Chapter Text
A transcript of the rogue radio broadcast across camp; telling the story of “The Tainted Man”.
Original broadcast began recording at: 11:39AM, 12/25/20XX.
This transcript is told from the Las
Nevadas Sector’s point of view.
[Any previous music or broadcast is cut
from any and all radios across the
camp. A staticky and eerie music begins
playing from the radios.]
Foolish * Turns his attention to the radio * What happened to the music?
Quackity * Shrugging * I don't know, just turn it to a different channel or something.
[Foolish Attempts to change the radio’s
channel; it doesn't work.]
Foolish * confused * What..?
The Broadcaster Welcome listeners. I’m sure you're all wondering “What is this?” and “Oh I’ll just change the channel.” or “I’ll just shut this off.”, I would like to inform you that both those actions you are thinking about are impossible.
[The music playing in the broadcast’s
background cuts, giving nothing but
static before continuing.]
The Broadcaster Today, dear listeners; I will be telling you the story of The Tainted Man.
[The entirety of the Las Nevadas Sect.
crowds around the radio.]
Quackity * confused * The tainted man?
Charlie * inappropriately happily* Sounds festive!
[Fundy hushes Charlie and the group
gathers around the radio, listening
intently.]
The Broadcaster This story begins with a man. This man is imperfect in the most… perfect way. He has hidden all his imperfections under layers, a layer of confidence, a layer of leadership, and a layer of calm. Nobody has seen his true, imperfect , self; not even his closest friends and family.
[There’s a quick pause from the
broadcaster, and the sound of a page
flipping.]
The Broadcaster It's this secrecy that caused the man to become tainted. * chuckling * Hence why the story is called “The tainted man”. * more chuckling *
[The broadcaster clears their throat]
The Broadcaster Anyway! On with the story. One day, this man was walking home from the local garbage dump, and about… halfway back to his home; he found a small box in the grass alongside the sidewalk.
[There’s another gap of silence, the
music accompanying the story cut as well
and the only audible noise is semi
distant laughter, indicating that the
broadcaster has seemingly stood from
their seat and gone away from the
microphone. The music returns and the
laughter stops simultaneously, the sound
of a page flipping accompanying the
music’s return]
Purpled *disturbed* What the hell..?
The Broadcaster Now this box is about the size of one of those gift boxes you’d get from a jewelry store for a necklace or something like that, and it looked basically just like that. A reddish-purple velvety box topped off with a yellow-green ribbon tied in a pleasant little bow on top of the box’s lid. The man grabbed the box and carried it to his home and carelessly tossed it on the coffee table that stood in the center of his living room. He went upstairs and off to bed, a sin…k…
[It is at this moment that the broadcast
fell into overpowering static for the
next few minutes, there is another sound
accompanying the static, but it is
indecipherable.]
Fundy * Standing from his seat * Nuh-Uh! This is some demon shit! I am not staying for this!
Quackity Come on Fundy, it's a radio broadcast you won't get possessed.
[The broadcaster’s breathing slowly
fades in as the static fades out.]
The Broadcaster * quietly * ..Are we back? We are! Sorry about that my dear listeners, as I was saying, The man stood in front of the table he had left the gift box on the previous night and shakily reached out to open it, handling the box with a considerable amount of care compared to the previous night. The man lifted the lid off the box and noticed a note messily scrawled on it. the note read, “This mirror will show you your deepest desires, it will show you who you wish to be.” And in smaller writing along the edge; “When tarnished or broken it will show the opposite.” However, the man didn't notice this writing, and picked the mirror up with a subtle fear. He dropped his confident facade, he was scared of a mirror.
[The broadcaster clears their throat and
flips another page]
The Broadcaster After lifting the mirror out of its box the man got a good look at it; it had several cracks that all branched from a singular crack down the center, and multiple small pieces of the mirror missing.
[The music slowly fades into a deafening
television static as the broadcaster
speaks the next few sentences.]
The Broadcaster The man looked into the mirror and saw a twisted image before himself. “What is this image?” you may ask, well; dear listeners, the image that the man saw before himself was a withering and decomposing face that looked like it’s melting, exposing the muscles, it’s eyes are milky white as veins popped. The man placed the mirror back in it's box and sealed it completely. For extra measure the man went and bought some chain and a lock; no key however. He wrapped the box in the chain and locked it with the padlock. He placed it in a drawer and vowed to never look at that damned mirror again.
[The music returns to its previous state
and the broadcaster clears their throat,
flipping another page.]
Charlie Dad? Why did his face do that?
Foolish Okay, Charlie! I think it's time for you to go to sleep!
Charlie But it's only 3:40 Tío Foolish!
Foolish You, do not need to be hearing this kiddo.
Charlie * Sticks his tongue out * I’m staying here.
The Broadcaster The man went to sleep. Hoping that that would be the last he ever saw that image. Little did he know that he would see something worse the next time he touched that box.
[The overpowering static returns, the
accompanying sound more understandable
this time.]
Broadcast Static h…e. l..p………u… s
Fundy * shouting out of fear * Nope! Fuck this! This is fucking terrifying!
[The static fades back to the
broadcaster’s voice, the broadcaster
being wholly unaware of the static this
time.]
The Broadcaster ...he opened the box and upon opening the box the small hand-mirror wasn't there. The man was confused, of course but then again who wouldn't be if a strange mirror you haven't touched in months suddenly disappeared. The man searched the entire house, only to find the mirror underneath the bathroom mirror; he shut his eyes and took the mirror, once knowing he wouldn't be able to see his reflection in the mirror he opened his eyes and looked at the vanity. A gorey sight it was; skin and muscle pulled back and melted, maggots crawling under the skin that still remained, milky white, glossy and pearlescent eyes staring back at him. The mirror shattered. Shards of glass shooting into the man as the lighting in the entire house stopped working. He sunk to the floor, and all he could see was that damned box, with its mirror laying on the floor, three (3) feet away from the box. * quiet laughing * The man was never seen again.
[The sound of a book slamming shut
followed by a single clap.]
The Broadcaster Welp,listeners, that is all for the story of The Tainted Man. I will return, it's unknown when however.
[The broadcast ends. The broadcaster
leaves and the background music plays
for a moment longer before changing back
to the previous channel the sect. had
been listening to.]
Quackity Well, that was… interesting to say the least. * light-hearted chuckling *
Foolish I… don't know but I think that's enough radio for today.. * Foolish unplugs the radio and places it somewhere nobody else can reach.*
Fundy * still terrified * We just got possessed didn't we.
End of transcription.