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Hello listeners, I'm Kaye Estats,

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Stay warm, stay safe, and remember,

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travel is not advised.

1:00

Anything? Nothing.

1:05

Got a few Brown Creepers singing over here. That's

1:08

about it. You? Nothing.

1:12

Except for snow

1:14

landing down the back of my collar, I could have just

1:17

taken a nap. I'm willing to give it another

1:19

hour. How about you?

1:25

Not really. Little

1:27

Creepers aside, I think we missed the window.

1:31

There was just more out here yesterday. And

1:36

I can't really feel my fingers anymore. Thinking

1:39

I'll wrap up.

1:40

My

1:43

blind is developing a uniquely

1:45

locker room-esque odor. Not

1:51

really

1:51

any perfect shots this week. Not

1:55

perfect, but good.

1:58

Worth it.

1:59

Amazing nothing phenomenal, but

2:05

Yeah What

2:17

was that

2:24

Here the snowshoe hair would

2:26

have been nice Yeah

2:56

I the

3:28

You would spawn Handing

3:33

back App

3:57

Handing back

3:59

God

4:01

hug.

4:30

I am a true warrior i think,

4:50

I

5:00

don't plan on stopping by the bar tomorrow. Yeah,

5:03

same, no worries. What

5:13

the fuck is that? Shit.

5:19

Don't look

5:22

down at me, he'll be there. I

5:27

don't see anything moving.

5:31

The tents don't look intact.

5:38

The airbags been torn down. They

5:41

look here. The tracks

5:43

were perfect. Why the whole white

5:46

toads for indentation caught appealing.

5:51

Why is the shutter sound back on?

5:56

Nothing's

5:59

on, God. The

6:02

tracks are nice and low. Supposed

6:04

to come around the state to put it up to me last this morning.

6:08

The

6:09

pity we missed it, and the pity

6:11

about the food. We don't

6:13

want it eating any of the plastic. We're

6:16

thinking campsites mean an easy meal.

6:20

We still do, but it's something I can pick. Just

6:24

be ready for a lot of peanut butter.

6:27

We still have the... the...

6:36

the... the...

6:46

any... feelings?

6:50

No. The

6:58

here looks like they sat down

7:02

and they have boots on.

7:04

Fuck, my other pair of boots and a thing. No,

7:08

I don't remember how they were.

7:12

Damn. Tell them how. Is

7:16

anything else missing? The

7:20

boots, the maestro's jackets, and

7:22

hawkside. I

7:24

think the links passed through after the food was taken.

7:28

One of our thermal blankets is gone. Scarfed

7:30

you.

7:33

They didn't take everything, just stuff

7:35

that... stuff

7:37

anyone would think was maybe extra supplies.

7:41

My wallet's still in the pocket in the back of the tent,

7:43

so it wasn't just theft for theft's

7:45

sake. They

7:48

also barely needed a sauce. Out

7:52

here? I

7:58

wonder, like... Maybe

8:01

or hermit Your

8:05

spare boots are still here though Must

8:09

have been a woman gotta be yeah, you

8:11

have small feet You

8:14

okay Yeah,

8:17

sure Yeah They

8:20

were expensive boots. I

8:22

hadn't really broken them in yet. That's why I just

8:24

had them along with my backup, but No

8:29

If they really had nothing out here, I would have given

8:31

it to them Are

8:34

you okay knowing someone else was here?

8:37

Sure

8:38

We were lucky we didn't encounter

8:41

anyone during our photography sessions this time, but

8:44

during summer shoots. There's always people out hiking

8:47

or hunting

8:49

It's different in winter though

8:51

unexpected Not a lot

8:53

of people aiming to come in here. Yeah

8:57

Especially this far

9:00

Let's get cooking

9:04

Well, the only choices we have left for dinner are

9:06

some of these spicier ones mostly

9:11

and curries You

9:13

go ahead and pick all set up the stuff and

9:16

I want a pack before it gets too dark It's

9:19

already getting dark hurry

9:22

and take them

9:26

Okay,

9:29

three sisters stew or tie curry Ready

9:38

to be back in civilization. You

9:40

mean no more spitting cousin

9:45

Do still have to hike back do you

9:47

know what I mean? I look

9:50

forward to getting the photos out onto the computer.

9:52

I won't know what I got until then not really

10:00

Tell me when it's ready, it'll start packing. You

10:06

know, I think those slo-mo shots I got

10:08

of the moose-blowing snow off its note is gonna

10:11

go over really well.

10:11

Still hurts

10:14

my heart to film in vertical. But,

10:16

yeah. Or a steam

10:18

coming off of them when the light's just right.

10:21

I'll have to see if it really came out well once I'm

10:23

back at my computer, but I also

10:25

got a short first... so...

10:30

Find something? Something else

10:32

missing?

10:33

No, you... you, Jean.

10:38

What if these mists are just you? Which...

10:42

What? Sheesh.

11:01

I have a long way of remembering.

11:06

Oh,

11:18

hey!

11:18

Hi, Sophia! Wait,

11:20

wait. I'm sorry. I'm

11:23

sorry. I'm sorry. I'm

11:25

sorry. I'm sorry. Miss

11:28

you better. Your Icelandic is really

11:30

improving. How's Gregor? Has

11:33

he heard it yet? Oh, he's fine. Still

11:35

on a trip in Vienna. He'll hear me when

11:38

he gets back.

11:38

He always laughs a bit,

11:40

but he won't learn Polish. He'll

11:42

love it. You just have to take him

11:44

to Poland to see your family again. Then,

11:47

you'll have to learn a little. Or

11:49

just toss him in a deep end.

11:51

Yes, I plan on it. But

11:53

like I tried to say, I have not seen you in days.

11:56

Were you on a trip? Sick.

11:57

Two weeks, actually.

11:59

I was in Greece with Yone and Artna.

12:01

Yone is still working there for

12:03

another two weeks, but we sit in a

12:05

little holiday time together. Yeah, Greece

12:07

sounds

12:07

nice. Yeah, I could use a break

12:10

from the cold.

12:11

You married an Icelandic

12:13

man. Yes, yes, don't

12:15

remind me. Just

12:18

you and Artna went to the Greece then? What

12:20

about the others? They

12:22

stayed home, and Artna flew over to

12:24

Berlin to meet up with friends. Alone?

12:27

Mm-hmm. She wants to go to the

12:29

Perkamon Museum before it closes for renovations.

12:32

This was the best time for it. You

12:35

didn't go with her? Yone and I went

12:37

years ago, and she's smart. She knows

12:39

how to travel. So now I'm

12:41

back in the cold, and I have to go back to work.

12:44

Mm, don't we all?

12:47

The usual? Yes, please,

12:49

and an old muffin. Yeah, they're really

12:51

good today, good choice. Toto

12:53

is 1,200 cecicus. Take

12:57

a seat. Bring it out when

12:59

it's all ready.

13:00

Air pack, Sophia.

13:05

Hello? ...in

13:07

Berlin today as videos and reports revealed the

13:09

terror of a vehicular attack on climate

13:11

activists near the Brandenburg Gate.

13:14

Your rave out goes to our correspondent,

13:15

Pierre-Enbriseen Berlin, for

13:17

more. Pierre. Here

13:20

in Berlin, at the site of the Brandenburg Gate, peaceful

13:22

climate activists have been gathering for the past

13:24

three days. Even in the cold weather,

13:26

protest and songs have lasted one into the night.

13:29

And as of this morning at 6 a.m., the

13:31

crowd already numbered in the hundreds, with kind

13:33

locals even serving

13:34

coffee to those arriving in the early morning

13:36

hours. You said that on that

13:38

note. But the peaceful protest

13:39

quickly turned into a scene of tragedy and

13:41

panic when at 6.43 a.m., three

13:44

automobiles, including one delivery

13:46

truck, were driven through the crowds. Shit.

13:49

As of updates from local Berlin police minutes

13:51

ago, 10 deaths have been reported.

13:54

Over 50 people have been brought to local hospitals

13:57

by emergency services so far. With

13:59

that number... Growing as un-injured processors

14:01

provide Sanders work to bring the remaining

14:04

injured to nearby medical facilities, authorities

14:07

are still waiting to report an accurate number

14:09

of the total casualties, with several

14:12

of those taken to hospitals still

14:14

in treatise on condition. Police

14:16

are asking that those looking for loved ones

14:18

who attended the protest, please

14:21

avoid driving to the Brandenburg Gate over. As

14:23

all nearby roads are currently shut down, Are

14:25

those accepted to run by them as

14:27

the police? Sorry. The Berlin police

14:29

have arrested all three of the suspects who drove

14:31

the burgers. Hello,

14:33

can you hear

14:36

me?

14:52

I

14:56

still think we should attract the footprints.

14:59

No, seriously, iffy?

15:02

It wasn't a lot of blood, probably just cracked

15:05

skin from their foot, or a small cut, but

15:07

going out there looking for someone at dusk? Look

15:10

how dark it is tonight. Who would have been out

15:12

there in that? It's

15:17

just okay.

15:18

Yeah, it was food.

15:23

You should call Michael before it gets too late. Yeah.

15:30

What if they're dangerous? The

15:32

best weapon we have is bear spray. No,

15:35

I know you're right, but like

15:38

you said, I've got really small

15:41

feet.

15:43

Okay. So, whoever

15:46

needed my boots, and not

15:49

yours, also, must have really

15:51

small feet. Oh,

15:54

yeah. That makes sense. Which

15:58

they didn't believe I still need.

15:59

which would have made the most sense if it was a

16:02

lost

16:03

hiker or something, so maybe they didn't even

16:05

want our help. She didn't

16:08

want our help again, just guessing

16:10

because of the boost.

16:12

The police tracks were moving along the same way. Please

16:14

try not to worry. Let's just focus

16:17

on getting back for now.

16:19

Could you pack everything else? Everything

16:21

we don't need for tonight and tomorrow morning, but

16:24

my camera's still charging.

16:26

It's gonna be a cold

16:28

night. It already is. I'm

16:33

gonna boil some water first. I

16:36

don't pack the cooking kit. That

16:39

just to be cold.

16:40

No coffee?

16:43

If you need it that bad, chew on

16:45

it. I'll get the

16:47

fat phone. Michael's still waiting

16:49

for an update on our return. Hello.

17:01

Hey, Michael, it's Effie. And

17:03

Gene. Hey. Good

17:05

to hear from

17:05

you. How's the shoot been? How'd it been

17:08

good? Hoping for some strong content, people. Is this true? What?

17:11

Why? It's not like this was expensive. If

17:13

it was, we would have had better dinners.

17:16

I mean, it's your choice to go to the streets.

17:19

Not a lot of pre-eaters. I

17:21

mean, it's your choice to go to the streets. Not a

17:23

lot

17:23

of pre-eaters. I mean, it's your choice to go to the streets.

17:26

Not a lot of pre-eaters. Not really. I just

17:28

mean that. I expect three shots because it's

17:31

your MO. And I will join the hostings here. Anything

17:35

you're excited about?

17:36

Lots of moose,

17:38

some

17:38

fox, owls, birds. Cute

17:41

pictures of some rats, but I don't see people wanting

17:44

to eat up some rat photography. Lots

17:46

of video and bird shot content, too.

17:48

Sounds good. We'll make it work. I

17:51

look forward to seeing it all. What's

17:54

your timeline look like? We're

17:56

packing up tonight, and we'll start

17:58

the hike for two days. to Alagash

18:00

in the morning. We're thinking it will take

18:02

about four days at a reasonable pace to get back

18:04

to town. Not rushing though, that way

18:07

if we spot something worthwhile, we can still take

18:09

time to snap some photos. We're still

18:11

on schedule, so everything in the float plan we left you

18:13

is still accurate.

18:15

Yeah, I have that right here. Yeah,

18:19

four to five days planned for turn to Alagash. But

18:21

you're thinking four at this point?

18:23

Maybe. What's

18:25

the weather expected to be for Arstook these next few days?

18:28

Wait, Arstook or Alagash? Arstook

18:31

is the county, Alagash is the town. What's

18:33

expected for Arstook? Give me

18:35

a moment to open a tab. All

18:39

right. Oh, fuck.

18:43

Fuck what, Michael? Looks

18:46

like you've got some weather heading your way.

18:47

Give me a minute.

18:49

We were already talking tonight about how it felt

18:52

a little colder. Yeah, I'd

18:54

just be more worried about snowfall.

18:57

Wind.

18:58

Yeah, wind.

19:02

Still there, Michael? Just double

19:04

checking if you want things.

19:07

Are we telling him about the missing

19:09

stuff? I don't know why we

19:11

wouldn't. All right, at the end, then.

19:15

Ify, you there? Nowhere else to be. I

19:18

just wanted to double check so I could give you the most accurate

19:20

information. Looks like you'll have a bit of bad weather

19:22

passing through Arstook County. Most

19:24

of it should be south of you, though.

19:26

Can you read us the report? Cold

19:29

front pushing out across the main

19:32

Canada-Arstook border southeast. Accumulation

19:35

of snowfall expected in Arstook.

19:36

Brother in Somerset. It's 20

19:40

to 50 centimeters of snowfall accumulation

19:43

and wind speeds up to 42

19:45

kilometers per hour, like 30 miles

19:47

per hour. Temperatures expect to drop

19:49

as low as negative 14 Celsius at night.

19:53

I'm sure you both are prepped fast. That

19:55

was terrible. Please, just finish the report,

19:57

Michael. Right. The

20:00

temperature is returning to negative

20:01

four Celsius. The significance of no

20:03

storm warning will happen until tomorrow

20:06

evening at 9pm. Staying

20:08

indoors is recommended. Check the

20:10

availability of emergency supplies beforehand.

20:13

Avoid exposure to the elements. Travel

20:15

is not advised.

20:15

Mm-hmm.

20:19

That's it.

20:19

We're prepared. We'd hope for better weather, but

20:22

it's not unexpected. Northern

20:24

Maine is finicky in winter.

20:25

Are you sure? I

20:27

really wish you would have taken those snowmobiles instead of hiking

20:29

in. You could have made it back in no time.

20:31

We have the gear we need for this, Michael.

20:34

It's not our first storm. And out

20:36

here in the woods, we can find a place out

20:38

of the wind if it gets too bad. I

20:40

might be able to catch some unbelievable videos,

20:42

too.

20:44

So you're going to be okay? Yes.

20:47

Even without the snowmobiles?

20:48

Yes. And

20:50

again, the snowmobiles are very helpful, but

20:53

some of our best photos never would have happened if we came

20:55

in on those things. They're just

20:56

too loud. And

20:58

I love a good chili hike. It's

21:02

going to be a little bit more than chili, Jean. Well,

21:05

good luck. Call me if you need anything. Can

21:08

you be waiting in Alagash with some Irish hot

21:10

chocolate? Mm, it's going to happen. I'll

21:13

see you when you get back to real civilization. Anything

21:16

else?

21:17

We had some stuff stolen from our campsite.

21:20

Ah.

21:22

Camera equipment? Cards?

21:25

Thankfully, no. A pair of

21:27

iffy's boots, some food, and some

21:29

small pieces of clothing and equipment.

21:32

It wasn't an animal?

21:34

There were footprints, so while we think an animal

21:36

also passed through our camp, we're sure someone,

21:39

probably a woman, took the stuff.

21:42

Have you run into anyone?

21:44

Nope.

21:45

But there was a bit of blood, too?

21:48

Just a bit.

21:50

Not much at all.

21:51

Jeez, you sound like Monty Python. Okay,

21:54

well, stay safe out there, and like I said,

21:57

call me if anything happens. I'll merge

21:59

into services first.

21:59

Will do. Thanks,

22:02

Michael.

22:02

We'll see you in about a week. Break

22:05

a leg.

22:05

He's

22:08

going to be worried about us now.

22:09

It's a concerning situation, being

22:11

worried is a normal response.

22:13

I'm ready

22:16

to turn those two calories into a food coma,

22:18

and since everything is packed well enough and

22:20

the sun's already down, I'm

22:22

going to sleep.

22:24

You should charge your

22:25

camera if you need to. Yeah.

22:27

Are

22:34

you staying out here? It's

22:36

freezing. No,

22:38

I just... You

22:42

don't worry

22:43

about her. Who? Oh,

22:46

I do. I

22:49

also know she took some very functional

22:51

things. She's

22:53

somewhere

22:53

in a very large, dark forest,

22:56

and she didn't wait around for help. You

22:58

and I just got off the call with Michael. You

23:01

heard what he said about that storm. Let's

23:04

just focus on us right now. We've

23:07

done this a few times, but that doesn't mean we

23:09

can get sloppy about it. We'll

23:11

wind up here. Yeah. You're

23:14

right. I know you're right.

23:16

Three.

23:24

No. No. No.

23:33

No. It's

23:36

an injury, and we're going

23:39

to get it. No.

23:47

No.

24:00

Did you hear that? Jesus,

24:03

wake up! What's that? Are

24:07

we leaving? No, I heard

24:09

something. Something's

24:10

out there. What are you...

24:14

Oinks! Oinks,

24:16

get your camera off your boots! Yeah.

24:20

Don't forget your light. I

24:22

know. I

24:24

know. Shh.

24:29

Hurry. Let's

24:33

go. When do

24:35

I... Wait. Simply.

24:51

It's probably the clearing. Get down

24:53

and set up. I forgot what it was about.

24:56

If we don't spot it, we'll

24:58

head back. Look for tracks.

25:01

Links. Look, no shoe hair. We've

25:11

got tracks. Look like links. Between

25:14

that big rock and

25:15

the one, two, third

25:17

tree back.

25:20

I see him.

25:22

Someone said. Would

25:25

that scream?

25:30

Simply.

25:32

Yeah, it was really close. Do

25:35

you have the bear spray? Maybe,

25:37

um... No,

25:43

no, I

25:43

don't leave it in my camera bag.

25:44

Shit. The

25:48

links don't attack people. It's

25:50

probably as mostly small hairs and birds

25:52

and such. Yeah. We

25:55

won't go after bigger creatures. See

25:57

ya now.

26:03

I still don't see anything. Snow

26:07

will cover

26:10

up the track soon. That's

26:13

so close. This

26:15

way. Here.

26:19

Track. Snow's

26:22

partially filled. The men are ready.

26:24

Oh

26:26

my god. Oh

26:31

my god. No.

26:36

No minus. Did that.

26:39

Hunting for a length? Fucking.

26:41

You kids. For a length. No hunting.

26:45

Just... I really

26:47

thought you were a tree. Gene?

26:55

I'm not for me. Yes.

26:59

Did

27:07

you see the size of that thing? Mm-hmm.

27:12

Really? Yeah, did you see the

27:14

size of that thing? Uh...

27:22

Mm. Mm. Did you turn

27:24

your shutter stand back off?

27:25

You know, I thought I did.

27:28

I must not have saved the setting because it comes back on

27:30

every time I turn another phenomenon

27:31

again.

27:34

Oh.

27:36

My heart's ready to go back to sleep after

27:38

a pole vaulting into my throat. You?

27:42

Yeah.

27:44

Ready to sleep. Whoever

27:47

that length is,

27:48

we'd never find it up here in the

27:50

talk. Please try

27:52

them.

27:56

How do you always wake up when noises happen? How

27:58

do you not? a loud predator

28:01

screaming in the middle of a dark winter forest.

28:03

Most nights I'm honestly surprised my sense of

28:06

self-preservation will let me get to sleep at all. Think

28:09

any of your photos will be good? I said everything

28:12

to the right settings while we were looking for the light, so

28:14

I really think some of them will turn out great.

28:17

I've never been that close to a goal move before. I

28:19

felt like a hobbit.

28:21

I think I got

28:23

a few terrified shots of his feet. I'm

28:44

just

28:44

a few hours in and we head him back.

28:48

Sleep well.

28:56

Pictures will be there in the morning, I think.

29:00

I know. I just

29:02

wanted to see it again. It all happened

29:04

so fast.

29:05

Just try to get

29:07

to sleep soon. Like

29:09

I said, it'll be an early morning.

29:11

We'll leave when it's still dark. Yeah,

29:14

yeah, I know. Go to sleep.

29:19

What? What?

29:36

What?

29:42

What

29:45

now? I didn't hear anything

29:47

but your camera. Get up. Look. I was there

29:50

iffy. I saw the moon. Goddamn

29:51

it, Jane. Just shut up and look at the picture. What

29:56

the...

29:58

Where did you...

29:59

It's from the background of the birth shots of the

30:02

bull moose. They're

30:04

in a few of the shots.

30:05

What?

30:11

Those are women, Gene.

30:17

Edited

30:30

with Sound Design, Music and Mixing by Dan Lennardson.

30:34

And Executive Producers Carol Vengroff, Maiko

30:36

Villegas, Dennis Greenhill and A.J.

30:38

Puntin. Starring A.R.

30:40

Oliveri, Lauren Tucker, Lena

30:43

Makoff, Hildur Magnusvelder,

30:45

Travis Vengroff, Felix Trench,

30:48

Nicholas Grineer and Paul Warren. For

30:51

access to bonus episodes, ad-free

30:53

episodes and bonus seasons like

30:56

Artifact, Imperial, Iluka

30:58

and Echoes, visit patreon.com and

31:01

support this show and its creators. This

31:05

is a Fullen Scholar production. Thank

31:08

you for listening.

31:27

Welcome to the dark sanctum.

31:31

It's where nobody would find it. How

31:34

about you leave me? I... Here,

31:36

I mean it. Oh,

31:43

there is no baby. I

31:45

don't have a baby. Why did the oxygen

31:47

mask destroy it? What

31:50

is going on? What's wrong

31:52

with you? I'm coming, I'm coming.

32:01

I know you're scared. I know. I know. I know.

32:03

I know. Just one of

32:05

that. I just want to be so afraid.

32:08

And that's okay. I'm

32:10

sorry.

32:15

And the last...

32:18

And that

32:19

is where our story begins. Our

32:22

tale. In the

32:24

dark. Exactly.