Hi, it's Earth Ranger Emma from the Earth Rangers podcast. Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd, and we here at Earth Rangers HQ could not be more excited. Did you know that the first Earth Day was in 1970? It was started by a U.S. senator after a huge oil spill in California. And after years of students across America joining in to bring attention to protecting the planet,
Starting in 1990, Earth Day has been celebrated around the whole world. For more cool facts about the Earth, listen to the Earth Rangers podcast on Apple Podcasts or gzmshows.com. Hate all the ads? Then try our subscription plan. Go to 6 Minutes on Apple Podcasts and click the Try Free button for more info. Enjoy early and ad-free episodes of 6 Minutes and GZM Rewind with Apple subscriptions. Dear Casey, it's hard to believe we've been here at Thornton Rust for almost two weeks now.
This may sound weird, but this crazy mansion is starting to feel like a home. To Birdie and Holiday, at least. Mom's teaching us every day to make sure things seem normal. It takes everything for Holiday not to call Brinley homeschool now. Yep, Brinley's still here. And Birdie? Well, Birdie is Birdie. Dr. Whittier and Delphine have been showing her how the computerized haunted house tricks work. So she's been scaring the local kids away.
And me? I'm trying to enjoy not being on the run. Waking up in the same bed every morning, eating real food, tinkering with some of the gadgets of the house. They've even started letting us go outside a little bit. But honestly, something's still off. Dr. Whittier gave Bertie his daughter Adelaide's old room, which seemed nice at first, but it's kind of creepy.
All her stuff was still in there, like from childhood, her clothes, her toys. And all the pictures of her are from when she was around our age. Maybe younger. No photographs of her as an- holding Holiday as a baby or... Who doesn't keep pictures of their kid growing up, or of their grandchildren? And yet, the beds here are so comfortable, part of me just wants to ignore my doubts and enjoy it. But, you know me, can't leave things alone.
So I'm looking for answers. I think a good start will be the Vital Records office at City Hall. See what I can learn about Holiday and Adelaide and Dr. Whittier. Don't ask me how I'll get access. I'd ask Holiday to break me in. I really wish you were here, Case. solve a problem like you do and... Just a second! Sinus, you gotta come see the ridiculously extra Christmas tree Delphine brought in. What are you doing in here anyway?
Did I say come in? Please. I shared the back row of a van with you for weeks. Besides, I know about your pukey love letters to Electro Girl. Kinda tragic if you ask me. I mean, what are you going to do with them? It's not like you can mail them. Just because we're in a comfortable hiding place for once doesn't change the fact that we're hiding. Of course, I know we're still in hiding, and you don't know anything I was working on. Like, how could you?
Oh, right. There's no way I can know what you keep in a locked desk drawer. Just because I don't have special powers like Holodork or Zapgirl doesn't mean I can't get through an average lock. I mean, I basically lived alone. with my dad gone all the time and had to get creative when I forgot my key to get back in the house. And who rigged a lock to trap your sister? How would I possibly know how to pick a lock? Anyway, I'll see myself back downstairs. Falalalala, sinus. Wait!
Please tell me you don't want help with your love note. Brinley. It's kind of sad that you still don't know how to talk to women's side. Brinley. You're surrounded by them. Brinley! I do need your help to pick a lock in a government building. Dad, I need tinsel. Tinsel is a blight on Christmas. I heard popcorn garland is back in. Let's do that instead. Does this look like a tree deserving of popcorn? popcorn garland does this look like a tree deserving of tinsel
You and Dad. Any ornaments, Mom? Oh my gosh. I remember these ornaments. You used to bring them for the office tree. They were my favorite. I knew you'd appreciate them, Monica. Look, guys, they're little ceramic Bunsen burners. Isn't that genius? They'll go great with the petri dish wreath over the fireplace. Well, Cyrus will love them. Yes, he will. Shh. Let her have this one, Holiday. Holiday! Delphine's been helping me with my werewolf how. Listen.
It's terrifying. We'll scare everyone. The howling should scare people off. But if it doesn't, once they see the real werewolf... What real werewolf, Bertie? The robotic one Grandpa Dr. Whittier is going to build me. No one will ever come near this place. You're building her an animatronic werewolf? Is that the best use of your time? I like it. Kind of like the hoverboard I built for Holiday when she was a kid. R.I.P. Hovey. The coolest board there ever was.
Truth. It's weird. I know it was a machine. The hoverboard always felt like it had a personality. Doesn't sound weird at all. Go, go, go. Don't tell me what to do. You go. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Cyrus, Brindley, where do you two think you're going? It's awfully late on Christmas Eve. Uh, I know, but it's an emergency. A Christmas emergency. That doesn't sound like a real thing. Uh, it is, Bertie.
And Brinley is coming to help you with this emergency? I'm the only one here with any taste. And he needs presents for all of you. Brinley? If you didn't want them to know, you shouldn't have waited until two seconds before Christmas to think about it. men, am I right? Okay, kids. Hurry back. And make sure you're careful. We don't want anyone to notice you. Always. Bye, Mom. Be right back gonna point them toward my favorite store so I don't end up with another
I-I-exactly what Brinley said, Hals. I'll be right over here. Drop the act. I saw my present in your closet last week. Does anybody in this house understand boundaries? Fess up. Is this about Dr. Whittier? Something that proves we can't trust him? Hals, I don't have to go if you don't want me to. I'm just trying to protect you. No, I get it. We have to know, right? Good or bad. Exactly. It could be nothing at all, so might as well...
If you do find something about my grandfather- You'll be the first to know. I really hope it's not- Good luck. Can you at least tell me where you're headed? Headed? No, I shouldn't. I mean, it's definitely not anywhere near the police station, so you don't have to- Boy, I'm still a bad liar, aren't I? The worst. Here, at least take one of the walkie-talkies. If you get into trouble, I think I can use it to track you down.
Okay, thanks. See you, Hulls. Come on, Brinley. You're telling me what to do again. You, come on. Bye, guys. Try not to kill each other. I'll do my level best. Everything okay, Holiday? Dr. Whittier. Yeah. Just wanted to steer Cyrus on my gift. He's kind of hopeless. It's so nice to have a real family here for the holidays. It's been a long time. Let's go back in and decorate the tree. I'd love to. James, put me to work. What can I do? You're going to be sorry you said that, Dr. Grandpa.
I'll go easy on you, duck. I know we can't stay forever, but because of you, my kids have a Christmas. I can't thank you enough. Thanks are not necessary. This has been the answer to my prayers. I'm happy to help in any way I can. Which reminds me, there's something I wanted to run by you. I may have a more long-term solution for you and your family. A professional opportunity for you. The opportunity of a lifetime, some would say.
Hurry up, Brinley, before someone sees us. You breathing on my neck? If you can't pull this off... Ta-da! New Orleans Department of Vital Records, here we come. I'm sorry, what was that? Wow, Brinley, you're awesome. How did I get so lucky to witness you expertly picking... Let's find the cabinet label W. You know, you're no fun when you're, well, you, but even less so when you're focused. Brinley. I'm looking, I'm looking. Shine the flashlight over here. Seriously, there's so much paper.
Has Louisiana not gone digital yet? Or is this a cool retro thing? You know, like your handwritten letters to Casey. I don't want to talk about that. Fine. I'm just saying, you know you probably won't see her again, right? You don't know that. She's being held in a Whittier Court bunker by those monsters. Who knows what they've done to her? What if they've erased her memory? I mean, the letters are cute and all, but who's to say she even remembers you now?
She remembers? Maybe, but it's not like you can mail the letters. So even if you do see her again, and she does still like you, what are you going to do? Dump dozens of love letters on her? That's a little stalkery. I know you don't like Casey or me or my family, but do you have to ruin everything all the time? What? I was just... What's your problem? Anytime there's anything semi-good going on, you just have to bring everyone down because you're incapable of being happy. I am not!
And I do not. Today, for example, you had to embarrass me in front of my family. You could have just said you were going to keep me company, but you had to make everyone believe I'd actually forgotten all their Christmas presents. You get you're the most negative person on the planet, right? Yes! You're actually admitting to it? What? No! Yes, I found the birth certificate. Adelaide Whittier. Okay, born yadda yadda yadda.
Yep, she's definitely JP Whittier's daughter. There's another page attached to it. Probably the death certificate. Sad. Whoa! What? Brinley, what is it? Wait. This says Adelaide died when she was... Twelve? About the age she was in the portrait we found. Unless this is a typo. There's no way she's Holiday's mom. But then who is? And why does Holiday look like her? And how come... Freeze! New Orleans PD! Y'all are under arrest.
We're breaking and entering. Yeah, how do you feel about spending Christmas Eve in jail? Hey, I'm Ryan Shanahan, and I play Badger in six minutes. For more great adventures, go to gzmshows.com. Have you ever listened to a podcast at your school or in your class? Did you know that our GZM show, The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel, is our most popular podcast used by teachers in their classrooms. There are thousands of educators that listen to Mars Patel every month.
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