WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.940 The Silent Directive is a horror podcast. There 00:00:03.940 --> 00:00:06.780 are many themes some users may find disturbing. 00:00:07.259 --> 00:00:10.119 Please check the description before listening. 00:00:10.919 --> 00:00:20.420 Thank you. The Silent Directive Episode 4 The 00:00:20.420 --> 00:00:30.370 Figure in the Rain The rain is often thought 00:00:30.370 --> 00:00:33.649 of as a comforting, soothing presence. I agree 00:00:33.649 --> 00:00:37.049 with this sentiment. Hearing the constant drone 00:00:37.049 --> 00:00:40.049 of rain against your walls, maybe seeing it against 00:00:40.049 --> 00:00:43.390 your window, it's nice. Even the heaviest of 00:00:43.390 --> 00:00:46.829 storms can create an odd sense of soothing. However, 00:00:46.990 --> 00:00:50.229 this really only applies if you're indoors. Getting 00:00:50.229 --> 00:00:53.689 caught in the rain isn't quite as soothing. But 00:00:53.689 --> 00:00:56.609 still, there's no inherent danger to it. It's 00:00:56.609 --> 00:00:59.299 just water. At the end of the day, it's only 00:00:59.299 --> 00:01:03.119 an inconvenience, right? It's a rhetorical question. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:06.459 I'm hoping you know better by now. As long as 00:01:06.459 --> 00:01:09.219 you have life to be taken away, there is danger 00:01:09.219 --> 00:01:12.379 present, no matter where you are or how safe 00:01:12.379 --> 00:01:18.500 you feel. This was the first time I experienced 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:22.620 a story twice. It was strange. I perceived them 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:25.599 simultaneously. But your mind doesn't operate 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:28.099 that way, so I'm going to tell you two sides 00:01:28.099 --> 00:01:31.239 of the same story. One from the outside perspective, 00:01:31.420 --> 00:01:42.760 and one from the inside perspective. It was a 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:46.079 late November day in Pennsylvania. Sam had just 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:49.599 finished his long, tiring day of work. He didn't 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:52.040 hate his job, but nine hours is a long time for 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:55.370 anyone. He said goodbye to his co -workers and 00:01:55.370 --> 00:01:58.150 made his way out the front door. The sun had 00:01:58.150 --> 00:02:02.609 set recently, so it wasn't dark quite yet. But 00:02:02.609 --> 00:02:06.069 the thick, dense, gray cloud cover set a dim, 00:02:06.230 --> 00:02:10.289 muffled tone over the sparse parking lot. Sam's 00:02:10.289 --> 00:02:12.669 car was across the lot, and it was raining a 00:02:12.669 --> 00:02:16.449 steady, shower -like current. He sighed to himself 00:02:16.449 --> 00:02:18.310 as he waited under the cover of the building. 00:02:18.590 --> 00:02:21.229 The air was cold and sharp, but his suit kept 00:02:21.229 --> 00:02:24.620 him warm. His suit, which would surely be drenched 00:02:24.620 --> 00:02:27.280 if he tried to make a run for it. Not to mention 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:30.680 his computer bag. He paced back and forth, a 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:32.819 step away from the droplets. He would have to 00:02:32.819 --> 00:02:35.919 run for it, there was no other option. As if 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:38.340 to prove him right, a co -worker of his exited 00:02:38.340 --> 00:02:41.719 the building, stopping next to Sam. The co -worker 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:43.939 made a light joke about tightening his shoelaces 00:02:43.939 --> 00:02:46.699 before making a break for it. And then he did. 00:02:47.580 --> 00:02:49.840 Sam watched as he ran all the way to his car, 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.060 throwing open the door and jumping inside. Sam 00:02:53.060 --> 00:02:55.280 could do the same. His car was only a half a 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:58.879 dozen spots farther. Sam inhaled, gripped his 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:02.740 bag tight, and... He stopped, stumbling from 00:03:02.740 --> 00:03:06.340 the step he abandoned. There was a man next to 00:03:06.340 --> 00:03:08.340 him, who must have come out of the building just 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:11.780 then. He was a very, very tall man, with very, 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:14.939 very long arms. He was wearing a trench coat, 00:03:15.099 --> 00:03:18.300 with the collar up. This, combined with the old 00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:20.819 hat on his head, completely obscured his face 00:03:20.819 --> 00:03:23.789 from view. But Sam's eyes were instead focused 00:03:23.789 --> 00:03:26.750 on what the man was holding above his head. An 00:03:26.750 --> 00:03:30.110 umbrella. Maybe this was his chance. Maybe this 00:03:30.110 --> 00:03:32.509 mystery man would be his savior. Maybe he should 00:03:32.509 --> 00:03:34.310 say something, ask for help before it was too 00:03:34.310 --> 00:03:36.770 late, and Sam was back to being trapped. But 00:03:36.770 --> 00:03:39.469 before he said anything, the man moved. Without 00:03:39.469 --> 00:03:41.569 turning in Sam's direction or acknowledging him 00:03:41.569 --> 00:03:43.590 at all, the man tipped his umbrella slightly, 00:03:43.930 --> 00:03:46.289 giving a small amount of protection from the 00:03:46.289 --> 00:03:49.409 rain. Sam wondered how the umbrella would fit 00:03:49.409 --> 00:03:52.090 them both, but he wasn't complaining. If this 00:03:52.090 --> 00:03:54.270 strange silent man was all he could get, so be 00:03:54.270 --> 00:03:57.909 it. Without having to ask, the man began moving. 00:03:58.909 --> 00:04:00.990 Sam moved with him, trying to find the perfect 00:04:00.990 --> 00:04:03.750 distance between the rain and the man. He wasn't 00:04:03.750 --> 00:04:05.969 sure exactly why, but he did not want to bump 00:04:05.969 --> 00:04:09.389 into this man. It would be rude, of course, but 00:04:09.389 --> 00:04:12.849 that wasn't the only feeling present. These fears 00:04:12.849 --> 00:04:15.669 disappeared quickly, as the second they stepped 00:04:15.669 --> 00:04:18.410 into the rain, Sam noticed that the umbrella 00:04:18.410 --> 00:04:21.050 was actually rather large. and the two could 00:04:21.050 --> 00:04:24.230 walk next to each other comfortably. Sam began 00:04:24.230 --> 00:04:27.629 to slow, matching the man's relaxed pace. Why 00:04:27.629 --> 00:04:30.449 rush? The growing storm outside was unable to 00:04:30.449 --> 00:04:33.189 reach them. The umbrella spanned a wide distance, 00:04:33.410 --> 00:04:35.649 and Sam could nearly reach his hand out beside 00:04:35.649 --> 00:04:39.009 him without touching the rain. But he did not 00:04:39.009 --> 00:04:41.649 want to touch the rain. It seemed to be getting 00:04:41.649 --> 00:04:44.610 heavier and heavier. But under the umbrella, 00:04:44.750 --> 00:04:47.790 it was safe. The wind even seemed to slow, and 00:04:47.790 --> 00:04:50.379 the air was warm. with a hint of a nice smell. 00:04:51.899 --> 00:04:55.839 They continued walking, slow and easy. Soon, 00:04:55.939 --> 00:04:58.180 the only sound of the rain left was the soft 00:04:58.180 --> 00:05:00.060 pitter -patter of the droplets on the roof of 00:05:00.060 --> 00:05:03.720 the umbrella. Sam soon realized he couldn't quite 00:05:03.720 --> 00:05:06.560 see his car. But why would he need to know where 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.680 his car was? The umbrella was safe. He didn't 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.759 need to go anywhere else. Oh, but he did need 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:16.100 to go home. He shouldn't keep the man. Sam said 00:05:16.100 --> 00:05:18.959 as much. thanking the man and taking a step towards 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:22.240 the edge of the wide umbrella. As he spoke, his 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:24.939 voice seemed to echo, as if in a large, empty 00:05:24.939 --> 00:05:28.240 room. He looked to the ground for a moment. There 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:30.259 were no puddles under the umbrella, nothing to 00:05:30.259 --> 00:05:33.600 worry about stepping into. When he looked back 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:35.740 up, the edge of the umbrella was farther away. 00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:38.779 The metal tips seemed to stretch downward toward 00:05:38.779 --> 00:05:42.079 the ground, almost like teeth. But Sam was not 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:45.000 concerned by this. He was only comforted. The 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:49.740 outside storm was farther away than ever. Sam 00:05:49.740 --> 00:05:52.899 heard the man speak to him. Won't you stay a 00:05:52.899 --> 00:05:56.920 while? Let this storm pass? Sam knew this wasn't 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:59.920 something he could do, but he wanted to. Maybe 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:03.860 he could. It was so peaceful here, so quiet in 00:06:03.860 --> 00:06:07.399 this empty parking lot. Maybe for a moment, Sam 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.819 thought, maybe he could stay for a while. He 00:06:10.819 --> 00:06:15.360 never considered whether he should. He wasn't 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.620 sure how much time had passed before he realized 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:21.560 he was alone. It was only Sam, standing under 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:24.500 the vast expanse of the dark, leathery maw of 00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:38.699 the umbrella. And then it closed. Mark jumped 00:06:38.699 --> 00:06:41.629 into his car and slammed the door closed. His 00:06:41.629 --> 00:06:43.889 clothes were wet, but they would dry, as everything 00:06:43.889 --> 00:06:46.569 does. He looked back at Sam, wondering if he 00:06:46.569 --> 00:06:49.610 was still pacing. Sure enough, he was. Still 00:06:49.610 --> 00:06:51.449 staring at the rain, hoping it would magically 00:06:51.449 --> 00:06:54.629 disappear. Mark laughed to himself and turned 00:06:54.629 --> 00:06:57.709 his car on, starting with the heater. Sam was 00:06:57.709 --> 00:07:00.410 the new guy in the office. A bit on the younger 00:07:00.410 --> 00:07:03.110 side, still getting the hang of things. Mark 00:07:03.110 --> 00:07:05.129 looked out for him where he could. Not to say 00:07:05.129 --> 00:07:08.410 Sam was incompetent, he just... needed a boost 00:07:08.410 --> 00:07:11.879 sometimes. Mark figured he could pick him up 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:14.180 and give him a lift across the lot. A show of 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:17.500 office camaraderie. As he clicked his seatbelt, 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:20.860 he glanced back at Sam. There was a figure next 00:07:20.860 --> 00:07:24.339 to him. A man. The man hadn't been there a moment 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:28.360 ago. Mark paused, watching them. He didn't recognize 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:30.819 the tall man, nor could he see his face. The 00:07:30.819 --> 00:07:34.379 brim of his umbrella stooped too low. Something 00:07:34.379 --> 00:07:37.339 about it made him feel very uneasy. So he watched. 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:40.500 He watched the man tip his umbrella, allowing 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:43.019 Sam underneath. Mark watched as they stepped 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:45.759 out into the rain, walking at an extremely relaxed 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:49.819 pace. The unease was growing. It was nameless, 00:07:50.019 --> 00:07:53.279 formless, but it was strong. Mark knew something 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:56.560 was very wrong. He was going to drive by and 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:59.360 offer Sam a ride. He shifted his car in a drive, 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:03.459 glanced back at Sam, and he was gone. Both of 00:08:03.459 --> 00:08:05.839 them were gone. Mark scanned the parking lot. 00:08:05.980 --> 00:08:09.220 It was completely empty. He looked at Sam's car. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:12.319 It was still there. Mark shoved his car back 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.800 into park and jumped out into the now thicker 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:18.180 rain. They were right there. He looked around. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:21.319 In between the six other cars in the lot, Sam 00:08:21.319 --> 00:08:26.740 and the figure were gone. Mark tried to explain 00:08:26.740 --> 00:08:29.379 his story to the authorities. He told them to 00:08:29.379 --> 00:08:32.000 look for that figure in a trench coat. But Mark 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:34.440 had never seen the other man's face. There was 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:37.970 nothing anyone could do. Sam was missing. and 00:08:37.970 --> 00:08:45.629 even Mark wasn't quite sure what happened. I 00:08:45.629 --> 00:08:48.909 would like to end this tale with a warning. A 00:08:48.909 --> 00:08:51.669 concrete warning, nothing metaphorical. Just 00:08:51.669 --> 00:08:56.590 a word of caution. Beware the disfigure in the 00:08:56.590 --> 00:09:00.850 rain. Do not trust his kind gestures. If you 00:09:00.850 --> 00:09:03.389 do find yourself under the umbrella, get out 00:09:03.389 --> 00:09:06.570 as soon as you can. You will feel more comfortable 00:09:06.570 --> 00:09:09.029 the longer you stay, and the outside conditions 00:09:09.029 --> 00:09:12.110 will get worse and worse. The man will try and 00:09:12.110 --> 00:09:15.909 make you stay, and if you do, you will be consumed 00:09:15.909 --> 00:09:19.710 and lost to the rain. Just like Sam.