Following up on last week’s terrifying discovery, Sheriff Crowley and Jon head to the scene of the crime. But nobody expected what they’d find inside.
How i Died is an Audiohm Media original, starring Vince Dajani as Jon Spacer; Shaina Waring as Sheriff Fran Crowley; David Dixon as Curtis; Caitlin Roberts as Amelia; Vyn Vox as Dr. Kim. Guest starring Jeffrey Hunt as Gran, and Mark Lee as Jeff Limmon.
Support the show and get bonus content at https://Patreon.com/HowiDied
Written and created by Vince Dajani. Directing and sound design by Vince Dajani and Chroma Sikora. Mastering by Eric Howell.
The How I Died theme song was created by Mike Lynch at SilentMikeMusic.com.
Show notes and transcript available at https://audiohmmedia.com/howidied/
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Transcript: How i Died S2 E03: Light In The Darkness
This transcript is adapted from the episode’s original script, so the final audio may differ slightly.
[(Driving)]
Crowley: Do NOT make me regret bringing you.
Jon: You won’t.
Crowley: And you better damn well believe that you’ll be next to me the entire time you’re in there.
Jon: I got it.
Crowley: Bad shit happens when you’re alone.
Jon: ’Bad things happen,’ huh? I’ve heard that recently.
Crowley: Because it’s true.
Jon: And because you said it to (the therapist)?
Crowley: This isn’t the time or the place.
Jon: Yeah, well… Honestly, if anything does go down, I’ll be glad to have someone with a gun next to me.
Crowley: Someone not trying to shoot you.
Jon: Well, yeah.
Crowley: Not right now at least.
Jon: Funny.
Crowley: Come on.
[Car doors. Ambulance sounds]
Jon: Hold up… I’m still… A little slow.
Crowley: You can say that again.
Jon: You know what I mean.
Mendez: Sheriff.
Crowley: Mendez.
Mendez: Is this the famous doctor?
Jon: Famous?
Mendez: You’ve got the limp – where’s your bottle of Vicodin?
Jon: Excuse me?
Mendez: You know like… The TV show.
Jon: I don’t watch TV…
Crowley: We’re going in. You mind opening the tape?
Jon: So this is it, huh… 662 Smith Lane.
Crowley: You don’t have to say it like a fucking weirdo. Yes. This is the place. Are you up for going in?
Jon: Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?
Crowley: Just wondering. Rumor has it you’re a little skiddish now. That’s what something like this will do to ya, though.
Jon: I’m fine. Just… Bring me up to speed. (Ugh.)
Mendez: Good to go, boss.
Crowley: Child protective services was sent here this morning. They arrived and got no response from inside the house. We got here about an hour ago but didn’t make it far in.
Jon: Why not?
Mendez: I’ve seen some shit, but I haven’t seen ANYTHING like this before.
Jon: Like what?
Crowley: It’s fucked up. The usual spooky shit doesn’t bother you, but I’m just saying… Go in prepared.
Jon: That "spooky shit"?
Crowley: Before we go in – did you bring them?
Jon: The surgical masks? Yeah. I brought a few.
Crowley: Good. Give me two. Put on one. Leave the rest out here in case someone else needs to go in. Here.
Mendez: Thank you.
Jon: I have Carrion if that’s easier.
Crowley: It’s… Worse than that. It wasn’t the smell that was the problem.
Jon: That bad?
Mendez: You’re in for a shock.
Crowley: Spacer, you stay behind me, and in front of Mendez. Do not touch ANYTHING without letting one of us know first, you got it?
Jon: Jesus christ, what are we walking into?
Mendez: I got three EMTs waiting on the side, too. Just need to radio out.
Crowley: Sounds good. (On radio) Sheriff Crowley, Jonathan Spacer, George Mendez heading in, copy.
Radio: Copy.
Mendez: Masks up.
Crowley: Here we go. (Intro song)
[Creaky door and walking in slowly. This scene will play out slowly with lots of walking, creaking and intense ambiance. (Muffled slightly due to mask. Quietly unless otherwise noted.)]
Jon: Wait, you’re closing the door behind us?
Crowley: Otherwise, we’ll be blinded by that much light.
[Door closes]
Jon: Jesus christ. It’s pitch black in here.
Mendez: That’s why we’ve got these. Here.
Jon: Uhh. Thanks.
Crowley: Aim it low, otherwise you won’t see shit through all the dust.
Jon: Like high beams during fog.
Mendez: Heh. You really do say things like that, huh?
Jon: Do I *know* you?
Crowley: Shut up, both of you.
Crowley: (yelling) This is the Springfield County Sheriff’s Department giving a final warning. We have authorization to enter the premises. If anyone is in here, present yourself NOW.
Mendez: If only it were that easy with shit like this.
Jon: Wait, you guys haven’t FOUND anyone in here?
Mendez: Not living, at least.
Jon: But you swept the place, right?
Crowley: First door on the left here. Across from the entryway. Mendez, can you watch the stairs to our right?
Mendez: On it.
Crowley: Spacer, here.
Jon: What? Like a dog?
Crowley: This is not a fucking joke. Get in the room, look around.
Jon: There’s so much dust. I can barely see… (Gran is alive, but pretends to be Jeff. Trudy is missing. Mom, Ben, Julie, sissy are dead.)
Crowley: (Coughing) The room is still clear. (Pause) Mendez?
Mendez: (far away) Nothing.
Jon: I’m seeing… Inches of dust on the floor and walls… There’s what looks like a mattress against this back wall.
Crowley: Shuffle along to the far wall.
Jon: I’m going.
[Jon stepson a child’s toy. It starts to play a creepy mechanical tune.]
Crowley: Jesus Christ; watch your step. All this is evidence.
Jon: I’m trying! I think… There’s. What is that?
Crowley: You tell me.
Jon: There’s… Something in this corner. It’s a person… Or was a person. Curled up into a ball. Their skin is tight around their bones.
Crowley: Looks like a skeleton with hair.
Jon: It’s a woman. She appears to have been at least past adolescence by the size of her bones, but… Jesus. She must have starved.
Crowley: How long ago?
Jon: What?
Crowley: How long ago did she die?
Jon: I’m not sure… Rough estimate, at least six months. That’s a lot of decomposition.
Crowley: This was the room my guys came into earlier today.
Jon: If you knew there was a body, why didn’t you say anything?
Crowley: Because they weren’t sure what they saw. I only glanced in here before we taped off the area. Do you think you can move her?
Jon: I don’t…
[Bone breaks]
Jon: Shit! I definitely can’t now – not without damaging the remains.
Crowley: Here. Put a marker down. Carefully. There’s a lot more house to get through.
Mendez: Still no sign of anything out here.
Crowley: Good. We’re moving forward down the hall. Stay here.
Mendez: Got it.
Jon: The wallpaper in this hallway is falling of the walls… It looks like old family photos, but… I can barely see them through the dust.
Crowley: Spacer, eyes forward, flashlight up. You’re my light.
Mendez: Aww, that’s so sweet.
Jon: See? I knew she didn’t hate me.
Crowley: I swear to the Lord above, you two.
Mendez: Gotchu, boss.
Crowley: If anyone is in here, this is your last chance to show yourself. I am armed.
Jon: There’s barely any dust on the floor down this hall.
Crowley: There was a trail from the stairway leading this way.
Jon: And no one’s been in this far?
Crowley: None of our people, at least.
Jon: Shit…
Crowley: Someone had to be living here with that kid. He couldn’t have been on his own for six months.
Jon: If the woman died that long ago, you mean?
Crowley: Exactly. Someone else was here.
Jon: A few people…
Crowley: How do you figure?
Jon: Oh. Uhhh… Watch that floorboard. It’s sticking up.
Crowley: Good eye. We’re coming up to a corner. Step back, but keep your eyes peeled.
[Children whispering and singing.]
Jon: So you hear that?
Crowley: I hear you breathing loudly in my ear.
Jon: Nevermind; sorry. I’m seeing… A small kitchen table straight ahead.
Crowley: Clear on the right.
Jon: Boarded up windows by a breakfast nook.
Crowley: Jon!
Jon: Sorry. (Pause) nothing straight ahead. Dirty dishes piled high on the counters and sink. Old style fridge.
Crowley: Kitchen’s clear. (Yelling) I’ve got a door over here.
Mendez: (yelling) Good on my end.
Crowley: It’s unlocked.
Jon: Jesus Christ. That’s a padlock and chains on the floor.
Crowley: And wall locks attached. You said it looked like the kid was held somewhere.
Jon: Yeah; a basement would certainly fit the bill.
Crowley: I don’t want to imagine the kind of shit we’ll find down here. You ready?
[Children whispering intensifies and stops suddenly after a creak on the floorboard.]
Jon: I don’t see anything at the landing. Cement floor from what I can tell.
Crowley: There’s no railing.
Jon: It’s going to take me a minute to-
Mendez: (yelling) I’ve got movement! Sheriff.
Crowley: Shit. Move!
Jon: I- (ack) ow!
[Jon slips down some stairs. He pulls his mask off to yell. Silence and then quick movement.]
Jon: Crowley! There’s something down there, too! Crowley? (Mask off) Shit! Ah. My hip… Fuck. (Pause) Who’s down here? Hello? (Pause) Jesus. I know someone is down here…
Jeff: You’re too late…
Jon: I’m with the Sheriff’s Department. Please show yourself.
Jeff: That light is too bright. Turn it off and I’ll show you.
Jon: (coughing) I can’t do that.
Jeff: I’ll come to you if you turn it off.
Jon: Crowley! Crowley I need help down here!
Jeff: Don’t leave. You need to see this.
Jon: (coughing) Stay where you are. I’ll get the cops and come back.
Jeff: I thought you were a cop… Are you hurt?
Jon: I’m (ack). I’m fine. I… Just need to climb back up here.
Jeff: (angrily) Come down here and look!
Jon: Stay back. I’m keeping the light on. And when I get to the (ack) top of the stairs… I’m closing this door.
Jeff: (yelling) Don’t leave me down here!
[Jon grunts and closes the door. He locks it. IT’S EERILY QUIET. THERE ARE NO SOUNDS LIKE BEFORE. HE STAGGERS BACK THROUGH, PARANOID, AND MAKES]
[His way to the foyer again.]
Jon: Crowley…? …Mendez? Guys! Anyone? What is going on…
[Scuffling sound above]
Jon: Shit. They’re upstairs… At least I hope it’s them. (Pause) The front door is still closed.
[Jon ascends the stairs slowly]
Jon: I’m coming up…
[EERILYwalking up stairs. Creepy music and sounds. Sounds of ghost children echoing.]
Jon: Hello…? Damnit. Don’t tell me the kids are…
[Chains rattling and sawing.]
Crowley: (far away) Hurry up.
Mendez: I’ve almost got it.
Jon: Crowley?
[Ghost child runs by]
Crowley: You’re supposed to be watching the door.
Jon: You left me down there.
Crowley: Yeah, well. We’ve got something to deal with. Loon for yourself.
Gran: (meekly) Please… Help me.
Jon: Wow… Hes shackled to the wall.
Mendez: (out of breath from sawing) Oh, really? Hadn’t noticed.
Jon: Jesus, the stench.
Crowley: Spacer, for fuck’s sake.
Jon: Sorry. I –
Gran: It’s okay… He hadn’t let me out in some time…
Crowley: Put your mask back on.
Jon: I dropped it down the stairs when – holy shit.
Crowley: What?
Jon: There was someone down there.
Crowley: In the basement?
Jon: Yeah. I heard him after you left.
Gran: There shouldn’t be anyone else in here…
Crowley: Did you see him leave?
Gran: No… I meant… (Coughing meekly) I’m safe though, right?
Crowley: Absolutely. Getting you out of here alive is our main priority. Soon.
Mendez: I’m going as fast as I can.
Crowley: Does he have any sort of hiding place here? Or a room of his own.
Gran: I don’t know… He… Please. I don’t want Jimmy to come back.
Jon: Gran?
[Gran gasps]
Crowley: What did you call him? The guy we’re after is Jimmy Hooper, age forty at least. We couldn’t find any information on the purchase of this house. It wasn’t in his name.
[Chains break and unravel]
Mendez: Got it!
Gran: Oh god. Thank you! Thank you! Get me out of here.
Mendez: Whoa. Shouldn’t you take it slow?
Gran: I’m…
Crowley: Spacer, when we all get to the landing, you escort … What did you say your name was?
Gran: Jeff Limmon.
Crowley: Escort Jeff back to the paramedics.
Jon: Me?
Crowley: Yeah you.
Jon: You have a dozen EMTs outside. Can’t they take him?
Crowley: Stop arguing and do what I say.
Jon: No.
Crowley: What?!
Mendez: You two really wanna get into it out?
Jon: Listening to your passive advice was what got me shot before.
Crowley: And not listening to it is going to get you shot now.
Mendez: Sheriff…
Crowley: Not by me. I meant Jimmy, if he’s got a gun-
Jon: You’ve got dozens of doctors out there, and one coroner in here. You brought me in for a reason, so let’s go.
Crowley: Fine. Mendez open it up and take the door again.
Mendez: Got it.
Gran: Daylight… It feels so good…
Crowley: Flashlight up. We’re going back into the kitchen.
Jon: I forgot it was on still…
Crowley: A quick sweep of this room again. Clear.
Jon: The door is still closed.
Crowley: You locked it?
Jon: Hell yes I locked it.
Crowely: Good. Cover me.
[Crowley unlocks the door.]
Crowley: (whispering) Slowly.
Jon: Not going to announce yourself this time?
Crowley: Shh!
[They descend the stairs slowly. Another ghost child laughs and runs by. Jon gags as they go.]
Jon: It smells like piss and decay…
Crowley: (whispering) Shut up. Grab your mask off the ground.
Jon: Jesus christ!
Crowley: What? Where?
Jon: Thought I saw something.
Crowley: Damnit! Get get down here. Back to the wall. This corner is clear. (Yelling) I know you’re down here. Where are you?
Jeff: (distance) Please…
Crowley: I’m not seeing anyone.
Jon: Shh. I hear him.
Crowley: Where, damnit?!
Jon: Under the stairs…
Crowley: Come out with your hands up. NOW. This is your last warning.
Jeff: Turn that flashlight off…
Jon: Stay where you are!
Crowley: Spacer shut the fuck up. Whoever is here needs to COME OUT. NOW.
Jon: You don’t see…?
Crowley: Shit… A body…
Jeff: Yeah… A few of them. Here.
Jon: Oh god… I need to –
Crowley: Don’t move yet. We still don’t know if there’s anyone else down here.
Jeff: There isn’t. Not alive at least.
Jon: You’re sure?
Crowley: Yeah, I need to do a full sweep.
Jeff: It’s just me now… And my daughter, but she… Doesn’t know.
Jon: My god…
[Jon runs to the bodies and crowley does a sweep.]
Crowley: Spacer! Damnit. Stay down.
Jon: I’ve got… Three bodies over here…
Crowley: (far away) Son of a bitch. More kids?
Jon: Two adults… One kid – a girl.
Jeff: (emotionless and cold) That’s my sister Julie and her husband Ben. And then my daughter… Alyssa.
Jon: Sissy?
Jeff: How did you know?
Crowley: (far away) Fuck. The room’s clear, but I’ve got shackles and ropes over here.
Jon: (yelling) There’s a mattress on the floor by me.
Jeff: (excited) Keyton told you all about this place, didn’t he?
Jon: (whispering) Are you… Jimmy?
Jeff: Hell no. Fuck that bastard.
Jon: Then who are you? Where is your body?
Jeff: My name’s Jeff. I died… A long time ago. I’ve been here watching over as much as I could but… Fuck this place is fucking terrible.
Jon: I’m so sorry.
Jeff: (mad and emotional) Save it. I don’t want it. Just tell me that Keyton made it out okay.
Jon: What?
Jeff: (crying and angry) Did he make it? I saw him run and I hoped that he’d be safe. But then… That bastard came down here and…
Crowley: (close) Shit. What happened?
Jeff: (crying and angry) He slit my baby’s throat. And Julie’s. Ben was already… Well he died and moved on.
Jon: The two female victims died recently… Maybe a few hours ago.
Jeff: You could have gotten here sooner. You should have.
Crowely: We were too late…
Jon: They’re just piled here… Tossed like garbage.
Crowley: Can we move any of them?
Jon: Yeah… I think so. The two female victims have barely started rigor mortis… The male victim is decaying, though.
Crowley: Here. Put three markers and let’s head up for some bags.
Jon: O-okay…
Jeff: You’re just leaving again?
Crowley: Come on.
Jon: I need to…
Crowley: Here. Put three markers and let’s head up for some bags.
Jon: O-okay…
Jeff: You’re just leaving again?
Crowley: Come on.
Jon: I need to…
Jeff: Tell me that Keyton made it out.
Jon: Wait. We’re missing bodies…
Jeff: Tell me he made it.
Crowley: Huh? How do you know that?
Jon: I just know. I can’t…
Jeff: TELL ME!
Jon: He didn’t make it. He died.
Crowley: Spacer, what the hell is happening to you? Get it together.
Jeff: Keyton died…
Jon: Keyton died in the hospital… But his body showed us that he was being abused and malnourished. We were supposed to make it here in time.
Crowley: Spacer, that’s not…
Jon: We were supposed to make it…
Jeff: Keyton died… Trying to save his sister and his cousin. At least… My children are at peace now.
Jon: Where is Trudy?
Crowley: Who?
Jon: Trudy…
Jeff: Trudy Fischer. You didn’t find her body?
Jon: Trudy Fischer. Keyton’s cousin. He was being kept with her in another room.
Crowley: Did he say that in the ER before he died?
Jon: No. What?
Crowley: Then what are you talking about? There are no more rooms.
Jon: We’re missing something.
Crowley: Put your damn mask back on. You’re breathing too much of this crap in. Let’s head up.
Jeff: Julie isn’t here. I looked. Jimmy must have taken her with him when he fled.
Jon: Jimmy?
Crowley: Yeah. We saved someone today. That counts for something.
Jon: Oh… Fuck.
Crowley: What now?
Jon: Oh fuck.
[Jon runs the rest of the way up the stairs.]
Mendez: Jesus christ, doc. You almost gave me a heart attack stomping up here like that.
Jon: Let me out.
Mendez: What’s going on?
Crowley: Not a clue. I think he’s hallucinating.
Mendez: Well shit. That’s not good.
Jeff: Boo. Haha.
[Jon busts through the door]
Jon: Where is he?
Crowley: The fuck are you doing Spacer?
Jon: Where is Gran?
Emt: The guy from the house?
Jon: Yes the guy from the- where is he?!
Jeff: You found Jimmy… IN the house?
Emt: He was transported back to the hospital as soon as he came out. Is everything alright doctor Spacer?
Crowley: Jon! Get your ass over here. JON! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE.
[Jon grumbles and coughs over.]
Crowley: (whispering) What in the fuck do you think you’re doing?
Jon: That guy we found wasn’t Jeff Limmon. That was Jimmy Hooper.
Crowley: What? Why do you think that?
Jon: I just know it. You have to trust me.
Jeff: He was the only male alive…
Crowley: So you’re telling me that the sickly looking man we found shackled to the walk was actually the abuser?
Jon: Yes… I do.
Crowley: But you don’t have any evidence to back that up?
Jon: Not yet, no.
Crowley: Right, because you looked at a pile of bodies for a minute in the near pitch dark.
Jon: The dark… That’s it. The flashlight!
Crowley: What about it?
Jon: That’s the evidence: Gran never said the flashlight bothered him, but Jeff-
Crowley: Jeff what?
Jeff: Uh… I don’t think I’m the best example to use here.
Jon: If he were actually trapped in there for months or more, his eyes would have started burning from the sudden amount of light from the flashlight. Both Mendez and I had them on the whole time and it didn’t bother him.
Crowley: So your evidence is the fact that his eyes didn’t hurt?
Jon: Yes. It’s proof. Just because you don’t like it –
Crowley: Then what is it you’re asking me to do?
Jon: I don’t… I don’t know. Just don’t let him go.
Crowley: Let him go? Spacer, this is the shit I’ve do been talking about. You don’t know anything about how these things work, but you think you do. That man will be treated at the hospital for whatever injuries he may have, and then he’ll be questioned. Thoroughly. And we’ll compare his records to any records that exist: blood, fingerprints, photos, whatever we have.
Jeff: I’m sure he destroyed those.
Jon: What if the records were destroyed?
Crowley: We will find a way. I don’t need to explain our process to you.
Jon: I’m just saying… You have to at least consider this as a possibility.
Crowley: This is a case of child abuse and human trafficking. If you think I won’t do every single thing in my power to make sure we find the truth here, then you don’t know as much about me as you think you do. (Pause) Now go home.
Jon: What?
Crowley: I said go home. You’re done for today.
Jeff: Jon?
Jon: You can’t just –
Crowley: Mendez, get him off of the crime scene.
Mendez: You got it, chief. Come on, doc.
Jon: But the-
Mendez: Let’s go…
Jeff: Jon, what the hell? What am I supposed to do?
Jon: We… I don’t.
Mendez: Come on, man. I’m sorry. But you seem like this shit got to you real bad today.
Jon: Mendez… I can’t just leave.
Mendez: We’ll sort it out. Once the crime scene is secure, I’m sure Crowley will need you to come back to get the bodies if we can’t. Come on.
Jon: But…
Mendez: Come on. Trust me. It’s better we get you out of here now before ot gets worse.
Jon: (yelling) I’m sorry.
[Sitting in silence for a moment. Jon is clicking the flashlight on and off.]
Mendez: Did you catch the Sasquatch game yesterday?
Jon: The what?
Mendez: The Springfield Sasquatches… You’re not a fan?
Jon: No.
Mendez: Read any good book lately?
[Jon is silent, still clicking]
Mendez: This is going to sound weird, and it’s probably not the best time to ask, but… You were investigating that Springfield facility explosion, right?
Jon: No. Not any more.
Mendez: But you were. Did you find anything?
Jon: Like what?
Mendez: Heh. I guess I should just spit it out. My brother, Alex, was a janitor there… Well, custodial engineer, ha… But he went missing the same day as the accident. I always wondered if anyone ever found his body…
Jon: I’m… So sorry to hear that. No… I – I don’t know anything.
Mendez: It’s cool. Sorry to ask. (Pause)So you really think that guy was Jimmy, huh?
[clicking]
Jon: He was.
Mendez: The Sheriff knows what she’s doing. If it’s him, we’ll find out.
Jon: Hmph…