of his mouth damn it Rob shouldn't have said that I understand a fair point fair fair play I mean I mean he is correct you know like yeah yeah I mean I I think we can all kind of assume that the ghouls that are being shot with their stomachs yeah hanging out of their you know body I think that we can assume that I don't think I don't think Ace is going to make it I mean like if it was like Ace walking away like hey I'm going to catch ride with these guys if that's cool you know I'd get it yeah You' be like what yeah exactly but but I think I think the circumstances him and his damn Porsche yeah yeah it's his fault if you think about it yeah I know Rob should have said that I understand his reasons of course he wants to convey an important truth that nothing can be done or could have been done to save Ace his ghastly choice of words does the job but it also sends a ripple of disturbance through the crowd planing in everyone's Minds The gruesome image I've been trying all day to uproot Bonnie covers her mouth in shock and sorrow Eve turns noticeably pale and even Lilith who is intent on leading the questioning is taken back did you see Bristol I nodd solemnly to group bristles at my affirmation I saw enough I had to close my eyes when it happened Rob tried to save him and tell before I can finish my statement my words are cut off by something truly unexpected in spontaneous response to my words a harsh Outburst of mocking sarcastic laughter rings out from within the Convoy one by one we turn towards its source until we all find ourselves self staring at Blue Jay her Unapologetic chuckling fills the Silent Night air is something funny blue J blue jay tries to speak through her all too slowly waning laughter it's just you call yourself a journalist you closed your eyes my god there it is there it is I'm sorry do you close your eyes for magic tricks too what the [ __ ] blue jay come on this isn't the time oh the time is well [ __ ] overdue seriously are you all morons the Left Right game is a hoax it's fake Rob gu's played you all like [ __ ] children Ace is fine he's probably an actor like the hitchiker who is an actor and those towns people too I mean come on the group is taken back by Blue Jay's incredulous tirade she's clearly been holding her tongue since day one are reaction Aces capture representing just one step too far I saw Rob shoot one of those Town's people with a hunting rifle I saw the wound it was real it was blood fil it was a blood filled squib the rifle was probably loaded with blanks you can buy both from any good theatrical retailer seriously what the [ __ ] is wrong with you people okay firstly I don't like your [ __ ] tone secondly have you noticed that we've been the only cars on the road for almost 2 days and what about Jubilation are you suggesting Rob hired out a whole town that would be [ __ ] impossible oh yeah sure that's impossible but it's totally believable we're driving on a magic road maybe this is the highest budget scam I've ever seen that's all it is a scam and aler is giving him all the publicity he wants I mean these people are sheep but you you're a [ __ ] siant my mother used to tell me that you can't strike a person from The High Road staring down the barrel of Blue Jay's Darkly self-satisfied grin I'm more than tempted to make The Descent okay blue J fair enough I'm not going to pretend that I'm not going to pretend to know what's going on here for all I know you could be right but why would Rob spin the production budget of a Hollywood film to trick a radio journalist and two vloggers trust me our website does not get enough traffic for oh don't be so self-important it's not you he's trying to fool blue J turns to Rob fixing him a glare of pure unadulterated Triumph admit it Rob admit it that it's all a [ __ ] farce you knew who I was before I even got out of my car oh o Rob's face looks like it's been carved from Granite the group looks to him for an answer but he delivers his response directly to Blue Jay his eyes locked with hers it's true I know who you are Denise the atmosphere changes and for a moment the night erupts into a foray of Whispers Rob's answer clearly means something to everyone but me Denise Denise Carver no you serious sorry who's Denise Carver she's the biggest kill joy in the hobby oh [ __ ] you you [ __ ] Airhead Denise here is a member of the Skeptics and rationalist Institute of America she likes to get herself invited on ghost Hunting Expeditions on under her false name so she can debunk them publicly you may have gathered she don't believe in the Supernatural actually I do believe in the Supernatural I believe that it's billion dooll industry built on selling comfortable lies to the gble and it thrives on shitty journalists and attention whr bloggers who are willing to spread whatever [ __ ] they think and get them clicks that's why you took so long getting around the pine tree even when the truck was coming for Ace you didn't think any of it was real uh did you as condescending as her delivery may be her words spark a sudden realization it's true that with an unspeakably high budget and a few deaf Stooges you could probably replicate most of what we'd seen on the road yet without realizing it I found myself agreeing with Rob's version of events personally defending the Left Right game's validity against its deers I'd set off on this journey much like blue chain as a staunch confident skeptic but somewhere between the tunnel In This Moment had become a Believer blue J notes my lack of protest and turns back to Rob I'm flattered you went to all this trouble I didn't know my work was so offensive to you I admire your work Denise always have that's why I brought you along that is [ __ ] tell your friend Ace he can't act for [ __ ] blue jay pulls a pack of Mars out of her coat lighting up immediately goes to sit on the hood of her nearby car her demeanor clearly signals that her part in the conversation is over though her words leave a bitter aftertaste for everyone involved to sympathize it must be exhausting spending two days with people whose opinions are diametrically opposed to your own having to listen in silence while they corroborate their own seemingly Preposterous views having said that however I'm incredibly glad she stopped talking it reminds me of a time when we got on much better the next question comes from Eve her voice quivering C can can we die here Rob quiet force of her words turns everyone's heads back towards Rob it's clear that others have been thinking the same thing and they're looking to Rob for an answer it's possible the road a never killed no one before not so long as everyone followed the rules but you said in your emails it was dangerous that's right but you didn't feel like telling us that that we could die out here Rob turns to Lilith clearly offended by her accusation in the 1920s John evro killed 36 people and violated their bodies one of your videos you guys went to his home in Virginia looking for the man's ghost Bonnie and Clyde once spent $500 to stay at the Iowa Murder House a place that's supposed to possess its victims and force them to kill each other if you all honestly believed in what you were chasing you should be accepting death as an outcome every time you step out we are looking for evidence of another world what we're doing here has the scientific significance of the moon landings and cultural significance of Columbus reaching the Americas and a whole lot of people die doing both if you accepted the risk chasing down the ghost of a two- bit serial killer you should be willing to accept the risk of this Lilith looks like she's been scolded by a parent there's a fire in her eyes as she observes Raw meeting his criticism with scorn oh so it's Ace's fault he should have accepted the risk he did accept the risk Ace made his decisions he saw the dangers of the road firsthand and he kept on going I told you this place could be dangerous and maybe you didn't take it that seriously but you are not going to treat me like I lured any of you here under false pretenses we stand for a few moments in the uncomfortable void left by words no one's quite sure where to look I think that like just to like I guess just there's a lot of dialogue happening I think um it feels extremely unrealistic that this would be a Hollywood fake production that spans like how many thousands of miles yeah it's like it it feels like which it could be a thing to like you could argue that blue jay has like has never wanted to like believe in this thing so their mind is set up but I think it's I wonder how much of it feels like a defense mechanism for seeing something so traumatic if people are just like oh like if you if it's like almost like an outof body experience and now you've been looking at it almost as if it isn't real in that way but it's just the logistics of being like we've been driving for two days like a like and not only has he been did they buy the United States highway system and rent it out like what what do you mean well I was going to say too if it was him driving you can make me make an argument of like oh he's been driving for 2 days but it's been like in a giant Circle or something but they've all been driving to know what lefts and rights they've been taking Etc and also even like a 4our straight stretch of driving like I don't know feels a bit feels a bit wonky well this is AP Apollo uh start talk yeah yeah what do we do now Rob do we turn around I'm going to make that decision for you if you want to split off and head back I suggest you wait till morning and stagger your leaveing times about an hour or so I never seen nothing like what happened back there before but this is the most people I ever played the game with maybe that's doing something what do you mean by that well it's the only thing that's changed truth is this ain't our world but all rights we shouldn't be here even when it's one car the road always tries to discourage you maybe it's like bacteria a vein one or two might slip by a notice but once it hits a certain point it's like a like an immune system response you think the road's pushing back on foreign objects and the bigger the group The more violent the response it makes sense until blue jay laughs once more heing her reaction I reassess what I'm saying and I can't help but feel a little foolish at the idea maybe it's it's just a theory I don't know Rob collects himself regaining his composure either way you all have the morning to decide if you want to keep on the road Bristol if you want to go home you got to find someone to take you I ain't ready to head back yet he turns away from the group and marches to the Wrangler I don't see him again for the rest of the evening and I have no intention of bothering him even Lilith immediately crowded around me asking if I'm all right and take it in turns to disparage Rob's actions I can't bring myself to join in all I can can bring myself to say is can I charge my phone in your car this changes my mind on rob a little bit like yes I I understand like he told them it's dangerous in there that's different from people actively trying to kill you right MH like I I would describe rock climbing as dangerous that doesn't mean you're actively dodging like Killers as you go climbing yeah so yeah I I feel like there is a little bit of his obsession with this myth getting in the way uh of and of course like the revelation of who blue jay is changes my idea that uh she knows what's going on because she's she's just as dumb as everyone else she's just a skeptic and like set in her ways about it um so I yeah this changes my mind on rob a little bit I think he's I think there's going to be points in the story where he lets the evil that's happening get to him you know uh or sorry not get to him like he's going to let the evil that's happening uh fall to the Wayside because he wants to get to the end or like get to you know whatever his objective is in here even if it puts people's lives at risk I mean that's kind of what he's already done yeah and a way he's already done that he's been being very ambiguous even by the end here saying Bristol I'm not ready to go home yet you're have to find someone else so it does seem like he has some kind of plan that he's just not saying because pretty much there's no there's no real winning of the game either is one thing like if you turn around all all you can do is keep going in this in this universe and like just kind of see where you end up yeah and I think that in my opinion he's been to these parts before he's been this far in before but I think he's trying to reach someplace that he hasn't been yet um feels very lovecraftian kind of feels like um I forgot what Lovecraft story it was but it was the one where the guys in the submarine and he sees like the like this Palace underwater it's like a German Submariner guy just something yeah yeah I know the one you're talking about I forget the name of it but I remember yeah it's it's giv me those kind of Vibes of the thing of like something's calling to him to do this thing I just don't think he's revealed his whole hand yet I still don't think that I don't I I I think that he is holding stuff in but I don't know how malicious he is because I wonder how much of this is him experiencing this stuff for the first time even though he is pretty common collected like I feel like if Ace was like you would think that a person would be more upset about somebody's death if it was the first time you know like more ecstatic or not ecstatic but like more like you know uh oh this has never happened before like it's not supposed to happen like this or something I I don't believe him that no one's ever died before I think he knows more he's letting on um and also like his reaction kind of says a lot where he's like Ace knew the consequences or like Ace knew the risk or whatever it's very uh calculating regarding someone's death it feels like it again I don't think he's outright evil I just think he's going to let his obsession get the better of him yeah no I I I think that the only thing that's evil is is going to be the selfish once he has for this game yeah yeah I think so yeah all right well on that note continuing the group has very little to say for the rest of the night a deep solemn solimon solemnity sure I I hate the word solemn dude solity solity yeah anony amony there you go with words we don't understand with words we don't understand or they're hard to say let's just [ __ ] say bazinga or apple a deep Bazinga hangs in the airep Sheldon Cooper appears he's just like Sheldon Cooper's just like in the shadows by the tree [Laughter] Bazinga um dampening any semblance of good cheer like wet leaves on a dwindling fire no one offers any conversation Apollo's reservoir of quips has run dry everyone's wondering where they'll be going from here pondering the sort of person they are in circumstances such as this do they press on towards danger or back towards safe and familiar ground it's a question they'll have to figure out for themselves ideally before Sunrise I already have questions of my own about an hour after Rob's departure bidding farewell to the rest of the group I walk over to Lilian Eve's car my bag is resting on the front seat a black wire leading inside from the charging port I've decided not to tell the pair that I've been charging the Detonator for a military gr explosive less than 10 met away from them good God perhaps it will come out during broadcast if you're listening to this sorry girls I pick up my bag and and checking that no one's looking make a beine for the Apple Grove I marched through the small wood the air growing still the sounds of the Convoy quickly fading behind me in the late evening Darkness with the moon shrouded by Legion of crooked trees I'm puzzled that I'm not more afraid I've seen what happens on this road and as I pass through the Grove and into the neighboring field intentionally isolating myself from the rest of the group I'm quite aware that help won't be coming for me even so as the corn Rises up in every direction around me I find myself almost incapable of fear the day's events have drained me of emotion and I'm now with everything else pulled away I'm yes and I'm now with everything else pulled away okay sorry I don't know why I fell I read that wrong I'm left with only one driving directive an overpowering urge to figure this road out regardless of what that entails judging the distance I've traveled to be acceptably out of range from the Convoy I take the block of C4 out of my bag and place it on the ground gritting my teeth my body cringing with self-inflicted Dread I press the power button on the Nokia and wait for something to happen my worries of instant disintegration are allayed slightly as the grainy image of two outstretched hands comes into view swiftly replaced by a menu screened I work fast the words on the brown paper package constantly reminding me of what I'm putting at risk with every passing second firstly I type my number I type my number own number okay I I think they're trying to say I type my own number into the phone assuming or at least hoping that the mechanism isn't activated by outgoing calls a few seconds later my cell phone rings giving me the Nokia's number checking the call logs I find a second different number which seems to have made a call to the phone three times in quick succession if I were a betting woman which I sometimes am I'd suggest this this number belongs to whoever built the bomb the calls representing an attempt to test the trigger prior to its implementation if I'm right this should be the personal number of whoever was driving that crash car my third Discovery is a little bit more puzzling no texts have been sent from this phone however there's one solitary message residing in the phone's inbox it's from a third separate number and it reads thus please don't do this Rob ooh oo interesting mhm I stare at those four words the new information graining uncomfortably against my already preconceived theories if this text is to be believed and my previous deductions are at all accurate then that means Rob guthard was driving the car that the C4 in the truck had belonged to him all this time I thought Rob may have been responsible for something terrible but what if he was run off the road himself if that's the case it leads to an entirely new question who was responsible for his crash as I begin to think it over the air explodes around me I'm jolted out of my examination by a powerful echoing voice which reverberates the very air the corn is thrown into a frenzy as the noise Echoes from every direction as if spoken by the air itself I've watched you questioning without a second's hesitation I turn off the n and throw the block into my bag I jumped to my feet and scanned the cornfield for whoever spoke the words packing away towards the Convoy oh backing away towards the Convoy suddenly realizing how far I am from my friends I break into a run my boots pounding the dirt as I flee back to the woods less than a minute later I burst out through the trees my bag Swinging with the weight of the block everyone's in their cars seemingly fast asleep I'm starting to think they're on to something with no one to talk to and a long day ahead of me I suppose there's no further recourse but to catch my breath ride up my immediate thoughts and then finally get some much needed to rest I feel a dull pressure behind my eyes as I step toward the Wrangler quietly opening the back door next to my sleeping area I carefully hide the block under my luggage then silently closing the door again I wander around to the passenger side where the notes are waiting to be typed I reached out and grabbed the handle gripping it tightly I don't open the door in fact after a moment staring through the glass I let go the pressure behind my eyes gives way and before I know it I've slid down down to the damp ground my back against the cool hard metal of the door a wine catches in my throat as ugly tears stream down my cheeks my breath shutters as I inhale and my attempt to breathe out plays to the world as a quiet declining SOB the tears take me by surprise but I don't wipe them away in a bitter sweet way they're welcome necessary even they carry with them a familiar sense of heart-rending release by the time they've run dry I feel feel like I might just be able to move on from the events of the day the sounds of my head are just a little quieter now I've paid them their due are you okay honey I'm picking myself up when I see Bonnie walking carefully over to the Wrangler I brush myself off a little embarrassed at being caught I didn't know you were awake I'm a light sleeper and Martin well Clyde snores do you need someone to talk to I think I just need to sleep thanks Bonnie my name's Linda if you're wondering Alice that's a beautiful name well Alice I know I don't talk much but I know how to listen if you ever want me to for the first time since the pine fell I find myself smiling it's a weak smile but a smile nonetheless thank you Linda I might take you up on that have a good night you have a good night too Bonnie starts to walk back to the car before pausing and turning around one last piece of comfort to offer and remember everything will be all right once we get to wintery Bay H winry wintery Bay wonder where what she means by that didn't she mention that earlier weren't they like yeah I'm I'm wondering though I feel like she said something about that briefly but has Rob said anything good about winter Bay too I don't think he's mentioned I think it was just that part where they're like oh it kind of reminded me of wintery Bay oh yeah weird huh anyway I frown a little unsure what Bonnie means she smiles back blankly then resumes the path back to her car she's mentioned that yeah she smiles back blankly good guy a blank smile that's a horrifying phrase it'll all be fine once we get to winry Bay yes perfect winry Bay you want to explain on that further good night Clyde snor yeah she like unzips her tent you just hear like like a guy like dying of snoring in there like a giant seat machine sound they have a SE in the car yeah from a [Music] generator ah wintery Bay here we come just the weirdest people you've ever met yeah I know I don't talk much but I'm going to scare the [ __ ] out of you immediately win Bay with win Bay that's that's funny that's a funny phrase to say to people out of context it will be fine when we get to wintery Bay and just like total a excuse me excuse me like you're in the line at like a grocery store you know what I mean they're like what oh nothing see you there I would I wouldn't worry about it if I were you don't even worry your little head worrying makes it hungry what winry bay runs off just says it one more time that's pretty good okay anyway she smiles blankly then resumes the path back to her car she's mentioned that place before upon leaving Jubilation what seemed like a moment of idle reminiscence how she mentioned it just doesn't seem like reminiscence at all after everything that's gone on all the suspicion I've been directing at Rob all my worry for Ace is something the matter with Bonnie perhaps I'm misunderstanding perhaps Bonnie misspoke but all the same the brief comfort her words afforded me has already faded away leaving a familiar feeling of confusion and paranoia in its place I let myself into the passenger side typing up a few pressy notes and then climbed through onto the air mattress sleep doesn't come easily I close my eyes to try to convince myself that tomorrow will be better than this heroin day and every time I make that particular argument a voice of my head responds that may depend on which way you turn oh that's a fun little line to end it yeah you know what's interesting about the the way of ending that with Bonnie is that she never spoke up during that altercation about whether it was fake or not kind of almost makes it seem like especially with her Blank Stare I'm like it almost puts me under the impression that maybe uh she is one of these entities that exist in the in this other dimension or something like that yeah I'm imediately suspicious of her you know yeah I'm I'm I'd say let's just keep rolling right into part five yeah yeah all right uh another intro from the guy compiling this hi guys it's been a long week but I finally got to my computer to post the next llog I've been working over time to afford both London rent and Christmas presents hasn't been fun anyway I can't say much more since the log's one of the longer ones I'll try and get the next one up a little sooner thanks for all your help well thanks for that guy I don't care about all right anyway feels a bit brief doesn't it yeah anyway yeah so that was crazy you know people die and all that on to the next one do you think that there's anything like I guess just we're at the halfway point of the story right in other in other um pieces that we've read usually the person posting the stuff is just as confused or is kind of like a little more driven to understand what was going on after cryptic messages yet our narrator here is just kind of like hey sorry I was late here you go like it almost feels like a social media post from like the author itself just being like hey it took me took me a little a little longer to write this one but I just don't think that it would be that unintentional to have him be this like uninterested maybe that's going to uh make it self known as we go on maybe it'll time oh I'm sure I'm sure yeah all right so the next part uh February 11th 2017 the next morning everything's the same it's strange we're usually so blind to the quiet consistency in our everyday lives only really taking notice once something changes yet as I stir a spiral of Honey into my oatmeal and glance around the group it's the noticeable lack of change truly stands out since the previous evening the atmosphere surrounding the Convoy and the demeanor of each member doesn't seem to have altered in the slightest the night has fallen short in its role as a Grand Meridian failing to partition the past and future and bringing with it neither perspective nor closure it's as if yesterday has spilled like a toppled brush pot into the next morning coloring everything with the same temperaments fear and divisions lilan s this a beautiful beautiful line by the way I don't know if you oh yeah that was a well beauti beautiful paragraph yeah has fallen short in its role failing to partition the past and future uh it's spilled coloring with the temperament fears and divisions yeah well done I like it yeah Lilith and Eve sit facing each other their legs crossed on a plastic ground sheet neither are saying very much I'll be it for vastly different reasons Lilith is still preoccupied by her own smoldering indignation whereas Eve looks overcome with a subtle but pervasive dread neither have taken food from Rob stove a decision I suspect Lilith made for both of them Apollo Bonnie and Clyde are across from me Apollo is making conversation attempting to revive his usual Good Humor Bonnie and Clyde help him out laughing at his jokes and smiling along with his stories blue jay hasn't stepped out of her car all morning eating her own rations and maintaining a welcome distance from the rest of the group her eyes beat mine as I look her way and I'm treated to a sharp sardonic dismissal and Rob Rob is attempting to the prce practicalities of the road serving breakfast then topping up the Wrangler from one of the hulking Jerry cans it's clear the routine is comforting to him I can easily imagine this is how he deals with the great many problems compartmentalizing recasting himself as a blunt instrument engaged in a set of necessary processes he's made himself too busy for grief and will likely remain so until the feeling Fades as coping mechanisms go it isn't remotely healthy I should know I'm doing pretty much the exact same thing Clyde could I get a few words Clyde looks up from his food a little surprised you you want me yeah if that's not too much trouble oh no no no no trouble at all you want to do it now or I'm not too hungry no me neither that'd be great thank you would you mind if we moved away from the stove Clyde nods keenly putting my bowl to one side I take Clyde to the edge of the Apple grow nobody looks after us how are you holding up Bristol getting there how about you I'm uh yeah I'm getting by so can I ask why did you choose Bonnie and Clyde as your call signs well it came pretty easy we used to play Outlaws when we were kids one time B stuck up a bank really well no it was more of an ice cream parlor but Bonnie was pretending it was a bank and then she ran in holding her hand like a gun told Mrs Guilford it was a stickup wow that doesn't seem like a oh no she was a child but I was always living in a story anyway we got free Sundays and a new nickname in town after that when Rob told us about the call signs it was the first thing we thought of it's a good choice I paused letting the previous subject fade before launching into the next one all things considered this may be the last time me and Clyde are on such casual speaking terms Bonnie told me she talked to The Hitchhiker CL wait did Bonnie say that well I don't know I I don't think so I think like uh I think the only thing she said is that uh just the the weird uh thing she said about the town or whatever I'm wondering if she's lying or like trying to get something out of okay Clyde's dispos disposition shifts there's sudden alertness that wasn't there before rushing to the four in immediate response to my words in the following silence at the center of his wide-eyed stare an educated guest suddenly becomes much more when did she tell you I'm sorry CDE she didn't you just did oh H she got him Alice Shera you [ __ ] she got him she got him that was a that was mean that was very mean but it worked I can almost see the stone fall in Clyde's throat the Deep burning embarrassment and the hurt that comes from being deceived from a close secret you held getting out into the world I don't feel exceptional either lying to Clyde bringing him away from Bonnie under the guise of an interview beyond the personal apports it also flies in the face of everything I've tried to be as a journalist Clyde can't bring himself to talk so I press forward I think it might be best if you call Bonnie over here nodding vaguely Clyde wordlessly shuffles back to Bonnie whispering in her ear she puts a hand on his shoulder and helps herself up whatever he's told her she doesn't seem angry as she joins us beneath the shade of the apple trees I didn't want to cause any trouble and Clyde's been looking forward to this trip for so long I didn't want us to turn back I'm sorry what happened Bonnie I just said two words I wasn't talking to him I was doing what Rob said but then he I just said bless you that's all it was was that's it well I he thanked me and he was just so easy to talk to and I thought well I've already talked to him what will a few more words do she hardly said anything else what about him did he say anything Bonny starts to smile the same way she did last night a dreamy enthused expression glowing with reminiscent Joy he he told me about this wonderful place wasn't it wonderful Martin Bonnie just a few houses by the sea but he made it sound so nice Bonnie please what's wrong I can talk about it right when I look back to Clyde his lips are firmly pressed together his facial muscles tighten he's holding something back but what slips through betrays a poyant dismay it's all you talk about Bonnie you you mentioned it a few times after and since jubilation and you ain't stopped are you guys talking about wintery Bay Clyde grimaces and Bonnie grins when they hear the name Bonnie are we heading there the hit Checker said it's on our way I'm so looking forward to seeing it I can't say I feel the same and it's safe to say Clyde agrees with me before now I'd only heard Bonnie mention winnery Bay on two occasions but it sounds like she's talked about it a whole lot more I sympathize with with Clyde for what he's had to deal with however the gross irresponsibility of his actions aren't lost on me either does Rob know I didn't want to you didn't want to trouble him or you just didn't know or did you just not want to him to turn oh my God or did he just not want him to turn you around I'm all right really well either way you need to tell Rob before we hit the road Clyde shuffles uncomfortably I'm not going to do it for you but too much has happened on this trip already Ace is this place is dangerous okay there's no place for lies anymore I hope that Clyde doesn't see the irony given that I've roundly deceived him in the past 5 minutes he nods takes Bonnie's hand and walk slowly towards the Wrangler Rob is loading the last of the foldup chairs into the back of the car the conversation doesn't last long but by the end of it Rob rests his hand on Bonnie's shoulder and sends them on their way he doesn't look mad perhaps perhaps he just has other things on his mind it seems like Bonnie is kind of like almost under a spell or something then yeah like having talked to him has led her to be like it seems like she's almost infected with this kind of like you know what's kind of weird is the same kind of optimism she has about uh Weatherly Bay is the same kind of like like cheery optimism and stuff that The Hitchhiker even had too so I'm wondering if that kind of like rubbed off on her I think uh I also think Alice is a pretty smart character cuz she heard Bonnie mention something weird last night and then correctly assumed that it was something to do with the hitchhiker but it's like The Hitchhiker was giving them a vision of this weathery Bay um which I'm very scared for whenever that shows up I think also how much of it too did she see her smile as the same smile that The Hitchhiker gave her in the mirror and stuff like that yeah you know what I mean it it probably felt reminiscent in that way that's the second thing I've done today that's inherently non-journalistic I was supposed to be a fly on the wall for this story a passenger recording events with objective Detachment with my own influence seeping into proceedings in many ways I wish I still was but the stakes are higher now and though Secrets make for good editorial they're also potentially damaging to the safety of the group following the incident with Ace I'm slightly less concerned with an unbiased story than I am getting home to tell it Rob looks like he's about to make his morning address the group wanders over some more reluctantly than others and gathers around the Wrangler first things first I want to say that well tempers got a little heated last night and that I'm sorry for my part and all that I want to thank you for coming with me this far and if you want to turn back well that's just fine the group stays quiet if you're heading back I'd say if you travel one by one be sure to stay on the radios retrace the route and follow all the rules that applied when you were getting here now can I get a show of hands who's wanting to keep going on the road can we take a uh a second two just to be like it's kind of crazy that to safely get back you have to remember the exact route that you took yeah every turn so the longer you go on this trip too the harder that's going to be like I mean even already through that kind of thing through especially even driving through the neighborhoods of going like you know left right left right all those times you have to do that I'm pretty sure accurately on your way back you can't just like kind of go back in a straight line you can't guess yeah because he imp he hasn't said directly but he implies if you don't take the turns the correct way you never get out yeah well it seems like they people they probably yeah like I think that you'll probably just be locked in there or something yeah yeah you'll be kind of lost especially if you break the code you know what I mean yeah yeah you go a line which I guess you could remember just even if you don't remember the exact route you could think okay I just went left right left so now I'll go right left right and you could just do that the whole way back um easier said than done I imagine but easier said than done especially because he said there's places where the road tries to trick you right like tries to hide turns from you and stuff like that so I I don't want to do it no what about you are you dipping at this point I'm I'm bro I'm dipping with like probably like correct I would too but let's say you're here right now you're this far in right you got to drive back through Jubilation to get out right yeah I think with how how big of the threat was at Jubilation I think that it would be hard to feel like I'm going to go back on my own especially because that's the thing now is you have the comfort of a group yeah of like okay well if something happens to me there's this granted Ace is a different exception just because his car but I just mean like in terms of like camping and stuff because you'd have to also assume that you whenever you drive back you're also going to have to stop at a certain point and camp out by yourself yeah and all this kind of stuff there's just too much I I would feel more comfortable in a group yeah I think so I agree with you uh I observe my compatriots closely the definites will be Bonnie and Clyde who have already implied that they want to continue and also blue jay who feels she has nothing to worry about from the road Po's in the wind and Lilith and Eve are probably a split vote all in all this could be the moment our Convoy splits in half blue jay throws her hand up lazily Bonnie and Clyde predictably raise theirs Apollo raises his a few moments later hey I've come this far that leaves Lilith and Eve after sharing a brief glance with her friend Lilith raises her hand and Eve follows suit I'll be it with an air of trepidation I'm surprised that no one's turning back after everything that happened yesterday but it's clear everyone has their own reasons I'm just glad I don't have to say goodbye to anyone I said about trying to divide Divine oh divide I think everyone's motives for continuing on the road but I quickly stop when I realize everyone's looking at me me oh sorry well I'm in I'm going that way I gestured to the road ahead and raised my hand redundantly well okay I guess that's everyone then got a fair way to travel today but there ain't much to see just follow the rules take things as they come I guess as we pull out I start to feel a little Restless the sedentary nature of travel is beginning to take its toll and I'm starting to feel over familiar with the wrangler's passenger seat I'm glad I got chance to stretch my legs last night rolling alian cornfields span the roadside for the next 5 hours turns are few and far between Rob's attention never wavers I only managed to grasp his attention briefly on chap supposed to have poor fuel economy that ain't the best that's why I always bring gas along it's just the fuel gauge has hardly moved since we left this morning huh you notice that huh I was wondering if you were going to why what have you done to it nothing it's the road makes fuel burn slower seriously ain't just that either you finish your food this morning no why hardly anyone did except Apollo more you go less you need to keep going okay wait you said the road pushes against you yep but now you're making it sound like it's helping us along yep so it's hostile while also incentivizing us that sounds OD to me sounds like life to me reasons to stop reasons to keep going that's interesting so the so the deeper they go in pretty much the more the road incentivizes you to keep going it's it's like the laws of physics change you know things need less energy but it's to me it's almost like a spider web like you're tempted to go further right because that's I mean like if you get closer you're getting closer to some kind of thing whether that be Weatherly Bay or whever I feels like it's it's it's really wanting you to because at this point too it almost makes it want to seem like you don't even need to stop to sleep yeah or whatever you can just keep driving yeah I don't I don't I don't think the road has good intentions for saving you gas mileage no yeah yeah yeah she's like this is [Laughter] amazing friendly yeah yeah yeah I suppose that makes sense despite his well documented obsession with the secrets of the road Rob seems to have a strangely L Fair attitude to its internal logic it's like the road doesn't need to be perfect to does it need to make perfect sense to him or at least he doesn't expect it to yet as the fresh rural air drifts in through the windows I lose myself in hypnotic endlessness of the passing Fields I wonder how many eyes have seen these V these Vistas I wonder where we are not geographically but in a grander sense are we still in the world as I know it are we beyond it below it or have we just slipped through the cracks into some intermediate domain Rob slips the car down to a crawl a precaution he takes before most Corners my eyes wander gently back into the Wrangler finally resting on the rear view there's something behind us a humanoid figure shrouded in the soft focus of considerable distance it staggers quickly toward the Convoy unsure on its own feet oh boy Noy oh no Rob what is that Rob follows my gaze to the rearview mirror his brow furrows something new oh [ __ ] all these new things with Rob like all this new stuff it may be it may be like you bring too many people in at once is what's causing it who knows well I like the analogy of the uh I like the analogy of like basically like an infection going into your vein or something like that and like the more cells that are used to like kill big a bigger immune response right exactly yeah Rob grabs the receiver before he can make an announcement the speaker splutters with static followed by Eve's frantic voice guys there's something behind us guys something coming after us blue jay can you see it blue jay doesn't answer I doubt she considers it worth her time a squealing Panic rings out over the radio as Eve calls again is it from Jubilation guys guys stay calm everyone let's pick up the pace a little Rob lets his foot rest heavier on the gas the Wrangler gently accelerates with the rest of the Convoy eagerly matching our speed who is that Rob I ain't so sure but we got a turn coming up let's just get ourselves off the road see if he follows the figure continues to stumble towards us its arms hanging crookedly in the air and as it comes in a sharper Focus I could just make out that there's something wrong with its face guys speed up please please calm down it's coming for us I can sympathize with Eve's Panic I've had the luxury of traveling at the head of the Convoy I was the first to cross when that godforsaken Pine was dropped across the road EV is now second to last relying on three other cars to make their escape before she can follow Ace had to wait for the rest of us and it cost him everything now even Lilith are one car closer to being where he was it's face oh my God oh my God guys please Jesus shut up hey that is not helping Rob it's moving pretty fast we we stayed the course it ain't caught up just yet oh God oh God oh God Rob's warnings are cut short by the screeching of tires Eve swerves out of the Convoy's neat single file line and onto the empty stretch of road beside us the car accelerates past Bonnie and Clyde past Apollo I get a brief glimpse of Eve and Lilith as our Windows align Lilith is yelling at Eve trying to get her to calm down Eve is screaming into the air the puppet of her own frenic cor frenetic Terror the car shoots past us and down the long road ahead Rob swears and picks up the radio the figure continues to lurge towards us fairy man to even Lilith stop the car right now Eve slow down Eve damn it you're going to I stared through the windshield as the car stops not a slow grinding deceleration but an unequivocal immediate halt their bodies are thrown forwards against the safety glass as the car becomes utterly motionless Rob what's happening I told him to be careful what what's I no longer need an answer I realized that rent right in front of me e to the side of the road a brief Gap in the endless rows of golden corn only a little wider than the Wrangler itself a dirt track that leads off to the left about 10 m ahead of us about 15 M behind Lilith and Eve I Now understand why Rob was being so careful why Eve should have been as well they've missed the next turn ooh oh man you hit like an invisible wall yeah if you don't make the right thing it seems like oh that's wild okay Fairman all cars I found the turn let's make it quick even Lilith you stay in the car I'm coming back to get you both Rob flicks on his turn signal preparing the group for the sharp left corner and slams his foot on the accelerator Lilith and Eve disappear behind a wall of corn as we pull down the dirt track Rob keeps driving until enough space is left for the rest of the group once they're all safely pulled in Rob climbs into the back of the car grabs his rifle and jumps out onto the path I quickly climb out and follow behind him when we arrive on the main road the figure has covered a considerable distance finally Drawing Near enough for me to see what's wrong with its face at a certain point Midway across the crown of the head running in a straight line down past the cheeks and under the jaw the head simply stops it's like the foremost section of his skull has been sliced cleanly off and has bent inwards his entire face concave and shrouded completely in a deep Shadow a Gastly organic hood that seems steeper than physics should allow this isn't all that wrong with the picture however this isn't all that's wrong with the picture however the man's outstretched arms are bent in several places dark purple continuous Blossom at every unnatural joint as if his arms had been broken multiple times his leg is also bent to one side and the reason for the irregular walk that still carries him towards us Rob looks shaken as he raises the rifle to his shoulder bitting the figure turn around the man ignores Rob's demands continuing its March even when a bullet hits it square in the chest the figure hardly slows down we're forced to jump out of out of the way as it continues down the road even Lilith cowering in their locked car as it approaches fear shifts into confusion as the creature passes them by and continues down the road as if it doesn't even know we're here Rob breathes a sigh of relief lowers the gun and runs back to the rest of the Convoy the moment he leaves my mind notes something peculiar it's an utterly bizarre observation especially considering the many other worldly facets of the retreating creature there's something familiar about it specifically it's fashion sense H the shirt the dirt covered jeans they aren't dissimilar from the ones that I found in the brown leather duffel bag resting at top the block of C4 reaching into my pocket pulling out my phone I scroll through my list of contacts as the man heaves himself down the road I call the second number I discovered last night the one in the Nokia's receed call list the number that likely belonged to whoever created the bomb and whoever was driving the car that day after a few moments moment a ringtone disrupts the creature's silent walk I end the call realizing how Reckless I've been and praying that the strange figure doesn't see my action as an excuse to turn around I'm lucky this time at least the dial tone cuts out and the figure continues to stumble its way toward the Horizon the next thing I hear is a scream scanning for its source I see Eve her door open with one foot out of the car she's frantically pulling at her leg seemingly unable to lift it from the tarmac Eve what's going on with shaking fingers Eve clumsily unties her shoelace and lifts her leg back into the car her boot stays in place and it's possible to make out a slightly elasticity to the road below it a depression in the tarmac around its base slowly and steadily the sole of the boot disappears into the road Eve o Eve watches as the dark tarmac slowly sucks the boot down enveloping the heel and dragging it beneath the surface the thought comes to Eve the same moment it does to me we both fix our eyes on the back of the car where same soft indent is gradually developing around the tires Eve's terrified scream is drowned out by the blare of revving engines I jump out of the way as the rest of the Convoy reverse out of the corner and back onto the main road blue jay Bonnie and Clyde Apollo and finally Rob Park themselves chaotically around me Rob jumps out and approaches they ain't pulled back yet as soon as he asks the question he sees the sight for him only the neck of Eve's boot remains above the ground sinking ever further into the tarmac the road gradually but veraciously churns at the car tires consuming the Rubber and swallowing the lowest edge of the wheel cover in the midst of such an impossible sight all I can say to Rob is they're trying Lil theve hit the gas hard the engine growls at the road as it furiously attempts to reverse the undercarriage creaking and groaning from the sheer maniacal strain the wheels themselves however don't rotate an inch the tires belong to the road now taken by the unknowable forces that continued to drag them into the Earth the engine chokes defeated and I could see Eve screaming into her fist as the roadway calmly continues its work damn it we can't reach him tell him to get on top of the car what the what's happening Bristol tell him to get on the roof Rob marches off to the Wrangler the rest of the Convoy gather on the road just in line with the left turn where we assume it's safe to stand everyone saving for blue jay looks on an anxious silence a Lilith I need you to get on top of the car okay guys we're sinking oh [ __ ] oh [ __ ] we're Eve I'm trying to help you Rob's working on something but you need to climb onto the roof of the car if you don't think it don't think about anything else open the door wind down your window and use it as a foot old Eve is still deaf with words Lilith doesn't hesitate she places one hand on the upper rim of her on the upper rim of her Open Door one foot on the base of the open window and her free hand palmed down on the car's roof the door rocks as its hinges as she puts her weight on it in one strong motion she pushes herself backwards until she's sitting a top the car the tarmac has swallowed its way to the car's lower chassis Eve stares transfixed by the road as it pulls her ever closer towards it Sarah look at me Lilith is C crouching on the car's roof her hand reaching down to Eve her friend's voice seems to be the only thing that can break Eve's fearful commune with the waiting Abyss she turns around Lila's hand a few inches from her face get up here her eyes [ __ ] with tears fought back by rapid shallow breaths Eve grabs Lilith's hand Lilith gets a solid hand hold around the lip of her own doorway and heaves Eve up and onto the roof of the car Eve shrieks a little Eve shrieks a little as the door more swings putting all her trust in aa's grip she joins her friend on the roof just as the road consumes the lower edge of the door spilling inside the car's cabin like magma damn it they're too far away Rob has returned with the Wrangler rapidly uncoiling a braid of long light blue climbers rope I'd seen it resting in the back of the car during the trip never once thinking that I'd see it used Rob threads one end of the Rope through a caribiner and takes it and sorry and secures it in place with a tight knot he holds it to his side as he shouts to Lilian Eve okay listen we only got one shot at this I'm going to throw you the hook and you're going to catch it and yank it tot okay then you can hook it onto something and climb your way over don't let it fall okay Lilith looks pale she nods before clamoring to her feet and stepping to the back of the car Eve watches her her hands wrapped around her legs well here goes nothing Rob begins to swing the Rope rope over his head a large undulating Circle that quickly levels out as the weight of the Carabiner eases the Rope onto a flat plane I instinctively shrug down as the Rope passes over my head swinging faster and faster gritting his teeth his face reing and the Towering pressure of his single throw Rob lets the Rope fly it arcs in the air like a cast fishing line towards L's outstretched hands I watch it pass in front of her the metal of the carabin or glinting in the Sun as it falls she catches it grasping the rope in her shaking hands despite her Victory I see her face contort with sudden and striking pain panic she holds the Rope High over her head staring wildly down at the roope between us following her eyes my heart Falls she's caught the Rope but she didn't pull it taut fast enough even with Rob continuing to hold his end above his head the Rope had too much slack when it landed in Lil's hand it's fallen into a slow sloping Arc the lowest point of which scraped against the tarmac it only rest a few precious seconds before Lilith finds herself unable to pull it free it sinks into the ground the Rope starts to brush gently against Rob's fingers before he throws it to the ground damn it okay I just got something else something we can put down the empty Jerry the empty Jerry cans they could step up too unstable and we'd have to throw them perfect okay okay the road has claimed almost half the car now eating up the license plate as the vehicle sinks lower and lower Lilith looks helplessly on as we deliberate Eve crying her eyes out behind her we could get a ground sheet we ain't got one that'll stretch well what about I'm going out there Apollo's blank statement Catches Us All by surprise tur in his Direction I note a direct and Powerful confidence in his manner they aren't going to last much longer it takes a second for the road to get you that's how they got so far ahead before they stopped I drive out they jump on my car then we climb back I ain't got more rope you got the winch right if I drive up with it bunched up on my lap I can make sure it never goes slack then I hook it up on my roof bars and we get the hell out of Dodge you got the best car for it but I should drive out there you need to work the winch Bonnie and CLI can't climb back skips over his rationale for not choosing blue Jade not wanting to waste time on a foregone conclusion what about me I'm ligher the climb back would be easier but you can't help them when they're jumping over we're Wast of time you know it's a good idea Rob takes a moment to consider it his mind fighting for a better solution you better get back here Apollo don't plan on hanging around you there Rob Apollo grins before sprinting to his Rover Rob wasting no time runs to the witch switches it to manual and unspools the heavy duty rope his hands cross over as he drops each new length onto the ground I turn back to Lilith did you hear that Lilith Lilith is huddled next Eve attempting to comfort her as the car's headlights disappear into the depths of the road her head snaps around when I call what what's happening Apollo's coming out to you you have to jump onto his car and climb back over okay okay she hurries back to Eve grasping her friend's shoulders as she relays the plan okay that'll hold Rob's climbing down from the hood of the Wrangler he fed the winch cable around and through the lightning rig ensuring a good level of clearance on the way out and more importantly for the climb back the Rope has already been fed through Apollo's driver side window Bonnie and Clyde are helping to throw Apollo's baggage out of the trunk and onto the road behind him the less he has to lose on this trip the better I'll set up over here okay see you on the other side Rob Apollo slams his foot onto the accelerator the Range Rover bolts forward and pass Powers towards the threshold the engine Roars as he Rockets past the left turn and keeps on going into the territory Beyond in the few precious seconds he has he crosses the distance towards the two terrified girls the winch rope streams through the window and then suddenly pulls tight Apollo's thrown forward as the car comes to an uncompromising stop roughly a meter's distance from Lilith an eve the impact looks brutal but Apollo somehow manages to keep a hold of the rope and inexplicably his sense of humor I don't think I got the insurance for this clumsily still feeling the after effects of the sudden stop Apollo throws open his door and starts to climb out taking the slack Rob my attention fixed on Apollo I hear the mechanical wor as the winch kicks in life as Apollo climbs out of his car and up onto the roof he affixes the hook at the end of the wiench to one of his roof bars securing it in place a few moments later the Rope is pulled straight Apollo steps down on the hood of his car his arms outstretched to with the girls it's a short jump but they'll have to make it from a lower elevation the trunk of the car already seeking to ground level okay come on I got you we've got to move fast now Lil stands up helping e to her feet before stepping down onto the rapidly disappearing trunk okay okay Lilith Yelps as she throws herself towards Apollo her front foot plants itself on the hood of the car her other leg flailing in the air behind her Paulo grabs her by the arms and Yanks her onto the car holding her close to him as she gets her bearing on the smooth metal of the hood when she's stable he lets her crawl up onto the roof where she immediately looks back to Eve see Eve nothing to it come on now Eve Paces back her hand shaking as she contemplates the jump fighting against her screaming instincts Eve squeals as she steps across the trunk and makes the leap across the toe of her shoe lifting off the car mere seconds before it descends into the murky black pitch of the road Eve lands short of her Destin ation one desperate graspy Mar makes contact with Apollos as her legs bang and scrape against the Rover's Grill scrambling for any conceivable purchase Apollo wait scrambling for any conceivable purchase Apollo is wrenched sideways by the force of evees Landing thrown off balance by the unexpected application of her whole weight in the gut churny moments that follow Apollo tugs Eve up to his chest and wraps an arm around her his center of gravity passing over the edge of the car oh no the uh the fall takes a lifetime wrapped in each other's arms even Apollo tumbled towards the patient ravenous ground in the split second before he leaves the hood of the car Apollo uses his last inch of footing to push himself into a slow turn [Music] a bro The Twist continues as they fall until Eve is looking to the road Apollo to a pale blue sky in one final action Apollo pushes Eve's waist holding her at arms length Apollo's back thuds into the asphalt his head smacking audibly against it dazed and confused he managed to hold Eve aoft keeping everything but her feet from joining him on the hard ground get back up quickly get back up her face shredded by fear and guilt and sorrow Eve stares into Apollo's eyes and whimpers collecting herself she pushes herself off him ripping out her laces and leaving a shoe and a sock behind as she clammers back onto the Range Rover every movement she Whispers a quivering apology it's okay it's okay go on it's okay he repeats those words over and over until I'm not even sure who he's talking to the road elasticator Bonnie buries her face in Clyde's chest unable to watch the next few moments unfold I'm so sorry I'm so sorry it's it's all right just get going okay it doesn't hurt it doesn't hurt really Apollo's ears sink beneath the road entering a new world of perfect silence Apollo sees the end nearing oh God Rob Rob I won't play his final moments for your benefit and ultimately for his before sink into the road Apollo ask for Rob to talk to his family he wants Rob to tell him that he loves them Rob nods knowing that Apollo won't be able to hear his response after a few cries of panic despair Apollo's eyes and mouth are enveloped by the road his screams are drowned by the thick churning asphalt Eve watches the rest of his body sink while Lilith tugs at her sleeve pulling her towards the roof come on we've got to go Sarah we've got to go I'm sorry Whispering one last heartfelt apology to the heir itself Eve steps up with Lilith and stares at the cable okay guys just let yourself down until you're hanging from the rope and work your way across I got it you ready Eve looks to her friend I I don't just watch me okay follow right behind me the range Rover's Wheels have now disappeared with every passing second the cable's clearance diminishes and the angle between the roof bar and the wrangler's lightning rig becomes steeper they need to start moving now or not at all Eve looks across the length of the Rope I can feel her mind kicking back at the prospect I can't Sarah we [ __ ] have to okay follow behind me Lilith wraps her arms around Eve hugging her stiff shivering frame before letting go and crouching down to the Rope slowly working her way under it her hands clenching the cable her legs wrapped securely around it Lilith starts to pull herself along the Rope shifting her feet up every few seconds behind her she fixes her eyes on me as she drags herself to the halfway mark is she following the asphalt swallows the range Rover's lower chassis Eve hasn't moved a muscle the stretch of black tarmac might as well be a bottomless Ravine the grand Canya the idea of hanging herself over it mortifies her Sarah Sarah it's not as bad as it looks please please come on Lilith crosses the threshold her Knuckles are white as she continues to cling to the Rope Rob marches up to her and helps her down into his arms coaxing her handsfree by telling her that she's safe as soon as her feet hit the ground again they give way beneath her and Lilith sinks to the ground crying out Sarah come on please I I can't I can't I please Sarah I need you here her shallow breast quaking with anxiety Eve slowly crouches down and grips the Rope slowly but surely as the outfall consumes the car's license plate less than a meter below her Eve lowers herself down and with cleansy desperation drags herself along the Rope she left it late her back hangs mere inches from the hung hungry ground as she shuffles unevenly towards us lifting her feet and scraping them up the Rope her arm straining to stay locked I'm not going to make it you are keep going the range Rover's window is now disappearing inside the dashboard has been submerged with every yard that Eve manages to climb the lowering rope ensures she stays close to the ground even over the final few feet my heartbreaks the moment her foot slips oo oh God it happens almost too quickly to register as evea radically Shuffles feet along the Rope her bare left foot gives way swinging underneath her and kicking down onto the ground Eve tries to raise it in time before discovering that she can't no no no no please thrown entirely off balance Eve tries to pull herself up however with her lower leg seeping into the dark tar her position can't be maintained she falls her body twisting as she falls onto the road oh no Lilith releases a terrible shrieking cry cry Eve whimpers as the side of her head rest against the tarmac her cheek already subsumed I'm sorry I'm sorry no no please don't be sorry I I love you I I love I love you Jen I love you too I'm sorry I didn't I'm so sorry Eve tries to reply but half of her mouth is sealed shut in cased in the creeping asphalt her short breaths finally melt into one long inhalation as her nose and mouth are sunken entirely one remaining eyee takes a final fleeting look at Lilith before Vanishing I look away from what is still to SN the important thing already gone lth collapses on her knees a scream of torrent of a screaming of torrent and grief expelled from her burning lungs Rob is completely immobile likely searching for something practical in which to bury himself Bunny and Clyde simply look lost as they turned their backs on the sinking Range Rover Blue Jay's reaction surprises me she stares into the tarmac the smirk ripped from her face replaced by a familiar look of shell shock she reportedly mutters something under her breath something that sounds like it's not real it's not real we stand in silence for what seems like an age accompanied by the breeze and L's gradually waning laments after she's exercised the immediate torment her screaming descends into a deathly Stillness Rob makes the first step to approach her uh I could take you back home if you want to no no l lith wipes her eyes as tears continue to fall freely down her cheeks when she turns around she looks enraged no I'm still going I'm going to get to the end you know I can't tell you when that'll be L stands up and glares at Rob then looks over to Bonnie and Clyde are you guys still going do you have a seat free the siblings look to one another Bonnie nods you got a place you got a place with us if you want is the door unlocked uh yeah then what the [ __ ] are we waiting around for Lilith marches to Clyde's Fort and climbs into the back seat she waits for us impatiently to finish up anyone else want to turn around Rob looks to me and blue jay blue jay sends a look of deep score in his way before Mar marching off to her own car Bristol the Range Rover is finally sunk the road is settled back into a hard permanent surface it isn't like Rob to offer me a ride home and I feel overwhelmingly like I should take him up on it but there are too many questions unanswered too many unchallenged Mysteries weaved into the fabric of this journey going back now wouldn't be a return it'd be a retreat I'm still going a few minutes later the three remaining cars roll down the dirt track leaving another incomprehensible atra atrocity behind us there's a part of me that can't believe I'm still continuing down this road a greater part of me is astonished that no one took the opportunity to turn back as Rob carries me on to the next turn and the one after that I realized we all have our reasons I'd become obsessed with chasing the truth as had blue jay in her way Bonnie had her own unsettling motives for carrying on and Clyde wasn't about to abandon her Lilith had directed her smoldering anger and grief towards the road itself seeking Deliverance at its end and Rob as far as he's concerned there's only one direction to go still when I think of the Sorrows that have already befallen us and the potential for unspeakable ruin that lies ahead I realize that no one in their right mind would continue down this road I suppose no one is all right so that was uh that was something else it's the first time too that we've seen something that is I guess Supernatural in that kind of way like we've we've obviously seen the distorted man and stuff and but I think even to a point where it feels so realistic that now even blue jay is kind of standing there probably you know this isn't real it can't be real yeah yeah I don't know it's it's it's a very interesting uh very interesting that's really tragic that Apollo and Eve died cuz Apollo died to save Eve there at the end right like when he grabbed her and wrapped around her and then she died too yeah and then she she died which you know it's a tin situation but immediately I'm just like ah Apollo selfishly died or selflessly died for nothing so that kind of you know yeah that hurts pretty I feel this yeah there's like this like little there's this continuous pain in my chest over that but at the same time it's like at least he also saved Lilith too like he saved both of them I'm I'm loving the story I'm loving the direction is so okay let's let's think about some of this the thing that was in the mirror approaching them she describes it was wearing the same clothes from that car right yeah so maybe the jacket yeah maybe it was an old friend of uh his that that that bag was still in Lilith's car right Lilith and uh Eve's car yeah so that bag had the clothes of whoever was in the vehicle and now it sounds like the way she described it his face looked like it was caved in and his arms were broken in several places maybe that was like a human that was turned into whatever that creature is right yeah well I almost expected it to be uh the dead body uh reanimated cuz if if the thing is all tore up and it was at a uh crashed car kind of makes you think like the guy's body was mangled in the car kind of thing and that's him reanimated all the all the bruising from the broken bones and stuff like that he's like running I think that's what it was referring to pretty brutal so that causes them to freak out and it seems like we were thinking earlier oh if you don't take the correct left right turns you just get lost no it turns out you just die yeah no you're just dead actually yeah oops sucks for you the invisible wall thing is really interesting though them just plummeting right into it well it was it remember it wasn't an invisible wall it was uh the pavement catching them okay so it was on because they got off the road yeah do you think it's because do you think that they technically took like a left or something I guess I'm wondering why that road caught them versus the road that they're on it's because they took a wrong turn because they sped up to get around the Convoy and kept going straight and they missed the left turn I see okay so they they didn't play the Left Right game correctly so apparently if you don't play the Left Right game correctly you're just immediate death yeah it's almost like you're on a safe path if you if you can just stay because it seems like if anything too you know Rob is trying to keep his cool and the this like weird humanoid monster is chasing after them right but I'm wondering how much of that is the road trying to lure them off the wrong path yeah I don't know I'm so this is great I love it yeah it's coming in good I mean we're we're on part six now we're over halfway mark I'm curious especially now with the next draft starting we're on the uh February 12th so this will be the what the fourth day that they've been in there together with each other yeah yeah almost a week playing this game and on the road continuously driving I really don't see how any of Blue Jay's speculation could still be warranted I just don't I don't know how that would be a thing uh maybe if it was super high budget but I don't know yeah but like high high budget for high budget for like what like I mean like I just don't understand the iname motive yeah I mean she's starting to come to that realization I think you know like her whole this can't be real it can't be real thing and on that note before we're we're at the halfway mark uh so we are going to break this one up into two parts this has been a long recording guys so thanks for hanging out with us for so long um in the second part we're going to be starting at part six so be sure to uh catch us along the next episode to find out the second half and the chilling conclusion to this buildup so far which has been great I mean it's been a you know and the weird thing too I'm glad with this one is uh I feel this is like one of the first stories we've done besides the staircase one um staircase in the woods I feel like it's been the first one that has had this kind of like fun Supernatural thing that does that doesn't lead to like weird real life repercussions or something it's kind of like it is taking a uncanny surreal take on uh interdimensional travel almost you know I did say I would kill to have like a spooky ghost story and this is like the equivalent of that after all of the quote unquote real world tears we've been reading about so I'm I couldn't be happier right now like we had to talk about scary Road monsters and like necromance people and this alternate dimensional travel this is this is what I wanted it's fun it's cool it's scary it's like a Creature Feature to me and it takes my mind off of whatever barasa and pimp Pals was so I feel great right now it feels good I think that the the buildup has been really fun I mean half the story has been building up kind of this you know is it real is it not kind of thing and just building up the game itself and the Allure but now we're getting into like some of the actual crazy stuff that's happening in this uh in this game so I I think the second part is I think the second half is going to reveal a lot more answers obviously but I'm I'm very curious to see what else the game throws at uh the participants yeah yeah I'm I'm thrilled I couldn't be happier with it yeah it's amazing it's it's very good and you know like I said this recording's been a long one so far so we we were trying to do it all in one episode but I think it's going to be it's going to be a hefty one so we're going to have to break it up into two so without further Ado we're going to head out for this we're going to head out this time but uh you know be sure to show up next time whenever we post also be sure to check us out on Spotify and apple podcast all the places you can listen to podcast we there and uh you know the audio downloads also help us as well so you know if you're want to support the channel that's a good way to do it and you all be prepared for the part two of the Left Right game I'm so stoked I can't wait Left Right game we will see you next time see you in the next one bye sh