#REM010

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 18. Leakage

I am in Eskew episode 18 - thoughts.

Another one?

Who is "the witness"?

I don't like this at all.

Is this a repeat of the other story? What's happening?

Is this outside Eskew?

Who is this person?

Is this the beginning of Eskew? I don't understand.

That's quite an extensive researching strategy. I like it.

Burn it down!

I don't really like this man, but I dislike the tower more.

Well, that went wrong quite quickly.

This is all going to go terribly wrong.

They're building Eskew.

That's it, isn't it. They're building Eskew.

This is the birth of Eskew.

Oh no.

Oh, no.

You should have killed it when you had the chance. If you ever truly had a chance.

Eurgh.

Well.

[guariglia]

REM010 / rare earth mining #rareearth #mining #surfacemining #china #ecologicalcrisis #aerialphotography #landscape #aeriallandscape #extraction #anthropocene (at Planet Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHDYKWFFpGV/?igshid=u2rmmevudpyw

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 16. Tenancy

I am in Eskew episode 16 - thoughts.

I really hope it is milk. I do not wish to think about what else it could be.

Oh, David.

Rubbish. They're not getting anything.

Is this going to be another How and Why?

David's onto you, Eskew. So what are you going to do? How will you make him suffer?

Oh no.

Oh no.

David get away from the door. Get away from there RIGHT NOW. GO GO GO RUN. RUN RUN LEAVE RUN AWAY now.

David, are you watching the TV with the sound off? Because otherwise, it seems like that might be what is tipping it off. Boiling pasta could also potentially be audible, one would think.

Neighbours?

For the last three months, has been there for as long as I can remember. Hmm...

Oh no.

Oh, David.

Oh no. Goodbye, downstairs neighbour.

David, I think it might just be time to start looking for a new flat. There should be two new vacancies, in the same building.

Oh no. David, you definitely need to leave. NOW. Leave leave leave get out get out get out you NEED to go.

Oh, David. No no no. Oh no no no no no no no no leave get out of there you need to leave go get out run run run run David run get out of there you need to leave you need to escape yes!

Yes! Escape! Be free! Leave! Leave! Leave!

Goodness gracious me, David. Surely the housing market isn't that bad?

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 6. Intrusion

I am in Eskew episode 6 - thoughts

Ohohohoho! This is not the voice of David Ward! This is someone else!

Well, this is ominous.

Oh oh oh oh OH. Is this person talking to David? Have they been hired by David's mother?

Up until relatively recently, I did not really know what a casserole was - I believed it to be something that contained sausages, and had more in common with meatloaf than stew.

How old is David?

What constitutes an "unattractive" haircut?

Oh, so he would be somewhere in his early twenties. He sounds much older - probably he is trapped in a nightmare city.

It's interesting that we can still hear the rain, even though we are (presumably) not in Eskew.

On a sidenote, I feel as if the experience of listening to Eskew is one that would be greatly heightened by location. For example, I am currently listening/taking notes while sitting at the top of an old ladder resting against a tree, with a cup of tea beside me¹. I have previously listened/taken notes while sitting on my bed, as the rain pounded down outside my window. I feel as if, perhaps, the ideal - whoops! An ant just fell in my tea - location, for me, at least, would be something like that of my grandmother's holiday house², down near my cousins. It is a draughty house, and the wind howls both inside and out, as the rain pelts down. Anyway, back to Eskew.

Humming. Hmm...

Voices. Hmm...

Good grief, this is scary. Children's rhymes can be terrifying, especially in the hands of a horror writer.

Well.

Oh no oh no. She's being pulled into Eskew, isn't she.

Is the man David? Or is it someone else?

Brother?

She has his pension - is he dead?

The word? Eskew? Is the word Eskew? Is it?

Yes! Eskew! Yes!

Trust me, you don't want to.

Who is this person³ talking to? Is it David? It sounds like it's David, but... hmm.

ESKEW

The Orion Building concern? Who or what is both active in Eskew and also willing and able to use YouTube?

The Charcoal Monster?

This seems horrifying.

This seems even worse.

Oh no.

Oh No.

Who posted the video?

Eskew.

James, James,

He said to his mother said he

You must never go down

To the end of the town

If you don't go down with me.

Oh, thank goodness.

Where are you flying to?

Who are you talking to?

¹I also have birds running around beneath me, screaming "Go back! Go back!" so that probably adds to the atmosphere.

²It's not exactly a holiday home, but she doesn't live there full time, only visits, so I'm not really sure what to call it.

³The episode description says her name is Riyo, but it hasn't been said in the podcast proper, yet (?).

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 5. Illumination

I am in Eskew episode 5 - thoughts.

You're welcome, David.

This seems like a positive development, I wonder how it's all going to go terribly wrong.

Talking to someone your issues - good!

Lying about said issues - less good.

Oh no.

Oh, David. Poor David.

Doing better, but still in Eskew.

Don't jump, David.

Oh David. "I can't jump. They need me at work." Oh, David.

Considering how many people seem to die all around you, David, I think you're probably fine.

Be a rebel, David. Don't jump.

I can't believe this voice is just telling him "All of your friends are jumping off the bridge, you should too." This is what we were warned of as children.

Oh no. Oh no nonononononononononono

Don't Jump, David.

Yes!

Good job David!

Success!

Darn you and your shifting streets, Eskew.

Wait, what? David has a child? Was - was this mentioned before?

Oh. That makes more sense. Although, seriously, David? A voice tells you that your four year-old daughter has jumped/fallen off the bridge, and you immediately run forward, prepared to jump off, before you realise that you don't actually have a four year-old daughter.

And then you think "whoops! I guess this is somebody else's four year-old daughter. Well, not my problem!"

Oh no.

Oh No.

You don't have a four year-old daughter, David, we've been over this.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no no Don't Jump! no no no

This seems like a marked difference to the average episode so far¹. In them, David typically encounters a dangerous situation, get's caught up in it somehow, then escapes (relatively) unscathed. But in this episode, Eskew just seems bent on killing him - because he's trying to get help?

"You've heard of Everything is Lava. Now let me introduce you to Everything is the Railway Bridge!"

How can David see his colleagues? Even if he's not working, he seems to be at his desk, and it's previously been established that he is alone up on floor 14. Hmm...

Wait - it was the senior Custodian before. Same person?

Surely Eskew could just push David off that bridge, if it really wanted him dead that badly? Or is it just that it wants him to make that choice - it wants him to give up, to give in, to Jump. Hmm...

This new posting sounds suspicious, David. I don't think you should take the position.

Eskew, stop trying to peer-pressure David into jumping of the bridge.

Oh no oh no.

It's not over, is it.

Oh no².

You tell them, David!

¹I say, on the fifth episode.

²By my predictions, based on prior trends, my final liveblog will just be an entire post of just "oh no".

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 23. Mindfulness

I am in Eskew episode 23 - thoughts.

Oh, this is very different.

David, have you been hired by a - meditation company? Therapy dealie? What's happening?

...

...

...

...

David, that is not a mirthful laugh.

...

...

...

This doesn't seem very calming.

...

...

This is actually one of the problems I have when I try and do breathing excercises. Either I focus too much on counting the breaths, and I don't relax, or I lose track, and then get worried that I'm doing it wrong.

I'd pick the sea creature. It sounds pretty interesting.

Is this David's voice? Or is it the same voice as whoever narrated Episode 18? Was that just Jon Ware, or was it someone in the story?

...

...

...

Hmm.

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 22. Ingratitude

I am in Eskew episode 22 - thoughts.

You don't have a daughter.

Aha! David's catching on quickly as well!

Like what, David? What are you at risk of passing on?

Oh, David. You're truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Happy Jack Adams?

You are wonderful, David.

Good job, David.

Don't trust her, David. Eskew is up to something.

No, I think it's going to be something else, David. Something worse.

Have you ever met a child, David?

No, you haven't met a child, have you.

There's something here about - is Allegra from Eskew? Is she from outside? Is she from outside but she's become part of it? How does Lucia connect to this? (Allegra is the brand name of an allergy medicine. Is this important?)

Oh no.

Okay, so - episode 17, Reflection. David - splits in half? Transforms? Swaps places with a mirror version of himself? Then, Episode 19, Bug. Everything seems to be "normal" again - there's only one David, he can't turn people into puppets, etc. He's trapped in some sort of - time loop? Then, he gives up, and surrenders, and Eskew releases him from it - and Allegra finds him. Episode 20, David works as a gardener at the school for an inderterminably long amount of time - it seems like months, possibly years, from his description, but he seems to think that he hasn't been there for too long. He got this job at the behest of Allegra. Now, in this episode, it seems like a lot of time has suddenly passed he is now married (to Allegra) and has a daughter (who seems to be about five years old.) There's something that connects all this, I'm sure, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

What were you most afraid of, David.

Hmm.

Oh, David.

It's even worse because it's true. They aren't real.

Is Happy Jack Adams the other David?

Hmm.

Knowing Eskew, it's probably someone else's face. (Assuming it's not the other David.)

I don't think you can escape Eskew in any normal way, David.

Oh no.

Oh, no.

Oh, David.

No, David, no! No no no no. You shouldn't have turned.

Oh, no.

Oh, David.

Don't listen, David. Don't give in!

Oh no. Oh no. I knew it. I knew it! You should never have trusted Allegra, David. Never.

Oh no.

Oh, no.

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 21. Border

I am in Eskew episode 21 - thoughts.

Riyo's back!

Is it David - no who is this? Oh no eurgh.

Oh no.

Are these the other people who get trapped in Eskew?

That sounds about right.

Hmm.

Oh no.

What's written on your documents, Riyo?

Eurgh.

Hmm.

Some buildings are born, not built. Hmm.

Oh no.

Magda? No - Riyo?!

What was your answer?

Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no.

Oh no.

Join us in Eskew.

Yes, Riyo! Destroy it!

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 20. Cruelty

I am in Eskew episode 20 - thoughts.

A content warning? This episode definitely seems like it's going be a lot. I was never really bullied at school, thankfully, so hopefully it'll be alright.

Gardening?

I knew Allegra was untrustworthy. I knew it!

A tower?! Aha!

I think you do have trust issues, David, but they're definitely warranted in this case. As they say, "It's not paranoia if you're right."

Hmm...

A magda? What's a magda? Is it a plant, or a person, or something else?

Magdalena Marin. Hmm.

What did she do?

Hmm. Hmm. Hmm??

What is wrong?

Oh no.

Oh no. What's happened - oh no. Oh no no no no no no no no no no.

Hmm. Oh. Hmm.

Do what?

Oh no no no no. Yuck. Eurgh.

How long is David there for? It seems like a very long time...

Well.

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 19. Bug

I am in Eskew episode 19 - thoughts.

So Eskew is akways raining, but this storm is worse than normal? After David becomes something else? Hmm...

Well, this isn't nice.

Reclamation Park? I wonder what it's reclaiming...

Oh no. This insect isn't going to be good.

I think the bit everyone will laugh at the most, David, is when you scurried out of a wall and through the legs of a group of exterminators. Although, beating up that puppet would probably come a close second.

Good on you, David. Stand up for yourself! You can escape - you can do it.

I've never seen fireworks.

Ohh, this is weird.

I knew it would be back!

It's not going to stop, David. I think you might need to escape it.

Oh, no. No no no. Yuck.

Oh no no no no.

No, David! Don't give in! Stay strong!

Allegra?! I really don't trust you.

Ha! I knew it!

Oh no. OH NO.

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 17. Reflection

I am in Eskew episode 17 - thoughts.

Good job!

Well, that sucks.

David, you truly are a weirdo.

Oh no.

This isn't good. Not at all.

Oh, David.

Can you not find your way back to the Orion Building Concern, David?

Oh, David. Poor David.

You can escape, David! You can do it!

12 years? Hmm...

Eurgh.

This isn't going to go well, is it.

Oh no.

Puppets, hmm?

Oh no. This isn't going to go well.

I don't think so, David.

He's a puppet.

No, David.

No, run now!

Oh, so the Building Concern moved too. I see.

No, David, no! Don't go up the stairs!

Oh no.

Mirrors again.

What is going on with the audiooh my goodness oh my goodness what is happening what on earth??!?

This doesn't seem good.

I don't like this David.

Oh no.

Police puppets?

Ha! I was right! Also, oh no.

I told you that you shouldn't go up the stairs, David.

Oh, David.

Oh, David.

[codexnuminous]

Eskew 15. Crossroads

I am in Eskew episode 15 - thoughts.

Who are you talking to, Riyo?

Oh, they're dead.

A citadel of death.

Sleep - Eskew?

Oh, he's alive. Alive and - not thriving, exactly - surviving?

I was about to say that!

Yes, what are your reasons, Henley?

So... you're being haunted by the attic.

Something was missing - something in your life was "a"skew? Hmm...

The rain!

Well, that was disappointing.

Is Riyo going into Eskew? Is it happening?

Well.