Some quick heads up (though they’ll be repeated in the endnotes of the script): Letters to Georgia is taking an Official Break until June 13th when episode 11 will be out. Sometime in between now and the I will be releasing bloopers, and hopefully finishing up the last coloring pages for these first ten episodes. Episodes will also all be up on Youtube.
It’s been a struggle fitting time in for writing and recording and editing between all the farm work which has rapidly been picking up, so the next set of episodes will be released on a three week schedule instead of two to make it easier on myself.
Thank you for listening, Sabrina
Content warnings
Gaslighting
Non consensual memory/mind prodding
Inside, Rachel has just come in from getting the mail, frantic and excited.
There you are, there you are, there you are! Dramatic flop into a seat, something heavy set onto the table, the cursed tv can be barely heard playing from below the kitchen in the basement. Oops! Giggles. It’s been quiet around here Diane, the mists have been clearing out further and further, and I haven’t had any letters this past week and even though I have some today- one is from Gideon! And I had some regular mail from Jade! And a rock. It’s holey and I don’t understand but I DON’T CARE.
Deep breaths, trying to calm down. Maybe I can start getting some answers. I did restrain myself from reading anything on the way up, but here’s what’s from Jade… Tape tears, paper unfolds, a small metal necklace falls out as well. It’s just a folded and taped piece of printer paper, was under the holey rock in my regular mailbox, what’s this? Hmm, it’s a little necklace, with a… Stella Maris thingy, what do they call them? The Catholic… medals, I think? I’ll see… Necklace gets set down, paper rustles.
Rachel- I don’t know how much any of this will actually help but I am so worried about you. I don’t know what’s going on, but there’s something you aren’t telling me. The Blue Ones have been showing up around town more, even I’ve seen one. Please be careful. My grandmother, Abigay, gave the hag stone and medal to me when we moved to Hartford for protection and I hope they help you too.
Something’s not right, and you need to get out. If I don’t hear from you by Wednesday I’m finding your friend Cooper and we’re getting you out. Jade, signed with a star.
I… want to be comforted by that so much but… where’s my phone?? Walks away, muffled curses from a distance, returns and tosses the phone on the table. Shit. No service again. Blue’s probably going to show up soon, shit shit shit. Scrambling to put the paper in her pockets, and the necklace on under the bandana.
They can’t get involved in this. And here, real quick- Gideon sent a post card… from Capetown, South Africa.
Pleased to make your acquaintance, again, Rachel. So sorry about the mess you’ve found yourself in, Georgia has that effect on people. Not sure there’s much you can do, the Door Makers are rather pernicious- coalesce or rot really, [voice starts to shake] and that probably isn’t an option for you if anything Brendan said was true. Best of luck, G
Long pause, Rachel is breathing heavy. She folds the postcard up slowly to pocket.
Gideon… knew dad. Wasn’t there… a few weeks ago there was a letter, they mentioned a B, the one from Quinn. They knew something, they knew what happened… Oh no. Can hear the faint portal coming from the living room. Rachel rushes to open One of the actual letters.
And here is one from… om, om, om… Tara Wilson. Footsteps coming in from the right. Hey, Blue. To whom it may concern at Thrush Song Magazine. Enclosed is my unpublished poem, “Little Death,” for submission. There are the sounds of a chair being pulled back and sat in.
The driveway is polkadot / With the golden oxidized remains of / Hundreds of snails. / They crunch underfoot and heel, / Near invisible popcorn kernels, crushed / Before there is any notice / They are there. / Some times these little deaths / Meaningless, tragic, and so unavoidable / Hit harder than others. / Each quarter drop a being, / each copper stain a gastropodic kin. / And I can do little more than / breath deep the field mint breeze / count the milkweed blessings / and stop to help the baby turtle / cross the road.
Thank you for your consideration, I look foreward to hearing from you, Tara Wilson.
BLUE
Gruesome. I like it.
RACHEL
Rolls eyes. Of course you would. Want some coffee?
BLUE
That disgusting, disgusting mouth molding sloppy crunch. That sounds delightful, R.
RACHEL
There’s a bottle of cold brew in the fridge, help yourself.
BLUE
Rude.
RACHEL
You put a portal through my couch last week and now it phases in and out of existence. You practically live here and don’t pay rent, which means you’re no longer a guest and can get your own coffee.
BLUE
Are you seriously still paying your mortgage?
RACHEL
Wait. Is that optional now? Hmm. That’s one perk, I suppose.
BLUE
And all this sweet, sweet quality time. I love what you’ve done with your garden.
RACHEL
Thanks, it’s uh, Getting confused. It’s just a few shrubs and fruit trees that a friend delivered Friday. They helped me throw them in the ground.
BLUE
Very serious. And you kept your mouth shut?
RACHEL
Yeah, yeah… uh, having them able to swing by was actually really helpful I think, they were starting to worry I’d left town suddenly without saying good bye. Anyways! Coffee is in the fridge, I’ve got [paper rustles] one more letter to read today. Long pause. Or not? Okay, alrighty, that’s fine, that’s totally fine, here we go this is from Caleb Portner.
It looks like a resume with some hand written notes on tops, just a sec…
Hey TJ, thanks for looking over this for me. Haven’t had any luck finding a job and could use all the help I could get. I owe you!
It, it is a resume. Or, something trying really hard to be a resume.
Address is listed as “The white van parked next to my sister’s house by River Park.” Oh… oh dear.
BLUE
Brutally honest, always appreciated.
RACHEL
But awful for getting hired. He was expelled from school in 11th grade for bringing a knife and threatening a teacher, good to know… did get his GED some summer though and started an apprenticeship at a local mechanics shop that only lasted three months, doesn’t share that reason however. Has had more than a few jobs working at various fast food joints, no judgement there, however his longest period of employment has only been eight months. And was fired for harassing one of the female cooks. I mean, I wouldn’t hire him if I knew that. Uhh… Hey Blue?
BLUE
What.
RACHEL
Do these letters ever actually make it to their intended recipients, or do they get lost and end up here… somehow?
BLUE
Deep sigh. It depends. Keep reading, this is amusing.
RACHEL
Unhappy sigh. Sure.
Um, oh, he’s done some volunteering. Every few months at a clothing center in Manchester, Vermont. Then later, moved East… and was also a sleep and time perception volunteer at the... University of New Hampshire fifteen years ago…
Wait. Working with Dr. Brenden…
BLUE
Suddenly furious and yelling, their chair moves violently. YOU DO NOT GET TO SAY HIS NAME. The paper gets torn from Rachel’s hand, and she shoots back out of the chair and onto the floor, terrified.
RACHEL
He worked with my father, and I get to say his name. There is the sound of static and cracking, Rachel scoots further away, Blue steps towards her. What are you doing?!
BLUE
You don’t deserve this... ignorance. You deserve to know, I will Make You KNOW.
RACHEL
She backs solidly into the wall. Stay away from me, Blue stop it! What are you- The sound cuts out suddenly, after a loud burst of electrical and static screeching.
Much later, Rachel is cutting across Rosa’s lawn to check on her.
I don’t know what they did, but Blue broke something, ow! Damn blackberries, oh, here we go! Can be heard running across a yard, out of breath, then banging on a door. Rosa! It’s Rachel are you… what happened to her house. Diane, the garden beds I had been working on looks, normal, well, normal as they could be without getting weeded for a couple of months, but the house… Rosa, I’m coming in! A door handle rattles, then opens. Then, much quieter- Rosa? You here? Ahh! Surprised yelp.
BLUE
Did you really think she was real?
RACHEL
What?
BLUE
I don’t know your game R-128, Rachel, Georgia, whatever name you’re going by these days. But! It doesn’t matter, you’re stuck here, the same as you always have been.
RACHEL
What are you saying? Blue? Rosa wasn’t real? I’ve… Drops to the ground… Oh no, where is it, where… Muffled sounds of the recorder dropping, and screams into her elbow. Blue hums, happily, not quite a laugh. Why are you doing this to me? I’ve been living in Seattle for over ten years, my mother is a Georgia, I’ve, I’ve always just been…
BLUE
Rachel. Sure. SO you’ve said. I can’t believe that little jolt didn’t work, stand up. Rachel grabs the recorder as she’s hoisted up.There… there. Sighs. Breathe or something, you’re looking more like a ghost than usual, and I am sick of babysitting you, it’s not as satisfying if you can’t remember. Rachel sputters, trying to breath. Blue huffs and lets her go, she slumps against the wall. Fine.
I was barely able to escape after you betrayed us. Quinn and Brendan were captured. They’re both alive, technically.
RACHEL
Brendan, you mean my dad-
BLUE
Bitter. Yes. Dr Brendan Elliot Bardin, he-
RACHEL
HE’S ALIVE! I knew it, where is he-
BLUE
STOP. Teeth come in. He had another mission that night, something he couldn’t tell us, but he asked us to trust him and we did. But then they both failed because of you. Because you got greedy, you a selfish piece of work, you know that? And now he’s trapped, nothing more than a floating mass of consciousness and memory. A living hell I’ve heard. And Quinn is stuck without her vocal chords, her talents, and I am stuck here with you. And it is torture. The only respite is that your skills have faded with your memory, and… despite all that… I… I cannot bring myself to hate you. I want to tear you to pieces and hurt you in ways you can’t imagine, but I can’t hate you and that is the worst part of all.
They calm down a little, Rachel hasn’t moved an inch.
RACHEL
I… I’m- I’m sorry. I’m sorry Im sorry Im sorry….
BLUE
Audibly rolls eye. It doesn’t matter. If you weren’t so faded and weak I’d toss you through one of my pathways, but you should go home and let Rosa and your other “friends” go. There’s work to be done, and I’m sure there’ll be more letters in the morning.
Footsteps fading away.
It’s just you and me, R. It’s just been you and me since you “moved here.”
Portal phases out.
RACHEL
No, no, no… that can’t be right. She drops to the floor. Where’s that stone, I had it in my hands and then… Stifled sobs. Wait, the necklace, it’s here. It’s here. I… Fumbling around in pockets for her phone. Still no service. But Jade is real, they know I’m here, they’re going to find Cooper, who’s also real and… A few solid whacks of her head hitting the wall. A deep sigh, the recorder clicks off.
SABRINA
Hello, lovely listeners, and thank you for stopping by for another episode! First some big news- I will be taking a short break from publishing new episodes, but will be back Sunday, June 6th with not just a new episode, but a brand spanking new mic set up as well- no more lecture recorder for me- a truly thrilling upgrade, and- and a new logo! Don’t fret though, I will be sharing a collection of bloopers and chats with Willa in the meantime, and maybe a little Q & A if there is interest- it will be a sweet lil surprise if you’re paying attention. And if surprises aren’t your thing and you want to be in the know about when the bloopers drop be sure to follow us on instagram @star.room.studio, that’s at star dot room dot studio, or pop on by the website www dot sabrinalucille dot com for show updates, art posts, scripts, coloring pages, and new little bits and bobs of creative coaching.
If you have a minute, reviews are golden, and I’d appreciate any kind words or constructive criticisms. Shares are also golden, they are, better than golden, let’s say golden squared… or rose gold. Fancy gold… Can you make gold more fancy? Some advanced alchemy right there, so be sure to spread the word about the podcast on your social media of choice or peer pressure or lovingly harass your friends and neighbors- they will have a few weeks to get caught up.
From my whole entire ribcage, thank you again for listening, toodles.
