Dr Kennedy is a guilt-ridden psychiatrist, who is reviewing old recordings of his former patient Alisha in the hopes of solving the mystery of Ravenscourt. At the time he easily dismissed Alisha’s assertion that Ravenscourt was bound to evil. However many years later, his faith in that assertion and even reality itself, is starting to crumble.
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(upbeat music) This episode is brought to you by Experian. Are you paying for subscriptions you don't use, but can't find the time or energy to cancel them? Experian could cancel unwanted subscriptions for you, saving you an average of $270 per year, and plenty of time. Download the Experian app. Results will vary, not all subscriptions are eligible. Savings are not guaranteed. Paid membership with connected payment account required. This is Monday, Matt and A on the Mutual Audio Network. Come on, let's all go to the lobby, because people are staring at us listening to these shows while we're in the theater. The following audio drama is rated PG-13, suggesting that children under the age of 13 should listen accompanied with an adult. Epic Productions presents Raven's Course, an original limited series podcast created by David Horgan. (upbeat music) Chapter One, A Fragile Layer of Sanity. (computer beeps) - My name is Dr. Mark Kennedy. I was the head psychiatric consultant at the Ravenscord Mental Health Facility from 1993 to 2001. The whole truth of what happened there can never be known. The dead keep their secrets. That is their privilege. The living are left looking for answers. That is our burden. You could be forgiven for thinking that the trees around Ravenscord are there to hide its modesty. A privacy given to its vulnerable patients and selfless staff. But a darker reading is that Mother Nature herself is trying to swallow this evil building from view. Trying to protect her naive inhabitants. We apparent to cover as their child's eyes when disturbing images appear on the television. But the horrors of my former place of employment aren't secured behind a television screen. They're only held back from our reality by a fragile layer of sanity. A barrier which it gnaws away at from its own side. All of this begins with a young woman, patient ex. I've redacted her name out of respect for the family. I will refer to her as Elisha. It was September of 1999 when I began recording our sessions. It was Elisha's second time under my care. And unfortunately, her last. September 3rd, 1999. It's about three minutes past two. So, how have you been sleeping? Not bad, but I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamt that I lived in a mirror and I could only be seen when other people looked at me. I'd scream and scream, but no one could hear me. I had to wait until they looked. Sounds very fitted. That's what he said. Who? Nothing. I misspoke. It's all these pills you have me on. Scrambling my brain, making words salad. Do you think we could reduce my medication, even just lower the zyprexa? Let's give it time to work first. We can discuss it next week. Why don't we focus on this week today? How are you feeling? How did that dream make you feel? It made me feel. It made me feel really horny. Is there any prescription you can give me for that doctor? Having a healthy sex life is a natural part of adulthood, but not here. This is a hospital. A place for people to get better. Patients are forbidden to engage in sexual activity with each other. If a male patient is making sexual advances, you should notify a member of staff immediately. As for me, you are under my care, which is a responsibility I take very seriously. I would never take advantage of that trust by exploiting you. Jesus, I was only joking. I don't think it's very funny. Look, perhaps you will be more comfortable under the care of the female consultant. Everyone has a pretty full patient list, but I'm sure we could arrange something. No, please. The other doctor is here, fucking bitches, please. I'm sorry, don't get rid of me. It's not a matter of getting rid of you. I just want to make sure that you get the best care possible. And what's the point? You're just going to patch me up and send me on my way, but I'm just going to fall apart again. And I'll end up in this creepy fucking hospital over and over again. I know it seems like that. But the cycle can be broken. We discussed how your current mood can affect your memory and your outlook on the future. In your intake interview, you mentioned being upset about your brother. How do you feel about that now? I still miss him. Do you hear him? No. Do you hear any voice? That's why I stopped believing in God. Does God speak to you? I used to think he did. But God would have kept his promise. The voice didn't. What did it say? He said. Well, I asked it if I could make a deal. I'll stop watching TV for a year if he would save my brother. I kept my promise. You don't believe in God because he broke a promise? No, I don't believe in God because God couldn't exist in the world with voices and voices that lie. Faith isn't my area. Maybe you could talk to the chaplain about this. If you think it would help. He has his hands full with all the crazies in here. What does it say about faith? If there are so many religious people in here. It means they need it. I don't want to talk about my brother anymore. I'm tired. Dr. Kennedy, I lied to you before. But what? I haven't been sleeping at all. He won't let me. Who? It wasn't a dream about being trapped in the mirror. He showed it to me. It's not like the voices. He is real. You have to believe me. Who? Boda. His name is Boda. He lives in the shadow behind the mirror. He wouldn't like me telling you about him. What does he say? He said that... It's okay. He said he likes it here. And he wants to stay. I see. You believe me. You believe me, don't you? I believe that you believe it. I didn't believe her that day. And lives could have been saved if I had. We tell ourselves that we don't indulge the patient's psychosis because it enables them. It feeds into their delusion. But the truth is that we are afraid to lean in. Because if we look too hard we might see what they see. There was a certain comfort and madness because reality can be too much to bear. The truth I now have to face is that because of my actions for... inactions. Back then a patient went missing. Who still hasn't been found. Lives were ruined. When I look for help they told me to let it go. I couldn't but I did keep quiet. Until now. Why am I telling you my story now? Why am I telling Alicia's story? Because two days ago I got a letter. A letter addressed from Boda. Raven's Court stars Mark Daughton and Irene Kellahar. Written and directed by David Horgan. Produced and edited by Epic Productions. Distributed by Cornicopia Radio.
