The Marble Maiden
Estelle: Good evening, Riverdale. I'm Estelle Ollier.
Omi: and I’m Omi Klyde!
Audrey: And I'm Audrey Lincoln!
Estelle: And this is Underneath The Surface, where we dive into the history of our town, Riverdale. And for this month, we'll be diving into the spookiest tales.
Omi: god, I love Halloween and spooky stories. We’ve got to do one around the campfire sometime
Estelle: We definitely should!
Audrey: My parents aren't home on Halloween, we can do it at my place.
Omi: sounds like a plan!
Estelle: I'm in!
Estelle: And to make this special month even better, some days we'll have a guest take our spot. And who better to start this with, than our most loyal fan? The man with the sledgehammer: * lowers voice * Billy Holmes
Omi: Billy, my man! Introduce yourself!
Billy: Thank you for having me, ladies. What an honour!
Billy: * deeper voice * Who's ready for some horror?
Omi: * chuckles * I definitely am
Billy: *deeper voice * Well then, let's start this tale before my voice gives out. And let me tell y'all the tale of - drumroll, please -
Audrey, Estelle, and Omi: * banging on the tables *
Billy: * spooky voice * The Marble Maiden
Estelle: Ooh, I don't know this one
Billy: She was stone cold
Omi: * cackles * Brilliant
Billy: * deeper voice * But before we talk about her, a little background information; Before Stonewall Prep, there was the Fox Manor. It was built in 1883 on the other end of Fox Forest by Emory Griffin.
Estelle: Fox Manor?
Audrey: Lot of things named after a fox
Billy: Also, the Fox Hole, that old farmhouse in the woods
Estelle: Which of course will be talked about in a different episode
Billy: Alright, back to the story;
*deeper voice * Its last residents were Dover and Idina Griffin, their son Ridley, and their daughter Demelza.
Since Dover was a missionary, Idina a nurse, and her brother was in the II Corps, Demelza was often left alone on the property, which led her to wander the gardens a lot.
The front yard had a rose garden and a small orchard, the left side had a vegetable garden near the kitchen, and in the back yard, at the edge of Fox Forest, a statue garden. The latter is now prohibited. It was rumored the statues moved.
Audrey: I'm sorry, moved?
Estelle: That I did hear
Omi: I’ll believe it when I see it
Billy: Oh I'm with you
Billy: I mean, it sounds awesome
Estelle: Well - Depends. Do they move in place or do they also, you know, wander?
Audrey: That would explain that cranky librarian
Audrey: Hate the way she sometimes just stands there
Omi: maybe that’s where they got the weeping angels idea in doctor who-that librarian is cranky
Estelle: Ooooo that would make sense!
Billy: I wouldn't rule it out, you see;
One time, when Demelza was wandering the terrace, she noticed one of the statues weirdly posed. It stood straight-up, had its arms down, and facing her. As if it was watching her.
The scullery maid took notice of it as well, and called for Demelza’s attention, and asked her about her wishes for lunch as a distraction.
When Demelza turned back to the statue after the scullery maid left, it had turned sideways.
Omi: you have to wonder what goes through artists minds when they make these kinda things
Estelle: Madness. Just madness.
Audrey: Also drugs
Estelle: * wheezes * Yeah that too
Omi: makes sense
Audrey: But you said the staff knew about this?
Billy: Oh, they did.
Back in the house, the butler, Edward Patel, told her he heard about the statue. He warned her to never respond to its “invitations” as there would be dire consequences.
Omi: what *kind* of invitations?
Audrey: Like what?
Billy: He reminded Demelza about the story of her aunt Mallory’s disappearance when she visited the statue garden. On a quiet night, he swore he could hear her. But when he stepped into the backyard to investigate, he saw that the statues had changed poses. He swore he saw some of them still move, but he wasn’t sure if it was real or a matter of sleep deprivation.
Estelle: So - if you see one change, just ignore it??
Billy: * clears throat * Uhh yeah - I guess that was the advice
Omi: they could’ve solved all of this with a handy hammer, tbh
Estelle: Or fireworks
Omi: ooo that would’ve been a sight
Billy: But then we wouldn't have this spooky tale
Estelle: That's fair
Omi: True
Billy: And sadly, Demelza wasn't spared those invitations.
On December 18, 1927, Demelza was wandering the halls of Fox Manor when she looked out the window and witnessed a statue at the garden entrance, pointing directly at her.
Demelza rushed downstairs, but when she stood at the backdoor, the statue had disappeared.
Despite all the warnings, she ran to the statue garden.
Audrey: See this is where you lose me
Omi: this is why people die in horror movies
Audrey: This is where I run the other way
Estelle: Like, off the property?
Audrey: Yeah, I'd run and never look back
Estelle: But who says there won't be other creatures in the woods?
Audrey: ....
Audrey: That's mean
Omi: it probably is if they can supposedly move
Omi: sounds like the statues like to play hide and seek. Wonder how a game like that would go?
Billy: * deeper voice * Why don't I tell you?
Omi: Carry on
Billy: Inside the garden, she lit her lantern, and when she looked back up, she noticed all the statues had turned their faces to her.
She turned around to flee, but the statue from before blocked her path, resulting in the statue’s hands holding her by the shoulders.
Demelza screamed, which alerted the dogs, and later the staff to turn on the lights, and Demelza fled the garden.
Estelle: Oh yikes
Audrey: I haven't seen Doctor Who, is it like that too?
Omi: depends on which doctor you’re watching
Audrey: There's more than one?
Estelle: Abe
Billy: Abe
Omi: * spooky voice * don’t blink
Abe, sweetie
Audrey: I don't know every single show, I'm more into Gilmore Girls
Billy: While that may be considered a horror to some
Billy: Let's continue
The next day, Demelza woke up with her body feeling stiff, particularly her right pinky.
When she held up her hand, she saw her finger turned white. And stone-like. Like marble.
She screamed, and her handmaiden ran in, but Demelza ordered her to stay away as Demelza feared that touching her would be dangerous.
That evening, the marble had spread to her entire hand.
Omi: Reverse Medusa
Estelle: Y-yeah
Estelle: Also, reminds me of that weird theory that all marble statues of people are just dead bodies covered in white paint
Audrey: Excuse me
Omi: I wanna hear this
Estelle: Yeah I thought I saw it on tumblr or reddit
Omi: wicked
Billy: Well, now I know what I'm doing when we're done. Now * clears throat *
The following days made it unbearable for Demelza to move. It had spread to her arms, shoulders, and down her spine.
Despite the many pleas from her staff, she refused to seek help, as she felt it was only fair for her to face the consequences. Instead, she told everyone to clear the manor and leave her be. She also told Edward to send a letter to her parents that she had disappeared and that they shouldn't look for her. And to lock the gates.
Audrey: So - they - they just let her die??
Billy: I guess it was a sacrifice or whatever
On Christmas Eve, 1927, Demelza was on her way to the statue garden. But the marble took over before she reached it. And so, she stands outside, alone, facing the statue garden, her hand reaching out.
Estelle: Wait
Estelle: I've seen that statue
Omi: how sad-omg, I have too
Estelle: It was the only interesting thing of that damn school
Estelle: Abe, are you tearing up?
Audrey: * sniffles * She didn't even make it to the rest
Omi: How sad-we should visit her again-see if she moves on camera. Maybe spare a dance for us
Billy: She'd have to stretch first, she's a little stiff
Estelle: * wheezes *
Estelle: That's horrible, Billy
Omi: * chuckles * good one
Billy: This is fun! You should invite more guests.
Estelle: We will
Omi: and you’re definitely coming back
Billy: Aww - Y'all are too kind
Omi: you should bring Rory next time too-the more the merrier
Billy: Oh she'll love that
Estelle: But to go a lil back to your story; Edward Patel
Estelle: Are we talking about Freya Patel's father?
Billy: We are. Good catch!
Audrey: Who's Freya Patel?
Estelle: I'll tell you later
Estelle: And I guess we've reached the end of our episode. I'm Estelle.
Omi: I’m Omi
Audrey: I'm Audrey
Billy: And last but not least, I'm Billy
Estelle: Don't forget to tune in next time
Audrey: You're not sharing the new topic?
Estelle: It's a surprise
Billy: * spooky noises *
Omi: I love surprises!
Estelle: So, for now, this is goodbye
Audrey: Sweet dreams
Omi: We bid y’all adieu
Billy: and I’ll be back
