Had a session with Doctor Beakman today

It's about 6:30 in the evening in case the time is still messing up.

This afternoon I had a session with Doctor Beakman and he explained to me that everything on this blog was my reaction to the guilt I felt when I had a psychotic break at school. He says this obsession with "rescuing" Janice is because it would make up for what I did to her and that I created these fantasies about "Pirate Percy" and "the Skin-Taker" to represent the parts of me that hurt her.

I don't know. Everything he says makes a lot of sense. More sense than a magical woman made out of wood that can control people and living puppets kidnapping little girls. But . . . I just can't see myself hurting a child. I don't know what to think but I have to trust the doctor or I won't get better.

I met someone at dinner today (Sloppy Joe's, yum!). I'm not going to put his name here because Doctor Beakman might get mad at him for what he said. He agreed with what I posted as "Robert Dillanger" that this place is messing with my mind. He says he's on a quest too and they're keeping him here against his will and trying to convince him he's insane just like me. He wants me to stop taking my medicine and break out of here with him. I don't believe him but I don't want to turn him in either.

The Doctor says today was just a small setback

I don't know if my computer is still messing up the time stamp on these but it's almost 9:30 at night here at Shadylawn.

Doctor Beakman said I had been acting so lucid today that he didn't think I'd be updating the blog. He did say though that he thinks it's a good sign  that I didn't reply in the comment box in my last post with any made up people like Elaine, Aura, and Paradoxical Machinations. But he saw today's post and he came to check on me. He didn't find me in my room so he sent the orderlies to find me. I was on the lawn with my laptop, a bag full of my things, and a broom I kept insisting was a sword. He's locked the broom back up in the closet. I have to go, the pill they gave me is making me sleepy. I might update this blog tomorrow, or maybe I'll remember that none of this is really happening and I wrote everything on here even the comments "you guys" made.

I need to investigate this

Looking at the time stamp on everyone's comments for my last post you guys probably think I downed the whole bottle and have been laying there drunk since you heard from me last. For me though it's only been a half hour since my last post. Twenty minutes ago I left the bottle laying in shards on the ground, the bourbon - all of the bourbon - soaking into the soil. After a few steps I looked back and the broken bottle was gone, not even a sign of dampness in the soil. This place is messing with me pretty bad, it doesn't feel like I'm being tormented for somethings sick amusement though, it feels like I'm being tested.

The path keeps rising, it keeps getting steeper and harder to climb, but I can't give up I need to press forward. I stopped to take a quick rest and noticed something just around one of the curves in the path that warrants some investigation before I move on, the first sign of a human presence since the farm house. I have not put my cutlass away because this still doesn't seem like anywhere that belongs in the "real" world (for one thing I don't think anyone would build on a slope that's a 45 degree angle) and I don't know what I'm going to find here.

What it appears to be is some sort of group home, the sign says "Shady Lawn: a resting place for the troubled mind". Unlike Janice the sign is real. I can touch it. The house is real too, I bounced a small pebble off the side. Not enough hopefully to alert anyone inside but it tells me  the building is really here. Now I just have to decide if I should snoop around or knock on the door.


I take that back. I've apparently been noticed. A couple people are coming out, they look a little worried not surprising considering my sword. Judging from their build and their white coats they're orderlies or something. Better hit publish and talk to them before they decide I'm dangerous - and so I can be ready if they're dangerous.

My Ordeal

An hour and a half ago I followed the advice of Paradoxical Machinations and went down the path labeled Ordeal. They certainly named the path accurately. After I set out on the path it began to slope upwards, gradually at first but soon it became very steep and a hard climb. The path began twisting and turning so that clumps of trees hid the road ahead. I continued on with my hand on the hilt of my cutlass since the trees seemed ideal to hide an ambush. What I didn't expect to see on the path was Janice. I thought my quest had ended right there. I wish I could say I got her out and we were on our way back to Michigan but life just isn't going to be that kind.

When I rounded the curve and saw her standing there, in the pajamas she was wearing when she was taken, I expected her face to light up. I expect that she would be grateful that someone had come to bring her home. Instead she glared at me accusingly. Then she started to scream at me. "Why did you let him do it Mr. Carlson? Why would you let Percy take me away? You were watching the show just like us kids, you knew he was looking for me and you didn't do anything! You could have stopped him Mr. Carlson, you could have made him leave me alone. But you didn't! You let him take me away and I'm scared and I miss my mommy and my daddy. They could be hurting me right now and you didn't do anything to stop it!"

I tried to reach out to her. I tried to take her hand and tell her that it was okay, she was safe now and I would bring her home. That I hadn't meant for this to happen that there was no way for me to have known that the show was real or that she was the Janice Percy had been searching for. It was like trying to grasp smoke, she vanished at my touch. She had never been there, she was an illusion conjured by this place.

You know what is real though? The huge bottle of Jim Beam that appeared along side the road a few moments after she vanished. I can touch it. I'm cradling it in one arm like a child as I type. I've cracked the lid and smelled it. It's real alright. I haven't tasted it yet. If I do I'll probably drink the whole thing. It's so fucking tempting though.

I'm at a crossroads

Looking at the time stamp on my previous two posts it looks as if time here is behaving in the same way as distance and direction. Which is to say, unpredictably. I'm not sure how long it's been for you but for me it's been about fourteen hours since my last post, which makes it about 9 in the morning eastern standard time (which is what my blog is set to) from my perspective.

I was able to sleep in my car last night without incident. I had some time to think about this place before getting to sleep last night and I'm still confused. If I were in a city instead of the countryside I'd suspect I'd wandered into the Empty City, but the landscape although it distorts direction and distance doesn't seem to be in a state of constant change. Also I'm seeing animals here. If it were just birds I'd be worried because of the Convocation but I've also seen a few squirrels and rabbits. As far as I know there is no Fear of cute fuzzy creatures.

I've read of Loops and Labyrinths but this feels different somehow from the way they've been described. Among other things it lacks the feeling of wrongness and menace and again the geography isn't shifting around when I'm not looking.

It certainly isn't the path of black leaves or any other Realm I've heard of.

So this morning I set off, taking with me my duffel bag stuffed with food, water, a smaller first aid kit than the one in my trunk (bought on Proxiehunter's suggestion), binoculars, my multi-tool, a blanket, and some matches. And of course my laptop. I'm also carrying the pepper spray (for all the good it's done me in the past) in my coat pocket and I have the cutlass thrust through my belt in case I need to fight. If I see any evidence I'm back in what passes for the "normal" world I'll hide the sword in my duffel bag again but right now I want it easily accessible. I walked for about an hour, passing that tree with the gauze around it several more times but not my car. Just now I came to a crossroads. There's an old fashioned wooden street sign with arrows pointing all four directions. Back the way I came the arrow reads "Hardship", the way forward reads "Tribulations" to the left "Woe", the arrow pointing right "Ordeal".

I'm saying right now Woe is out. There doesn't seem to be much point going back the way I came either (even given the wacky geography). So I need to choose which way to go, Ordeal or Tribulations?

Out of gas

I've been driving for an hour since I made my last post and the car just shuddered and died. I'll be sleeping in the car tonight and try to walk somewhere in the morning, I know enough about the world these days to be worried about sleeping around all these trees but hopefully Slenderman is too busy stalking collage students and school kids to worry about an elementary school teacher.

Phone isn't working

No matter what number I dial, even 911, I get the recording that says my call can not be completed as dialed. Still getting wireless internet for some reason, and my computer is still fully charged despite running on battery power. Running low on gas.

It's getting worse.

Just tried an experiment. Fifteen minutes ago I tied some gauze from the first aid kit around a tree. Despite not making a single turn and the road running straight as an arrow I've passed that tree five time now. Still no clue how I'm getting a wireless signal out here.

I'm lost

My GPS says I'm in Finland, my compass is spinning in circles. I turned around to drive back to the last sign of civilization I saw, a small farm, and despite not having taken any turns or even a curve I'm five miles past where the farm should be and there's no sign of it. I don't know how I'm getting wireless, I wish I had any clue where I am, maybe I'd be able to get directions from Google.

I'm heading out to scout

I should reach my destination at a quarter past four. I'll try to get back online as soon as I can to let you know what I turned up.

Think I've got a lead

I hope not posting yesterday didn't make anyone think I'd been killed by a Puppet or crawled back into the bottle (I dumped the last of the Beam down the sink right after I made my last post). Instead I've been distracting myself from the guilt over what happened at that office building by immersing myself in research trying to connect Geppeto Corporation to Tower TV. I think I've got an address for where they're broadcasting from. It's out in the boonies though. I need to take some time tomorrow gathering supplies to scout this place out so I don't walk into another trap. That Proxiehunter guy following my blog may be a lunatic but his blog had some good suggestions of things I didn't bring along when I left. I'll probably head out Wednesday for the scouting mission.  

My head is killing me.

Sorry for the incoherency of the last post. I don't normally drink like that but I think you can understand why I did last night. Unlike Omega's dismemberment this one did make the news. They're trying to connect it to the Cartels though. News reports suggest they think it was multiple people with machetes who did it. I'm going to swap out my license plates again just in case my plate number was noted as being in the vicinity.

This place is so sleazy the check in guy didn't even look at me or check my ID when I checked in. He counted the money twice though. Someone kept knocking on my door last night. He was shouting at me to let him in. Drunk as I was I still remembered what I've read about the Dying Man so crackhead or eldrich abomination I just ignored him until he went away.

She was wrong. I'm not broken. I'm going to do some more research and see if I can connect this Gepetto corporation to Tower TV and I'm going to rescue Janice. That's the only thing that will make this nightmare worth it.

YUO guyas are probab;y wonderingw hat happened tp me

Well i'M sitting here at my comuter with a quarter of a botle of Jim Beam lef tand i still can't forget. So I;m going to tell you.

I got wehre the note said to go. The Gepetto corporation. I can tell you about it bcause its not there anymore . And thats my fault. I got there at about 10 AM. Traffic in Chicago sucks did you know that? I should have gotten there a lot early if the traffic didn't suck and people didnt drive like loons. What was I talking baout? Oh yeah Gepetto corporation. I got there and i parked outside for a while. I was scared to go in. I knwe it was a trap but I new I had to spring it if i was going to learn anything new. I sat ther for about fifteen minutes and then all of a sudden my radio turned on. It was staticy but i recognized the voice right away. If you've seen the show you probably would have recognized it to. “you have…to go…INSIDE.” She said. She always says that to Percy that fucking puppet who kidnapped Janice and now she somehow hijacked my radio to say it to me.

Fuck I need another dringk.

I got my duffel bag out of the trunk, thats where I hid the cutlass that killed Omega. The one i cut him up with when he dead body attacked me. When i walked in the security guard at the front desk he hit a button and I heard some sort of locking mechenizem click in the doors i just came in. he was moving weird, like the bell ringer, like Omega, like a Puppet. He came at me with his nightstick, im just glad he didn't have a gun. I tried to break the glass in the doors and get away but whoever built the place decided to use that bullet proof plexi stuff. I didn't have a choice. I tried the pepper spray first but it didnt work. I mean it looked like he was in pain but he kept coming anyway. He didn't even scream I don't think she LET hm scream. So I got the sword out. I killed him. I didnt have a choice so i killed him. I didnt have time to wonder why it was os easy there were more Puppets comming. Office workers. They had scissors they had big heavy staplers one of them had ripped the blade and handle off a paper cutter. I didnt stop I didn't think ab9out why they were coming one at a time when they could have overwhelmed me with numbers. I just cut and cut and cut and cut and cut and cut and cut aand cut . . .


I have to go throw up again.

It was a small office I think I only killed thirty people. Fifty tops. I don't know what made the doors open again but the did and i ran. I wasn't running from them they were all dead. Id made sure there was now ay She was getting them up to make anoth erattempt to kill me. I wasn't even running from the police they fought and died silently some of them crying some of them trying to laugh some of them trying to scream but they were all silent. I was running away from me from what I did in there. I ran all the way to this motel, not the one I was at when I posted yesterday. Then after I took a two hour shower to get the blood off I ran to a liquor store and then I tried to run away into this bottle of Beam because I realized why they fought so badly.

She wanted this. She wanted me to slaughter them. She thought it would break me.


She might be right.

Oh God Oh no

I went to pick up some take out for Omega and I. while I was waiting for our order the television behind the counter suddenly switched channels - even though it was the wrong time of day it was a Candle Cove episode. Most patrons were shouting at the manager to switch off the static although a couple of people were watching with interest and one paled and ran out the door. The channel wouldn't change though and the power button wouldn't work. Janice was on screen, wearing a crown of snow and ice and shivering a bit. She was building a snow man around a shivering Percy with the help of the Frozen Prince. I suppose he's better known as Cold Boy in the blogosphere. She looked directly at the camera instead of at the Prince and asked "Can you help me pack this snow Your Highness?" but she strongly emphasized the "help me" like she was trying to communicate with anyone watching. Then the scene changed. A close up on the Skin-Taker in his own ship. Like Janice he was looking directly at the camera when he delivered his line. "I'm going to hunt you down. And when I find you I'M GOING TO GRIND YOUR SKIN!" He started cackling and his jaws began to swivel side to side in their trademark way. At that point I decided the person who had ran without waiting for his order had the right idea so I sprinted to my car and sped back to the hotel.

I was too late. I found Omega laying on the floor, his cloths were in bloody strips and his skin had been flayed from his body. He was impaled by a cutlass and there was a blood stained note laying on the floor next to him. I didn't get a chance to read the note right away though, as soon as I picked it up Omega's corpse jerked to it's feet as if pulled by strings. It tried to reach out and strangle me but I rolled backwards and grabbed my baseball bat from next to the door.

Funny thing about base ball bats. When the thing you're fighting doesn't feel pain and it's bones and tendons aren't necessary for it's movement because it's being operated like a marionette a base ball bat doesn't make it stop coming. Neither does pepper spray. The sword you rip out of its sternum and dismember it at the joints with? That's a lot more useful in that situation. I wish that sword were more practical to carry day to day. After cutting apart what was left of Omega I threw up what was left of breakfast, grabbed my bat, my computer, the sword, and the note. I quickly scrubbed myself off with a hotel towel, scrubbed the blade so the blood wouldn't rust it, and got the hell OUT of there before I could be found with a dismembered skinned corpse in my room. I have no idea why the fight didn't bring people running before I could do all that but I'm grateful it didn't. Even if I were able to avoid conviction the delay would have been catastrophic. I drove for about half an hour (never exceeding the speed limit once. The body was probably found shortly after I left. The last thing I need to do is show my ID to a cop now.) I found a parking garage and quickly switched my license plate with that of a random vehicle. I drove for a while longer before I pulled over to read the note.

"It appears I missed you James. Just as well, I normally prefer kid skin but your friend provided me with enough to make a cape all one piece and a matching hat. If you really want to find me I'll be at <I've removed the address he provided. I don't want any one getting curious and being skinned alive like Omega. I'll just say it's somewhere in Chicago. JCarlson>. Get there soon, I have other things to do."

The note was signed "T.S. Taker". Cute. Well, I'm coming for the bastard. I have a sword to return to him. I know he's mostly bone but maybe if I shove it through his rib cage hard enough I'll sever his spine.

My interview with Jodie Lewis

Sorry this is going up so long after the interview, I recorded our little chat and it's taken me some time to write up the transcript. The static on the recording is terrible. Also the little coffee shop near her was an hours drive from my hotel. I parked my car a few blocks away from the coffee shop and set out for it with Omega following me after five minutes so it wouldn't be clear to anyone watching the shop that he was with me. Obviously I couldn't bring my baseball bat but having learned my lesson from that encounter with the Salvation Army bellringer the pepper spray was in the pocket of my coat. I ordered a cappuccino and took a seat waiting for Mrs. Lewis to arrive.  When Omega came in he ordered a black coffee and took a seat three tables down. A few minutes after he arrived Mrs. Lewis came in the door, despite being in her late 40s she's still recognizable for her role as "Janice" to anyone who watched in the 70s or the re-runs of those same episodes in the 80s. I waved to get her attention and she came over and sat across from me after ordering a large chai.

Mrs. Lewis: You're a very persuasive man Mr. Carlson . . .

Me: Please, call me James.

Mrs. Lewis: James then. You're a very persuasive man James. It takes a lot to get me to talk about that horrible show. Why are you so interested? Morbid curiosity like the last man who interviewed me?

Me: No ma'am. I don't know if you're aware, but the show . . . it's airing again. With a new girl playing Janice.

(here she pales and grips her cup tight. I'm glad that this place uses real mugs instead of paper cups inside the store, otherwise she would have crushed it and gotten soaked.)

Mrs. Lewis: I'd hoped after everything that happened on that set they'd never make another episode. It was horrific, my councilors say that some of what I remember has been distorted by time and the fear of a little girl. That it didn't really happen . . .

Me: No matter what you tell me about that show, I'm prepared to believe it.

(She gives me an appraising look)

Mrs. Lewis: For some reason I believe you are. So let me start at the beginning. I'd always wanted to be an actress so when my aunt told my mother about an audition for a local children's show I begged and pleaded until she let daddy bring me down to try out. The audition was fairly normal, but one wall of the room was taken up by a one way mirror and the director seemed to be deferring to someone one the other side of it for his casting decisions. Five other girls tried out for the part of Janice that day. Some days I wish one of them had gotten the part. Is that cruel of me?

Me: No. I understand completely. So how was it actually working on the show?

Mrs. Lewis: Terrifying. The director was a tyrant, he would blow up over the least little thing, like the time wardrobe gave me a dress the wrong shade of red he screamed at the lady responsible for twenty minutes and then told her to see Ms. Loutka for her last check, she was fired. But worse than the director were the puppets. I don't know if you know this but they were life sized. As a little girl it looked to me more like they were controlling the puppeteers than the other way around. One time they left me alone in a room with the Skin-Taker puppet and the Pirate Percy puppet . . . they tell me it was my imagination but I swear without their puppeteers even being in the room the Skin-Taker swiveled his head to look at me and his jaws . . . his jaws . . .


(here she has to take a moment to drink some of her chai and compose herself)


Me: I know this is difficult for you ma'am. Are you able to continue?


Mrs. Lewis: Y-yes. His jaws, they started to move back forth in that horrid way they did . . . and I swear I heard him hiss, too quietly for anyone outside the room to hear, that he was going to "Grind my skin." Then the Percy puppet, it . . . its arm moved on its own. It grabbed its sword and glared at the Skin-Taker puppet and they both stopped moving. I ran out of the room crying but no one would believe me. You know . . . Percy was as creepy a puppet as the rest of them, but I did always feel more comfortable around him and the Laughingstock than the rest. Almost like I thought they'ed protect me as much as they could. Other than that, well you've seen just how fucked up the episodes were I'm sure.


Me: Yes, yes I have. That actually brings up a question I've wondered about for a very long time . . .


Mrs. Lewis: The Screaming episode.


Me: Yes. If you don't want to talk about it I'll understand . . .


Mrs. Lewis: No, no. After all these years I should tell someone. Someone else should know. I'm not sure how the secret was kept for so long. That wasn't what was supposed to be filmed at all. They had planned what passed for a "normal" show for Candle Cove.


(Yes readers, she actually made air quotes here.)


Mrs. Lewis: But as we were getting ready to shoot we started hearing this odd drumming noise. Suddenly the puppeteer for Percy shrieked. He screamed out "Can you hear the drumming, drumming? She is coming, she is coming!" Soon all the puppeteers were screaming the same thing, over and over. That's when I started crying. The the puppets . . . the puppets . . . I swear they started moving on their own, just dancing around crazily and the puppeteers stopped their chant and they just screamed and screamed like they were never going to stop. Michael, the man who worked the Skin-Taker puppet, he screamed so much his throat started bleeding. Bloody foam came pouring down his chin as he screamed. I can't . . . I can't do this anymore. I have to go!

And my interview ended here because she left her mostly full chai on the table and ran from the shop. She is now refusing to take my calls. I'm still trying to contact Adrian Grimes and I'm trying to find an address for "Tower TV" where the show currently airs. What she told me during the interview has me more disturbed than ever. Although it does sound like Percy may not be as much of a villain as I thought.

You still reading this, Puppet? Seems like you were pretty protective of that Janice. You think you can keep her safe from the other freaks until I come for her?

Just a quick update

To let you know that neither Omega nor I have been killed by Puppets or anything. After a lot of begging and pleading Mrs. Lewis has agreed to meet me for coffee Tuesday afternoon. Omega will be discreetly coming along as backup, just in case she or anyone else in the coffee shop go Puppet on me. Mr. Grimes on the other hand will not take my calls at all.

Jackpot

While Omega stayed back to guard the room (and probably run up the room service tab) I hit the local library to do some research. I discovered via their computer system that a library an hours drive away actually owns a copy of "The Nickerbocker's Tale" the short story that inspired Candle Cove. Needless to say I broke a few traffic laws and forty minutes latter I was holding it my hands. Unfortunately I couldn't bring it back to the hotel with me, they don't loan it out even to locals with a library card let alone to people from out of state. It was an interesting, if rather dark, read. The protagonist is Derry Caulkry, an eight year old boy who fell from his fathers fishing boat and was lost at sea. He was rescued from drowning by a pirate, I'm sure you can guess said pirates name. This pirates peg leg, crude prosthetic arm, and false nose (much like that of the real historical figure Tycho Brahe) may have been the inspiration for the modern Percy puppet's piecemeal appearance. He also displayed some of the modern Percy's cowardice, although he could be brave when it mattered like jumping into the ocean to save young Derry and relying on his crew to pull them both out again. His crew was running from another pirate vessel, captained by a man called Bones who, we are told, was in the habit of skinning captives alive, sewing their skins into clothing and eating their flesh. Percy swears to return Derry to his father once they outrun Bones and his men. Unfortunately both ships are wrecked in a storm and Percy, Derry, Bones, and an unnamed member of Bones' crew are the only survivors who wash up on an uncharted island where all four are enslaved by "the Witch of Wood". They make several escape attempts but are always thwarted by the witches powers and her minions. It ends with the four of them bound to her in the same manner as her minions and with her demanding that Percy leave on a new ship she is constructing to bring back a girl who can serve as her apprentice and heir. What happens to Derry in the end is unclear but she seemingly had no use for a boy and there is mention that she gifted Bones with a fine new hat and cape . . .

Not all of this fits with what I know of the Wooden Girl, but if someone had heard of her and her minions second hand this business of her being a witch in need of "an apprentice" makes sense as an interpretation of what Joseph  Steward witnessed happening to Charlotte here. If I'm right about that being the same "Charlotte" who played Janice in the 90s version of the show then I'm more conceived than ever that I have to save Janice as soon as possible.

I turned up a few other tidbits as well, what may be valid contact information for Jodie Lewis (formerly Jodie Silver, the first girl to play Janice and the only one other than the girl I'm trying to save who is known to still be alive), and for Adrian Grimes (nephew of Emerson Grimes, director of the 70s version of Candle Cove). Emerson Grimes is missing and presumed dead, but no one found the body and the stage hand who claimed to the author of "Tales of the Laughingstock" that he buried Emersons corpse after the director had a nervous breakdown and accidentally killed himself was found dead days after his interview. Bizarrely the coroner ruled it a suicide, which makes no sense. The man was in a wheel chair, so how did he manage to hang himself with marionette strings? I hope Jodie and Adrian are able to be of some help to me, I'm going to try to contact them tomorrow.

Posting from the Ashland Best Western

It's close to Ironton so I can easily investigate both areas and it has high speed internet access so I can update this blog. I've checked in for the next few days along with a companion I met on the road. No, it's not like that guys. He's a Runner, he helped me out and in return I'm giving him a ride and a warm safe place to stay for now. It's better to have someone watching my back, even if I'm worried he may be the infamous Unlucky Man.

I met him when I stopped at an all night grocery store to pick up an energy drink to keep me alert on the road. The store had one of those Salvation Army bell ringers outside the door, not a Santa (do they even do that anymore?) but a lady about my age with long brown hair and a puffy blue down filled coat. When I came out with my Redbull the parking lot was empty except for her, me, and some empty cars. When she saw me all her limbs jerked and she started moving towards me as if her arms and legs were being pulled by marionette strings. I just barely avoided being clocked by her heavy bell, the most disturbing thing is she was crying while she tried to attack me and she alternated between asking what was happening to her and apologizing for what she was doing. I didn't have my bat with me, I couldn't exactly carry it into the store, and had made the mistake of not putting the pepper spray I bought in my coat pocket yet. She was herding me away from my car and I was getting worried that she was going to succeed in beating me to death with that bell soon when he showed up out of the blue. A tall man in blue jeans and a black hoodie literally appeared behind her and whacked her over the head with a crowbar. I have no idea where he came from. "I hate Puppets, especially when I have to get rough with the ones who have no idea what's happening to them." was all the commentary he had on the situation. I thanked him and suggested we both get the hell out of there and call an ambulance for the poor lady while we were on the road. He agreed and as we headed back to my car I noticed the Operator symbol on the back of his hoodie, furthering my suspicions of who he was. He introduced himself just as "Omega" and was pretty tight lipped about his past or where he was going but listened to my story so far and empathized with my situation. Unfortunately he seems to know more about Slenderman than this Wooden Girl so he wasn't able to offer up much advice I hadn't already gleaned from reading the blogs.

A couple hours after that incident I booked us into a double bed room here. He suggested we sleep in shifts in case one of the night staff turns out to be a Puppet or Slenderman creeps in the room and tries to stick his tentacles in our brains or something. I'm taking the first watch. I'm also never forgetting my pepper spray again. The investigation starts tomorrow, I'll update the blog if anything happens.

Off to a late start

Posting from my local library. Meant to leave an hour ago but my car got a flat. You guys had some good suggestions and I've packed some sheets and blankets both for when I find Janice and in case I stay somewhere I don't trust the sheets they provided to be clean. I'll pick up a stuffed animal for her on the road. Now I'm going head out, pop the mix cd I made to psych myself up for this crazy mission, and go rescue the girl.

Geronimo.

My plans

Sorry again for the lack of updates. I've mostly been planning out my investigation and what I'll need to bring with me. I'm going to start my investigation in Ashland and Ironton Ohio, where the first reports of the show came from. Maybe I'll get lucky and that's where the current studio is too, if not hopefully I'll have a few leads.

As for outfitting myself for my little quest, I've purchased an industrial 4 shelf first aid station that's taking up a lot of room in my trunk. I've armed myself with pepper spray rated for bears and a baseball bat, while those probably won't do much against Fears they should help me handle any human, or mostly human, attacker while not creating the same legal hassle as crossing states lines with a firearm. I've updated my will and my utilities are scheduled to be shut off the day I plan to leave (this Friday after work), if I survive this I'll get them turned back on when I return. As for funding this little expedition, I'm bringing along my debt card/ATM card. I don't have a whole lot, but I do have some savings and a small inheritance from an aunt that I was going to buy a house with eventually. I'm also bringing my copy of the book "How to Cheat at Everything". I hope I'm never desperate enough to resort to cheating at cards or employing any of the actual scams in the book, but it has a nice section on bar bets that explains how to accomplish some feats that sound much more difficult than they are that I might be able to use to pick up a bit of extra money here and there. I've got some power bars, jerky, bottled water, and other road food for situations where I can't stop and get something better to eat and I've packed several changes of cloths and a good warm coat as well as hat, gloves, and a scarf to prepare for the weather.

I know all you "Runners" out there probably think I sound a lot more prepared than you ever had a chance to get, but then I had the luxury of prep time and planning that was denied to a lot of you. On the other hand, you guys have the dubious luxury of hard experience. Am I forgetting anything you think I should be bringing along?

Sorry I haven't been posting

Remember that incident with my television last post? Shortly after I had to take a hammer to it because it tried to turn on despite being unplugged. Ever since I've been reluctant to use my computer for fear that something similar would start happening.

I had to come back to my blog though because of something strange that happened at school today. You remember how Evan has been flying off the handle because of things he swears the other kids are saying behind his back? Today just before he got into another fight over what sounded to me like an innocuous statement there was a blur in the air between him and the other student. If I hadn't been watching him closely I would have missed it, if I hadn't been researching these "Fears" I wouldn't know what it means. The Choir. That explains what's been going on with him all year. Now if only there was some way to explain it to administration, or even to Evan without sounding insane. But on to what I promised last time: my Candle Cove research. According to a thread on the forum Net Nostalgia it first aired as a TV show in the early '70s, but only in the Ironton area. It's also here that the first mention of some people, mostly adults, only seeing static instead of the episode is made. I attempted to contact the people who posted to that thread - even contacting the forums moderator, one Kris Straub, but all my e-mails bounced. I myself watched the show in the 80's during what appears to have been a national airing of the episodes aired locally in the 70's. I also found information about new episodes that were aired in the 90's starring a new Janice, her actress was referred to in the credits only by her first name, Charlotte. I'd look into records of missing children from the time period but I don't know where Charlotte might have come from.

Interestingly I also found historical references to a short story from 1767 called "The Nickerbocker's Tale" which followed a similar plot line to Candle Cove, though instead of a young girl the main character was an Irish boy. I'm trying to find more information on the author, Collin Caulkry, but I haven't had much luck. I did however discover that events and characters from this story became mixed up with some Punch and Judy shows in the local area (interestingly enough historical Punch and Judy shows sometimes involved a "Doctor" with a very familiar appearance to those who know of the Fears, as well as a Blind Man). It was during these puppet shows that the young boy was first changed to a young girl and called "Janice". Much like the television show while the other characters were played by marionettes Janice was played by a real girl.

I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do much more research from the relative comfort of my home. I'm going to wait for the schools Winter break and then I'm going to take my savings and my car and take my research on the road and find a way to rescue Janice.

Had to unplug my TV

It keeps changing the channel to Tower TV on its own. One minute I'm watching CNN the next Janice and that fucking Pirate puppet are standing in a landscape of pillows with a blanket sky surrounded by sleeping figures. Some of them were human, others twisted mockeries of human life. Percy was telling her it was nap time and she smiled that fake looking smile and agreed, but her eyes held a look of sheer terror. I flipped back to the news as quickly as I could. A few hours later I was watching a sitcom and it switched to Tower TV again. This time they were showing a Disney cartoon, Phineas and Ferb, but it was an episode that Disney would never have shown. You see, when my TV flipped over to that channel their invention of the day had gone berserk and was in the process of flaying Isabella alive. Her screams sounded far too realistic. Then at 11 I was watching my local news and the channel changed again, they were showing some sort of game show where the contestants were dressed up like puppets. Unlike Percy these looked like real people wearing makeup and costumes to look like puppets. A female voice from off screen (presumably the host) asked what seemed like an easy question, "What is the eighth letter of the alphabet?". A nervous looking contestant, a redheaded lady dressed like a ballerina puppet tutu and everything, buzzed in and gave the same answer I would have, H. "Sorry," said the voice off screen. "We were looking for the eighth letter of the Phoenician alphabet, Yodh." The contestant broke down in tears, screaming and begging to be given another chance, that they couldn't afford to get yet another question wrong. I don't know what those "contestants" were threatened with but I was thankfully able to shut the set off before I found out. A few minutes ago the set turned itself on I ran over while it was still warming up and yanked the plug out of the wall before I had to see what fresh new horror it had for me.

Still researching both Candle Cove and these "Fears", or  "Phobic Representational Entities" as one of the more informative blogs refers to them (PRE's for short). I'll try to post the fruits of that research this weekend.