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1.04 - The Voice of God
9k Plays4 years ago
Lara investigates the twisted, apocalyptic sermons of Reverend Mitchell Boone. Things get...weird. If this is your first time listening, go back to episode 1.01 - Charity and start there.
The transcript for this episode is available at BelieverPodcast.com.
This week’s podcast recommendation is Crypto Z, a brand new show from Euphonie Media.
CONTENT NOTES
- Apocalyptic Christian rhetoric, including scripture and hymn quotations
- Mild language
- Dog whiny noises
- Cult content and behavior
- Hallucinations and visual/auditory distortions
- Respiratory distress
- Sleepwalking
CAST
- Rev. Mitchell Boone - David Pinion
- Sheriff Tate - Regen Wilson
- Dr. Penelope Simmons - Samantha Ronceros
- Camille Simmons - Sara Gorsky
- Lara Campbell - Julie Saunders
- SodaPop - Archie
- Cult Chanters - the Saunders, Parshall, and Meeks families
CREW
- Written, Directed, Sound Designed by Julie Saunders
- Theme song composed by Aaron Ferenc
- Emotional support provided by Seth Ellsworth
MUSIC
- “Julie’s Melody (Believer Theme),” by Aaron Ferenc
- “We Will Be All,” by Julie Saunders
- “Eternal Moment,” by Farrell Wooten
- “Psalm 1001,” by Isobel O’Connor
- “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming,” Traditional
- “The Perfectionist,” by Brightarm Orchestra
SFX
- Camera sound: https://freesound.org/people/pooky1/sounds/431588/
- Adobe Stock
- Audio Fiction Hub
Recommended
Transcript
Prophetic Chants and Dreams
00:00:31
Speaker
Oh. Oh. Oh.
00:00:33
Speaker
All will be nothing, and we will be all. The harder they fight us, the harder they'll fall. All will be nothing, and we will be all. All will be nothing, and we will be... Okay.
00:01:02
Speaker
Good night. Believer. Episode 4. The Voice of God.
00:01:29
Speaker
Hey, soda pop! About time you got up, buddy. I've got to remember not to look at those drawings Rose made before I go to bed. I had the weirdest dream. I don't remember printing them out either. I guess it's not a terrible idea.
00:01:52
Speaker
Yep, I gotta get more sleep. Anyway, let's see what old Reverend Mitchell has to say. Sounds pretty conventional to me.
Symbolism of the Four Horsemen
00:02:18
Speaker
Then I saw the lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, come! And he saw four riders on four horses.
00:02:33
Speaker
First, the rider on the white horse, Conquest, man's attempt to control that which he cannot. We will grab at our minds ever tighter as they sift through our fingers. Then the red horse, War, turning prey to predators so that all may have the chance to eat and be eaten. Then the black horse, representing famine, the choking vegetation, starving root and bleaching soil.
00:03:00
Speaker
We have seen these. We will see these, but the last on the pale horse, they call him Death. But he is so much more. He is ending. He is silence. You will not see him coming. For you cannot see absence, loss, nothing. But you can feel it, can't you? The emptiness in your chest yearning to join the void. That is what is coming. That is what we seek.
00:03:31
Speaker
Okay, yeah, I can see why that's not on the radio.
Rose's Religious Ties
00:03:34
Speaker
But if they stopped airing his sermons, then why... And when we meet that creeping annihilation, the void, the nothingness, we shall greet it as an old friend. For we are one. We are nothing. We are all. All is nothing.
00:03:58
Speaker
The Earth shall be a sea of glass! Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing!
00:04:05
Speaker
Oh God, is there any small town that doesn't have a secretive underground cult? I mean, come on. Nothing about it online, but that's to be expected. Okay, so Rose's dad started up, well, technically it's a new religious movement. It's possible Rose was involved, but I doubt it. I mean, she's into paranormal stuff, but she'd never get into something like this.
00:04:32
Speaker
Lo, how a rose air blooming from tender stem hath sprung. Do you know that hymn? To show God's love a right she bore to men a saviour when half spent was the night. And she will. She will bear to us this saviour, this darkness. For she hears it. She hears it better than I ever have. And she carries it with her.
00:04:59
Speaker
The darkness. The nothing. Look. Look to my rose in the scorched packed earth. The sea of glass. She sees. She sees. Huh. Never mind then. Yeah, let's take you outside. But then I've gotta look into this. Honestly, soda pop, if a stupid cult took Rose, I'm just gonna be so annoyed.
00:05:29
Speaker
first unheard message. Hello Ms.
Investigation of Reverend Boone
00:05:33
Speaker
Campbell, this is another message from Dr. Penelope King. Turn me back Ms. Campbell, please.
00:05:58
Speaker
Miss Campbell, still in town I see. Sheriff Tate, you spend a lot of time in charity? Well, I'm responsible for the whole county, but I admit I've got a soft spot for charity. It is cute. It's wonderful. Anything I can help you find today? I'm actually looking for the church.
00:06:15
Speaker
Oh, well, there's a brand new Presbyterian congregation on the end of Main Street. No, Reverend Boone's old church. Oh, yeah, I don't think that's a good idea. Nobody else has moved in there since he got sick in suspended services, right?
00:06:29
Speaker
Well, it's closed down. Locked. It'd be breaking and entering. Oh, I won't go inside. I just want to see something. Look, I know you get your messages from the beyond and all. We should make an appointment to talk about your great aunt, by the way. She's still talking to you? Oh, I think we could have a very promising conversation. Huh.
00:06:48
Speaker
Well, listen, in the meantime, I really need you to stay away from the Boone family. You can't believe everything Mayor Terry says about me, Sheriff. I'm not actually the devil. No, no, it's just... it's not safe. What's not safe? Just listen to me, Miss Campbell. We're not to the point of an official order here, and I know Rose meant a lot to you, but you really need to let this one go. I'm not gonna do that, Sheriff. Something is going on. Something is wrong in Charity. You've got to see that.
00:07:13
Speaker
Rose Boone is just fine. Alright, you'll see. I hope so. Well, I gotta get to another call, so you stay out of that church, understand? Yes, sir. And I suggest you head out of town as soon as you find what you're looking for. That's the plan. Good. Stay safe, Miss Campbell. I will. First skipped message. Abe, I knew you stopped hearing my sermon.
00:07:42
Speaker
But you see, don't you? I have to share them. You have to... You have to hear it. We have to give ourselves. It wants us quiet and resigned. It wants us as gifts. Please, Abe, please.
00:08:18
Speaker
Okay, if I can just... See? Didn't have to break in. Window was wide open.
Discoveries in the Church
00:08:30
Speaker
Okay. I am inside the Church of the Seventh Seal in Charity, Oregon. It's very dusty. Hasn't Mitchell only been sick for like a month or so? This place looks like it's been closed for years.
00:08:46
Speaker
It's small. Simple. Some pews, a podium up front, just the basics. No stained glass windows, no cross either, actually. Honestly, the only thing you could call decoration is these lines in the woodwork. They're carved into the walls and along the center aisle. They're just these straight lines that kind of outline the room and then meet above the podium.
00:09:11
Speaker
It's a geometric shape, kind of like a star or an asterisk. Like I said, simple, but I guess it's something. The pews have those hymn holders, but there's nothing in them. So if this used to be a Christian church, someone chose to take out all the Bibles. There's a little organ up front, no other seating, just the podium.
00:09:35
Speaker
It's a little lectern with something on it under a very thick layer of dust. Let me see. Oh my God. Oh, good. Oh, that for a generic lunar calendar. That was worth coding the inside of my lungs. Oh, it's got to be. Oh, let's see what's over here.
00:10:07
Speaker
Now this should be interesting. Looks like I found Reverend Boone's office. It's ridiculously cluttered, but there's no one here and I've got time, so... 10% battery, god damn it. Fine, I'll just take pictures. Okay, printed sermons, some increasingly erratic personal notes. Let me make sure I get those. Wait, is this a drawing? It spans a couple of pages.
00:10:39
Speaker
Is someone there? Rose? Hello? Hello?
Supernatural Experience and Reassurance
00:11:07
Speaker
When we exist, we suffer, don't we? But it is here to help us. And it will take us. And she will lead us there. The lines... over the altar... they're... they're twisting like...
00:11:31
Speaker
Camille?
00:11:56
Speaker
Hi, Lara. Are you... are you real? Are you here? I'm here, Lara. Oh, thank god. I don't know if I accidentally ate something or... Shh! Shh, just breathe. Nice and deep. There you go. That's right, Lara. You just sleep now. Everything's gonna be okay.
Podcast and Sponsor Mention
00:12:22
Speaker
hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
00:12:42
Speaker
Thank you so much for listening to Believer. You've all been so wonderful sticking around through all these scheduled disruptions we've had. And to reward you for that, I'm going to announce a bunch of cool new stuff at the end of next episode. So make sure you stay subscribed.
00:13:02
Speaker
Instead, today I want to tell you about a really cool podcast that just came out. It's called Crypto Z. Crypto Z is an immersive sci-fi audio drama they just debuted on May 8th. It's about a pair of scientist explorers who climb the Alps in search of this ice man, who they hope holds the key to restoring life on the planet.
00:13:22
Speaker
I don't know, I'm a giant sucker for frozen isolation horror and crypto humans, and the first episode definitely delivers, so be sure to check it out. You can find it on Apple podcasts or go to www.ufunny.media.
00:13:43
Speaker
This episode of Believer was sponsored by Saunders & Associates LLC, providing medical insurance consulting in the beautiful state of Oregon and beyond. See you again soon!
00:13:55
Speaker
In the meantime, if you find yourself staring into a mirror and suddenly you don't recognize what you see, your eyes begin to slip down your face and your lips curl in a way that shouldn't be possible and soon all you can see is this distorted, nightmare version of your face shifting and changing even though you know you're not moving a muscle. Look away for a moment and focus on another point in the room.
00:14:20
Speaker
The neurons you use to sense motion sometimes go into overdrive if you stare at a static image for too long. So just focus on another point, you'll be fine. But maybe don't touch that mirror just to be safe. Bye now.