CERVIDAE: Project Redwater

CERVIDAE is to be updated every Monday and Thursday, in small installments of in-universe letters, logs, diary entries, etc. Link to read in order, to make getting caught up or binging easier: https://cervidaeproject.straw.page/

[cervidae-project]

CERVIDAE masterpost

CERVIDAE (to be tagged as "cervidae project", to avoid it showing up in the tag for the taxonomical family) is a weekly updated story told through tape recording transcripts, letters, diary entries, PSAs, and other visual media.

SYNOPSIS: The town of Redwater Brook is normal. People disappear sometimes. That's normal. The water is red. It's just iron.

Installments in reading order:

1: An unpublished writing from folklorist Tilly S. Cates, presumably from a draft of "Ancient and Urban Legends of Redwater Brook"

2. A Redwater Brook Radio broadcast; transcript

3. Cervidae Log; transcript

[cervidae-project]

A phone call to Tilly S. Cates, from Caribou; transcript

Dated Feb. 25 2009

TILLY: Hello?

CARIBOU: Oh, good, I finally caught you. I'm sorry, I would have left a voicemail when I called before, but it seems your inbox is full—

TILLY: Who is this?

CARIBOU: I'm Cari, I just moved here. Sorry, I should have led with that.

TILLY: Yeah, probably.

CARIBOU: Anyway, I had some questions about the local legends and cryptids and such, and I was told you were the person to talk to. I hear you're an expert.

TILLY: Not exactly an expert. I mean, my degree is in folklore, but I'm just sort of archiving the stories of Redwater that I'm told by the people who have been here their whole lives. Though I'm curious about your relationship with the topic?

CARIBOU: My friends and I were just [pause] curious.

TILLY: Because of the wild animals in the woods attacking things, yeah?

CARIBOU: Why would you think that?

TILLY: Well your friend clearly wanted people to take the situation more seriously than Josef Krakowski did, so I assume you two think something else is going on. Maybe of a supernatural nature.

CARIBOU: Do you actually believe in the stories you study?

TILLY: I think there's truth in many stories. Many are made up to give an explanation to things people don't understand. Maybe something like whatever it is you're trying to figure out.

CARIBOU: Yes, actually. I was hoping I could look at what you know and see if I can get a lead on this situation.

TILLY: Do you know where the library is?

CARIBOU: I can find it.

TILLY: I can meet you there tomorrow at noon if you're available.

CARIBOU: Yeah, that'll be nice, actually. Thank you.

[cervidae-project]

Cervidae Log; transcript

Dated Feb. 20 2009

CARIBOU: Cervidae log. February twentieth, two-thousand nine. Caribou.

So, we sent Red to the radio station yesterday to get the word out that the woods need to be avoided by all residents. We listened to the broadcast today and I don't really think he got the message exactly. The radio host, that is, not Red. Red is actually, as I'm saying this, dismantling the cabin radio because he's so frustrated. He will be reassembling it soon, I'm sure.

[Red is heard faintly cursing to himself, mostly inaudible]

And anyway, I've been looking into the incident with the inverted deer, trying to look into any records of folk tales of the town that might give me some sort of clue. Or maybe a report of something freaky like this happening in the past, but I've come up with nothing.

Elk was looking at the camera footage outside but our cameras are still glitching. Red was reluctant to replace them, because he's spent so long trying to fix them, but it's really not that big a deal. Moose is getting some today. I hope, in a bit of a weird way, that whatever did that yesterday comes back after we have cameras up so we can see something. Wish us luck.

End of log.

[cervidae-project]

Redwater Brook Radio broadcast; transcript

Dated Feb. 19 2009

JOSEF KRAKOWSKI: Folks, I was visited at the station yesterday by one of the new residents that lives in the cabin in the forest. I have—until now—only gotten the chance to speak to one of the women, who says her name is Cari and she's quite friendly.

And this new person I met today was also quite personable. His name is Red, and he's a mechanic. I asked if he'd be able to look at our shoddy sound board sometime and he said he'd be happy to.

Oh, he also told me to tell you all that there have been wild animals in the woods, and to tell you to stay out of there. Of course I did mention that, you know, it's the woods, there's gonna be wild animals. Duh? And he said that it was bears and it killed like a bunch of deer. Which like, hey… it's a bear, they're gonna do that. I also made sure to mention that a seven year old at Redwater Brook Elementary could tell you the precautions to take with bear safety, this isn't something we don't know about, but he insisted that I mention it to y'all anyway. Well, the concern was endearing. So, be really careful going into the woods, alright?

It's been a few months since bears have gotten into my trash bin, I'll admit.

The Offspring is up next, then something a little more underground.

[cervidae-project]

Cervidae log; transcript

Dated Feb. 17 2009

MOOSE: Cervidae log. February seventeenth, two-thousand and nine. Moose.

We're still investigating the anomaly that occurred outside the cabin this morning. As I'm sure Red did not properly record exactly what happened, I'll give my recount as well.

Our cameras have been turning off suddenly. They're old and need to be replaced, but Red insisted on fixing them. This afternoon, he went to check that they were still working, and he found nothing but carnage surrounding the cabin. I counted thirteen deer carcasses that had been sliced from neck to stomach and turned inside out, the bones and organs spilling out. Red brought a blood covered skull into the research room to show us. It was dripping all over the hardwood floor and I made him clean it up.

Elk and I collected a few samples, we're not really sure how we'll go about studying them to figure out what happened, but Caribou says she might be able to figure something out.

Despite her hands shaking, Elk joked we'd be having venison for weeks. I laughed. Red vomited.

End of log.

[cervidae-project]

Next week will have two of my favorite pieces so far. Do not worry, folks, this story does get a plot I promise

[cervidae-project]

An untitled poem by Violet Krakowski, for her 9th grade English class

Dated Oct. 19 2013

You know common knowledge

You know sugar is sweet and lemons are tart

And the government never has your best interest at heart

You know looking for rhymes is pointless

You know the color of the sky is ever changing

You know the stars fade in and out every night

And you know that nobody escapes the end

But the worst people you know always put it off somehow

You know you'll never hear your mother say she loves you

And you've never heard it before

And you know water is not supposed to be red

And you're not supposed to be trapped in your own head

You're not supposed to blame yourself for the dead

Or the lives you ruined by living instead

You know nothing and you know everything

And you know that you know nothing

You know how weapons in a hand can kill

And you know that in a pinch, negligence can do just fine

[cervidae-project]

Cervidae log; transcript

Dated Feb. 17 2009

RED: [hastily] Cervidae log, February seventeen, aught nine. I was just— Oh, Red. I was just outside checking the cameras again, making sure— oh fuck— making sure they were working and there is— god I can't even look at it. I'm so glad Caribou isn't here, she'd— I should get Elk. Or Moose, they'd—

Fuck, where are gloves when you need them? Or a plastic bag, at least?

It's everywhere. All outside the cabin. My first thought was to blame it on wolves or a bear but… it's not… I think Caribou does need to see this.

It's as if they were ripped open and turned completely inside out. Deer. White tailed, I think. I can count ten skulls, but it's hard to tell if that's how many there are. It's a fucking— it's a conglomeration of organs and blood and bones and flesh. I'll… I'll update once the others have seen this.

End— Oh fuck, I stepped in it! End of log.

[cervidae-project]

Imagine, if you will, a town called Redwater Brook. The town was named after the water being a sort of reddish color, it's high iron levels, nothing to worry about. It's more a gimmick at this point than anything else. It's just a town in Florida where nothing ever happens and nobody ever goes. They do like stories, however. Folktales, myths, urban legends, they're all known by the residents there.

There's truth to folktales, that's what the folklorist Tilly S. Cates always says. They're created to explain things people don't understand yet.

There's too much truth to these folktales, that's what the agents of CERVIDAE come to find. Nobody could have expected what they were getting themselves into. Or how it would affect the people living in Redwater. They just hope they can warn them, keep them away, do anything to buy them enough time to figure things out and fix this.

[cervidae-project]

Interview at Redwater Brook Radio; transcript

Dated May. 11 2008

JOSEF KRAKOWSKI: Alright, ladies and gentlemen and etcetera, I feel I've held off long enough. Today we are being joined by the three year winner of the Miss Redwater pageant! This is very exciting, folks. [Inaudible], how does it feel to be the longest reigning Miss Redwater in our town's history? You're practically the face of our town.

MISS REDWATER: Honestly, Josef, it doesn't even phase me anymore. [Laughs] It's the same old game, and it'll continue to be until I'm too wrinkled to be considered beautiful.

JK: Oh, I doubt that'll happen. You'll be shriveled as a raisin and still the prettiest woman in town.

MR: You flatter me. I honestly don't believe the prettiest woman in town can be decided by a pageant.

JK: Well there's got to be some reason to the judging, no? An objective conventionality?

MR: Oh definitely not. You've heard beauty is in the eye of the beholder?

JK: Of course.

MR: And even if they were judging with what you say is "objective conventionality" there's also the fact that not every woman enters the pageant.

JK: I suppose I didn't even think of that. Do you think I could have a shot at winning?

MR: [Laughs] You could sure try, Josef. [Pause] But I'm actually talking about someone specific.

JK: You think you know who the prettiest woman in town is?

MR: In my eyes, yes.

JK: Alright, I'm on the edge of my seat.

[A long pause. Ten seconds.]

JK: Are you alright, [inaudible]? We can cut the interview short.

MR: Lizzie LeRynn.

JK: Sorry?

MR: That's the prettiest woman in town. And my girlfriend.

[Pause. Five seconds.]

JK: [Softly, barely audible] Thank you for telling us. You're both lucky girls.

MR: I like to think I'm luckier.

[cervidae-project]

Cervidae Log; transcript

Dated Feb. 17 2009

ELK: Project Cervidae. Two, seventeen, two-thousand and nine. Elk.

The other agents and I have been settling in as much as allowed. Red and I have been setting up the camera equipment outside the cabin. He says they won't stop glitching, so we'll have to wait and see if they actually pick anything up.

The entire town smells distinctly metallic. There's no escape from the scent of iron. This project might just fix Caribou's iron deficiency.

[A pause. Five seconds.]

Red will find that funny. Note to tell him later.

Actually, he's walking in right now, I hear his boots on the creaking hardwood. End of— [Gasp] Holy fuck.

[Said hastily] End of log.

[cervidae-project]

An excerpt of "Ancient and Urban Legends of Redwater Brook" by Tilly S. Cates

Published Mar. 15 2013

Introduction

Upon first glance, the town of Redwater Brook is a small quiet place without much going on. The water is red.

But after passing through the town during a festival a few years ago, I had become fascinated with their culture and folklore. I had tried researching, looking into the folktales of the area, and I came up empty.

So my solution was to record the stories myself. Through moving to the town and learning their traditions.

The stories are vast, ranging from the old tales of gods that speak to mortals through crows and orange trees that grant wishes malevolently, to urban legends of creatures that show their face in the mirror if you wish harm on your enemies. Much of the stories go back to the water.

It's red.

[cervidae-project]

Page from the diary of Elizabeth LeRynn

Dated Feb. 14 2009

2/14/09

It's Valentine's Day and I am going to lose it.

[Illegible] wore a red dress today. It's her best color. I saw her from across the street when I was walking to work, but I didn't have time to stay and chat. Oh how pathetic… I didn't even have time to talk to my fiance! But! We will be going out tonight. I'm treating her to a nice restaurant. She likes the lobster there. It'll be our last Valentine's day before the wedding.

I fear she's out of my league sometimes. I mean, this is Miss Redwater Brook. The closest thing our town has to a celebrity (unless, of course, you count that weird Krakovski guy)

But I love her all the same. I think of her daily and I pray that will never change.

May her beautiful face and wonderful name stay on my mind for the rest of my life.

I should put that in my vows…

[cervidae-project]

Cervidae Log; transcript

Dated Feb. 8 2009

Previous

ELK: Project Cervidae. Two, eight, two-thousand and nine. Elk.

My team and I have arrived in the town of Redwater Brook. The water truly is red. I asked a local about this and she said it was from the high iron levels. Will be conducting tests.

The sky is clear, and the air is humid. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Will be buying filter attachment for showerhead.

[A pause. Three seconds.]

Will be asking to use agency money for that.

End of log.

[cervidae-project]

A Redwater Brook Radio broadcast; transcript

Dated Feb. 9 2009

Previous Next

JOSEF KRAKOWSKI: Good Monday morning, Redwater Brook. This is your morning report, and as always I'm Josef Krakowski. [Pronounced YO-zehf kra-KAWF-skee]

I'm looking at the weather right now; it's a good day to be outside, there's a near zero chance of rain and humidity levels are way down. Go to the park after work or school, take advantage of this momentous occasion. It's a miracle!

In other news, Mayor LeRynn's daughter, Lizzie, has just announced her engagement to Redwater's beauty queen sweetheart, [inaudible, due to crackling of microphone]. Congratulations, girls.

Also, the girl scout troupe of Redwater Brook is going to be selling their cookies soon, so make sure you get them while they're here. My niece, Violet, has already started making her way around town. You should just see her with her little wagon. Adorable. Five dollars a box, folks.

Four new residents just moved to town yesterday. Be sure to give them a warm welcome. I'm ashamed to admit I haven't had the chance to meet them, nor even see them. Hopefully we can change that today.

We'll start your daily music broadcast after a quick PSA. Please remember to filter your tap water before drinking it. It's not called Redwater for nothing.

[cervidae-project]

Unpublished writing from folklorist Tilly S. Cates, presumably from a draft of "Ancient and Urban Legends of Redwater Brook"

Dated Dec. 13 2012

Next

I'd like you, dear reader, to put yourselves in the shoes (or behind the glasses) of a local in the town of Redwater Brook the day four strangers arrived unannounced.

Two of them were women; one was stoic and perpetually frowning, and the other was friendly, in an off-putting sort of way. The other two were men; one was tall and didn't speak, the other was short and spoke too much.

They all dressed differently, they came from different places if their accents were anything to go off of. But one thing tied them together: nobody knew their names, and nobody knew what they wanted.

And suddenly the world felt a little more real.

Edit: Disregard this. totally irrelevant. maybe save for something else??