Postmortem: Skin

ELI

Previously on REDACTED.

JACOB

Ahh!

SLOAN

Postmortem Incident Report regarding the case of "The Skinner", and Penny *glitch* heretofore referred to as "The Subject". True members in attendance: Eli Reyes. Meeting recording by public relations agent Sloan Summers.

SLOAN

Agent Reyes, I'd like to again call attention to the fact that Agent Kane isn't in attendance? Would you care to inform The Mezzanine and myself as to why that is?

ELI

Sure, I'm glad you asked. Uh, With both Agent Montgomery and Agent Chadwick MIA, the casework is starting to pile up. and As a result, our unit has needed to "divide and conquer" so to speak.

ELI

Agent Kane would otherwise be happy to attend these sessions, but it's just not an option until the unit is back up to full strength. I- I'm sure you understand.

SLOAN

Very well, understood. Please walk us through the events of the case.

ELI

Yes, ma'am.

ELI

So Agent Hauksdottir flagged three disappearances in the vicinity of a hole-in-the-wall tourist trap called the Hoaxatorium. Hawk-satorium? It- it's probably Hoaxatorium. A- anyway, Agent Kane, Agent Valentine and myself infiltrated the “museum”. There we made contact with the on-site employee, Penny

SLOAN

-You mean, the subject.

ELI

Y- yes. The Subject. Sorry.

ELI

...Anyway, this is when we began our investigation under the guise of a guided tour.

ELI

Our initial investigation uncovered vast amounts of human viscera hidden throughout the museum.

ELI

Eventually we made contact with the aberration, and engaged.

ELI

It demonstrated high resistance to small arms fire, but had an adverse reaction to direct touch.

ELI

Ultimately, we dissolved the Aberration with... skin to skin contact.

SLOAN

Sorry. c- Can you... elaborate?

ELI

Uh, hugs.

SLOAN

Ugh, Thank God.

ELI

We hugged it to death.

SLOAN

Continue.

ELI

This is when the Subject attacked Agent Kane, seemingly in defense of the aberration.

ELI

To regain control of the scene, Valentine *politely* and *very gently* escorted The Subject onto the ground, and then into The Curtain's care, and we arranged cleanup with Ignatius. Case closed.

SLOAN

Wonderful, thank you Agent Reyes.

SLOAN

What makes this case especially interesting is The Subject's relationship with the otherwise violent Aberration. The following recording is from their interview with Processing.

SFX

Tape inserted, played

PENNY

I didn't do anything wrong.

KOSKA

I didn't say you did. But three people are dead. We need to know what happened to them.

PENNY

He killed them?

KOSKA

And who do you mean by "he"?

PENNY

Oh, I don't know his name. He doesn't talk. I just call him Mr. Skinner.

KOSKA

I see. Tell me how you met Mr. Skinner.

PENNY

The basement. In the museum? We received a new shipment of "ancient Egyptian coffins". I had to unload them all myself and prep them for display.

PENNY

Then I heard breathing coming from inside one of them. So I opened it.

KOSKA

You weren't frightened?

PENNY

Maybe a little? But mostly because the breathing didn't sound right. I was worried an animal might have gotten stuck or something.

PENNY

But it definitely wasn't an animal...

KOSKA

What was it?

PENNY

At first I thought it was a dead body. He looked covered in blood, but then I realized that's because he didn't have any skin.

PENNY

Then he looked straight at me. Right in my eyes... and I knew he was alive.

KOSKA

What did you do then?

PENNY

At first I kinda froze. But then I talked to him. Just... just quietly. I told him it was okay. That I wasn't going to hurt him.

KOSKA

Did he try to hurt you?

PENNY

No! Never.

KOSKA

But he hurt others.

PENNY

Only the mean ones.

KOSKA

The mean ones?

PENNY

First it was an older guy. A customer? I bumped into him while I was moving an exhibit. He got really mad and hit me with his cane.

PENNY

We were the only two in the building... nobody else saw.

KOSKA

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

PENNY

Thanks.

PENNY

I ran downstairs to the basement. That's where I normally go to be alone. But Mr. Skinner was still there, in his coffin. So I told him all about it. I just... needed to share with someone who would listen.

PENNY

But then he stood up, and went upstairs.

KOSKA

And what did Mr. Skinner do then?

PENNY

He walked straight up to the guy that hit me. Then Mr. Skinner started... singing. And then the old guy started screaming.

KOSKA

Why was he screaming?

PENNY

Because his skin was peeling off.

KOSKA

I see. Then what happened?

PENNY

Mr. Skinner walked closer and twisted his head around.

KOSKA

What did you do then?

PENNY

Well, it made a mess. So I... I cleaned it up.

KOSKA

Why did you not contact law enforcement?

PENNY

I didn't want Mr. Skinner to get in trouble.

KOSKA

I see. Was this the only time that Mr. Skinner did this?

PENNY

Well, after him it was Sandra. She always made fun of me... and the way I talk.

PENNY

And Marcus yelled a lot.

KOSKA

Did you ask Mr. Skinner to hurt these people?

PENNY

No...

KOSKA

But you knew what he was doing?

PENNY

Yes...

KOSKA

And you didn't try to stop him?

PENNY

No...

KOSKA

Why not?

PENNY

Because he's the only one who's ever stood up for me.

ELI

Damn. What a mess.

SLOAN

Indeed. Though I would advise you to steer clear of sympathizing too much.

SLOAN

This is the first time we've seen an Aberration be cooperative, let alone *protective* of a human counterpart.

SLOAN

More research is necessary to determine if this shared affection is an element of the Aberration itself, or something specific to The Subject.

SLOAN

As for the deaths surrounding the Hoxotorium, that's a whole different beast. the condition of the flayed bodies leaves frustratingly little room for an explanation... and it's quite a bummer because I do like getting creative with it. Oh, well. Instead, We fabricated digital evidence that the three victims were a polyromantic triad. We justified their disappearances by creating a paper trail that suggests a throuple that was going on a "one-way romantic getaway to an undisclosed country for an unknown and unforeseeable future".

SLOAN

Something something something, yadda, yadda, yadda, "...finally starting their life together that they've always wanted" or whatever. bullshit. Positively warms the heart, doesn't it? Ugh. At the end of the day, it should render them a non-issue, which is what really matters, so.

ELI

Uh, w- wow.

ELI

Their poor families...

ELI

Uh, do, do you need anything else from me?

SLOAN

Unless you have anything to add to the record, you may be dismissed.

ELI

I don't.

SLOAN

Great! Then, I hope you have a lovely day, Eli.

ELI

Yeah. Thanks. Y- Y- You too.

OUTRO

Outro theme

ATHAN

This concludes another episode of REDACTED Postmortem, starring Lyssa Jay as Sloan Summers, Athan as Eli Reyes, Natalie Magno as Agent Koska, and special guest starring Tal Minear as Penny. For more information, visit theredactedunit.com for episode details and transcripts or patreon.com/theredactedunit for behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening.

Transcript from the production script, matched to the final audio.