House Call: Recent Episodes
Hopewell Valley Student Publications Network
House Call is a horror fiction podcast developed and produced by Sprite G. The podcast covers a crime scene cleanup team as they try to escape a house with seemingly no end. Listen in to see just how successful they are, and the true mystery behind the deceased homeowner.
The case is closed and Tanvir has recovered. And on a January morning, we follow Tanvir six months later.
Following the events of Episode Four, Tanvir helps Teddy retrieve the bullet. And soon, they'll realize they're not as alone as they think.
Tanvir begins to journal his survival and question his future. But luckily, he meets something with a great offer.
The day comes and Cooper is forced to prove his theory. The Promise was easy to make, but now with the drill in his hand and a camera in his face, he's starting to worry.
A dehumidifier rumbled in the distance, its few buttons glowing in the near pitch-blackness of the room. Towards the corner was a rapid and consistent clacking of keyboard keys. Pulled up on a browser was music from an obscure rhythm game, allowed to auto-play whatever was in the playlist. The man behind the keyboard subconsciously followed the beat, clicking his tongue to the music.
“The Spirit world is not something branded to so-called ghost hunters and witches. No, it is something accessible to all of us. It is a real concept that our society once had access to. Where deals could be made, angels could be loved, and creatures could roam our world. Why do you think so many recorded sightings of demons and ghosts exist? Especially back in ancient times? It’s the spirit world being open and free!”
Cooper paused for a moment to push his glasses up, then continued with the same speed. At 27 Cooper prided himself on his knowledge of the Internet and conspiracy theories. In his head, he was a truthseeker, a genius even. And that all of his time had to go to honing in his theory and his research. Even at the risk of losing touch with high school friends and befriending coworkers.
“We were all in touch with this second world. But nowadays you have to find tricks and backdoors to it. Which is bull! Why should we have to do all this work for something we are entitled to? Our basic rights? And this leads me to what is keeping us from it. What blocked us from it!!”
Cooper Pataki was his real name. Patchy stubble clung to his face, overgrown yet barely there. He didn’t bother to shave, no point. It always stays this long and only grows back if he cuts it, so why bother? The same went for his sandy brown hair. Say for some stray hairs and a cowlick, his greasy hair curled around his neck just above his shoulders. And instead of cutting the hair to permanently get it out of his face, he would just blow it away.
“When governments grew, so did a sense of power. And so, a growing divide between those in power and civilians grew. And what’s a good way of keeping the people below in check? Keeping them listening to you? Well, by being the only power in this world. Yes, you read this correctly I am proposing that a higher government is locking us away from this world!”
A smirk of pride grew on his face, excitement fueled his rapid typing. Months he had spent on this theory and now he figured was the time to announce it. To gather help, gather more people who would listen to him and see the truth. It all made perfect sense in his mind, and his blog post was going to unite them all.
“They have found a way to gatekeep the spirit world from us. And while the opening is inaccessible to us (that is unless we find a way into the arctic). There are other ways. Creating our own portals, transcending into another reality through meditation and spells, and maybe even some drug combination we haven’t found yet! Though, the last is just wishful thinking. But there’s one that I think can help us. One proven throughout mankind to work and be survivable.
“Trepanation is the drilling or scraping of a hole into the human skull. In ancient times this was used as a medical treatment, though, there is a secondary use for it. You see, trepanning was also used for ridding evil spirits. This would imply an opening is...
Episode Two - Labriynth Echoing throughout the house were creaking doors and the shake of them slamming shut. Teddy led the charge, refusing to admit what was happening. If he just kept pushing forward they’d find an old room- or better yet- an exit. But for now, they were trying to push through another storage room. “Stupid, this is all stupid.”
Tanvir and Jeremy never responded to him. Jeremy wanted to reach out and assure him it’s fine, but he couldn’t help but bite his own tongue when he tried. So, he just observed whatever new room they came into. Occasionally he’d touch something or bring something with him until he’d get bored. Whenever that happened he'd just leave it in that room, letting the cycle repeat. Tanvir, meanwhile, just walked and followed. As much as he would have loved to hide his fear, his shoulders couldn’t help but wilt towards his chest as he picked at the skin of his fingers.
They stood in a study. The kind you’d find in a wealthy home, complete with a real deer head on the wall. All three avoided eye contact with the head but silently acknowledged it being there, and it’s eery dead stare. Between two doors Teddy went to the smaller one by the fancy, redwood desk. Attempting his same tactic of turning and throwing open the door, it failed on him. The lock jimmied but held under his death grip. His eyebrows jumped, a light dashing through his clover eyes. “A-Ha!”
He continued to fight with the doorknob, the clicking of metal fidgeting under his grasp. The longer he struggled the more confident he became, his shoulders arching to give him more force. Tanvir, after almost a minute of Teddy grunting and trying to pry open the door, spoke. “Ted? Ted, I think it’s locked.”
“You think I don’t know that?!” He snapped back, “I can get it open though!”
“The whole point is that it can’t be opened, I don’t think you can do that.”
“Oh, and like you’re doing anything! Just shut up, let me figure this out.”
“I’m just saying! This isn’t gonna work.”
“You know what? Screw it.” Teddy stepped away. Tanvir patted him on the shoulder, “yeah come on there’s another door. I doubt a locked door is gonna get us out.”
Just then, Teddy slammed his boot against the door, right next to the lock. The door busted open with a satisfying crack and wheeze. Jeremy and Tanvir jumped back while Teddy cheered, “YES! Guess my dad taught me something!” Having his anger rewarded, Teddy looked into the room and smiled. “I told you! It’s the old living room! From the front of the house!”
“Wait, really?!” Jeremy pushed past Tanvir, who was also clambering to see. And just as Teddy said, there it was. The same old furniture, radios, and most importantly doorways. They rushed through to these doorways to find the exit. It should have led to the foyer with the dusty shoes. Should have. The doorway led down another hallway. One with little light and grime and nothing close to the stacks of boxes and old wallpaper they remember. Their faces dropped. Before the others could speak, Teddy groaned with a pained aggression. He turned back into the living
The pavement and stray rocks crackled underneath the tires of the van pulling in. On any other day, children would be playing outdoors, there’d be joggers going by, people would be moving their lawns, anything. Anything for a perfect summer afternoon like this. But instead, the only thing that could be heard was the base of the radio emanating from the van. Though, it was short-lived as the engine cut, pop music being replaced by the whirring of the engine cooling down. Ever since the rumors spread, neighbors had been avoiding the dingy house. There were hopeful souls, some who believed he had left or been busy. But most accepted readily that he was most likely gone. For days it was just simple whispers, but today there was confirmation. On the side of the van, in blue text, read, “New Tomorrow Cleaners.”
“Christ,” Teddy said, throwing open the door. “What a pig sty.” The house itself was a two-level White House with an attic to crown the once beautiful home. The walls of the house were stained with grout and marked by age, partially caused by the leaking storm drains. Creeping up the walls were the overgrown bushes that once complimented the porch of the house. Though, it may have been good the porch was covered, as the wood of the porch was littered with dirt and cobwebs.
“The other team is gonna hate this.” Tanvir shook his head with a slight smirk. He had stepped out from the other side, allowing for the third member to follow.
“Another squatter case?” Jeremy asked, shutting the door.
“You don’t know?”
“Course not! No one ever tells me.” Teddy flicked his lighter to life, touching it to the end of a cigarette balanced between his teeth. He answered, “pretty simple. Dude hadn’t been seen for weeks, car hadn’t moved, mailbox was overflowing, nothing. Neighbor had called for a welfare check and they found him dead in the basement, heart attack supposedly.”
Jeremy blinked, “is it bad?” To which Teddy chuckled,
“Bad? Jerm, you know the answer. Two weeks! We lucked out this time but there’s still a ton of blood and bile. The humidifier gave out too so we’re gonna have a real picnic down there.”
“Ugh…” Tanvir cringed, “I’ll get the masks then.”
“Please do. I’ll show you what the scene looks like then we can get our equipment.” Teddy took a long drag of his cigarette and then dropped it to the pavement. Then, ground it in with his steel-toed boot.
Tanvir retrieved the jumpsuits from the back of the van. They threw them on over their work shirts with the crinkle of a vinyl bag. While Jeremey and Tanvir zipped them up, Teddy had simply put it over his pants and tied the sleeves around his waist. It was a common thing he did and likely not as he was allowed to do, though the others never cared enough to tell him otherwise. The reality was that this wasn’t anything new, they’re seen far worse. Popped cadavers, melting, maggots, all of it. At most all, they’d have to do was clean up the blood, disinfect, and dispose of whatever down there, easy job by all standards. Yet, on this hot day, the three still dreaded the idea of being down there in the humid basement, thick with the stench of fermented death. Even with the body gone, the new circulation of...
House Call is a horror fiction podcast developed and produced by Sprite G. The podcast covers a crime scene cleanup team as they try to escape a house with seemingly no end. Listen in to see just how successful they are, and the true mystery behind the deceased homeowner.