Episode 1 - Unnamed Pilot

[tuxagon]

EPISODE 1 - UNNAMED PILOT

 

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Monsters and the people who fight them are real. The people in this show are professionals and it is imperative you do not try any of this at home. If strange things are happening near you, please dial 1-800-MYSTERY for help. It’s toll-free.

 

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In an Oregon suburb, police officers are cordoning off a house with caution tape, as well as, attempting to instruct the nosier neighbors to go back to their homes. Flashing lights from the emergency and police vehicles illuminate dozens of houses on the street. There is an intensity from the paramedics and officers when the show’s subjects arrive on the scene. They have documentation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) giving them special access to the scene, but, as instructed, they know not to include that conversation with the police on camera.

 

Officer Frank Barzinsky, after seeing the documentation, hands it back and lifts the caution tape enough for the hunters to duck under onto the other side. He guides them all up the walkway and pauses on the small porch, in front of the open front door. There is a worried grimace on his face before he opens his mouth for a moment, closes it again, then says, “Just go have a look. I don’t yet have the words to describe what’s inside.”

Edited October 6, 2022 by tuxagon (see edit history)

[zazamz12]

Ali's face was impassive - not out of callousness, but well, it was hard to see all the things he'd seen and come out unphased. Some would have gone mad - Ali was simply cold. "Thank you, officer," he says, noting the man's badge and number. "When did the police first arrive on scene, if it's not too much to ask?"

 

Whatever Barzinsky's answer was, Ali would make a note to remember it, before heading inside. Careful not to disturb those on scene, he'd head towards the body with the others.

Edited October 15, 2022 by tuxagon (see edit history)

[KingGoblin]

Tina, perhaps in an ill-conceived desire to go off by herself to check out somewhere (or something) scary, wanders on in without asking the police anything at all.  Of course, with Ali there, she isn't actually by herself, but the desire seems to be pervasive.

[tuxagon]

"We received a call from a neighbor that screams were heard coming from the house at 8:13 p.m. to which officers immediately responded by a little before 9 p.m." Officer Barzinsky squints, wrinkling his brow in thought for brief moment before adding, "The neighbor also reported that they witnessed the door open briefly, but it was shut almost immediately. The witness alleges that it appeared to be an attempted escape; however, that has not been corroborated as of now. Crime scene investigators are currently working out what occurred."

[Kavonde]

Jack gives Offier Barzinsky a friendly little wave as he approaches. He's trying to maintain a distance of at least five feet from everyone else, hoping that doing so will reduce the very noticeable smell of death and decay that surrounds him. Given that this is the first real day of filming and Jack has always been behind the camera, not in front of it, he's gone to extensive lengths to make himself look as alive as possible. He's wearing dark, square shades to cover his rotting eyeballs, a little blush (in what he hopes is a complimentary shade) to put a little color on his cheeks, fresh clothes (pinkish red Hawaiian shirt, lime green T-shirt, khaki shorts, boots), and far too much cologne.

 

"Is that an unusual response time for the area?" he asks as he looks over the home's exterior. He notices Tina slip through the front door and frowns a tiny bit with familial disapproval at her impoliteness. "Around 45 minutes?"

[tuxagon]

The officer ignores Jack's inquiry about timing and makes a subtle movement by turning to indicate he's stepping away. "Go in and see for yourselves. I'll be out here if you need anything from the officers here." He walks off the porch and heads toward a couple officers standing with a roll of caution tape.

[KingGoblin]

Tina skips on in, ahead of the others.

[Kavonde]

"Jeeze, just askin'," Jack mutters as he makes his way to the front door. "Hey, Tina, wait up! Might be spookums and/or hookums in there I need to punch for you."

[zazamz12]

Nodding to Barzinsky, Ali steps inside the house. "Please keep an eye on her, Mr. Colson," he says to his monstrous companion.

 

Carefully stepping over around the crime scene, the agent looks around for the body. He'd also look around for the forensics personnel, asking for details such as any big details on the scene (unusual signs, smells, etc.), as well as what they knew about the victim. It always helped to put a face and name to the victims in cases like these - interpersonal connections could sometimes hold a gold mine in terms of information.

[tuxagon]

Inside the house, quick flashes from disposable cameras briefly illuminate the hallway ahead. A darker-skinned detective walks into the hallway wearing a mustard yellow button-up and a black tie. Atop his shoes, he’s wearing covers, presumably to avoid interfering with the crime scene. To the right of the front door lay a pile of five empty, black body bags.

 

The detective sees the newcomers enter and points a gloved finger at them, then gestures to their feet. “Put on some goddamn shoe covers before you walk in here. This is a crime scene, dammit!”

 

Another detective enters the hallway from the left, whispers something to the first detective, then they both go back into the room ahead.

[Kavonde]

Jack wants to comply; his boots are not proving as completely waterproof as advertised. He looks around for a supply of shoe covers. "Well, Dick Tracy seems a little grouchy. I appreciate a cop who takes his job seriously, but, like, we weren't just gonna blunder in and start jumpin' in blood puddles."

[KingGoblin]

Tina also looks around for shoe covers.  Although, jumping in blood puddles would probably make good TV.

 

"Honestly have no idea why they let us in here in the first place," she comments, to her Uncle Jack.  "I mean, other than money.  Obviously."

Edited October 23, 2022 by KingGoblin (see edit history)

[tuxagon]

The hall ends with two stairs going down on both the left and right, overlooking an open layout combining the kitchen, dining area, and family room. Down the left stairs, in the family room, the detectives and a photographer are observing a grotesque scene. Five bodies lay on the once tan, blood-soaked carpet in a circular pattern. Two of the bodies are clearly minors, the youngest of which is likely between the ages of 8 and 12, while the other three are likely parents and an older sibling that is likely high school or college age.

 

The positioning of four of the bodies suggests this wasn’t mere happenstance because their heads in similar places within the circle. Their arms and legs are all stretched out in front of them awkwardly while their spines are curving toward the center body, ripped out from under their flesh.

 

Meanwhile, the center body is bent in such a way that they form their own circle, likely with enough broken bones to form such a shape.

[Kavonde]

"What the f[BEEEEP]..."

 

Jack stares in shock and horror at the scene. And he absolutely doesn't feel a pang of hunger at the sight. Not at all.

 

"Guys, I think Stephen King went feral. What the hell, what the hell..." He approaches the bodies carefully, being sure to stay out of the way of the photographers. He waves a bit to catch the yellow-shirted detective's attention. "Hey. Uh... the victims. A family, yeah? Do you know their names?"

[zazamz12]

Some sort of ritual, perhaps? Ali thinks, disturbed but keeping a poker face. "My words exactly," he mutters. Putting on the shoe covers, he tries to observe what detail he could before noticing the two detectives heading ahead.

 

Tiptoeing his way ahead, he tries to follow after them, in the hopes of knowing what they were talking about, as well as what they knew.