Chapter 21: Changeling

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Is there coffee?

I just put on another pot?

What we have already gone through an entire pot at seven thirty.

Yeah, and Olivia and Vippen both got here in the last ten minutes.

So I told you eight cups was barely going to be enough for the three of us.

So how was the coroners Well?

Not as forthcoming as we'd hope she'd be.

Yeah, I guess expecting her to give too private citizens information about an open case was maybe a little too much to ask.

Thankfully. I made a call to Officer Batista this morning.

Had she talked to you?

Yeah?

Yeah, it seems Katie convinced her that it was important for me to be looped in on things that might be relevant to our triangle activities.

And this qualifies it sure seems like it.

The body they found in Freetown, it was drowned.

Drapped, but they weren't found anywhere near the lake. Did someone move the boss?

The strange thing, They're not sure they were drowned in the lake. Their clothes weren't wet, and based on the time of death and the temperature yesterday, there wouldn't have been enough time for the clothes to dry completely, so water got in there lung some other way.

Okay, wait a second. I have been sorting through the reports the secrets have gotten in the last two days, and there are a lot. And there was one.

Oh yeah, the one up by Dighton Racks.

Okay, okay, here it is. Two tourists went to see Dighton Rock in late afternoon. As they were leaving, it was just getting dark, and they walked along the river and they saw the head of the large creature resembling a horse Jesus, walk out of the bushes on the river bank. When they approached, the creature vanished. Well, I mean, we thought that it was the Jersey Devil creature. Rippen has been tracking what if it was a kelpie?

A kelpie.

A kelpie's a shape shifting horse spirit that's known for luring and drowning people.

Some people think that the Lockness Monster is a kelpie. Oh my god nessie might be real.

They could it drown someone on dry land.

I don't see why not. I mean, if any of this is possible. That's possible. If it's a Kelpie from the Fay Realm, it might have magical abilities that we're not aware of.

Trick.

Was there any other evidence on the body, signs of a struggle, strange symbols, torn clothing, anything like that.

No, No, it was just the water logged lungs.

So whatever it was, kelpie or something else, the victim didn't know in time.

To fight back.

And a lot of creatures are very good at tricking people. They lure them into situations that you don't realize are dangerous and until it's too late.

That's my concern.

Most people wouldn't know what to do if a monster came out of the woods to attack them, and if they don't even know it is a monster, we could.

Be looking at a lot more dead bodies.

Exactly.

Shit.

I think the attacks are escalating, and with what happened with these two and you and your friend yesterday, the limit is starting to break out of the woods. That's not good.

You think it's time.

I think we've put it off long enough.

What are we talking about?

Put what off? Closing the gate?

But we don't know how yet, and maybe maybe we don't even need to close it in the way that we think we do. When listen, when we were trapped yesterday, we were thinking that there might be another framing, another.

Way to look at all of this.

We were we know, getting out of the Paye Realm deal is probably impossible, but what if we just renegotiated the whole thing. What if there was a way to get rid of the liminal entirely, and we would get all that out dad, and then we would keep the monsters just under control, you.

Know, yeah, And what would that be exactly?

Well, we basically let the gate stay open? What absolutely not okay, okay, well, but not open. But it's it's unlocked. Like the Faye creatures are able to come here, we're able to go there, and it's under some sort of strict treaty of course, that they have to be peaceful.

What makes you think this is a good idea?

Think about everything over there, Think about all that magic, all that opportunity for learning me.

You want to what colonize the fay realm?

Come come on, you know that that's not what I mean. We could learn from them.

They could come over here and they could take from our world the things that are useful to them as long as it's not people, you know, as long as it's not harmful, and then.

We can go over there. We learned to use Matt, like, really learn to use magic.

Jeremy, where is this coming from?

What do you mean?

Come on?

Haven't we been looking for a solution this whole time?

Yeah?

But why does this seem like the solution to you?

I don't know that it's the solution, but I think it's worth some out of the box thinking here.

No, Jeremy, this is her. What when you talk about the legend tripper, this is all her.

No, she's just as invested in this as.

Well, but in the right way. I mean, we know that people have wanted access to the other side for less than honorable means.

Yeah, but what you think she's less trustworthy than Peyton? The Gathering haven't exactly been unimpeachable actors up until now.

No idea? Who this woman is?

You?

You don't know why she'd want to go into the fay Realm.

Look, I know you didn't exactly click with her. Okay, you don't know her, and neither do you. That's not what's her name.

Jeremy, exactly? You matter how many times. You have her phone number? What did you even save it under?

None of that matters. The new deal would be balanced.

Humans wouldn't be able to abuse the Fay Realm anymore than the Fay Realm could do harm here.

It's not happening, Dad, No, I'm sorry, Jeremy. This is not open for discussion.

We've seen what that place can do and there's no version of opening it up further that ends well for us.

You know, he's right, so we just go along with the way it has been right? Is that what you're saying?

Just let two people sacrifice themselves every forty years.

I agree that things need to change, but the Fay Realm needs to be stopped, not invited in. But that's going to take time, and we don't have time, not now that people are dying.

Hold on, what are you trying to say?

I'm saying that we have to give the Fay Realm what they want, at least for now.

What you want us to go find two people willing to go into a liminal space for forty years?

Come on, No, Anne and I are going to go in.

We're going to go in, and Alden is going to come out. And then You'll have the next forty years to figure out how to change the deal.

What Jeremy, No, No, I am sorry, that is not happening.

It's the only thing that we know will work.

No, it's the only thing so far that we know will work.

There's still so much more that we can explore, and if we can access any kind of Fay magic, then we have a lot more options.

And we just let monsters roam free.

In the meantime, we don't know for sure that a monster killed this most recent camper.

The victim drowned on dry land, Jeremy, and there will be more. You know that we can't let more people die.

So you just want you and Ann to do it instead.

We won't be dying, Jeremy. You know that.

How could you possibly be considering this.

I don't see how we have another option, Honey. I've lived a long life.

He hasn't. You can't expect him to, Jeremy.

It was my idea. I went and talked to Peyton.

You did why, And she knows how to get us in there and how to do it correctly so that we don't run into the same issues that celested. She's not positive that we can get Alden out at the same time, he might have to pass through to wherever the souls eventually go, but she said it was worth a try, and once balance is restored, she promised to stick around for a bit and try to help you find a way to change the deal or at least institute a better system.

You've been You've been planning this for how long?

I knew I was on borrowed time? Son? I knew the moment I stepped out of there.

Yeah, you don't belong here.

I don't. I just can't. I can't.

This is this is We can.

Talk it all through. Okay.

I was going to tell you, but I wasn't sure.

When was the right time.

Oh, let you guys just talk talk to each other, because this really feels like a private family business.

Hang on, I'll come live.

We'll talk later.

Okay, but I think you guys just we will give you some space.

So you knew you you're getting sick and barely sleeping, feeling dizzy and feeling sorry.

Do you just you knew all along?

I wasn't sure, but I think you were right, Jeremy, I think I'm not supposed to be here.

WHOA I never.

Said that, but you said the limital might be trying to take me back.

What if it's not about that.

What if it's about here rejecting me like I'm a bad organtrol.

No, no, no, no, stop talking like that.

I barely feel like i'm here, Jeremy. I'm feeling worse every day.

Why why didn't you say something then?

Because it won't change anything.

I wanted to have what time with you I could, and I even keep fucking that up.

Oh Dad, you're not You're not.

But now, with the way things are going with people dying, this is the right thing to do.

How could you make this decision without at least talking to me first.

It's not your decision to make.

It's not yours. It's neither of yours.

You don't get to unilaterally decide how to fix a problem that we're all dealing with.

I'm the source of the problem to begin with.

I came out wrong.

And if I hadn't come out.

At all, if you hadn't come out, then the souls would have needed to cycle anyway, right, And that's the deal.

Every forty years, the liminal needs something new. So you coming out didn't break things. They were broken already. But how do you even know that going back will work?

You're you're not new to the Faye realm, right, so it might not even appease there.

I'll be new man.

As far as we know, the Liminal needs two people at all times. Okay, but both people don't need to enter at the same time. Alden entered in nineteen forty to someone all ready there, and that person left when I entered, but Alden stayed. Every forty years, someone comes in, but I think they only.

Pass over every eighty years.

That means if both Anne and I go in at the same time, who knows, maybe we can actually buy eighty years a piece before new people need to go in.

Listen to yourself. You're guessing at all of that.

I'm sorry, but speculation isn't a good enough reason to sacrifice yourself.

Not at all speculation.

We know the Liminal needs two people, and Alden has served his time. He deserves to either get a chance to live life here or to go wherever the souls go beyond the liminal.

He deserves peace.

Oh what about you?

You don't I'm an adult. I can make my own decisions.

Yeah, well, as someone who is physically your elder, I should get to veto this decision.

Jeremy. I know you're angler, of.

Course I'm angry. How could I not be angry. I'm fucking furious, and you have every right to be.

I know this is all coming as a shock.

Oh you think I'm just mad about this, that this is just a reaction. There is so much more that I'm angry about, Jeremy.

I am angry that you didn't talk to me about any of this before now. And I'm angry that you've been feeling like your fucking body is rejecting the president and you said nothing about that.

And I'm angry Dad.

That in the time you've been here, we've had to focus on stopping monsters and breaking fucking curses rather than actually getting to know each other.

I know, yeah, and that's just from last week. I'm angry, so fucking angry at you.

I'm angry that I grew up full of questions and I had no answers about you. And I'm angry that you spent what little of my childhood you were present for.

Having a fucking affair with a woman that I didn't meet until just a month ago. I'm angry, Dad, I'm angry that I had a whole sister, a whole sister.

That I never knew about, and that you're trying this hard to risk your life for a boy who is and even your son that you left.

I'm mad that you left.

Dad, and now you want to do it again, except that this time.

You're choosing to.

And if you, if you do this, I do not know that I will ever stop being angry.

I understand that, No, I understand all of that.

You you do not do that. You do not get to pretend to know what I'm going through. You you barely know me. You can't.

I'm not pretending you think this is easy for me.

You think this is what I want, what either of us want, I don't know. You two get to be together, right, the two of.

You get to walk off into the sunset together and spend all of eternity just the two of you, just like you always wanted.

Honey. I am not thrilled about this either. Going into the liminal doesn't change the fact that I missed my life. Okay, doesn't make me younger. It doesn't give me another shot of being with Thomas. But it does give you and Shelley and live and Ethan and everyone a chance.

No, no, no, you don't bullshit me. Do not do that.

It has always been about you two, and fuck anyone else who might be affected by your actions. As long as you get what you want, that's all that matters. You're not thinking about your children, don't pretend. Don't pretend to be thinking about your children and all of this.

Okay, that's not fair.

Oh really, Oh no, you too were so focused on each other that your kids grew up without parents.

We tried, Jeremy, we tried, we were going to be a family. And what happened back then wasn't our fault, right of.

Course, Sorry, sorry, it was mine. Isn't that what you're trying to say.

That's why you went into the woods alone that night because Anne was watching me, So it's my fault that you never came back again.

No, that is not what I said.

What happened on that ledge would have happened even if I had back up. I was trying to save someone's life.

Well what about me? What about my life? Don't you get it?

You are doing the same thing that you did back then. You're putting yourself in danger for a complete stranger.

That's what I do. That's my job.

No, not anymore.

I hate to break it to you, Dad, but you're not a cop anymore, and you're not a superhero, and you don't get to be the one who saves the world.

Every time I am trying to save you.

Oh come on, you were taken from me, Jeremy.

I know that you don't remember it very well, but I was terrified and the things you were talking about after we found you.

Something took you. Whether it was a.

Puckwadgie or the fay Realm or a fucking kelpie, something tried to lure you deeper into the wood.

I came so close to losing you for good. I just that cap that couldn't happen. How would have done anything.

I would have jumped off that ledge again and again just to keep you safe.

I'm not five years old anymore, and I am not weak. I know that I'm not gonna get lord away.

Okay, I'm not, and you cannot keep me safe by going away again.

I have to try.

I may not be a cop anymore, but I'm still your dad. I'm always going to be your dad, and that means doing everything I can to make your world a safer place.

No, Jeremy, Nope, we're not giving up.

We're not.

We have time, Jeremy, someone is dead.

We have time.

And whatever is coming out of Free Town, whatever trapped you yesterday, it's gonna happen again, and it's going to be worse next time.

These are already worse than they were in seventy nine. Everything is breaking open so much faster.

We know so much more now.

You didn't even know what was real back then, and now well now you have me. I mean, I've spent my entire life studying exactly this, and I am going to find another way.

Wait, Jeremy, just.

Don't do anything until you talk to me. Okay, don't do anything. Promise me.

Okay, I promise. I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye.

You're not going to leave at all.

I can't believe this place is even open at eight.

Am and weirdly busy.

Apparently maybe everyone is having as heavy a morning as we are. Two IPAs that are not hazy if you got.

Them, Okay, you were not kidding.

Oh you're telling me you don't need a drink?

No, No, I definitely do big time. You think they're really going to go through with it.

Thanks, I don't know, not if Jeremy has anything to say about it.

And you, I mean, they're your grandparents.

Yeah, yeah, they are.

I don't know.

I've known my nana my whole life, and in my experience, you can't exactly tell her what to do. Once she sets her mind on something, that's it.

Even if you asked her not to.

Well, if she really thinks it's necessary like that, if she doesn't, then people will die. I mean, then no one can stop her, not me, not my mom or Ethan, not even Jeremy.

Why do I get the feeling that Thomas Bradshaw is the exact same way.

Because you're best friends are the son, and you know, I think stubbornness is in the brad jaw blood.

Yeah, you know, I think you're right. God, poor Jeremy and your mom and you and your brother and Thomas and and the thing they're offering to do. Well, no one really comes out winning in this scenario. Huh, Nope.

And I think I think there's nothing I can do about it at this moment, so I'm just gonna pretend it isn't happening.

I'm sure a therapist would say that's healthy.

So and he guesses on why exactly an Irish pub is this busy on a Wednesday morning. It's not Saint Patrick's day.

So I honestly have no idea. Maybe a meeting of some kind.

Yeah maybe wait is that Spencer and Sitny.

Now with this kid?

It's not looking good?

Yeah?

What's not looking good?

Oh?

Hey, guys, are you having a seekers meeting?

Not officially, but a bunch of us wanted to get together to talk about the dead woman in Freetown.

That is not our most present concern.

We don't know that the kid is actually.

A child went missing this morning from a family in Somerset.

It's just a.

Matter of time before he shows up dead in the forest, just like that woman.

Okay, we have no reason to think that the child is in danger.

Yet a lot of creatures have been known to lord children away, but that doesn't mean they're killed.

Don't be so naive. It's just like the seventies. You two weren't here for it, but it was terrifying. I was ten years old when that girl went missing and she was found, but.

They never did catch that cult.

It wasn't the children of Titchuba that took the.

Girl, and I don't even know that you could categorize them as a cult. Religious extremists maybe.

And who are you?

We're residents of the Bridgewater Triangle just like you, and we're worried about what's going on too well good.

What exactly happened with the miss.

A family woke up this morning and their twelve year old boy was gone? No note, the celfa was still in his nightstand, and none of the neighbors saw anything.

They've already started a search.

What they should be doing is coming here to investigate.

I don't think the police are in the habit of consulting paranormal clubs.

I'm not part of whatever strange group you are all here for. I mean this bar what That's why I came down here this morning. This bar is a hotbed for all kinds of satanic activity.

Here we go.

There's you weird ghost people, and then there's all the rock bands that play here on the weekend. I play Bridge every Friday down the street at the Community Center, and I see all sorts of hooligans with dark clothing and piercings and colored hair, and I swear they are armed.

A punk band did not kidnap a child.

How do you know all those musicians just use their bands as a front for their satanic rituals, just like the people back in the seventies were all free love on the surface but evil underneath.

In the seventies may have been misguided, but they were not in the habit of kidnapping anyone. Oh and you know, do you.

You barely look old enough to be out of school. You weren't hear that? Okay, this is all.

Distracting from the real issue here. Something is attacking people in the Bridgewater Triangle. I don't think that woman just dropped out of her own accord, but the police aren't saying anything about her cause of death.

She was murdered, ma'am.

We appreciate that you're worried, but we're actually trying to figure something out here.

There's nothing to figure out, you know, more than you're letting on. And I'm not the only concerned citizen here. All my Facebook friends agree that this whole area has gone downhill.

This isn't because of humans. There are creatures doing this. These two saw one.

Wow.

We don't figure out what kind of creature killed that woman. We can't fight against it, so if you'd please.

Absurd there's no such thing as monsters and people are sitting.

In here talking excuse us?

En, Hi, what are you doing here?

Looking for you?

Apparently?

What I was here to see if I could track down some legend trippers. But you're the person I need to talk to.

Alone. Oh, Peyton, this is Olivia Hoskins. She's Thomas and Ann's granddaughter, so you know she's I know stuff, right?

Okay, Well then do either of you know who the hell carved that room in Freetown?

What?

I've been trying to call you all morning?

But oh sorry, ah, I left my phone in Anne's house by mistaken Well, we can't really go back there right now.

I gave you those rooms so that you could help not make things worse.

What are you talking about?

I don't even know how you know about those symbols?

Bayton, Slow down? What do you mean?

Did you or did you not go into the forest yesterday to carve more protections?

I did, but we only carved one before these awful bird creatures started chasing us.

Not surprising what that rone you carved? What were you trying to do?

The room for protection that you gave me. But then this woman, a friend of Jeremy's. She said that the rune I had written down from you actually meant separation.

It does mean separation, as in keeping our world separate from theirs. Oh yeah, oh.

So?

Uh wait what symbol did we actually carve? Breakthrough?

Ughs in as in letting everything on the other side break through to here?

Hello, anyone home? This is Jeremy Bradshaw. I want to talk. Look. Look, I'm walking in circles. I'm walking in circles nine times. You guys like that?

Right?

I can offer you gifts you can. I can give you a new deal.

You know my name.

You've taken me before. What else do you want? Please?

Just send out a monster, a light, anything, Just let me talk to something.

Celeste, Jeremy, Celeste. Where are you, Jeremy stock That's good.

I'm sorry I've been nighting.

You don't have to hide anymore. Okay, just come out, Celeste? Please?

What the fuck?

It is so wonderful to see Jeremy.

What the hell? What are you?

Oh?

Surely you know who I am? Don't you recognize me?

You are not celested, but you know me. You've studied me dover demon Oh.

Such an unpleasant name.

I don't know why people think I'm demonic, but you your voice?

Who? The voice is just a means to an end.

This body just a vessel.

Who am I talking to?

Then? I think you know you're you're part of the paye realm.

You said you wanted to talk when you spoke with her voice before. What were you trying to do?

Oh?

That was just a trick, a little bit of theater.

Theater.

This body can't do much on its own, so I had to get it some phrases to say some words that I thought might spark an interest.

Why to get your attention, coursese? Oh, trust me, you have it.

I'm very glad to hear.

What is happening, Paul?

Come on, Jeremy, does this really come as that much of a shock? Run along now you've done your bit. That thing's useless, honestly, like having a pet rock with legs. But it did freak people out when it got loose all those decades ago. So every now and then it's fun to pop it back over and hallou mischief.

You wait, you.

You know we never did do the proper name exchange, did we, Well? I knew your name, which you never did think was strange, by the way, despite never giving it to me. Well, you did give it to me forty years ago, but it didn't seem like you were and yet you never questioned it. I guess my ability to buy which humans without so much as a twitch of my finger hasn't weakened over the years, at least for.

Some Hi, this.

Isn't happening.

Who are you right?

Sorry, Manners. I have many names, some of which I'm sure you've heard of, and others that are still hidden to your world. For simplicity's sake, you can call me Francine, and you're the one in charge here.

Queen up the thing.

No need to Curtsey.

Why are you doing this?

We have a deal, remember.

No, No, I mean, why are you showing yourself to me?

It's not.

On everything I've read. I'm gonna guess that it's not something you do very often. There's that cool professor.

No, you're right. I normally keep to myself. Let the rituals happen, let the deal follow its natural path. And there have been a few bumps through the years, of course, but those just serve to keep me entertained.

And it wasn't enough to watch your monsters come through and attack until people.

I never sent anything through with the intent to harm. Well, no, that's not entirely true. Those birds were on me. I knew that would happen. I just thought it might spice things up. So this whole time, yeah, yep, this whole time. The person you met, the legend Tripper, she never really existed, well not for a few decades anyway.

Not here.

Do you know what a changeling is?

Of course, it's a fairy that's left in the place of a stolen human child.

Ta dah.

I don't always love being in this kind of body, but I just thought it might be easier to talk with a human face to talk. That's why you're here, isn't it.

But but you've we met a week ago, and we've been I mean, we were. I don't understand why would you do all of this? What is it that you want?

I want to help Jeremy, because you're special, So I want to offer you a choice.

This episode of Bridgewater was written by Lauren Shippen and