SBR 1.31: Nevertheless

"'Kitty is still missing, Anna still won't pick up the phone, Oliver is gone. Sam has never felt so alone. But how alone is he, really?'"

Events of Note

 * Sam notes that Oliver is 'truly gone'. He stopped by the Hatfield Karpos to find it completed boarded up.
 * Sam talks to someone on the phone who helped as a child, and is now suspended at the moment of death.
 * The Man in the Flat Cap makes the Recording Machine tell Sam that he is listening.

Summary
Sam begins the episode sounding exhausted. He briefly acknowledges that the listeners are truly all he has left, and then moves swiftly onto the Augury Forecast.

They talk about the forums, mentioning that they are unable to delete the thread about the Man in the Flat Cap, and then Sam asks the users not to speculate too much about them. He says that he waits the whole week to do the episode, and that his mind feels clearer when he's broadcasting.

Sam then moves onto the story sent in by Maisie. They talk about a children's TV show called 'Counting With Courtney Q'. There were several different sections that each taught kids different things, such as geometry, the food chain, and healthy eating. One of the sections was 'hosted' by Guessy Jessie, who taught children about logical thinking and riddles, though the answers would never be shown. Maisie mentions their brother, who had sat down to watch the show in a fit of nostalgia. The riddle displayed was "Now the door is open it cannot be closed, and you have to walk through." Their brother was confused, and couldn't find any answers online. Maisie also tried, but when they looked it up, they couldn't find any information on 'Counting With Courtney Q' at all. They then listened to the Spirit Box, and Maisie heard the theme tune for Guessy Jessie, and then their laptop crashed.

Sam goes to surmise the forum reactions, but is interrupted by the phone ringing. They answer to an anonymous caller, who does not know their own name. They tell Sam that they only remember flashes of what happened to them, and describes what may have been their death via drowning. They then tell Sam that he suspended them in their current state, and that Marie brought him to them when Sam was younger. They say that Sam was 'the gift', and them 'Ghost maker'. They tell Sam that they are his to command, and when Sam begs them for help, they fall away, voice echoing until the phone disconnects.

Sam is upset, and states that there must be something wrong with him, otherwise Marie wouldn't have done what she did. They cry out for M before being interrupted by the Recording Machine. It relays a message that "he's listening". Sam assumes this is from the Man in the Flat Cap, and bids the listeners a hasty goodnight.

Characters Featured

 * Sam Enfield
 * The Recording Machine
 * Kitty Enfield (mentioned)
 * Anna Enfield (mentioned)
 * Rhytidia Delphus ‘the Bog Witch’ (mentioned)
 * Oliver Boleyn (mentioned)
 * Madame Marie (mentioned)
 * The Flat Cap Man (mentioned)
 * Mystery

Listeners writing in/mentioned:


 * Maisie from Bridgend, regarding a strange children's TV show from their childhood

Augury Forecast
See all Augury Forecasts.

''Three eggs in the nest are pointed eastward, the fourth is pointing west. There is trouble on the horizon. Cautiousness is best.''

''A hawk flies against the wind across the river, the line of it’s path charts the route towards the cliff. Tread lightly or risk a downfall.''

''The snapdragons dance in the morning breeze: do not trust Jim. He lied about the almond milk.''

''Do not try the door. It is unlocked. And you do not want to see what lies behind it.''

Trivia

 * Picture ID: [A stylised poster for the episode, featuring the handheld part of a rotary phone dangling under the water. There is a spiral of bubbles surrounding the phone cord. The episode title is at the bottom of the image.]