Episode 79: "A Temple in Ruin Stands” – The Sheridan Tapes
CONTENT WARNING: Existential dread, depictions of the aftermath of an unnatural disaster, religious manipulation, and loud noises including fire and screams
02022020: Upon the plains of Oslow, the inevitable and the unthinkable are discovered.
Starring Ezra J. Wayne as Ned Leroux, Virginia Spotts as Kate Sheridan, Van Winkle as Sam Bailey, Sam Taylor as Ren Park, and Mike Kennedy as Edgar Morrison, with original music by Jesse Haugen. Written by Van Winkle and produced by Virginia Spotts, with dialogue editing and sound design by Van Winkle.
This episode was made possible by our supporters at Patreon.com/homesteadcorner, ko-fi.com/homesteadcorner, and our backers on Seed&Spark.
For more information, additional content, and episode transcript, visit thesheridantapes.com
Script
Transcript
CONTENT WARNING: Existential dread, depictions of the aftermath of an unnatural disaster, religious manipulation, and loud noises including fire and screams
[Turn signal]
[Road noise]
[The engine slows, then revs back up as Kate accelerates]
Ned Leroux
Driving back the way we came for a third time is not going to make Oslow randomly appear.
Kate Sheridan
I know where the Oslow exit is, Ned. We must have missed it last time.
Ned Leroux
What, all four of us?
Sam Bailey
Kate, I… I think he has a point.
Kate Sheridan
Not you too…
Sam Bailey
I know this road, okay? And I didn’t want to say anything before, but… I think it’s moved.
Ned Leroux
What, the whole highway?
Sam Bailey
At least this section of it! It was right where it was supposed to be all the way to Agate Shore, but… something’s off now.
Have any of you seen any road signs since we passed the lake?
Ren Park
[Groaning] We haven’t seen anything since we passed the lake, Sam. There’s nothing to see.
Sam Bailey
Kate, I know there’s something wrong here.
Kate Sheridan
Do you think it’s… Morrison?
Ned Leroux
How would Morrison taking Bill and Rob affect the roads? How would he even do that?
Sam Bailey
Do you have a better idea?
Ned Leroux
Yeah — keep looking.
[Sighing, pause]
Ren Park
Hey, Kate? Could you pull over? I need to stretch my legs.
Ned Leroux
It is not the time to be getting high, Park—
Kate Sheridan
[Talking over Ned]—Sure thing, Ren… I think that would do us all some good.
[Kate turns on her blinker, pulls over, then kills the engine]
[They all unbuckle and climb out of the van, making noises of discomfort/noises of stretching]
[Footsteps on gravel]
Ren Park
I’m going to check out that overlook — it’ll just take a second.
Kate Sheridan
Take all the time you need, Ren. We’re in no rush.
[Ren retreats]
Ned Leroux
I mean we are in a bit of a rush, actually—
Kate Sheridan
We’ve still got at least ten hours of daylight, Ned. We can afford a breather.
Ned Leroux
[Taking a deep breath] If you say so.
[Sam walks to the overlook and stretches his neck]
[He pauses, noticing something]
Sam Bailey
Kate! Ren! Ned! Get over here!
[Footsteps towards Sam]
Kate Sheridan
What is it Sam? What’s wrong?
Sam Bailey
Just… look.
Ned Leroux
Where?
Sam Bailey
Right… there.
[Rustle of clothes as he points]
Kate Sheridan
Holy shit…
[Ren walks back to them]
Ren Park
What’s going on?
Sam Bailey
Ren, look.
Ren Park
What is… What is that? Why is the ground so dark over there?
Kate Sheridan
It’s… it’s a burn scar. Like what’s left behind after a forest fire?
Ren Park
I didn’t think there were any forests around here?
Sam Bailey
There aren’t. Not until Santa Lucia, at least.
Ren Park
Then what is…
Ned Leroux
That’s where Oslow is supposed to be, Park. Exactly where it’s supposed to be.
Ren Park
So you’re saying that… that…
Sam Bailey
It’s not just Bill and Rob who are missing. Morrison took the whole city.
[Cassette noises]
[Click]
[Main Theme]
Recording Begins
[Cassette noises]
[Click]
[Static fades]
[Footsteps on gravel, a gentle cold desert wind blowing across the empty plain]
Sam Bailey
Sam Bailey, personal investigation — February 2nd, 2020 at 1:25pm Pacific Standard time.
Oslow is… Oslow is gone. Somehow… Whatever Morrison is now, he was able to pull the entire city into the Source, not just Bill and Rob. We have to assume that’s what’s happened now. We’ve been looking for hours and we’ve found no evidence of any structural fires — no ruins, no ash, nothing. At least we can be grateful he didn’t burn the whole city down, but… however he pulled it through the veil, it left a scar.
Ned Leroux
I thought I heard fire.
Sam Bailey
…Sorry?
Ned Leroux
When Morrison pushed Spengler into the Source. I thought I heard flames when he did it. The air got pretty hot down in the tunnels, too.
Sam Bailey
So you think it’s… some kind of manifestation of Morrison’s power?
Ned Leroux
Could be. Like your patron and the lake, or Amanita and her fungus. The powers like to link themselves to one physical aspect and stick to it.
Sam Bailey
That’s… troubling.
Ned Leroux
Why?
Sam Bailey
We’ve had a few… close calls, with supernatural fires. I had a… I guess you could call it a vision? When I was in hiding last year. Bill nearly got killed when Marvin’s burned down… hell, even Anna had an encounter in Oregon.
Kate Sheridan
How could that be Morrison, though? That was five years ago — he only changed in the last few months, right?
Ren Park
Well… not really, if you think about it.
Sam Bailey
What do you mean?
Ren Park
I mean… the Source is an extradimensional reality outside the normal bounds of spacetime, coterminous with all points along every world line in all possible universes. Right? So if that’s the case, then it’s fair to say that once Morrison has access to the Source, then he’s always had access to it, from any outside frame of reference. He’s always been there, and always will be… at least, until he chooses to leave.
[The team goes quiet for a moment]
Ned Leroux
We’re wasting time here.
Kate Sheridan
Take it easy, Ned.
Ned Leroux
Morrison isn’t here, and neither is Oslow. If we’re going to find them, then we know exactly where Sam needs to look.
Sam Bailey
What happened to all those warnings about how dangerous the Source is without a guide?
Ned Leroux
The situation’s changed.
Sam Bailey
Yeah. Morrison’s in the Source now. I’d hardly say that makes it safer.
Ned Leroux
Bill and Rob are in the Source too. Or have you forgotten about them?
Ren Park
He, uh… I think he has a point.
Kate Sheridan
Absolutely not.
Ned Leroux
Oh, come on Kate, we need to—
Kate Sheridan
—Remind me which one of us found Sam after his last attempt to save someone from the Source? You almost got yourself killed, Sam — and I don’t care if you can’t actually die, I’m not letting you take a risk like that again until we know more. Understood?
Ned Leroux
That isn’t up to you, Kate. Sam can make his own decisions, and if his friends are in danger, then—
Sam Bailey
—Stop trying to get me on your side now, Ned.
Ned Leroux
…I’m just saying that you can make your own—
Sam Bailey
—No, you’re trying to get me to throw myself into the Source because you’re too scared to do it yourself.
[Tense silence]
[Kate sighs]
Kate Sheridan
Look, Ned… we’re all worried about Bill and Rob. Okay? But we can’t rush into something we don’t know without more time to prepare for—
Ned Leroux
—Oh, fuck this.
[Ned turns and storms off]
[Kate sighs]
Ren Park
I’m, uh… I’ll go after him. Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid?
Kate Sheridan
Just be careful, Ren.
Ren Park
I’ll do my best.
[Ren turns and follows Ned]
[Kate and Sam sigh]
Kate Sheridan
And I thought the old squad was a handful.
Sam Bailey
I mean, to be fair, Maria could be just as stubborn as Ned.
Kate Sheridan
At least Maria never stole anyone’s face as a joke.
Sam Bailey
Touché.
Kate Sheridan
He still seems really worried about Bill and Rob.
Sam Bailey
He is. We all are.
Kate Sheridan
I know, I know. It’s just… do you think he might be planning something?
Sam Bailey
What, like this is all a ruse and he’s just waiting to turn on us?
Kate Sheridan
Something like that.
[Brief pause]
Sam Bailey
I really don’t think so. If he was going to try something, he could have done it already. Plus… well, don’t tell him I said this, but he’s not masking his emotions nearly as well as he usually does.
Kate Sheridan
…so you think he’s being genuine?
Sam Bailey
As genuine as he can be. If he was trying to trick us, I think he’d be much more charming.
Kate Sheridan
Can you sense anything else? Not about Ned, but… out here.
Sam Bailey
We’re the only ones out here, Kate.
Kate Sheridan
I know, but… is there anything leftover from what Morrison did? Any… I don’t know, presence or imprint or something?
[Sam pauses, takes a deep breath]
[Low static rises on the tape]
Sam Bailey (slightly distorted)
Huh.
Kate Sheridan
Do you have something?
Sam Bailey (slightly distorted)
Yeah… I think so. It’s… strange, though.
Kate Sheridan
Strange, how?
Sam Bailey (slightly distorted)
It’s not a presence, but… it’s strong. [He starts walking, Kate follows] Almost like… like a beacon, I think.
Kate Sheridan
Okay. How far?
Sam Bailey (slightly distorted)
Just… here.
[He stops, the static and distortion falling away]
Kate Sheridan
Here?
Sam Bailey
This is where it’s coming from.
Kate Sheridan
…there’s nothing here, Sam.
Sam Bailey
Nothing on this side.
[Strong static and distortion rises on the tape, then spikes]
[Sam cries out in pain]
Kate Sheridan
Sam! Sam, what’s happening?
Sam Bailey (voice distorted)
Pain! So much pain!!
[The static spikes, then fades away]
[Sam crumples to his knees, gasping in pain]
Kate Sheridan
Sam? Sam, are you—
Sam Bailey
—I’m okay, I’m okay, it’s… it’s gone.
Kate Sheridan
What was that?
Sam Bailey
I… I don’t know. It was like… it felt like when Amanita had me make that stone tape of Allen, but… the feelings weren’t mine this time. It’s almost like…
[He cuts off, then stands back up]
Kate Sheridan
Like what?
Sam Bailey
Well if I’m right, then… ah!
[He reaches out and grabs something]
Looks like I was.
Kate Sheridan
…a rock?
Sam Bailey
A stone, Kate… one that wasn’t here before.
Kate Sheridan
Shit, is that…
Sam Bailey
…a stone tape. From the other side of the veil.
[Rushed footsteps approaching]
Ned Leroux
What’s going on? I felt that all the way down the… [he stops, sees what’s in Sam’s hand] Oh shit.
Sam Bailey
Nice of you to join us again, Ned.
Ned Leroux
We need to go. We need to leave, now.
Kate Sheridan
Why? What’s wrong?
Ned Leroux
Sam, listen to me: Do you know where you’re standing?
Sam Bailey
What are you… Oh, shit.
[Footsteps approaching]
Ren Park
What? What’s going on?
Ned Leroux
OCPD Headquarters, Park. This is where it used to be.
[Static rises, a voice echoes from the ether, and from the stone tape]
Edgar Morrison (distorted)
Hello Sam. Ned.
I pray you forgive me for leaving before you arrived — I had important work to do, and could not tarry on this mortal plain any longer than I already had. I also hope you’ll forgive me leaving this message rather than speaking to you directly, but I know neither of you would let me say my piece if we were face to face. For now, we must be content to speak as through a mirror darkly, as you linger amongst the leavings of my handiwork.
I’m sure you have little patience for my ramblings when the fate of your friends is uncertain, so let me make it known to you first — Bill and Rob are alive. They are safe in my care within the waters of what you call the Source, as are the city of Oslow and all of her denizens… my children. I hope that brings you some comfort, at least. I know that you were driven to rash and violent action when last I took poor Bill into my care, but I hope you can see that I have changed — that we all have changed — and that my goals are nothing if not pure. I only wish what’s best for Bill, and for Rob, and for all within my domain. I have simply removed them from the troubles of this false and failing world to a place where all may find peace. Where death and the ravages of time are no more. Where all things are made and remade.
You know of what I speak, Sam — better than anyone else, I think. For you asked for salvation from the beyond when you were but a child, facing death and pain no child should ever have to endure. Like your namesake, you heard a voice calling from the dark, a voice you did not know or fully understand — and like the prophet Samuel, you answered. You obeyed your lord and god. You served, even when that voice promised ruin and desolation unlike anything this world has ever seen.
But I… I bring no such devastation. I make no such demands upon my children. I simply give of my own power all that I have, and grant salvation freely to all within my domain. And while that domain is limited now to the city I called home, soon… very soon… it will stretch all over the Earth. Beyond the Earth, into the far reaches of the twinkling stars and into other universes beyond this one. I shall make Oslow a holy bastion, a city on a hill from which my great crusade shall begin… and in time, all the worlds shall be a temple to my glory, forever and ever.
So do not fear. I will not abandon you to your troubles, for I go to prepare a place for you — a place where all may be refined and perfected through fire and light, where all may share the bounty of eternity that I have found. [He laughs] For I am but the firstborn of many brothers, and I build paradise brick by brick, wall by wall, soul by soul so that you may join me here… That all the worlds may join me here, when the time comes for the old Heaven and the old Earth to pass away. For behold… I am coming soon.
[The sound of fire as Morrison’s speech ends]
[The stone in Sam’s hands grows hot; he cries out and drops it]
[It shatters, then sizzles on the ground, burning away to ash]
[The team stands silently for a moment]
Ned Leroux
Well… that settles things, doesn’t it?
Sam Bailey
What things?
Ned Leroux
We know where Bill and Rob are. We know what Morrison’s doing to them. We can’t leave them there.
Kate Sheridan
We’re not going to, Ned. I promise.
Ned Leroux
…why do I feel like there’s a “but” coming?
[Kate sighs]
Kate Sheridan
I think Sam was right. This feels like a trap.
Ned Leroux
Oh come on, Kate—
Kate Sheridan
—He’s taunting you, Ned. Trying to make you rush in after them without being prepared. Who knows what he could do to either of you if he catches you over there?
Ned Leroux
And what if he’s counting on us being too scared to go after him? Huh? He’s always used fear to manipulate people… this could be exactly what he wants.
Ren Park
Maybe both.
[Sam turns to him]
Sam Bailey
What was that, Ren?
Ren Park
It’s just… maybe there’s no point in trying to predict what Morrison’s planning anymore. I mean… if he’s in the Source, he can see all of time, right? All timelines, all possible pasts and futures? If that’s the case… he could predict any course of action we choose. He could make plans for each and every one of them, be ready for anything we try. Whatever we do… he’ll be one step ahead of us.
[Everyone goes quiet]
[Sam shifts, noticing something in the distance]
Kate Sheridan
Sam? What is it?
Sam Bailey
Nothing, it’s just… I thought I saw something up in the hills.
Kate Sheridan
What kind of something?
Sam Bailey
Just… the sun reflecting off something up there, I think.
[Everyone turns, staring into the hills]
[Tense silence]
[Finally, Kate laughs in relief]
Kate Sheridan
Oh thank god.
Ned Leroux
What? What is it?
Kate Sheridan
It’s the solar panels on Jerry’s roof.
Sam Bailey
Jerry’s? You mean…
Kate Sheridan
He’s okay, Sam… Jerry’s okay.
[A moment of relief]
Ned Leroux
…Who’s Jerry?
[Clack]
Recording Ends
End Theme & Credits
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