Feed Drop: Tales Yet Told-Our Lives in the Wood 3: I Choose You

[00:00:01] Speaker A: You are listening to Tales Yet Told, an actual play show dealing in horrific and often heavy topics and themes at the intersection of queerness and horror. Content warnings, list of cast and crew and other relevant links can be found in the Description. Viewer discretion is advised. 10.4.85 AE I decided to check out of the writer's room for a bit, stretch my legs, check on some stories, stop by Mae's funeral. It was a rather morbid affair. Mae's family, friends, neighbors, hell, basically the whole of Walton was there. Even some of the other harbingers. I guess that's what happens when the healer dies. The sublime trembles in their absence. I wonder if it would be the same for the principal or the sheriff or the writer. Would people care if we died? Oh yeah. Even the system was there though it wasn't there for the funeral. Apparently I pissed it off somehow, especially if that's anything new. But it claimed that I, and I quote, threw a second sun into the sky a few days ago or something like that, which apparently is a bad thing. And it caused a bit of a mess on ground level stuff. I tried to tell him it couldn't have been me since I'd been stuck here in the writers room trying to get through a block on this new romantic drama I've been cooking up. But it kept on going on and on and on about straining the CPUs processing or something or whatever. Honestly, I wasn't really listening because I kept getting sucked into the gloomy eyes of May's sister. I think her name was Constance, a rather dull looking sort. But there was something in her eyes, a spark reaching for kindling. She seemed so lonely in that way. I wanted to do something for her. And that's when it hit me, Diary. The hook I needed for my story, the push I needed. I'd been working with those troublemakers for too long. I needed something more erotic than that. Hello everybody and welcome back to another episode of Tales Yet Told, an actual play podcast focused on telling stories at the intersection of queerness and horror using indie TTRPGs. My name's Kendrick or Kendo, whichever you prefer, and I use any and all pronouns you're keeping in your pocket. And today I am joined once more by the love of my life, Ellis. You did not want to pick that one up and I don't blame you. [00:03:10] Speaker B: You are love of my life and my name is Ellis. As you have already mentioned pronouns, I don't care anymore. Go with your vibe. That's so fair. [00:03:23] Speaker A: That's so fair. [00:03:23] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm So tired. I don't, I don't mind. I just don't mind. [00:03:30] Speaker A: Well, thank you so much for joining me today because we're going to be playing a little two player game for all those gays out there called Unresolved Sapphic Tension by my dear friend Alyssa, also known as a disasterqueer. [00:03:47] Speaker B: The only kind of Sapphic love. [00:03:49] Speaker A: The only kind of Sapphic love there is out there. This is the first time that you and I will just be the only people here telling a story within the sublime, which, yes, yeah, I think is funny because you have been a part of my creating of the sublime since its inception, basically. And so it's, it'll be nice for just the random dramaturgy meetings. I drop on you when I walk into a room and I'm like, hey, I have an idea. [00:04:19] Speaker B: So almost every time you walk into. [00:04:21] Speaker A: A room, which it's hard to turn. [00:04:25] Speaker B: Off, it's who you are and I love that about you. But yes, this will be, this being a conversation between the two of us is most commonly how the sublime is characterized. So I think it'll be interesting for people to hear it in a kind of raw form. [00:04:45] Speaker A: Yeah, I agree. And especially because we will be talking about today, as you all might have noticed by the name of the game, unresolved Sapphic Tension. There's going to be some, some discussions about love and sexuality and gender, which is what the sublime is all about, baby. But I think this, like, this will be explicitly the first time that we're really diving into the concepts of like sexuality and like romanticism, usually because we're, we're following children and so we don't do that. Yeah, but now we got some adults living in the sublime under its strict rules also. And, well, we'll see how they deal with things. [00:05:25] Speaker B: Yes. [00:05:26] Speaker A: All right, everybody, you know what, let's, let's just get right on into it. We'll, you'll, you'll learn about who we're playing and how the game works. As we go, our camera fades in and we see Hollowwood. A city very much like one you've heard of or maybe even seen. Perhaps you even live there. The streets are overstuffed with people and their egos and their dreams. We see yearning hearts, honking cars, billboard signs and actors late for their auditions. Street performers sell themselves to executives passing by who don't have the time to care even for themselves. It's the middle of the day, around the time time that a thousand office addled minds begin planning their lunch break. Like the heist that it is, and surfers carve out their share of the waves. Our camera moves closer to the city, getting lost in one of hundreds of forgotten corners, to a door tucked away in an alley with a sign above it that reads Dr. Cupid's love arrow Cruise Interviews. Inside, we see a short line of desperate souls waiting anxiously for their turn. Our camera moves closer, passing them and fading through the door to the office that lies on the other side. Though it's so cramped you can barely call it an office, can you? It's more like a closet or a coffin. A small plain desk filled with application sits between a man and the door. He's an older man whose hair has abandoned his scalp and is thinning on the sides. He hums to himself as he flips through the papers with the confidence of a man with too much control and too little to lose. The name on the placard reads Dr. Cupid. And the next applicant comes in. [00:07:33] Speaker C: Just for the record, we got some stuff we gotta get out of the way between us before this exciting new moment for you. Michelle Verona, if I understand correctly. Correct. Is there a middle name for that? [00:07:43] Speaker A: No, I was not given one. [00:07:45] Speaker C: Constance Crane. Is there a middle name we should have? [00:07:49] Speaker B: No. [00:07:49] Speaker C: Perfect. Perfect. And your age and your role, if you'd be so kind. [00:07:54] Speaker B: I'm 31. I was assigned to be a homemaker and a mother. [00:07:58] Speaker A: I'm 27 and my role is model. [00:08:02] Speaker C: Congratulations. Wow. A fast name and a wonderful career. How did you hear about our services here? [00:08:10] Speaker B: My mother. [00:08:11] Speaker A: Well, this was recommended to me by my agent and I guess I just thought it would be a good opportunity for me. [00:08:17] Speaker C: You should give that agent a raise is all I have to say. Were you born here in the sublime or were you born on the earth? If you don't mind me prodding. [00:08:26] Speaker A: I was born in the sublime. [00:08:28] Speaker B: I was born here. [00:08:30] Speaker C: Alright. Perfect. Perfect. Are you afflicted with the stranger's curse by any chance? [00:08:35] Speaker A: Oh, absolutely not. Or at least not that I know of. [00:08:39] Speaker B: Yes. [00:08:40] Speaker C: Delicious. If you fail to find a partner by the end of this trip, what animal would you like us to turn you into? [00:08:48] Speaker B: I'm already turning into a peafowl, so it'd be easiest just to go all the way. [00:08:54] Speaker A: Oh, I have to decide now. It might be a little strange, but I was thinking maybe a three toed sloth. I read through the pamphlet and it seemed. I don't know, it seemed right. [00:09:11] Speaker C: I guess after a laugh with such a fast name, I could see why you might want to take It a little slower, alright? Besides that smile, what would you say your best qualities are? [00:09:23] Speaker A: I guess it wouldn't be wrong of me to say that I'm very conventionally attractive. And I'm also handy around the house. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. I can do chores if that's what someone wants from me. [00:09:41] Speaker B: My mother put me in an academy for homemaking. I can set up parties. I can play piano. I can hold conversation well enough if needed. [00:09:52] Speaker C: Schools for homemaking, homes for school making. What a wonderful time to be alive. What would you say are your worst qualities? [00:10:01] Speaker A: Oh, I. Well, I guess I only graduated high school, so I'm not the most educated person. And my job keeps me pretty busy, so I'm maybe a little distracted sometimes. I've been told I'm vain, but you know, I have to care about my appearance. [00:10:20] Speaker B: The mistress at my school said I was a whore and cold and. And many other things I don't care to remember. [00:10:30] Speaker C: My dad always told me all a cold whore needs is a jacket. [00:10:34] Speaker B: Is that true? [00:10:35] Speaker C: He's never lied to me, but. What? Sorry. I don't need to talk about family. What do you value in a partner? [00:10:43] Speaker B: I suppose someone who understands what I am and can accept what I'm not. [00:10:52] Speaker A: I guess I'm looking for someone kind. Someone who'll listen and someone who'll surprise me. [00:11:00] Speaker C: Sounds like a dream come true. To be honest. Those sloths are gonna miss out. What? What would you say you value in yourself beyond your appearance? Unless that's your answer. [00:11:12] Speaker A: I can be pretty flexible. If someone has particularly strong feelings about something, I can take their thoughts into consideration. And being maybe a little less rigid. I don't know what I'm saying. I guess now that I'm saying it, it sounds like I'm saying it's easy for people to walk on me, but that's. I don't know. [00:11:40] Speaker C: Well, there's a love story right there. Plain as day. [00:11:44] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm sorry. That wasn't even your question. I'm flexible. [00:11:50] Speaker B: I can be useful sometimes. [00:11:53] Speaker C: Perfect. Not to go digging through any closets, but. How long has it been since your last partner? [00:12:00] Speaker B: Two years? [00:12:01] Speaker A: It's been about four months, I would say. It wasn't something serious, though. It was. We dated for about two weeks or so. [00:12:10] Speaker C: I'm sorry to hear that. [00:12:11] Speaker A: Yeah, well, in my experience, people make their decisions about things very quickly. [00:12:17] Speaker C: Truly. That's why we give you a whole cruise before you have to possibly decide to go down a different path. In your estimation, was the Relationship Primary. Romantic or was it just sexual? [00:12:29] Speaker B: It was both. I think it was perhaps more romantic for them and more sexual for me. [00:12:38] Speaker A: It was primarily sexual. [00:12:41] Speaker C: You are flexible. Does your role require you to raise children as a model? [00:12:47] Speaker A: No, it doesn't. But it would probably take me away from my work, and I don't know how my body would recover. [00:12:58] Speaker B: Yes. [00:12:59] Speaker C: Yes, it does. Do you currently have children? And if not, do you want them? [00:13:04] Speaker B: I don't have children. I don't want children. [00:13:07] Speaker C: Spicy. [00:13:09] Speaker A: I don't have children, and I don't think I desire one. I haven't really put a lot of thought into it. [00:13:16] Speaker C: There's no thing to bother yourself with ideas and thoughts such as that. What would you do if you were to ever truly connect with someone? [00:13:24] Speaker B: I don't know. When I do, when I think that I am, it doesn't work out. So I have no frame of reference for what. What I would do if it was genuine. [00:13:36] Speaker A: I think I would do everything I could to care for them. And. I don't know, I guess I would just hold on and never let go. [00:13:46] Speaker C: You must be thrilled to be stepping into such a new adventure. Oh, I envy you. Why do you think you're alone? [00:13:53] Speaker B: Because I ruin people. Given enough time, I ruin people. [00:13:58] Speaker A: Um. I guess I've never met anyone who ever chose me. [00:14:06] Speaker C: Well, that's fantastic. That's a fantastic feeling. To be such a part of this new, exciting determination for a dream come true I now see on your face. [00:14:16] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. [00:14:19] Speaker C: Oh, I envy you. You're about to have the time of your life. [00:14:27] Speaker A: So before we begin, we need to determine our first encounter. We need to establish the first time that our characters have seen each other and what that is like. And I believe we. We came to. We came to an agreement on that. We kind of imagine it on the cruise ship as everyone is leaving Hollow Wood and are on their way to this island. And I don't know the name of the island yet, but maybe we'll come to an interesting name as we play. [00:15:04] Speaker B: I'm sure. [00:15:05] Speaker A: I'm sure we will. I'll try not to make it so. [00:15:09] Speaker B: Would it not just be so we have Dr. Cupid's love arrow Cruise, would it not just be Love Arrow Island? [00:15:15] Speaker A: Ooh, I do like Love Arrow Island. [00:15:18] Speaker B: That makes sense. [00:15:19] Speaker A: Yeah, that does make sense. Maybe it's shaped like an arrow. [00:15:22] Speaker B: You know it's shaped like an arrow. [00:15:24] Speaker A: Or a heart. Or an arrow with a heart at the tip. [00:15:27] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:15:28] Speaker A: Okay, wait. Trail of islands. Like, it's like a line of them. Right. And then a big heart island at the end, certainly. Okay. Yeah, There we go. Love it. So the ship that's not the island I'm imagining, they're like. So we all get on to the ship from, like, whatever. Like, dock or whatever. You know, we've all got, I imagine, like, wristbands or something to identify that we're here. Or maybe it's a name tag. [00:15:57] Speaker B: A wristband you can't take off is much better, I think A wristband you. [00:16:02] Speaker A: Can'T take off is. Is. Is better. [00:16:05] Speaker B: Well, it would be on brand, wouldn't it? Because especially for how things might end, I think. [00:16:11] Speaker A: Yeah, for how things might end. I like that. I mean, it almost makes me like, rather than like just a wristband, like, if it's like a bangle of some kind, something that. [00:16:22] Speaker B: That's what I mean. Yeah, it's like a bangle. Like a. Like a silver bangle. And it's engraved with our names and roles. [00:16:28] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah. Names, roles. Okay. Love it. Love it. So we are here, right, at the kind of entrance ceremony. Were all packed together on the front deck of the ship. There is a man and woman. It's like a duo with matching uniforms that are branded to Dr. Cupid's cruise. Of course, probably like light shades of pink with red trim. That sucks so bad. And I think we see each other across the crowd maybe. What do you think the vibe is of everyone else who isn't us? [00:17:16] Speaker B: You know, when, like, on a. A dating show like Love island or the Bachelor or whatever. It's the. The first episode and everybody's drinking cocktails and they're talking and they're talking about things that are loud and they're annoying and they're laughing and they're doing that. I think I do have a glass of champagne in my hand, and I'm perusing over all of the individuals. And I see you because you're being as quiet as I am. And so that already puts you a breed above everyone else for me on this godforsaken ship. And so I. Seeing you there walk over and I look at you and I say, can I sit next to you? [00:18:05] Speaker A: Oh, yes, of course, Please, And I am. I think I am, like, just, like, tucked away on a bench, like, in the middle of. I'm imagining, like, there's, like, two sets of, like, stairs on either side of. [00:18:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:18:26] Speaker A: The ship that lead up to, like, a higher deck. Right. And in the shadows of those stairs, they're like, benches and, like, seating areas, tables with champagne. So on. And so forth. And I'm just tucked into this cramped little space where all of these other people are just kind of crowding around and you find your way here. I guess the first thing that you notice about me is that I'm quiet, right? That's okay. I, I think the first thing that I notice about you is that you're direct. You told me exactly what you wanted in this moment. You wanted to sit here. And I think that is something that I kind of latch on to. There's like a security in that I think. And so yeah, I scoot over and I make room for you. [00:19:15] Speaker B: Very nice. What do I notice about, about your appearance? [00:19:20] Speaker A: I think you notice I'm tall, right? I'm taller than like an average height like woman. Like I'm like five nine, slender. And I think you notice that like my clothes are maybe a little much for the cruise. I'm not a model in and of myself, so it's a little hard to say like. [00:19:44] Speaker B: So for models, one thing that is common for them to wear it's. It's just like plain black business casual wear. So it'll be like a, an attractive black blouse and black slim pants and then black heels. It allows you to show off your body but also walk that kind of thing. [00:20:03] Speaker A: And I think you see that I'm wearing this just kind of slim, not quite form fitting, like sleek but black top with not quite like a pencil skirt but like just like a little, I think a little roomier than that. And like black high heels and like just like a light bit of makeup and hoop gold earrings. [00:20:29] Speaker B: Very nice. [00:20:30] Speaker A: And I think they're like going on and on and on about whatever, you know, beginning stuff, right. This, the time that we're going to spend here on the ship during these first couple of days will give us some time to meet with some potential people that we want to spend time with. There will be a variety of activities we can do. Breakfast, lunch and dinner shall be served. And by the time we reach the island in two days, we should have picked someone. Their pairings should be forged by the time we get to the island. And those who don't will be starting off rough. [00:21:14] Speaker B: Understood. [00:21:15] Speaker A: So what do you think Constance is thinking? Like right, like as that conversation is happening about like you need to find someone, we need to have partners by the time we get to the island or it's going to be much harder for us moving forward. [00:21:33] Speaker B: I think Constance has a bit of defeatism already. She's being forced to be here by her mother and everyone here the odds are already looking rough. Like, you know, she. As for, like, you know, I'm supposed to come in here and I'm supposed to find a man. And it's. Her mindset is if by some miracle she does find someone and something does work out cool, but if it doesn't, it doesn't. And right now it's looking grim. [00:22:03] Speaker A: Yeah, I think for Michelle, she looks around the crowd and she's a bit. I think she's more hopeful than Constance. I think she's a little bit in her own head because she wants to make good impressions. She knows she needs to do it. She just doesn't know how. At least not in this aspect. Okay, so now we have the first round, and I will go first. Each of us are going to pick one approach between processing, revealing, and teasing. This will basically say how our character is approaching the scene that we will be describing next. And this works like rock, paper, scissors. Processing beats revealing. Revealing beats teasing. And teasing beats processing. Processing is turning inward to better understand your own heart. Revealing is laying yourself bare before them. And teasing is whatever it takes to earn a place under their skin. Whoever wins a round will give the other person a clue that they like that person. The first person with five clues is the first to discover, oh, hey, this person may actually like me like I like them. And the person who gets that clue will then go on to describe the final scene where they make an unambiguous first move, declaring, hey, this is how I feel about you. How do you feel about me? And from there we will talk about, what does that mean? As we move on into the future. There is also one final mechanic called the Dark Knight, which either of us will be able to use instead of. Of using processing, revealing, or teasing. But we can get to that when and if we actually use it. So for our first encounter, we are going to work together to establish outside of that first meeting we just had, what do we want our first exchange to be? Right? This isn't necessarily one of us is coming up to the other in this moment, but maybe we're just in a space shared together similarly like to our first. Our first scene that we just talked about. Do you have any thoughts about what activity or event might be happening for this first one? [00:24:22] Speaker B: Perhaps the an on cruise restaurant. [00:24:25] Speaker A: Oh, okay. Yeah, maybe it's. Maybe it's dinner that night. I imagine that there's like a huge party that they do where it's like, hey, everybody get super drunk and very loud. [00:24:36] Speaker B: Very obnoxious, very unfortunate, Very loud, very obnoxious. [00:24:41] Speaker A: Very unfortunate. Unfortunate. Okay, so each of us will pick our approach that we're going to use, and then we will reveal them at the same time. 3, 2, 1. [00:24:54] Speaker B: Both processing. [00:24:56] Speaker A: We've both chosen processing. That's so funny. So on a tie, neither of us gets a clue. [00:25:05] Speaker B: Excellent. [00:25:05] Speaker A: Love that. What do we think this looks like? [00:25:08] Speaker B: I think it being the first night and both of us being the way that we are. We. We arrive, we're allowed to. Do you think it's like a buffet style and we're choosing our plates? Oh, like a fancy. Yeah, like a luxury buffet style. [00:25:26] Speaker A: Luxury buffet. Maybe we're in, like, there's the wall of, like, plates and, like, food things that you get it out of, and there's just a long line of us slowly going through, and it's separated by gender. So it's like all of the women on one side, all of the men on the other side, and then they come together towards the middle, which is supposed to, like, be like, oh, the person that you finished getting your food at the same time, maybe you maybe. [00:25:54] Speaker B: Get to know them. [00:25:55] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. [00:25:56] Speaker B: I think I again see you in there. What are you doing? Are you already in line or are you kind of standing idly by? [00:26:04] Speaker A: I think I'm standing at the place where you're supposed to get the plates and then, like, get into line and start walking it. And I'm standing by there. I haven't picked up a plate, but I'm, like, looking over to the men section and I'm, like, kind of trying to time it a little bit. I'm trying to, like. I'm trying to see if there's anyone over there that I'm interested in, but that I'm like, oh, yeah, maybe that's a good person for me to try to go there with. And I keep faking myself out where I'm like, oh, maybe this one. No, he's moving a little fast. Maybe not him. And so you come in and you see me, like, reaching and then reaching back and then reaching for a plate while people are just, like, passing me by. [00:26:52] Speaker B: That's very interesting. I see you, and I remember how we both quietly drank liquids together and how that sucked less than other encounters. And so I walk right over to you again, and I pick up two plates and I hand one to you, and I say, do you want to do this? [00:27:10] Speaker A: You've, like, kind of forced me into a position where I have to make a decision, and I. I follow. I. I slowly take the plate from your hand and. And nod But I'm not, like, I'm. I keep turning back towards the, like, the men's group, and I'm, like, looking back and forth and I'm like, oh, man, who's this? I can't quite tell who this is going to put me with. And so I'm just, like, in my own head in this moment. [00:27:40] Speaker B: I don't care who's over there. I've already perused most of them and perhaps stolen files to look at, and nothing's interesting. So I'm. I'm focused in. And I'm honed in on the food. And I'm looking at the food, and I'm thinking they have a lot of really good options here. And I am just like anything, there's so much here that I just normally wouldn't be able to get my hands on. So the rarest steaks, the butteriest lobsters, like, all of the finest options that I could never get my paws on otherwise. I am. I am just filling my plate late. [00:28:14] Speaker A: Yeah. And I am so distracted by looking over and, like, being in my own head of, like, okay, I need to make sure that I make a good impression for whoever is the person who ends up next to me. And I am keep passing by food I would otherwise be eating. I think you maybe even notice that, like, there's a few times where I'm just following your movement of, like, you've moved from forward. So I move forward without even looking at the food in front of me. And so I've not grabbed anything. [00:28:46] Speaker B: By the time that we're halfway through, I start putting things on your plate that I hope you'll enjoy. [00:28:52] Speaker A: I think you doing that kind of snaps me out of it. I'm like, oh, my gosh. Thank you so much. [00:28:57] Speaker B: I. I'm so sorry. I. I really hope you like green beans almondine. I typically do. So I'm. [00:29:03] Speaker A: This should be fine. [00:29:04] Speaker B: You should probably get a PR routine. [00:29:07] Speaker A: Should I? Oh, you're right. Do. Do you think eating fish would be better, or should I do steak, maybe? Chicken is, like, a nice medium ground. [00:29:17] Speaker B: You should go for the steak and lobster. It's the most expensive. And. And they're feeding us, so I'm. I'm getting bougie things. But you do as you see fit. Of course. [00:29:28] Speaker A: You don't think that that would maybe. Do they. Do you think that they would think I'm greedy? Greedy if I get too much food. [00:29:33] Speaker B: I don't care what they think. Look. What. Look at what everyone else is getting. They're every. Everyone's being greedy. Everyone is greedy. Do what you want. [00:29:41] Speaker A: And I take a steak and a lobster. [00:29:45] Speaker B: Nice. [00:29:46] Speaker A: Okay, well, since that was a tie and neither of us. Neither of us moved forward in our clues, I'll go for this next one. I think it is the night after. It's like that night. We've all had our drinks. We all had our food. You know, maybe we talked to some people, maybe we didn't, but we're back in the rooms of, like, in the lower decks of the ship. And this is when we find out that we're roommates, because I think maybe we brought in our stuff at, like, separate points in time so we just hadn't run across each other in the room yet, you know? [00:30:28] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:30:29] Speaker A: Yeah. I think. I think one of us is already in the room and one of us is about to enter. [00:30:34] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:30:34] Speaker A: Who do you think is which? [00:30:36] Speaker B: I think I'm already in the room. [00:30:37] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. I think I probably stayed out talking to more people and you. Yeah. Okay. That feels right. Let's choose our thing. I've got mine. Right. Three, two, one. This is so funny. So we've both chose revealing. [00:31:02] Speaker B: Yes. [00:31:02] Speaker A: So I think I walk into the. Like, you hear the door open, and I take, like, a couple of shaky steps into the room. I've taken my heels off. I'm far too drunk for that. [00:31:17] Speaker B: And. [00:31:17] Speaker A: And walking around with them on a ship has been a nightmare all night. [00:31:22] Speaker B: I can imagine. [00:31:23] Speaker A: So I have them tucked in between my fingers, and I'm like. I just walk into the room and just collapse onto the bed, groaning exhaustedly. And I haven't even noticed that you are in here yet. [00:31:40] Speaker B: I walk over and I put a blanket on you. And then I go back to. I'm almost fully unpacked. Everything is set up just so. The kitchen is set up. Things are. The refrigerator is organized by fruits. You can see everything is as immaculate as it can be. We walked into clean rooms, but I am cleaning it again. [00:32:04] Speaker A: That's so funny. And I think, like, you put the blanket on me, and I roll over and I go, oh, thank you. Oh, Constance. [00:32:14] Speaker B: Hello. [00:32:15] Speaker A: Oh, my God. I didn't know we were roommates. Oh, my God, this is so good. And I get up. I think I unfold the blanket around my arms, and I bring you into a hug. And it's just like. It's just straight champagne. It's. I'm gone. [00:32:37] Speaker B: I. I stall for a moment, and then I put my arms around you less to hug you and more so to hold you up And I say, hmm, are you're inebriated? [00:32:48] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah, I had a few drinks. I was just, you know, I was talking out there with Chad and Brad and Zach and Mike, and there were like, three Johns. [00:33:02] Speaker B: I think there's always at least three. [00:33:04] Speaker A: Yeah. What is with that? Why are guys names so samey? [00:33:09] Speaker B: I think there's even more conformity in certain masculine spaces that strong names are important, and there's only so many quote, unquote, strong names, and so a lot of men have the same names. You need to go to sleep. I think I've set things up. Can I start? I haven't touched your things yet because I wanted to ask, but if you want, while you're asleep, I can start unpacking for you. If you don't like how anything's put out, of course, you can change it later, but it's up to you. [00:33:39] Speaker A: Oh, you don't. You don't have to do that for me. I can. I can do it. I just, you know, I hadn't got to it today because I was just like. I was so, so nervous. You know, like, first impressions are everything, and I think I made a good one. I think I made a good few, maybe. How about you? Did you talk to anyone? Anybody you have your eye on? [00:34:04] Speaker B: I don't. I have my eye on everyone, and I did talk to people. [00:34:09] Speaker A: Okay. I see you like to play the field a little bit smart, don't, you know, don't count too many chickens. That sort of deal. [00:34:19] Speaker B: So your socks and your underwear and your bra. You have mostly bralettes. I. I did. I promise I didn't go through your things, but I could see certain things open on the top. I didn't touch them, though, to be clear. Would you. So we have three drawers. I could put, you know, like, your. Your socks and your bralettes on the top drawer. I could put your shirts in the middle drawer and your pants on the bottom drawer. However, alternatively, I could also put your shirts in the top drawer, your pants in the middle drawer, and the undergarments in the bottom drawer. Do you have a preference? [00:34:48] Speaker A: I don't think so. I'm gonna be honest. I never put that much thought into, like, where things go. I just kind of put them where they make sense, I think. But if you have, like, a system, I'm willing to learn something new. [00:35:02] Speaker B: Rest now. And I. I put the. I put the blanket back over you. [00:35:07] Speaker A: You like. You put the blanket over me, and I'm just like, like failing to, like, fake fight against. Against it. [00:35:15] Speaker B: You're being much more fickle, inebriated. Did you know that? Did you know you're more fickle when you're inebriated? [00:35:21] Speaker A: I, I, it, you know, it just bring, I bring something out of me. You know, you drink so it's easier to talk to people and easier to like, be yourself because, like, you don't really have to like, think about like what you're doing at any given moment. You just kind of follow the flow of things. [00:35:39] Speaker B: You're able to stop thinking when you drink. [00:35:42] Speaker A: I, I'm, that's what I do it for. Do you not? [00:35:47] Speaker B: It is less. I think it's different. [00:35:50] Speaker A: Different? Yeah, different. And I just kind of roll onto my back holding the blanket like at its corners, like close to my like chest. [00:36:02] Speaker B: I think throughout the night, you. I'm trying to be as quiet as I can, but you occasionally hear just quick scuttling across the room and you hear things being put up until eventually at maybe 2 or 3 in the morning, I go quiet. [00:36:18] Speaker A: Yeah, Love it. Okay, so that was a tie again. How about you? What do you think this next scene is? [00:36:30] Speaker B: I think we are being shepherded to the zoo. We've landed. We're assigned roommates. The person we choose to go to the zoo with is the person we're paired with. And if we don't have a pair yet, then we're in a singles group. [00:36:46] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah, that works. Three, two, one. All right. You have chosen teasing and I have chosen processing, which means you win and I get a clean blue. So what, what does this look like? Since you're the one teasing? I guess first and foremost, are you in a pair or are you in a singles group? [00:37:11] Speaker B: I'm in a, I'm single. [00:37:13] Speaker A: I think I'm in a paired. I think I've chosen one of the. We will call him, we'll call him David. His role is his, his role as office worker. He's this like handsome five, six, shorter than me. He's got like a really nice tan, like dark hair, shockingly blue eyes, and is dressed a little, almost a little business casually, which doesn't quite match the vibe of the place. But you know, he's trying to, he's trying to make a mark just like everyone else is. And I think similarly, like I'm dressed in, I've like, I'm dressing like a little bit more flashily today. I think it's a, like a light gray, maybe even silverish top with a like a matching like shawl around it and like a knee length skirt. And once again, high heel. [00:38:22] Speaker B: Yep. Terrible footwear for a zoo. [00:38:24] Speaker A: Oh, absolutely. But it's what she knows to wear. [00:38:28] Speaker B: Yeah, I am so I don't think I've really described my character yet. So my character is, you know, about five, three, you know, petty, but more curvaceous features, for sure. Mousy brown, wavy hair that's really long, about down to her ass. But the clothing is very modest. Um, so today, and similar to what you've seen her in thus to this point is, you know, kind of like a flowy cardigan, you know, loose, loose linen clothing, neutral colors. But the different thing today is I tend to wear a lot of makeup, but it's makeup that is meant to look like you're not wearing makeup usually. But today, for some reason, I'm wearing like a dark rouge to plum lip color. And I kind of just. I don't get too close to you and your partner ever. Like, I'm not. I'm not third wheeling. [00:39:22] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:39:23] Speaker B: But I do. I. I'm about 12ft behind you most of the time. [00:39:29] Speaker A: Who do you. I mean, do I guess you're the one teasing, right? [00:39:33] Speaker B: Do you approach first? I think what happens is you two. David has bought you an ice cream at some point and. And it's a hot day. That bitch melted. And you've stained your shirt. And how do you think you're reacting to that? [00:39:53] Speaker A: Very, very poorly. I think it's like. I think the moment that I've noticed, I try to hide it. I think it's on the shawl, right. And so I try to bundle up the shawl a little bit so it's not like, immediately, like, noticeable to David. And then I go, I need to. Sorry, I just need to use the bathroom. I'm so. I'm so sorry. I'll be right back. And so I go to, like, one of like, the, like, public restrooms that are. [00:40:22] Speaker B: As I watch you walking towards a restroom, you have to pass because we already passed the restroom. So you're walking past me and I. I've seen what happened. What's happened because I've been watching you the whole time. And I. And I grab you by the arm and I say, stain, huh? [00:40:39] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh, my God. It's all over. Is it bad? And I like, tried to. [00:40:43] Speaker B: It's very bad. Oh, fuck, Fuck. [00:40:48] Speaker A: Sorry, sorry, sorry. [00:40:49] Speaker B: I have. And I get my. I've got a little bag, a shoulder bag, and out of it I pull wet wipes and stain stick that I. That I just have. And I'm grabbing Your shirt. And I grabbed. You have to get under the shirt to kind of. Right. So I've got a hand under your shirt and I'm just scrubbing on his. Like it's coming out pretty easily. [00:41:13] Speaker A: You are a lifesaver. [00:41:15] Speaker B: No, don't even worry about it. [00:41:16] Speaker A: I don't know what I would do without you. This is. Oh, my God, it's so embarrassing. Do you think he noticed? [00:41:21] Speaker B: No, look at him. He's looking at a jaguar. He notices nothing. And I'm just furiously wiping. I look at it. Once it's dry, in about 10 minutes it'll be completely gone. But here. And I take off my loose fitting shawl as I hear. This will cover it until then and you'll be good. And then I look up at you and I smile at you about six inches away from your face while I still have my hands on your arms. [00:41:51] Speaker A: I think I blush and I think in reaction, I pull my head away like an inch or so. And then I go to embrace you and I go, thank you so much. Thank you so much. I don't. [00:42:06] Speaker B: You're welcome, Michelle. And then I kind of gently push you forward as, like, go on back before he notices. [00:42:14] Speaker A: And I think, like, I take like a couple of steps out and I look towards, like where David is, and he is fully just like, enamored in, like, I think it's a. I think it's like a bird exhibit. And it's just like a bunch of these different, like an eclectic group of birds of like, I think there are parrots, I think there are blackbirds, I think there are ravens. Like a bunch of birds that definitely should not be together in this huge cage in the center of like these concrete pathways. And he's just eating his ice cream cone, like, almost having forgotten that I was there. And I kind of take a second to get myself, like, ready, and I walk confidently over David and I rejoin him close. Okay, so I have one out of five. And you still don't have a singular clue. I'm so good at hiding it. [00:43:24] Speaker B: Well, you are walking around with a man, so it looks pretty grim. Doesn't. [00:43:29] Speaker A: Looks pretty grim as it always does, doesn't it? [00:43:32] Speaker B: Doesn't it? [00:43:32] Speaker A: Okay, so I think this next one, let's see. I think there is a promise night that happens. Like maybe like the second or third day we're on this island. We, like all of the people in pairs are, you know, supposed to, like, get together. Like this is the time for them to really show themselves off to everybody else on like, this, like, this early period in the relationship. And it's also another chance of, like, hey, if you don't have a partner yet, get your shit together, find someone, dance, do something. I think in comparison to some of the other events up until now, I think we see that there are a few more. I don't want to say guards, but there are people. [00:44:22] Speaker B: But guards. [00:44:23] Speaker A: There are guards, right? There are people wearing the Dr. Cupid uniform. And I think it's a mixture of humans and the capital A. Animal people, that being the people in the sublime who are not humans, who have turned into, like, lowercase A animals. Right. But these are anthropomorphic animal people who live and mostly work throughout the sublime. I think there's an octopus at the DJ booth. They're playing like. Yeah, there's an octopus at the DJ booth who's playing, like, just really sappy, like, love and, like, dance songs. I think they're mostly at the most of, like, the workers that are, like, wearing, like, the uniforms and stuff are at, like. Oh, they're at the punch table. They're, you know, over by the bathrooms. They're watching the. The catering table, stuff like that. Wait, okay, so we have to. We've gotta choose our thing. Okay, I've got mine. [00:45:24] Speaker B: I've got mine. [00:45:26] Speaker A: Three, two, one. Both of us have chosen revealing again. [00:45:37] Speaker B: This is gonna be the longest game. [00:45:39] Speaker A: This is gonna be the longest game. We thought that this was gonna go by fast. [00:45:43] Speaker B: Little did we know you were gonna keep choosing. Yeah. [00:45:46] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay, so I think this time I've seen you question, I guess. Do you. Do you think Constance has found anyone to dance with or anything during the. The thing? [00:45:57] Speaker B: You have found me by accident, I think. [00:46:02] Speaker A: Oh. [00:46:03] Speaker B: I think you were going to a closet to get something. What do you think it was? [00:46:08] Speaker A: Hmm. I think I was probably going to a closet to redo my makeup because I've smudged it on, like, one of, like, the, like, plastic cups for drinks or whatever. And so I'm like, oh, I need to fix my lipstick and bathroom's full. [00:46:21] Speaker B: I want to use my compact mirror by myself. [00:46:24] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. [00:46:25] Speaker B: Interesting. So I'm fucking a man in a closet. [00:46:33] Speaker A: Oh, my God. So good. Okay, cool. I. It's the moment that, you know, I go. I open the door and the two of you are going at it. [00:46:43] Speaker B: What it is. Because I want to be. I want to be specific. [00:46:46] Speaker A: Yeah, please do. [00:46:47] Speaker B: So I'm on top of him. I'm straddling him, and I'm facing the door. [00:46:52] Speaker A: So. [00:46:55] Speaker B: So when you open the Door. You look down once, you turn on the light, and we're immediately making eye contact. I'm this man. He doesn't even notice there's a person is like, oh, the lights on. [00:47:07] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, for sure. [00:47:08] Speaker B: And we just lock eyes. What do you do? [00:47:13] Speaker A: I think I like, light turns on. I see you. We're probably like, our faces not that far away from each other. [00:47:19] Speaker B: Maybe like six feet away from each other, you know, like six feet away. [00:47:23] Speaker A: Okay, so it's a deep closet. Got it? [00:47:25] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:47:26] Speaker A: I turn it on, I see you. I like. I look at you, I look down at him. I look back up at you, and there's like a second too long that I'm looking at you, and then I just go, thumbs up, like, good job. And I'm back out of the closet, and I slam it shut. But I don't, like, leave the door of the closet. I think I'm, like, back to it. And I'm just like, the image of you in my mind, like, the guy is almost faceless to me, I think. [00:48:02] Speaker B: And you absolutely, like. I think you absolutely saw my chest, because I was on topics and everything. And so there was. It may have been something that you've seen in passing because we're roommates and, you know, we're both women, and so there's kind of that. Right. But it was just this very different experience in a hand. In a handful of minutes later, I do come out. And when you see me come out, what do you do? [00:48:25] Speaker A: I think it's like, me a second to, like, compose myself, for sure. Does the guy come out as well, alongside you, or does he stay in there? [00:48:34] Speaker B: No, no, no, no. A few minutes later. And then what you see is he goes over to the person that he is partnered with. [00:48:43] Speaker A: Okay. So maybe there is just like a. Like a while of quiet between us as we stand there and not talking about it. [00:48:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:48:52] Speaker A: And then he comes out, and, you know, we watch him go over towards his partner. And just like, I think my jaw drops. [00:49:03] Speaker B: I'm concerned at your jaw dropping. I don't know how much you've. You've had to drink. And as we've discussed, that depends on whether you're fickle or not. So I walk over to you and I say, I'm. I'm sorry. I thought I had actually, I had locked the door, but apparently the lock on the door doesn't work, so that's fine. I am sorry. [00:49:25] Speaker A: No, you don't have to be sorry to me. I'm. I'm. I'm I. Did you know he had a partner? [00:49:33] Speaker B: Hamid? Oh, yes. [00:49:34] Speaker A: Wait, so he. I mean, I guess we're here to, like, just, like, trying to, like, piece things together in her mind of, like, why would he cheat on his partner? He had. [00:49:46] Speaker B: Like. [00:49:47] Speaker A: There was already, like. I mean, obviously you need to find someone. So, like, I get that, but, like. And then going back after, like, brain is not comprehending. [00:49:57] Speaker B: Oh, he was. He was. You know, Talia, who he's with, she's a good woman, and. But, you know, she's prudent. I'm not. And so. But no, I think. I think he's in. He's in a good match. I think that'll probably work out. Where's David? [00:50:16] Speaker A: Oh, David is. Turns to look and can't find him. [00:50:21] Speaker B: Oh, I don't know. [00:50:23] Speaker A: Maybe he went to the bathroom. [00:50:25] Speaker B: Well, obviously, I want to be protective of Hamid and his whole situation, so. Yeah, if we can keep this quiet. I hate to ask that of you. [00:50:36] Speaker A: Yeah, no, of course. Yeah, Absolutely. Yeah. [00:50:39] Speaker B: Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Do you need anything? Another day, another buffet, it looks like, so. [00:50:45] Speaker A: No, I'm good. [00:50:47] Speaker B: Okay. I'm gonna go eat a lot of food. [00:50:49] Speaker A: Okay. [00:50:49] Speaker B: I'll find David, and I wander off towards more expensive food. [00:50:54] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. Let's see. How about. Okay, you can set this next one up. [00:51:01] Speaker B: We are going to ceramics class. [00:51:04] Speaker A: Ooh, yeah. Ceramics class. [00:51:08] Speaker B: So we have been brought in. There's a teacher, Mrs. Anderson, we'll call her. And she has told us to make a bowl of love in whatever we think a bowl of love would look like. It can be any size, it can be any shape, as long as it can function as a bowl. And we also paint it nice. [00:51:30] Speaker A: I've got mine. [00:51:31] Speaker B: Yep. [00:51:32] Speaker A: 3, 2, 1. You have chosen processing. I have chosen darkest night for everyone because we didn't talk about this. Here's what darkest night means. If one of us chooses darkest night, that means that we have chosen to isolate ourselves rather than finding a way to interact or connect with our partner. When I play the Darkest night token, I will describe what I'm doing instead of interacting with. With my partner. And they will listen and then describe why and how they found you. And together, we will act out the rest of the interaction and decide if it brought us closer together or drove us further apart. I've decided not to go to the ceramics class. And I hole up inside of our room. [00:52:22] Speaker B: I'm mad at you about that. You'll learn later through subtle gestures. So I'm at the ceramics class. I'm looking for you to sit next to you. You told me. I. You know, because I asked. Oh, the ceramics class later. We have to do this. And you. And I think you were in your own head. You had been like, oh, yeah, I'll. I'll be there. And you're not here, which is devastating. So much so that I've created. I'm. I've made two bowls. Oh, they are. They're small bowls, kind of like very small soup bowls. Kind of like, you know, like when you would get a cup of soup at a restaurant. They kind of look like they're designed for that. They're geometric, I think, and they interlock into each other. They're both black, but the rim. One of the rims is black brushed with silver, and one of them is brushed with gold, and they interlock. [00:53:23] Speaker A: Ah, so good. So good. How do you find me? [00:53:26] Speaker B: I. I would have come straight back anyways. Our bowls are being fired overnight. But I come in. What are. What are you doing? [00:53:36] Speaker A: I am in the fetal position on my bed, covered in layers of the sheets, and I think you can hear me sobbing. [00:53:51] Speaker B: I come and kneel next to you. What's wrong? [00:53:54] Speaker A: David? [00:53:55] Speaker B: What'd he do? [00:53:57] Speaker A: He slept with someone else. [00:53:58] Speaker B: That cunt. [00:53:59] Speaker A: I know. He's such a fuck. And I, like, take off the blankets and just, like, my makeup is running. It's like. It's the most inelegant, I think you've seen me ever in this moment. Like, I am usually so picky about the way in which anyone ever sees me at any particular moment. And, like, it looks like I have. Like, I. I did get dolled up. Like, I did my makeup. I didn't. Like, I'm dressed up as if I was going to go out, and I didn't. And, like, just, like, tears, snot, just, like, bundled up in the sheets, just a mess. [00:54:42] Speaker B: So did he tell you he didn't want to be with you anymore or what happened? [00:54:47] Speaker A: She came to me. She told me what happened and said that he didn't want to see me anymore and that. That they were parano. And it's just. It's. He couldn't even tell me himself. [00:55:00] Speaker B: That's what I'm mad about. Obviously, things happen, but to not come to you is abysmal. [00:55:06] Speaker A: I just don't know what I'm gonna do now. I spent so much time. I spent so much time, and now everybody's gonna know that I'm the person who got cheated on and left and who's gonna want me. [00:55:17] Speaker B: That's happened Three times already. Maybe you could go. You could pair up with one of the others that have. What's his name? Jaylen. He's been cheated on. [00:55:27] Speaker A: But Jalen's. I don't like Jaylen. [00:55:31] Speaker B: His hands are sticky. [00:55:32] Speaker A: His hands are sticky. And I. I don't know, I just. [00:55:36] Speaker B: Thought, david, I'm gonna draw you a bath. I think there's nothing that can be done, right? [00:55:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:55:42] Speaker B: So I get up, you hear the faucet coming on. I've thrown in a rose petal and a rosehip bath bomb. It's excellent. And I kind of shepherd you into the bathroom. And at some point while you're in the bath, you can smell something sweet. And it's because I've been baking. I started baking cookies. And you hear the door open at one point, and then a few minutes later, you hear it open again. And then eventually, when you're ready, you emerge. [00:56:17] Speaker A: I emerge? Yeah. [00:56:18] Speaker B: How are you feeling? [00:56:20] Speaker A: Better. Still like shit, but better. [00:56:22] Speaker B: I made cookies. Not by hand. They're. They were pre made, but I put them in the oven and they've come out and they're hot. [00:56:29] Speaker A: Oh, my. Oh, you are so sweet. Thank you. [00:56:34] Speaker B: You're welcome. [00:56:35] Speaker A: Oh, my God. Is this chocolate chip? [00:56:37] Speaker B: Yes. [00:56:38] Speaker A: Oh, fuck, I needed that. [00:56:40] Speaker B: Do you want to watch a film? [00:56:43] Speaker A: Like a little movie night? Yeah, that sounds like. Yeah, we could do that. What you have in mind? [00:56:48] Speaker B: Let's watch a horror movie movie. And, yeah, we just. I make popcorn, we eat, and. Yeah, I try to distract you. [00:56:57] Speaker A: I think that brought us closer together. [00:56:59] Speaker B: I think so. [00:57:00] Speaker A: All right. That means we both get a clue. [00:57:02] Speaker B: Thank God. [00:57:03] Speaker A: That's kind of why I did it. Yeah. Okay. We needed some clues up in here. [00:57:09] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:57:09] Speaker A: All right. So I think the next thing that happened happens is. Honestly, maybe it's the movie night. [00:57:19] Speaker B: Okay. [00:57:19] Speaker A: Yeah. Maybe it's during the movie night. Yeah. What movie are we watching? I feel like it's a. It's like a camp, like, slasher film. Like, almost like a. Like a Friday the 13th kind of deal. The 4D chess I'm having to play to make sure to. To try to see if I'm not gonna just say, do the same thing that you're gonna do. [00:57:39] Speaker B: That's what I've been trying to do. After the first couple of times, I was like, okay, what are you not doing? [00:57:45] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think this is how I would be in this moment. Okay. Three, two, one. Okay. I've chosen processing, and you have chosen teasing, which means you win, I believe. Yes. Teasing beats processing. Okay, cool. So I think we're sitting in our room, right. I think maybe the beds come together and then, like, on the opposite end of the room, there's, like, a TV mounted to the wall that we're watching. And it's spooky, it's bloody, it's sexy, it's messy. [00:58:25] Speaker B: Yeah. I get in. I mean, we're sharing food, so we have to sit right next to each other. So I get in your bed and I just get really close to you. Like, to where, like, our. Our thighs are touching and we're like. [00:58:35] Speaker A: We're basically cuddling. [00:58:37] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. [00:58:38] Speaker A: Like here, like, in the blankets. Yeah, for sure. [00:58:40] Speaker B: I think it is that, like, I. I initiate, like, oh, we should sit together so we could share the popcorn. We can share the cookies. [00:58:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:58:48] Speaker B: I choose for us to get under your blankets instead of just sitting on top with a blanket on top. [00:58:54] Speaker A: And I follow your lead every. [00:58:55] Speaker B: And you follow my lead every step of the way as I sit down. And before we start the movie, I give you a hug for the first time. We've had interactions where, you know, we've touched each other or, like, you know, I've helped you with a thing, or you've hugged me and I've hugged back. But before we start the movie, I hug you, and because I'm smaller, my face goes against your neck and you can feel me breathing on your neck. And I just hold you for a really long time and I say, I'm sorry that David went about things in the way that he did, and at least he showed you who he was before it was too deep into the thing. But now we are going to watch a movie, and things are going to be what they're going to be. But tonight we're going to watch a movie and we're going to eat garbage. Okay. [00:59:50] Speaker A: You're the best friend I've ever had. [00:59:52] Speaker B: I'm sorry to hear that. [00:59:53] Speaker A: Yeah. And I just, like, I. I think as I say that, like, my. My hold on you grows, like, a little tighter, and, like, my mind is just, like, a flush with, like, so many emotions of, like, fear, loss, disappointment, self loathing. But also I can't stop thinking about how it feels every time you breathe and the feeling of our thighs touching and, like, how soft you are, and it's comforting, I think. Okay, I get another clue. [01:00:30] Speaker B: Good. I guess it's my turn to choose now. [01:00:33] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [01:00:36] Speaker B: We are going to the Museum of Squandered Ark. [01:00:41] Speaker A: That's what I was gonna choose to. What does this look like? [01:00:44] Speaker B: I Want your input more. [01:00:46] Speaker A: So I think the Museum of square Squandered Art from the outside looks like most other museums. It's this huge, impressive looking building with like limestone pillars and just like that really classical look on the outside with the words etched in an arch around the front of the entrance that says museum of Squanders art. And on the inside, everything is broken up into sections of like, what genre or what medium of art, I suppose is a better way to put it. Ceramics, pottery, like woven and like the. The things that are made by hand, things that are more crafted and molded by hand are in like one section. I think there's another section for like paintings, drawings, things of that nature. And then I think there's another area that is more musical where it's like, oh, it's like recordings of, you know, different musical pieces that have been like, made here on the island. And there are like headphones you can put on by each of the exhibits that, you know, you can listen to it either by yourself or with another person. And by each of the exhibits is a placard that says the name of who made it, the role that person had, and the description of how they failed to find a partner and the things that they did wrong leading up to them failing the program. And to the left of each of these placards is a picture of the animal that they were turned into. [01:02:36] Speaker B: Into understood. I think we are. We are all assigned to go here. Similar to the zoo, if we have a partner, we're supposed to be with the partner. But if we're single, we are in the singles group. And because of what happened with you and David, we are now both in the singles group. [01:02:53] Speaker A: So I'm so afraid I'm going to choose the same one as you. Okay. Three, two, one. Oh, okay. I chose teasing, and you chose revealing, which means once more, you win. What does the scene look like? [01:03:14] Speaker B: So I, we come in and I think there has been a. This is like a somber day that they try to create. Like, again, you know how like in Love island in the background Bachelor, there'll be certain activities that like this is meant to be self reflective and so we can build a better foundation for these fake relationships. And you know, so it is very much that there is a forced tone of penance. [01:03:45] Speaker A: I'm thinking maybe. Oh, okay. So you know how they do like the, like, oh, here's like a blank slate that you all have to like, write on and like, and paint, right? Or maybe it's even yourself, like body painting, right? And it's usually like, what are. Like, put all the insults that people, like, said about you before. Right. And it's that kind of like, oh, you need to, like, learn to, like, let go. But for us, it's like writing on the reasons why we're single. It's like, oh, putting down, like, oh, these are the things that are wrong with me. Me that I need to change in order for someone to be able to love me and pick me. [01:04:26] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:04:27] Speaker A: I kind of want it to be body painting. I want us to. To. To either paint ourselves or paint each other. What do you think is more interesting? [01:04:37] Speaker B: I think maybe we choose the words for ourselves and then we have other people paint the words on us because obviously we can't paint all over our bodies. [01:04:46] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:04:46] Speaker B: I think we're all told to strip down to, like, our underwear, undergarments. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [01:04:53] Speaker A: And obviously we. We're paired together. Right, Right. And so I think what this looks like is, okay, maybe I'm painting you right now. What is the word you would have me paint on you? Or at least one of them. [01:05:10] Speaker B: Poor, cold, selfish. Those are the three words. [01:05:17] Speaker A: Okay. I think every time you tell me a word, you can see, because I. I think we. We've also been instructed explicitly that we are not supposed to, like, fight back against the words that you're saying. Right. Like, whatever words you're saying is the word that we're putting on. We're supposed to do it kind of like in silence. Silence. And, like, so I'm like. I'm painting the word whore on you. And just under my breath I go, there's nothing wrong with having sex. [01:05:48] Speaker B: You have nice handwriting. [01:05:50] Speaker A: Thank you. I worked really hard on it, especially for, like, signatures and stuff. [01:05:56] Speaker B: I did, too. [01:05:56] Speaker A: And I think I'm. I'm finishing off the E, and the E is like, I've written it diagonally from, like, your, like, right pectoral. And then I'm writing it diagonally down across your stomach and then ending, like, around, like, the top of, like, your, like, left hip. And I think the slant is so much that it's not like, the outer part of the hip. It's, like, closer towards the center of. Of your hip. [01:06:27] Speaker B: While you're finishing that off, I. I look at you and I ask, were you born here in the sublime or. [01:06:36] Speaker A: Yes, I was. My mom wasn't, though, so I kind of know what life was like, or at least whatever she told me. How about you? I'm writing selfish along your left side, just, like, straight down from your armpit down to your hip. [01:06:57] Speaker B: I'm going to tell you something I'm not supposed to because I've. I'm lacking the ability, as I grow older, to care. [01:07:04] Speaker A: I get a very serious look all of a sudden as I, like, kind of pause around the eye of selfish. [01:07:11] Speaker B: Yeah. On paper, I was born here, but I wasn't. I was brought here as an infant, a very young infant. And my mother, she wanted to conceive her own child, but she couldn't. But she felt ashamed that she couldn't. And so instead of adopting a child that everyone would know was from the other world, she paid someone off to give her an infant, faked carrying me and had me. But I'm not from here. But I also don't know anything about the other world because again, I was brought here as an infant. And then by this stranger's miracle, when I was three years old, my mother conceived naturally and. And gave birth to my sister. And I'm supposed to keep this a secret because I was told to, but I. [01:08:03] Speaker A: Wait, did your mom tell you after? [01:08:08] Speaker B: Well, because I started changing so quickly. As soon as I was given a role, my neck started to turn blue. See, I take some water from the paint. You know, when we're supposed to dip our brush. And the reason that I wear so much makeup is because I start to rub with water against my neck and you see this green start to shine through. My neck is almost fully, kind of like a metallic green. It started with a small spot just above my collarbone, but it's slowly grown. [01:08:42] Speaker A: Constance, you're cursed. [01:08:44] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:08:45] Speaker A: Why didn't you say anything? [01:08:46] Speaker B: Because I'm not supposed to. But I'm feeling different today. And I think you've finished up, you know, doing what you're supposed to be doing. And it's supposed to be my turn now. What. What am I supposed to write on you? [01:09:00] Speaker A: I think the three words are bimbo, Vayne, naive. [01:09:07] Speaker B: You feel me painting on you and painting words, but I'm kind of keeping you in conversation as to kind of keep you focused on me instead of what I'm doing. [01:09:17] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:09:18] Speaker B: And I think there's a mirror that once we've written everything, we're supposed to go look at ourselves and think and, you know, it's like this whole thing. [01:09:28] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:09:28] Speaker B: And so after some time, I've. I've finished up and I take your hand and we get in line to. [01:09:37] Speaker A: Go look at the mirror, and I'm looking at myself in the mirror. [01:09:43] Speaker B: You do not see the words that I was instructed to paint on you. What you see written on you are the words brilliant, beautiful and kind. [01:09:55] Speaker A: I just start crying. [01:09:57] Speaker B: Yeah. I think one of the chaperones, one of the guards kind of notices if didn't notice by. By 1 what was written on you is now noticing the crying. [01:10:11] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think, like, I just. Like, I stand there and I Like, it's. I try my best to hold my composure, but it's useless. You know, I was fully expecting to see these words that have been spoken about me in hushed tones, very rarely directly towards me. But I've just. I mean, as a model, you are so, so sensitive to every single thing, every single thought, every single label that people put on you, because that's kind of what you're there for. [01:10:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:10:52] Speaker A: You're there for people to put their own feelings on you. And there is, like, this moment where, like. Yeah. Just expecting to see the words that were the things holding me down. And then I see, honestly, I think probably the kindest thing anyone's ever said about me directly to me that didn't feel. Feel like it was for a reason. [01:11:20] Speaker B: I give you a hug when you cry, and you keep crying, and. And I. I say that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. No, no, you're okay. [01:11:30] Speaker A: Thank you so much. [01:11:32] Speaker B: Well, I'm not gonna lie. This place. Michelle, let's go on a walk. And I. I take your hand. I grab our shit. I think the guards starts to walk over toward us, and I look at him and I say, what? [01:11:47] Speaker A: And he starts to say something, and I think another guard, like, goes to, like, grab his shoulder and, like, silently shakes his head. And the two walk back whispering between each other. And I think one of them has, like, a clipboard and write something down that neither of us can see. [01:12:06] Speaker B: Yeah. And I think for. For the rest of our time, we walk around. I don't think we bother to put our clothes back on. I think we just walk around in our undergarments with these words written on us, holding hands, looking at everyone's art. And I think we're just. We're not taking it in as it's meant to be taken, as it's squandered. We're just taking it in as. Oh, that's so cool. This is. Oh, look at this one. That's. Oh, you know. [01:12:34] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:12:35] Speaker B: For the last thing, as we're probably about to leave and the mood has changed. We've, you know, we've looked at art, we've laughed, we've, you know, had an evening, nobody's bothered us which is nice. But before we leave, I am wearing my little bag, and I say, before we head home, I've got something for you. And I go into my bag and. And I pull out these two small, recently fired little geometric bowls. And I say, because David was a cunt and you couldn't make it to the ceramics class, I didn't just want you to not have anything, so I made you this. And I hand you the black bowl with the gold finish, and I keep the. The silver one in my hands. And I say, I don't know if our bulls are going to end up here or not, but regardless, it wouldn't be squandered. That's what I think. [01:13:40] Speaker A: I think that's a good place to end that scene. [01:13:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:13:44] Speaker A: All right, well, things stand. Right now. I have four clues. You have one clue. I think this next scene is at the. The flower garden. I think that there is. It's almost like a park, just filled with, like, flowers and high trees creating shade for people to have picnics along, like, green fields set in, like, the high fields of one of the islands. I think we had to take a boat here. And you get off of the boat and, like, on the, like, the little landing dock, and you walk up this, like, winding hill that leads to just a field as far as the eye can see, and, like, a. This huge array of, like, colors of flowers. It's like. It feels like something out of a painting, I think. 3, 2, 1. [01:14:43] Speaker B: Oh. [01:14:44] Speaker A: I have chosen teasing. You have chosen darkest night. [01:14:48] Speaker B: Yep. [01:14:49] Speaker A: Where'd you go? [01:14:50] Speaker B: I had every intention of going, but for one, I was pulled by the administration and was given a stern talking to. Basically, the short version is, it's one thing if you want to ruin your life, it's another for impacting someone else and ruining theirs just by being in your proximity. And so I had that to deal with, and then I was still gonna go, but I was brushing my hair and around the nape of my neck and in the back I had these pin feathers that were growing, and this was a new thing, and it was a bad feeling. And so I locked myself in the bathroom, and I've been stuck with a pair of tweezers. I started pulling them out, and then I couldn't stop pulling them out. And that. Anyways, that took hours, and I'm just stuck there. [01:15:50] Speaker A: I think you invited me to go to the park, and I said that I was going to get us together like a picnic, basically. And I'm standing at the dock for the boat, like, as they're like, hey, everybody needs to get on. Like, this is like, we're about to head off to the island. You are nowhere to be seen. And when it's like the last chance for me to get on, I decide to turn back and I go to our apartment where I find you picking these things off of you. [01:16:24] Speaker B: Yeah, I. I had straight up just forgotten because everything that had happened, both being told off and someone telling me that I'm a fuck up is one thing. Someone telling me that I'm fucking up things for someone else, especially someone I care about, is another. So that's you. You kind of. The bathroom door is. It's not locked, it's not closed, but it's like, mostly closed. And so you kind of push it open. And I've configured my hair up in a bun, and I've got a pair of tweezers, and I'm pulling these pin feathers out. It's bleeding. And, you know, and each pin feather on the ledge of the bathtub, I have meticulously lined them up as I've pulled them all out. But I don't. I don't hear you open the door. [01:17:12] Speaker A: And I, like. I get the sense of, like, there's something happening, like, in the bathroom. Right? You know, I put down the picnic basket and I slowly walk over, hearing you fussing with it. And, you know, I think I peer through the open, like, gap in a way where, like, you still can't see me, but I get, like, a bit of a view into what's happening. And I see the blood and I see, like, part of, like, the tub, and I. And I see them lined up there, and I slowly open the door. Constance. [01:17:48] Speaker B: I know. [01:17:48] Speaker A: It's. It's just. It's just me. [01:17:50] Speaker B: Oh, I'm so sorry. [01:17:52] Speaker A: No, it's okay. Are you. It's the. [01:17:55] Speaker B: Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. [01:17:57] Speaker A: It's okay. No, no, no, no, no. It's okay. Are you okay? Let me get a towel. Let me get a towel for the blood. And I go and I rush into the kitchen, and you hear the faucet turn on and turn off. And I come back with. [01:18:13] Speaker B: In the time it took you to do that, I have scooped away all the pin feathers hidden most everything away. And I'm facing you so you can't see the bloody nape of my neck. But I do accept the time. But thank you. Thank you. And I'm. I've just kind of got it on the back of my neck. I'm tearing up. I'm trying to hide it. [01:18:34] Speaker A: What happened? [01:18:36] Speaker B: Has the boat left yet? You should. The. [01:18:38] Speaker A: It's the. Constance, the boat is gone. It's okay. It's okay. [01:18:43] Speaker B: You should go. [01:18:44] Speaker A: I'm not going without you. You invited me. [01:18:48] Speaker B: I'm sorry. [01:18:49] Speaker A: No, I. And, like, turns to, like, slowly, like, look across the room. Room. And I've seen that, like, everything has been, you know, put away. And, like, hastily, like, put away. And I sit there and. Or stand there and. You don't have to hide this from me. [01:19:06] Speaker B: I have been a bad friend, and I'm preventing you. [01:19:12] Speaker A: No. No, that's. No, you haven't. You have been the best thing that has happened to me since I've gotten here. You're not a bad. A bad friend. What makes you think you are? [01:19:22] Speaker B: I don't want you to go through this. I don't want you to go through what I don't want you to. I'm gonna curse you. That's what I do. [01:19:28] Speaker A: Oh, that's. That's. You are not gonna curse me. [01:19:32] Speaker B: No. People start spending time with me, and then they get cursed. It's happened four times. [01:19:37] Speaker A: No, it's. Constance, I'm. [01:19:41] Speaker B: It's happened four times. You can't. You can't. I can't. I. I don't wanna. I don't wanna do this to you. I can't do this to you, too. I stand by everything I've said to you and about you, but you are perfect. But the more time that you spend with me, the less true that will be. I don't want to hurt you. [01:20:14] Speaker A: You're not hurting me. [01:20:16] Speaker B: But they're gonna hurt you if you spend time with me. [01:20:19] Speaker A: Constance, I. There is. There is nothing I would rather be doing here than spending time with you. Everyone else has been, so. You're the only one who's been honest with me. You're the only one who has cared. [01:20:34] Speaker B: About the times that I've been hurt here. [01:20:36] Speaker A: And you are the only one. And I move closer to you, and I, like, slowly reach to put a hand on your arm. [01:20:46] Speaker B: I let you, and I hold on to your face. And I look at you and I say. I don't. I know that you're right. But if we keep doing this, they are going to hurt you. I'm hopeless. I'm going to be honest with you. But you still have a chance. I don't. I don't want you to know what this feels like. [01:21:08] Speaker A: Constance, There's a week left in this program. I have not found anyone after David. And I'm gonna be honest. I Haven't really been looking that hard. [01:21:19] Speaker B: That's my fault. [01:21:21] Speaker A: No, no, it's not your fault. It's been good. Maybe it is better than every second that I have spent with David. It is better than every second I have spent with anyone. [01:21:30] Speaker B: One. I pick you. I choose you. I don't know if you feel the same way, but you're my choice. But I need you to really consider what that means. And I. I go over to the. One of the drawers in the bathroom and I pull out bloody pin feathers and I put them on the ground and I say, this is what that means. [01:21:55] Speaker A: And I'm looking transfixed by the blood on the pins and feathers and have to hold back. Gagging. [01:22:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:22:03] Speaker A: Overall, I think this scene did bring us together. [01:22:07] Speaker B: I think it did, too. [01:22:08] Speaker A: Which would put me over. [01:22:10] Speaker B: Yep. [01:22:10] Speaker A: At five clues. And I think it's in this moment where I make my first unambiguous move. [01:22:20] Speaker B: Yep. [01:22:21] Speaker A: And say me. I choose you, too. [01:22:24] Speaker B: And I think. I think we just hold each other in the bathroom until. I think I draw us both a bath. I make it nice. I take off my clothes. [01:22:35] Speaker A: And I take off mine. [01:22:37] Speaker B: And I pull you into the water. And I think we stay there until the water goes cold. [01:22:42] Speaker A: I wash the blood from your neck. If you let me. I take the tweezers and I pick out what's left. [01:22:50] Speaker B: I do. If you initiate it. [01:22:52] Speaker A: I do. [01:22:53] Speaker B: Then I do. [01:22:54] Speaker A: If this is what it's going to be like, then I don't want you to have to go through it alone. And so I carefully, I think more careful than I've done anything else in my life, and meticulously pull out a pin feather and take the towel, wipe the wound, press it down to stop its bleeding. [01:23:12] Speaker B: Another thing that you see is because we've. We've been in the bath and we've completely washed, you see, for the first time, my fully green, iridescent neck. You see the brown pin feathers, of course, coming out of the nape of. Of my skull. And once my hair is completely wet, you actually see a few little strands poke right up and in into feathers. And I say, if it isn't very obvious, I'm a peafowl, also known as a peacock, but only the males are actually peacocks. I'm. I'm a peahen. [01:23:51] Speaker A: And I take my fingers and I rub them through your hair, kind of caress the base of the top feathers, marveling at them. Well, you're beautiful. [01:24:03] Speaker B: I am. [01:24:04] Speaker A: You're so beautiful. I don't know. I haven't been able to say it until now, but even like this. [01:24:10] Speaker B: And I. I kiss you. [01:24:12] Speaker A: And I kiss you. And after that, as the days move on and our commitment to each other and what needs to happen grows and changes and evolves into something that neither of us knew it was going to be. At the start, the final day comes. It is the end of the cruise. Those who have been properly paired into a couple, into a commitment to whatever it is they are are escorted back onto the cruise ship, set to return to hollow wood. And the singles group watches as everyone else leaves and we are paraded through the island, witnessed by the staff of Dr. Cupid's love arrow cruise to the main building at the top of the hill of the heart shaped island. What do we think happens as the two of us wait in line, watched like hawks from all sides waiting to go through the final door? [01:25:24] Speaker B: I think I'm quite resolute. I think potentially you are too. We've definitely talked about this. We know it's gonna happen. We've made the decision to do this. I think I'm just holding on to you. I don't think whatever happens is going to happen. There's nothing we can do about it. So I'm choosing to focus on the only thing that's maybe ever mattered and I'm choosing to focus on, focus on you and us. [01:25:52] Speaker A: I think as I'm standing here, I'm thinking of all of the people who are waiting for me to return. You know, I chose to come here. My role didn't require me to have a partner. I wanted one. And everyone thought it was going to be easy. I mean, in many ways it was easy, just not in the way that they thought it was. And it's a shame that Dr. Cupid doesn't necessarily believe that the proper pairing is two women. And so regardless of the fact that his system worked as he said it would, it just didn't work the way he wanted. And so there are people that I'm going to miss and a life that I thought I was going to have that I'm not going to have anymore, but now I have something different, something new, something I wanted and again something I chose because I chose you. And sure, I'm going to have to figure out what life means as a three toed sloth, but I'll take it slow. And I think we are marched through the door, our clothes removed and standing in a room with about two dozen and other people naked, vulnerable and afraid before they turn on the machine that will change everything for us. I hold you by the head and I kiss you. [01:27:22] Speaker B: And I return it swiftly. [01:27:25] Speaker A: And the machine turns on. [01:27:42] Speaker B: And I think we pan over the island, the places that we've been. The zoo, the beach, the restaurants, the ceramics class, our room. And finally, we overview the museum of squandered art. And there's a focus in on a new display of two bowls that interlock, one rimmed with silver, one with gold. And our names are listed, our roles and what led our art to be there. Lesbianism, hedonism, opposition. And they stand there, perfectly interlocked, to remain forever. [01:28:28] Speaker A: And then we're marched out again, only this time with beaks and claws, feathers and fur. But not in the way we thought we would. Not in the way you who are listening would imagine a dog or rabbit, peacock or sloth, in the way where such things were closer to us. With arms and fingers, thumbs and toes were marched like turtles if their limbs grew long. And the ability and will to walk upright struck them. Animals with a capital A. And the staff of Dr. Cupid's love arrow cruise takes us to our new homes, a set of apartments hidden on the island. Apartments just for us. The animals, they give us our uniforms, they give us our roles. And we work to prepare for the next cruise. And our camera finds the balcony of one of these apartments. We see a woman or a sloth or both, leaning against the railing and staring at the sky with a soft smile. There's the sound of a glass door sliding open behind her. And out walks a peahen or a woman, or maybe both, carrying two glasses of tea. She hands one to the sloth woman and she joins her at the balcony and kisses her cheek. And that is our game. Well, everybody. Whoa. Gosh. Oof. So, so sad. I don't know if you were making a dear brother reference with the two bowls. Okay, you are. Thank you. That's what I thought it was. The silver bowl of sadness and the golden bowl of happiness. [01:30:19] Speaker B: Yes. [01:30:20] Speaker A: I'm so glad. [01:30:21] Speaker B: Yes. [01:30:22] Speaker A: That's so good. Oh, man, What a terrible little time and a terrible little world we've made. But if a sloth and a peacock can find love, or, I'm sorry. If a sloth and a pea hen can find love. Yes, anyone can. [01:30:39] Speaker B: Anyone can. [01:30:41] Speaker A: Migi. Noten. [01:30:45] Speaker B: And we've ruined it. [01:30:47] Speaker A: And we. It can still be beautiful. It can still be beautiful. [01:30:51] Speaker B: I believe you. [01:30:52] Speaker A: Thank you so much for a. For. For sitting here and listening to another wonderful story from our lives in the wood, as we explored just another small little corner of sublime county, once more this game we were playing was unresolved Sapphic tension by a disasterqueer games. You can find this game in the link in the description of this episode. As always. Now. Hey Ellis, is there anything that you want to tell the folk about any. Any social media, any projects, any whatever it is you want to talk about? [01:31:30] Speaker B: You can find us anywhere at Tales yet Told, where I primarily work as a producer, but sometimes I elbow my way in and do it. [01:31:45] Speaker A: And also, hey, we've been doing some streaming. We've been doing some. Some rerun streams of Strangers in the Wood as we prepare for season two. That's coming way sooner than you think it is. So you can find out more information about that. I post about it on Blue sky and on Instagram, as Ellis just said, at Tales get told. But it is on Twitch tv. Kendom makes films where you can go check that out. And hey, you can find me kendo endomakesfilms on Twitch, Instagram, Blue Sky, Tumblr. You know, all those places that actually matter. And if you can't find me there, I'm sorry. Probably doesn't matter all that much. We will be back with more our lives in the Wood. Not next month, but the month after. And while it's gonna be maybe as weird, maybe weirder. Who's to say it's probably gonna be weirder. It's gonna be much, much weirder. I'm actually really excited about that one as well. So we will see you all when we see you and you will hear us when you hear us. So don't forget to go out, eat enough food, drink enough water, get enough sleep, and take care of yourself. Because self care is incredibly important, especially in the time we're living in now. Don't forget to love yourself like we love you. Bye. [01:33:05] Speaker B: Goodbye. [01:33:06] Speaker A: In my right hand is a gold golden bowl and my left hand is a silver bowl. [01:33:14] Speaker B: No, I've. I've. [01:33:15] Speaker A: They can't exist without each other. [01:33:18] Speaker B: I have ended my recording and I'm ending mine.