We Recommend: Undertow

Redacted is our weekly horror comedy series, airing Fridays at 9, 8 central. If you want to listen a day early, you can join us live on twitch.tv forward slash Athens Music or support the Patreon, patreon.com forward slash the redacted unit. If you want to interact with the community and learn more about the behind the scenes and see the cast, visit the redacted unit dot com forward slash discord to connect. All links in the description. Thanks for listening. Hey everyone, Athen here. While we move towards our mid-season finale and a brief break full of minisodes and bonus content, I wanted to take a moment to introduce another show we've been enjoying called Undertow. Undertow is a horror anthology curated by Fred Greenhalgh featuring chilling limited series horror dramas and standalone works. There are currently 12 seasons, so plenty to enjoy, but I would recommend starting at Season 1, Simpson Falls. Follow reporter Tony Baxter as he returns to his childhood home of Simpson Falls, Maine, with an axe to grind, determined to root out corruption. But his sleuthing of the Mailist Corporation's investment in the town leads him down a dangerous path where his own unresolved trauma lies in wait. Joined by friend and fellow lost soul Sonia Proud, Tony must confront the tragedy that shaped him deep in the New England woods. But if they aren't careful, the malevolent forces in Simpson Falls won't let them escape. I could explain the whole plot to you right now, but instead, here's the first part of Simpson Falls. Memory is a funny thing. It can bring you joy, or it can betray you. The most brilliant happiness juxtaposes with the darkness. I remember this view of the river. So crystal clear. I remember all our laughter as we ran down to launch off the ropes wind. Last one in, Dronay! Alright. The mind is like a camera, snapping photographs. When you pull them up years later, it brings into complete resolution the moments where your life turned on a dime. Tony and Melissa! We gotta go! It's dinner time! Catch you later. Sure, of course. We'll come back after dinner. You better, or I'll kill you. They say you can only be as happy as its counterpoint. The darkness. But I don't know. Sometimes the darkness is heavy enough to pull you down under Brother Melissa, slow down Come on, Tony, don't be scared It's slippery Watch your step, he's at us a hundred times The most powerful question Could it have gone differently? It hits you like the current of a river Over Over Over Over Over Over Over Over. Tony! Over. Tony! Tony! Tony! Tony! Huh? I said, are you ready, Tony? Yes. There is no turning back after this. I understand. Good. We're past the point of no return anyway. Thank you, Tony. We're about to make history. or destroy it. Highly unlikely. This is going to feel weird. I'm not sure how to prepare you for it. Accounts over the centuries vary. Most describe the feelings as unpleasant, but yet strangely addictive. In the past, they've always involved the presence of this particular artifact. The Dark Tome? Quite. Our equipment has been tested and refined on volunteers, but none quite so talented as yourself. Success is not guaranteed. I said I'm ready. Are you still with me, Tony? I am. Good. Just a moment. 70%. 80% 85% Who are you? How did you get in here? The benefactor brought me No, no, that doesn't make any sense Who is that? Just an old friend, Tony Ignore him, Tony Stand aside Alright We're at 90 95 X Can you speak? Tell them what's going on There's no way They've never spoken Silence Feel bold This is my will My God It's you Guys What's going on out there? Nothing, Tony See you on the other side Realm Presents, a Degas Media Production, Undertow, A Dark Tome Story, Episode 1. Cold. That's what it feels like. And what happens next? Well, best understood if you understand the beginning. Not that there are beginnings, just as there are no ends. Just folds that collapse in upon themselves, and occasionally swiss cheese through which you can stick your arm through the veil. But I do remember, before. It starts as just another day in the life of Tony Baxter. Nay, Tony Bax. Hi there, Mr. Baxter. This is Phoebe from Dr. Thompson's office calling to reschedule your appointment. You seem to be habitually rescheduling these appointments. Dr. Thompson wanted me to ask if potentially... Dr. Thompson, I've had enough of him. Are you ready to talk about your sister? Melissa. Her name was Melissa. You need to let go of her, Tony. Your regrets about what happened are toxic. Don't tell me how to feel about it. You were a child. I killed her. You didn't. It was an accident. You don't understand. Then it's Mom. Hi, Tony. It's me, your mom. Could you give me a call? It's been three months since we last talked. Delete. Delete. Tony? This is Scott, your editor. Remember me? Call me back in the hour. I've got something for you. Scott Kelly, editor-in-chief at the Boston Circle. Also, an asshole. But the kind of asshole who pays my rent. So, I do call him back. Hi, Scott! Tony! What a surprise! Uh, what's, uh, what's going on? I need you to pack your bags and head to Maine. You need me to what? Oh, come on, Tony. I know you've got nothing going on. Except going to Maine, apparently. Look, you grew up there, didn't you? We moved away when I was in eighth grade. Well, you're the only reporter I've got who can nail the local angle. Besides, everyone else is covering the MBTA strike. Thanks for reminding me. Hey, I didn't tell the union boss he was upholding the system of toxic capitalism to his face. I thought we spoke truth to power. I'm giving you a second chance here, Tony. I'm so grateful. Don't you want to hear why I'm sending you to Maine? I almost forgot to ask. Go on. There's a new boutique hospital opening up. Boutique? Boutique hospital? Like they offer bespoke hysterectomies? You're not that far off. They're secretive about the actual procedures, but the premise is that the international community of the super-rich pay for the privilege of getting medical services in America in a luxury resort setting. Primarily clients from Russia, China, the UAE, and India. Uh And they doing this in Maine Exactly A place called Simpson Falls Simpson Falls Yep That your hometown right Yeah Why the hell are they building a place like that in Simpson Falls That, Tony, is why you're going to Maine. Huh. So, there must be more to it. Seems like it. What should I know? I had Tabitha do some quick research for you. She'll email you where she's at. The whole project came together in under two years, in a historic waterfront district. No EPA filings or environmental remediation as far as we can tell. Smells rotten to me. So, this is a serious assignment? I'm out of the penalty box? Maybe. There's just one more thing. Oh? You're not going alone. Sonja Proud is joining you. Sonja? I thought that would put a smile on your face. Yes, of course. She's the best photographer at the circle. Just don't fuck this up, Tony. So, maybe not a typical day after all. Twenty minutes later, I'm ready to go. Tony! Look who got suckered into a road trip! Sonia! It's been a minute. How's your mom? Doing better than my career. Just the one bag? Yep. Let me pop the trunk. Yes, screw you two. Massholes, am I right? Jesus. Hurry up and get in. All right, so I booked us an Airbnb up in Simpson Falls. You want to plug this into your phone? Sure. Oh, right on the river. You know me, always looking for a room with a view. Absolutely. So this guy, Ricky Hill's his name? He's causing a ruckus in town. Refuses to sell his property to the Malleus Corp. Ought to be quite a character. Ricky. Huh. Name's familiar. Friend of yours? Might be. Yeah. Ah, now we know why you're signed up for this little adventure. I'm still trying to figure out why I got sent along. Well, other than you being a brilliant photographer? I don't think that's how they make decisions at the Circle. What, no? No. They dropped me like a hot rock after I took two months off to care for my mom. You missed that bit? Yeah, I've been in my own shit. Total bullshit. We were finalists for a Pulitzer after that work in Honduras. Me and Alberto. You know they've been taking my invoices to 120 days. What? Oh, yeah. I dare you to find a white man whose invoices they take to 120 days. It's an extra special layer of fuck you. But that's all right. I'm gonna make a comeback. You watch me. I believe you. Good. So, you still missing? Who? Alberto? Yeah. Yeah. Huh. You gonna get that? Uh, nope. Don't tell me you're still ducking calls from your mom. Might be. That's fucked up, Tony. It's complicated, Sonia. Not that complicated. You answer your phone when your mom calls, or you're kind of an asshole. Well, I guess I'm an asshole. You said it, not me. Asshole. So, uh, tell me about this place. What about it? Are there any other brown people there? Uh, not really. Shit. I figured. We got Massachusetts plates. People are gonna treat us like crap anyways. Yeah, really don't get paid enough for this. What were you expecting? The snap Instagram photos of lighthouses? Actually, yes. Sort of. I got my main bucket list going. Ah, yeah? Yeah, we're getting fried clams, blueberries, and whoopie pies. Whatever the fuck those are. Yeah, sounds good. Oh, also, Moxie. Moxie? What the fuck is Moxie? You'll have to try it and find out. That sounds bad. It's not bad. It's not? No. It's fucking dreadful. Oh. Whoa. Yeah, right back at you, buddy. Mind if I smoke? Are you fucking kidding? Of course I mind if you smoke. How long have you been doing that to your lungs? Picked it up in the last year, maybe. When I got sober. Helps have another addiction, I guess. Well, it's still gross. Get a patch or something. I'll do that. Please stop doing that. Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Of course. Oh, for fuck's sake. If it's gonna keep you from twitching, yes, go ahead and have a cigarette. Thanks. Thanks. You gonna roll down the window? Dang. And here we are. Welcome to Maine. The way life should be. Quite the bold statement. Yeah, especially if you think life should be more than being stuck in the same shit town you grew up in. Tell me how you really feel. What about Simpson Falls? It's simple. The place is full of racist townies left behind when big paper shipped out 20 years ago. The only people left are those who can't afford to move somewhere else or are too dumb to leave. The kids I knew growing up, the ones who didn't get out, got pregnant in their teens or hooked on oxy. Sometimes both. I thought you split around middle school. Yeah, I still keep in touch with some people. You mean you stalked them on Facebook? Maybe. Tony, you are a class act. You are one of the best journalists I know, yet you can't put the lens on yourself for one second. What the hell does that mean? I mean, you say you hate this town. I do. And you're obsessed. It's gotten into you. And that drives you nuts. You can't stand that this shitty little town is where you're from. You don't know me. I know you better than you think. What? Did something terrible happen to you as a child? Huh? Oh, shit. My bad, it did. Look, I'm already on a line of credit to pay for my therapy appointment, and frankly, I question their value. All right, have it your way. Can I put it on the radio? Radio? Who the fuck listens to the radio? Me. Well, honey, we got a Bluetooth. You want to hear a podcast? You're into podcasts? Who isn't? I don't know. I never really got into them. Well, there's one you should hear. It's about where we're going. Really? There's this thing about a magical book, The Dark Tome, and how it's the cause of all the bullshit in Simpson Falls. The internet is obsessed with it. Guess I missed it. Well, miss it no longer. Truth? There's no truth about The Dark Tome. You think there is, you're a fool. So you still believe it's out there? Do you think it's evil? There's a lot of dark stuff in the world. If you're paying attention, you've had experience with it. I certainly have. And if it hasn't changed your life in some major way, you're not paying attention. But let me tell you something, Chumming. You've got to be a little bit careful when you start snooping around and sniffing around this kind of thing. It's not something you just ask a few random questions about and move along. I'd be a little cautious as you go forward looking into the dark dome. I attempted to get Mr. Gussie to open up and explain what he meant, how exactly he'd been impacted, but he wouldn't say. I followed up months after we concluded this interview to get his take on the horrible fire in Simpson Falls. But I couldn't reach him. He'd gone missing, along with any traces of the dark dome. What the hell was that? Well, you know why they're building a hospital in the first place, right? Yeah, it's a rebuild. Sounds like the manufacturer of the fire suppression equipment fucked up big time. The settlement was pretty insane. Over $200 million. I thought lawyers for a company like that would fight to the death. They never admitted wrongdoing. But $200 million? The ROI made sense in someone's spreadsheet. Yeah, the Malley's Corporation. An American LLC, but privately held, part of some umbrella corporation that makes it impossible to find out who the real owners are and where they're based. So you've done your homework. A bit, but I still don't get it. What the hell is this dark tome thing, and what does it have to do with some industrial accident? It wasn't an accident. Oh. I mean, according to the podcasts. Which are impeccably researched. They suppose a magical occult artifact had something to do with the hospital tragedy. Rumor has it, this evil cult burned down the hospital to try and destroy the Dark Tome And did they No one agrees on that part And why would they Oh that not even the best part Apparently this internet thing is so hot a whole new cottage industry has built up around it. Gift shops, t-shirts, stickers. There's even this guy who offers tours of all the sites involved in the dark tome mythology. A bookshop, which also burned down under mysterious circumstances. The location of a supposed yard sale where the book was found, the apartment of a teenage girl. A teenage girl? And then... What? She doesn't live there anymore. These people sound nuts. Who the hell would want to go on a tour like that? Well, us. I bought tickets. Oh boy. A few hours later, I guess I nodded off? Hey, we're almost there. Need to get gas. Hmm? Hey. Tony! Yeah, alright. It's the kind of gas station you might see in a horror movie. The last remaining fluorescent light flickers sporadically. Gas pumps are at least 20 years old. Can you fill it? Huh? It's the least you could do, damn! I thought you were a strong, independent woman. I am, but you're a man with an expense account. Uh, you've got me mixed up with someone else. How about, you're a man with a credit card that won't bounce today. I'll give you that. All right, then. How about you acting like an antiquated mode of chivalry, please? Does that mean you're a lost maiden? Shit. We're screwed. Jesus. When was the last time you even filled up a gas tank? Does this thing take credit cards? Excuse me, sir. Can you help me? What? Oh. Hey, kid. What are your parents? They left me, I think. I think they forgot about me when I went to the bathroom. Your parents forgot about you. Do you think you could give me a ride back to Simpson Falls? I don't know, kid. I can call someone. The police? Please don't call the police. I'll ask someone inside the store. Please, just get me across the bridge. I need to get home. I don't know. Haven't you ever been lost? It feels awful. Being scared like this, I don't know who I can trust. And why would you trust me? Because you look like the kind of person who's been lost before and needed a stranger to help them out. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Um, we've gotten an issue. What? Is your card overdrawn too? There's a kid. What about a kid? He's stranded here, I think. Says his parents left him here. His parents didn't leave him here. That's what I think too. Shit. So, what are you saying? You want to call the police? He said no police. Uh-huh. So, go inside, tell the owner of the store? He doesn't want that. He wants a ride just across the bridge. We can't be giving rides to random kids, Tony. I don't know. He seems okay. Maybe he's a runaway. And? And maybe he has a reason not to go back wherever he's from. I've been there before. Same here. It's not far. Maybe a couple more miles into town, then we leave him after that. Yeah, sure. He's a kid, right? Harmless. It's okay. Get in. We'll get you to town. Then we're driving again. The two of us and this kid who's soaking wet. Like he's just washed up on shore. Thanks for the ride. Don't mention it. So, um, what happened to you? You look like you almost drowned. I did. What? That's not important. We don't have much time. You need to listen to me, Tony. How do you know my name? This town is strange. Things are going to happen that seem impossible, untrustworthy. You are the only two you can trust. Everyone, everything else in the town can skip sideways, like a train jumping tracks. Especially Ricky. Tony, I hear words, but this kid is making no sense. I'm just saying, if you two ever get split up, you need to get back together. It's important. Do I know you? Take this, Tony. Dog tags? Where did you get these? From an old friend. Just make sure if Sonia gets them, if you ever get separated. Uh, kid, that makes no sense. It will. Shit, we're coming up on the bridge. Why don't you even- Shit! Oh my god. Jesus. Is everyone okay? What the hell was that? Didn't you fucking see it? It was like a monster. I, uh, no. I was still thinking about drowning. Like the goddamn Loch Ness monster. There was this thing looming over the bridge, coming out of the fog. It's okay. Things were weird for a second. I'm not fucking hallucinating, Tony. Jesus. You think I'm a kid tripping out at a campfire? Sorry, I didn't mean that. It was there. It was fucking there. It was so real. It must have been a deer. Mixed in with the fog. It looked different, but a deer. Hey, kid, did you see that? Hey, hello? Tony, who are you talking to? I... There was a... a kid. We picked him up at the gas station. Shut up. Oh, shit. Police. Hi, officer. You all right? Yeah. Yeah, we're fine. You almost went off the road. I thought I saw a deer. Uh-huh. This bridge has a tendency to do that. See, dear? It's a narrow bridge and a blind spot coming over that hill. You be careful. We will. Massachusetts, huh? Straight up math holes, that's us. What brings you to Simpson Falls? We're from the Boston Circle. That's a fancy paper. Yeah, well, we're so excited about your new hospital. As are we. Good. Well, you make sure to send our regards to your friends back in Boston. And be careful on this bridge. We don't want any more missing people. Any more? Have a good night. Thanks, officer. You're welcome. Quite the welcoming committee. Yeah, told you. Add us eight plates. So, you really didn't see the kid? Stop trying to scare me, Tony. I'm not trying to scare you. He gave me these. What are those? Dog tags. To identify a soldier's body. Well, they're blank, so good luck with that. Why do you have them? I don't know. Fifteen minutes later, we make a discovery. We're lost. We're not fucking lost. Neither of our phones has reception, we don't have a map, and we don't know where we are. I think that qualifies as lost. Would you like to put in a crack about me being a woman driver right now? Because that would be classy. I was just pointing out the obvious. I thought you were a solutions-oriented journalist, Tony. Let's work on solutions. Okay, solutions. Working on solutions. I really do not need any more weird ghost story shit happening to me tonight. Do you know how many of my friends told me I'd probably end up cut up into parts and stuffed in a dumpster if I came to Maine? You have weird friends. Hey, can I see your phone for a minute? No. Hey, thank you. Wow. Is this really your search history? You searched Simpson Falls a whole lot for someone who doesn't like the place. Told you you were obsessed. I was doing research. Give that back. It's personal. Oh, chill out, Tony. God, I was seeing if I sent it to you. Aha! I did! There. A copy of the Airbnb listing. I knew you had a better data plan than me. Can you call that number? Ricky Hill. Alright. Alright, let's see what you have to say, Mr. Ricky. Ricky. Ricky. No answer. Try again. Why? Because sometimes you need to try again Jesus Fuck, Tony, give it back to me Give it back, give it back Damn it, Sonia, come on Hello? Hey, uh, we're your tenants tonight And I think we a little lost You said it on Captain Nickerson Road Oh yeah They probably stole the sign again Where are you Oh there a big boulder over on the side of the road And a lot of telephone poles. You're in the right place. You see an unmarked road up to the right a bit? Uh, huh. Yeah, sure enough. I guess I didn't see it before. Drive down to the end of the road. Bear left at the first fork, right at the second. Look for a mailbox with a cardinal on it. Drive to the end. Red house right on the water. Can't miss it. Nope. Definitely won't miss it. Thanks. See you in a bit. Well, aren't we stupid. I swear that road wasn't there five minutes ago. It was dark. We didn't see it. It's okay. Yeah, of course. Whatever. Long drive. Long drive indeed. We turned down what used to be the Sunset Acres Trailer Park, A resident-owned community up until about 12 months ago, when the Malleys Corporation made lucrative buyout offers to everyone who lived here. Everyone accepted. Except for one. A guy by the name of Ricky Hill. The name's familiar, but exactly why stays painfully just out of sight. The road we're on feels like a ghost town. Eerie. Weren't a lot of Airbnb options around here. I'm shocked. It's fine. I'm sure we'll be fine. This guy will definitely not be a serial axe murderer, and we will have totally fine and restful accommodations and get to our bullshit press release assignment tomorrow morning at ten, stuff our faces with clams and blueberry pie by noontime, and be back in Boston in time for dim sum in Cambridge by seven o'clock. Exactly. Though someone needs to return the rental car. Shit. Hey, there's the first four. Okay, let's put this together. Not the time, Tony. No, no, no, no. A bumfuck town in Maine whose claim to fame is one of the highest per capita rates of opioid abuse in the country is host to a $200 million boutique private hospital project, a happy byproduct of a horrific industrial accident that killed over 100 people. Meanwhile, this same event has launched a cottage tourist industry of people obsessed with an occult book. Succinctly put. And this is the only Airbnb in town? Uh, second turn. Red house on a lake. Must be it. At least it's not the Bates Motel. You ready? For sure. I'm eager to meet this Ricky character. It's, uh, rustic. Hmm. Not your style? Only the part of it which reinforces the you'll be taken down by an axe murderer vibe. Fuck it. You know what? It's nice to get away from the streetlights for a minute, eh? It's a classic main camp. Must have been built before this place was a mobile home park. Locals used to have little houses like this all up and down the river. It's... Tony? Just a bit of deja vu. Let's go in. You found me! Oh, shit! Oh, hi. Sorry, we thought you'd be in the house. No, no, the house is all yours. I have a little camper I stay in when I have guests. Nice to meet you. I'm Ricky. Hi. Nice to meet you, Ricky. How was the drive? Uneventful. Good. Glad to hear that. Come on up. Nice place. Thank you. It was my mom's. You lived here for a while? Since my mom died, yeah. Things got hard in the last few years, so I rented, but I could never let it out of my hands. Lots of memories here. Seems like it. Lots of happy times. Not all. So you're Tony? Yes. Why? Oh, don't look at me like that. Your name's on the reservation. Just... Do we know each other? Don't we? Holy shit. Ricky Hill. That Ricky Hill. Yeah, Tony. What? This camp. That's why it's familiar. We used to come visit you. Me and... Melissa. You remember her. Could I ever forget? We used to play down by the river. All the time. You, me, and your sister. Those were happy days. Tony? All this time and you never told me about your sister? Tony? Hey, you okay? I don't like to talk about that. Can I sit down? Melissa. I'm sorry. Tony. Hey, can I get you some water? No, I'll be fine. I have a photo of her. Right here. Weren't we a cute couple? This... This is at high school homecoming. Yeah? So? She died, Ricky. Two months before she ever made it to high school. Well, that can't be, right? I think I'd know if she had... Hey, Ricky! We've had a long day on the road. Can we just get some shut-eye? Of course. No, I need to know what's going- We'll talk some more in the morning, okay? Good night. Good night. I hold the photo in my hand, trying to understand the impossible. The date is two months after it happened. There she is. The jet black hair. The toothy smile. The freckles. Melissa. Melissa. My sister. Sonia? Yeah? Have you ever had the feeling that something both is and isn't? Like, something is clearly impossible, yet at the same time, it's true. What are you getting at, Tony? My sister drowned. I watched it happen. But maybe it also didn't. How does that work? I don't know. And that's the scariest part of all. Sensitivity Consulting by Molly and Dana. Thank you. as DJ. Richard McGonigal as Dr. Leopold. Sam Mowry as Leech Monster, Monster X, and Trucker. Tim Sample as Mr. Gussie. And William Steele as Psychologist. Additional voices by the cast. The Dark Tome was directed and produced by Fred Greenhalgh. Dialogue editing and sound design by Jason DeWald of Audio Evolutions. Audioevolutions.net. Additional sound by Mind's Eye Productions. Final mix by Fred Greenhalgh. Original score by Hubert Campbell. Theme song, Here, My Friend, Your Future, by Frank Schulmeyer. The Dark Tome Undertow was produced from lockdown with distributed performers across continental North America in locations traditionally stewarded by numerous indigenous tribes. The home base of Dagest Media is in York County, Maine, ancestral land of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The fictionalized location of Simpson Falls is inspired by the Penobscot County region of Maine, the ancestral lands of the Penobscot The Dark Tome is a Dagaz Media production. Learn more at dagazmedia.com. That's D-A-G-A-Z media dot com. The Earth