How i Died S1 E07: Missing Body

Transcript: How i Died S1 E07: Missing Body

This transcript is adapted from the episode’s original script, so the final audio may differ slightly.

[Click]

Sheriff: (in distance) Thank you to all the volunteers who have come out today to help with the search. We’ll be walking across the wooded section here, for approximately six miles to the other side. Line up within arms length of each other, and walk slowly. Search by your feet and the areas around you as you go. Please use your walkie if you find anything suspicious. Once we’re all done the first walk, we’ll take a short break and then line up again further down. We’ve got 11 hours of daylight left. We should be able to cover most of the woods in this area today. Let’s get going.

[Footsteps and people chatting. Walking in the woods sounds. -constant-]

Jon: (close to the mic) I hope that was loud enough to pick up on the mic. I’m at the Springfield county woods south of town with a group of volunteers from the community and a few of the sheriff’s office deputies. Today is a grounds walk looking for missing person: Stephen Maur, a 31 year old local who went out hunting with a friend of his, Jake Lelham. Both were reported missing after Maur’s car was still in the nearby lot after two days. Normally, we’d be looking for both of the missing men, but a few days ago, the sheriff’s office got a tip from another county of a person matching Lelham’s description. No one has seen or heard from Maur and his last known citing was here in these woods.

Stephen: You’re reporting on everything?

Jon: Huh? Oh. Yeah. I am. I’m Jon. I’m the forensic pathologist with the county, so I’m documenting everything for the case files.

Stephen: That’s a great idea. And who knows, maybe this’ll turn into a news story and they can air your recording.

Jon: I hope not, haha.

Stephen: Why not?

Jon: I’m hoping we find him, alive.

Stephen: Well, you and I both know that’s not gonna happen.

Jon: You think?

Stephen: I know so. And it’s like, what, a 10% chance missing people are found alive after 48 hours?

Jon: I think that stat is for kidnappings.

Stephen: Either way. I’m dead, so it doesn’t matter.

Jon: I’m sorry, what did you just say?

Stephen: You got it on tape, right? Just replay it, haha.

Jon: I didn’t catch your name.

Stephen: For someone with the police, you sure aren’t observant.

Jon: God damnit. You’re him. You’re Stephen.

Stephen: Correct.

Jon: (whispering) Are you… You’re a ghost?

Stephen: I hope so. Otherwise I’d have starved by now.

Jon: Shit. I seem crazy now. You couldn’t have said something first?

Stephen: I’m dead, Jon. This is about the last amount of fun I’ll have. Oh! Unless there are more people like you. Or actually, can I haunt people? I don’t know how this works.

Jon: So you were killed here?

Stephen: Yep. A little ways down. You guys probably won’t find my body, and if you do, it’ll be hours from now with how slow this group is walking.

Jon: Shit. Okay. I need you to take me to your body.

Stephen: Right this way.

Jon: No. No, wait. We can’t go right there. It’s too obvious. I need to come up with a reason to head that way.

Stephen: You don’t want to be the hero and find me?

Jon: I can’t just go straight there. That looks incredibly suspicious.

Stephen: Well, if it makes it any better, I wasn’t murdered like y’all think.

Jon: You weren’t?

Stephen: Nah, actually, I died kinda stupidly. I was shootin at trees out here. Shot a big one that was leaning. Turned around to keep walking and next thing I know, I’m standing next to my body impaled by a tree on top.

Jon: Ouch.

Stephen: You’re tellin me.

Jon: Okay. Let me think. Why were you shooting at trees?

Stephen: There ain’t shit to hunt here! I was bored.

Jon: And your buddy Jake Lelham?

Stephen: He ran. He had priors, man! And teeechnically we didn’t have a license.

Jon: God. Okay. What path did you take? Maybe we can find a clue to alert the sheriff.

Stephen: Right up the road. I put a marker, actually.

Jon: Fantastic. Do you remember where? I’m hoping it’s in line with someone else and they call it in.

Stephen: Why’s that?

Jon: Again, it looks too suspicious. If someone else can find the first clue, that would be ideal.

Stephen: Well, we’re coming up close to it. It’s a little to the left. Closer to… That lady.

Jon: Oh. That’s doctor Gatz – she works at the hospital. Come on, Amelia… Please notice it.

Stephen: What if she doesn’t?

Jon: Come on; come on.

Amelia: (in distance) I’ve got something!

Jon: Yesss.

[Background commotion]

Sheriff: (in distance) Everybody stop! Don’t move.

Stephen: Wow, so official.

Jon: Yeah, it’s almost like you’re a murder victim.

[Sheriff walks closer.]

Sheriff: That looks like just a regular marker. We have no idea if it’s recent, or even Mr. Maur’s. Let’s keep going.

Amelia: W-wait.

Sheriff: What?

Amelia: What if it is recent? We could find him faster if we followed up on clues rather than just combing.

Sheriff: No offense, doctor Gatz, but I think I’m in a better position to make that call than you.

Amelia: I know – I just thought-

Jon: Crowley, why don’t I follow up on the lead?

Amelia: I can go with you.

Sheriff: It’s not a damn lead. It’s nothing, people. Keep moving. You too, doctor Gatz.

[Sheriff comes closer]

Sheriff: (speaking softly) Damnit, Jon, I’ve learned to accept your weird hunches recently, but are you telling me you want to chase every stray marker we find? That’s not how this works.

Jon: (speaking softly) I just think it’s worth exploring. Are there any more markers? Maybe it leads to the path they took.

Sheriff: Alright. Everybody stop. Doctor Spacer and I will be following this marker. I need someone to replace this spot in the walk through. Tighten up a bit and call me on the walkie if anyone finds anything. Anything at all.

Sheriff: ( whispering) You better hope that silver spoon up your ass is still shining.

Jon: I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I?

Stephen: Technically, I’ll be steering. Let’s go!

[Walking and sweeping the ground through leaves as they go.]

Jon: Okay, let’s head deeper in. Chances are they were looking for a hunting spot, right?

Sheriff: Depends where they wound up. Especially if they were drinking or got into an argument. Maur’s body could have been thrown in the river for all we know.

Stephen: You know, Jake’s not a bad dude. We’ve known eachother since middle school and I still would’ve bailed if he got crushed by a tree too.

Jon: Hmph.

Sheriff: See something?

Jon: Not yet. Or at least, I don’t think so. Maybe some debris here. It looks like it’s been walked on recently. How often are people in these woods?

Sheriff: I know you don’t get out much, but I’d imagine people walk the trails pretty regularly. Although this isn’t supposed to be a hunting zone. So keep an eye out for casings and the like.

[Kicking an empty beer can]

Jon: How about a beer can?

Sheriff: Could be anybody’s. This is a pretty popular place to drink, especially foe underage kids.

Jon: Springfield Light Ale. Sounds…

Sheriff: Like I said: underage kids with no taste.

Stephen: That’s a man’s beer for a sophisticated pallet thank you very much.

Sheriff: Ah; look. Another tree notch. Guess this is the right way.

Jon: Crowley, can I ask you a question?

Sheriff: Is it related to the case?

Jon: No…

Sheriff: Then I’d prefer if you didn’t.

Jon: I’m asking anyway: Why do you think so many people die in Springfield?

Sheriff: Well, if I’m being honest, I don’t know. People believe in curses and bad luck.

Jon: Do you?

Sheriff: I didn’t always. But, over the past few years, I guess I came around to the curse.

Jon: Is it about the incident in the 1989?

Sheriff: You heard about that, huh?

Jon: Just a bit.

Sheriff: Well, I can’t tell ya much than I’m sure you’ve already heard. The Speingfield corp plant blew up. Some people thought it was a bomb planeted by one of the protesting environmentalists.

Stephen: Oh yeah, I remember hearing that.

Jon: And it caused a big power outage?

Sheriff: That’s what most people think. But there was a huge storm coming that night. Biggest I’ve ever seen.

Jon: So you think that’s what knocked out the power?

Sheriff: No. I’m saying that’s what blew up the plant.

Jon: Seriously? A thunderstorm?

Sheriff: It wasn’t just any old storm. The sky was lit up orange in the middle of the night like it was a damn summer heatwave. I saw flames in mid air touch down on the ground. Most people didn’t see it, but I was working night shift that night.

Jon: So a big storm, an exploding research facility and then all of a sudden, weird shit starts happening in town? Sounds like a science fiction novel.

Sheriff: I don’t believe in that crap.

Jon: No? No ghosts… Or aliens?

Sheriff: Not all country folk believe in aliens.

Jon: But you believe in curses. You said so a minute ago.

Sheriff: Yeah, well when you see fire rain from the sky a second time, you start to believe in anything.

Jon: A second time?

[Sheriff stops walking.]

Sheriff: I got something. Take a look at this tree.

Jon: What’s that?

Sheriff: Those are holes from a 22.

Jon: You think we’re close?

Stephen: Yeah, this looks kinda familiar.

Sheriff: This way.

Jon: You said a second time… When was the second time?

Sheriff: I misspoke.

Jon: Was it… In 2014?

Sheriff: What are you getting at?

Jon: I’ve just noticed a pattern of deaths around those two times…

Sheriff: Drop it, Jon.

Jon: I saw some case files.

Sheriff: I said drop it.

Jon: Crowley, I just want to help. Maybe if you talked about it –

Sheriff: I am *NOT* talking to you about shit. You can’t do anything to help, so just mind your damn business, okay?

[Stephen]

Jon: What?

Sheriff: Did I stutter?

Jon: No. Not that. Look. Over there.

Sheriff: …What is that?

Jon: Holy…shit. Hurry.

[Running and panting]

Jon: Mother of God…

Sheriff: (on radio) We’ve got a 10-54… 10-55. Mutilated body on the south side of Springfield county woods in a small clearing about eight hundred feet in.

Stephen: Oh my god. That’s my head. That’s my head on a spike! Where did my body go?!

Jon: Jesus christ. That’s not what we were supposed to find.

Sheriff: I repeat. Body found… Or part of a body found. Just send some people down here damnit. Jon-

Jon: Yeah. Yeah. I need to get my kit. I’ll – I’ll be back.

Sheriff: You know how to get back here?

Jon: Yeah, I’ll bring the deputies.

Stephen: Holy shit man. What’s going on?

Jon: You tell me!

Stephen: That’s not how I died. I saw my body. I looked at it like… Yesterday! I was whole.

Jon: Do you think your buddy came back?

Stephen: No. He wouldn’t do that… This was… Some twisted fucker.

Jon: It’s not a normal person who can move and dossect a dead body like that.

Stephen: Isn’t that was you do?

Jon: Not like that! It’s different.

Stephen: Look, you gotta convince the sheriff that Jake didn’t do this. I know he couldn’t have. Someone else did.

Jon: I’ll try, but right now… I just need to get my tools and get back. This is much more than we expected… (Yelling) hey guys! Over here.

Amelia: (in distance) Jon! Did you find something?

Click: (END)