CASSIA Welcome back to 404: The Podcast. Episode #5: Residual Hauntings.
The intro ends.
The recording clicks on. ELEANOR is mid-laugh.
ELEANOR Tomorrow!
FINN (also laughing) Tomorrow!
ELEANOR I’m so excited. I’m actually so excited.
FINN So what-- why-- where is this coming from? I’ve been asking you to visit Boston for ages.
ELEANOR I don’t know. Heh. Yeah. I don’t really know. It just felt like the right time. Being in my house all the time…
FINN Sick of Blue already?
ELEANOR Ha, no. Not sick of Blue, not sick of the house, nothing like that. It’s just… hm. I’m not sure.
FINN Huh. Well, whatever the case, I am so excited to see you.
ELEANOR We can watch TV together?
FINN Uh-huh. I’ll even watch your dumb sitcoms.
ELEANOR And go to that one good ramen place?
FINN But of course. On me.
ELEANOR (laughing) It’s been so long since I’ve been in Boston. I’m so excited. It’s going to feel so weird to be back in all our old haunts, you know?
FINN Yeah, dude. Speaking of, you should get packing. So you’re not a total zombie on the flight tomorrow. Can’t have you falling asleep on me in the Uber or something.
ELEANOR Oh. Ha. Yeah, you’re right, you’re right.
There is a brief pause.
ELEANOR (on an inhale) Are you nervous?
FINN Huh?
ELEANOR To see me, I mean.
FINN (laughing awkwardly) Well. No. Not really. It’s just you, right?
Another pause.
FINN Eleanor? Did I lose you?
ELEANOR No, no, sorry. I’m here. Right. Just me.
FINN Okay. (laughing) I-- I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.
ELEANOR Yeah. Yeah! Tomorrow! See you, Finn.
FINN (fondly) Bye, El.
ELEANOR ends the call. There’s a pause.
ELEANOR (giddily, anxiously, to herself) Oh my goodness. Right. Packing. Hi recording, by the way. Hi. I, uh. I’m going to Boston! Tomorrow! I’m gonna see Finn! Wow, I’m excited. And, uh, nervous. Wow. Okay, I’ve got to start packing. I got a last minute cat-sitter for Blue, so that’s all settled.
There is a meow and some rustling as BLUE jumps up on the desk.
ELEANOR Hey, buddy. Yeah, you.
JAN He looks like he doesn’t want you to leave.
ELEANOR (good-naturedly) Yeah. Suitcases make him nervous. (to BLUE) You don’t get left alone too often, huh? You gonna miss me?
Silence. This is most likely wishful thinking.
ELEANOR (pushing back her chair) Well. I don’t even know how long I’m packing for. I didn’t exactly buy a ticket back? I don’t know. Working remotely has its perks. I’m just… winging it, I guess. (a beat) You’re quiet today. JAN Mmm. Thinking.
ELEANOR (unnerved) Huh. Okay. Um, I hesitate to ask this, but where’s… Daisy? She hasn’t been around in a bit. I think it's more unnerving than when she is around.
JAN Oh, you know. Around. She’ll show up eventually.
ELEANOR (hesitant) How are you guys gonna, uh, fare without me around to, you know. Hover ominously over.
JAN Hmph. Something tells me we’ll be just fine.
ELEANOR Right. Heh. Don’t, uh, burn down the house. Or run up my electricity bills. Or… I don’t know. Whatever else you do.
JAN Right.
There is a pause.
ELEANOR Is something… is something wrong?
JAN Not at all. Not at all, right Daisy?
DAISY Right.
ELEANOR Oh. (she pauses) Um. Right. Right.
The recording clicks off.
The outro begins.
SAGE Thank you for listening to 404. Featured in this episode were Cassia Jones as Eleanor Lancaster, Katherine Petersdorf as Finn, Sage Thomas as Jan, and Annika Vaughan as Daisy. Intro music by Evan Hughes. See you next week.