S1:E4 - The Signal, Part 1

October, 2024     Hunters Dean Remington and his brother, Sam, along with Barry Rhodes, joined up with members of the Hunters United Guild (HUG) to investigate a strange signal emanating from an island off the coast of Shadow Falls.       Beep beep beep bop… Beep beep beep bop   The signal that was part of Shadow Falls' very existence, the signal that was as constant as time itself, had suddenly changed.   Brothers and hunters Dean and Sam Remington are on the pier about to get into a mid-sized fishing vessel with the name Mary Sue painted along the side. A grey-haired man with stubble several days old and wearing a captain’s hat worn by seafaring men on the east coast greeted them.   He introduced himself as Skipper.   He beckoned Dean and Sam onto the boat and gestured to the seats. “You both are right on time. I am just about ready to leave.”   Dean and Sam noticed that the engine was exposed, and several nuts and bolts lay next to an assortment of tools on the deck.   As they stepped further onto the boat, they spotted Eliza sitting on a nearby bench. Eliza Meadows, a 20-something Asian-American woman with dark eyes and a radiant smile waved at both brothers. They met Eliza a short time before when she knocked on the brothers' van early in the morning. She said she was sent by Skipper James asking to meet with the brothers on board his boat.   “You said that 20 minutes ago,” said Eliza to the captain.   “Just giving the old girl a little tune-up," Skipper said. "Won’t be a moment.” He went about replacing the engine's cover.   "So why did you want us to meet you?" Dean asked. "Eliza here said something about working with fellow hunters."   The skipper threw the oily rag he was using into the box of tools and closed the lid. "That's right," Skipper said. "I'm the leader of a local group of hunters. Eliza is one of our members. We call ourselves the Hunters United Guild."   "HUG?" Sam remarked with a smile. "Sounds kinda friendly."   "Nevertheless," Skipper continued. "We help protect those in Shadow Falls against the stranger things in the world, paranormal events that most don't believe are true or just stuff of fiction and crazy TV shows."   Dean and Sam looked at one another. They understood what the Skipper meant. While belief in the paranormal was not uncommon, especially in phenomena such as ghosts or aliens, the majority of people tended to lean towards skepticism. This was largely due to a lack of empirical evidence supporting paranormal claims. Many people sought out scientific explanations and logical reasoning, finding that any alleged paranormal phenomena often lacked real evidence. The truth was, the TV shows with crazy nut jobs jumping at their shadows while claiming to have experienced supernatural events didn't help any.   It's why hunters, real hunters, existed. The monsters were real. And only real hunters could deal with them.   Suddenly, a man approached the boat.   "Can I help you, young man?" Skipper asked the man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.   The man, who looked to be in his mid to late twenties sported sun-bleached, shoulder-length blonde hair that flowed loosely around his shoulders, reminiscent of a classic California surfer or 70s hippie. His relaxed demeanor and casual attire, a pair of blue jeans, a deep-blue denim jacket to match, and a pair of brown boots, further reinforced the stranger's hippie/surfer vibe. A perpetually tan complexion and a laid-back smile completed the picture of a man perfectly at home by the ocean or riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle on his way to a throwback-era concert. A military-style green duffel bag lay at his feet.   "The name is Barry Rhodes. The organization sent me to check in on you since it's been some time since they've heard from you."   Dean and Sam didn't know what to make of what the man said. But by the look on Skipper's face, the captain knew exactly what organization Barry Rhodes was referring to.   "I figured sooner or later, they'd find me," Skipper said.   Barry Rhodes just smiled and nodded. He then stepped on board the Mary Sue without waiting for an invitation from the boat's captain.   "Now, hold on," Eliza said to Barry. "You can't just..."   "It's alright," Skipper said to Eliza. "Welcome aboard, Barry."         Soon after leaving the docks, Skipper began telling everyone about their destination, a place locals call Signal Island.   Skipper said the island got its name because of a radio signal that's been heard from it since the late 1800s, even before the discovery of radio waves. He said the signal repeats the same sequence over and over again. After the discovery of radio waves and the invention of radios in the early 20th century that could both broadcast and receive signals, most folks in Shadow Falls thought that the signal was just an old station broadcast that got jammed. For generations, the signal has been part of life in town, and for some, it was as soothing as the knowledge of the tides coming in and out.   A rhythm.   A certainty.   But recently, the radio signal had changed, and the Hunter’s United Guild was worried that this was the beginning of something bad.   Eliza added that no one ever went to Signal Island since the government took it over during the Second World War. The rumor was that the government used the site to experiment and test out radio frequencies that could be picked up by allies while remaining undetected by the enemies. After the war ended, the island was abandoned and was declared off-limits. This sparked conspiracy theorists who believed the signal from the island was being sent by captured aliens trying to make contact with their homeworld.   "You mean, E.T. was just trying to phone home?" Dean said, stepping away from the boat's side. He grabbed a nearby towel and tried in vain to wipe some of the leftover vomit off his shirt.   "Aint got your sea legs yet?" Eliza asked with a smile.   A sudden, jarring thump echoed through the hull of the Mary Sue.   "Felt like we hit something in the water," the Skipper said.   "Rocks?" Sam asked.   "Can't be," Skipper said. "We're too far out. Even in this thick pea-soup fog, I know we're far enough out."   Everyone looked overboard. Splintered wood and tangled nets, remnants of another boat's gear, surfaced briefly in the churning water before disappearing back into the opaque mist.   A large piece of wood drifted nearby. On it were painted the words, Wet Dreams.   "Isn't that Jack Finch's boat?" Eliza asked Skipper.   "Sure as hell is," Skipper said, slowing the boat to a complete stop.   Sam reached for a nearby gaff, leaned over the boat's side, and tried to hook the large piece of debris. A sudden wave struck the side of the boat, causing it to heave. Sam was caught off guard and fell into the water.   "Man overboard!" the Skipper yelled.   Barry quickly grabbed the boat's life ring and threw it overboard. It landed near Sam, who was holding on to the large piece of wood he tried to gaff.   Another large wave appeared and washed over Sam, momentarily forcing him underwater.   And for a moment, he caught a glimpse of something big swimming away beneath the surface. It was white and about the size of a killer whale with large fins. It turned to look back at Sam. The thing had a long humanoid face and long fins that looked like arms.   Sam quickly kicked his feet and swam for the surface.   "There's something in the water!" Sam yelled. He grabbed hold of the life ring and was quickly pulled up onto the boat.   "What did you see?" Dean asked.   "I'm not sure, but it was big," Sam said.   "Probably what attacked the other boat," Barry said, scanning the water. The fog made it hard to see more than a few yards. "I doubt anyone survived."   "We best get moving," Skipper said. He tried to get the Mary Sue started.   But the engine wouldn't start.   They were dead in the water.