Author Note: This chapter is a repost. I originally had deleted it because maybe it felt like it disturbed the flow of the story even though it is intended to foreshadow a couple of concepts in later chapters. I also had written in a short time and felt off about it. Almost like this chapter is filler despite my intentions. Then it dawned on me that maybe I deleted it without giving it much thought, and I may confuse people. I do apologize. I am reposting it for those that did enjoy it. If you already read this, please ignore it. I will have a new chapter soon carrying off where we were. Again, sorry for the inconvenience of this repost. It won't happen again.
A week prior to the Chinese coastal city attacks.
"Good evening today, folks. Welcome to the Intoxicated Skeptics Podcast live! I'm Kirk."
"And I'm Leonard!"
The two hosts sat around a table with cameras pointed at them and a microphone near their faces at a set within a garage. On the table was a laptop and bottles of beer. In addition, there were two speakers connected to the laptop.
On the screen of the computer was the video feed from the cameras and a live chatroom that was heavily active. Viewers were excited for the stream.
"As all of you know, we have a special guest for today's stream, the Big T. Uh, he isn't with us right now due to technical difficulties but- Wait, I think are connected to him." Said Kirk as he looked at the computer to make sure they were connected to Big T. The screen had an icon stating they were connected and displayed Big T typing through his webcam. Kirk then had the Big T's video feed up for the stream so viewers could see him.
"Hey, you hear me, Big T?" Asked Kirk. Meanwhile Leonard took a drink of beer.
"Yeah, I hear you." Replied Big T as he adjusted a headset he was wearing.
"Excellent!" Kirk said back. Kirk did some final adjustment to where the Big T's webcam video was for the stream.
"Anyway, so guys we present the Big T of Truth Bomb Productions! Good to have you here." Kirk continued with a smirk.
"Thanks for inviting me to the podcast." Big T replied as he reached out to pick up a coffee mug off camera to take a sip from. It was filled with a protein shake he's been trying out lately.
"For those that don't know Big T, he produces conspiracy theory videos." Leonard said to the audience.
"I liked to be called more of a crusader of truth." Added Big T as he took another drink.
"Oh, you do? Interesting. How have you been as of late?" Leonard proceeded to say to Big T.
"Fine." Big T simply responded. Kirk then spoke.
"So we are here to have a bit of a debate on various topics. For our viewers who don't know, Big T recently did a video on the incidents at Brightburn, Kansas. That will be our first topic."
"Can you tell us about that, T?" Leonard asked.
"Sure. I and several other people have refused to believe the media about what has been happening there. Videos online from people in the state show that the government is covering up something!"
"Like what?" Said Kirk as he took a drink along with Leonard.
"Not sure but maybe something supernatural. Here's a photo I printed out from online of what looks like a person in the sky. It's definitely some of the scariest shit I've ever seen." Said Big T. He proceeded to grab a blurry photo that had Brandon in the sky but he was too far from the camera to be distinguished. Kirk and Leonard squinted as Big T placed the photo up to his webcam for the hosts and audience to see.
"You can see legs so it is humanoid." Big T continued to explain as he placed the photo away off-camera.
"So you are saying a flying person is responsible for the tragedies at Brightburn?" Kirk said in a condescending tone though he tried to be subtle.
"Yes. It is most likely since why does the media and officials try to discredit these images? There is something they don't want us to know about." Replied Big T.
"Ever thought it was because they don't want misinformation to spread out of respect for those that died? The images could be faked for all we know." Replied Kirk.
"I don't think so." Big T responded. He was starting to slowly grow agitated.
"There needs to be more concrete evidence. Like, how can a person fly in the air? What's the science behind that? How the hell does that work?" Leonard objected.
"I can think of ton of reasons. The first I can think of is that whatever Brightburn is, what most are calling it, is maybe an evil native American spirit. Like a wendigo literally high on helium!" Big T passionately responded.
Kirk and Leonard held back laughter for Big T was already not making much sense. The Big T thought nothing of their reaction, assuming they found his remark at the end about a wendigo on helium to be funny, which he intended it to be.
"The second explanation," Continued Big T "could be the literal anti-Christ. We all know the occult is something government officials take part in. Fuck, have you seen the footage where there are flies in the room during political conferences? Definitely that of Beelzebub!"
"Wait, wait..." Kirk managed to say before laughing at the absurdity Big T said. Leonard had a large grin on his face and slowly shook his head. Leonard then spoke on behalf of his cohost.
"That is really pushing it, you know? I would more likely believe in the previous explanation. Add an Indian burial ground to complete the cliché and it's complete!"
"Ahh, man. Yeah, that is just nonsense. Both require concrete proof to make them valid possible explanations. I used to live in a cabin in the woods and never saw no damn wendigo. Also, they say even fucking celebrities practice the occult. How come it is the same type of occult symbolism? Why not something obscure and pagan? Why fail so badly to cover their tracks?" Kirk said when he stopped laughing
"You just have to look closely at the evidence..." Big T responded to Kirk as he took drink.
"Yeah, it isn't very convincing no matter how close or how far I look at it. It verges on me having to be insane to make the huge leap into a rabbit hole of bullshit."
The chat was expressing their enjoyment of the podcast so far through abbreviations and laughing emojis. A few comments made summed up what everyone in the audience was thinking.
lol. What the hell is Big T smoking? Wrote a user named 4204life.
Is this guy for real? Wrote another named BigxBone360xxx.
Big T then replied to Kirk's remarks.
"You just have to be more open to the truth. Also, there are plenty of other possible explanations about what is happening."
"Well, I think it is too soon to make any claims of what has been happening at Brightburn and you should be more open to the possibility it is likely nothing. There could actually be no conspiracy about the place involving voodoo or aliens or whatever the hell." Kirk said back to Big T.
"It's best to play things safe!" Exclaimed the Big T.
"Oh really?" Responded Kirk before looking at Leonard and gesturing at him. Leonard nodded his head and proceeded to go grab a box under the table. Leonard rummaged through the box and took out two aluminum foil hats. Leonard handed one to his cohost before putting it on his own head. The two hosts then began to snicker.
The Big T frowned and briefly said nothing before talking.
"Real funny..." The Big T replied with a hint of frustration in his voice. He tapped the fingers of his left hand on the table off-camera. The hosts were testing his patience for a more civil discussion.
"The next topic is your video about how to know if one is a clone. I found that video to be the most interesting." Said Leonard to Big T.
"Why?" Big T asked.
"I think it is interesting due to how you propose penis size as a way for one to know if they are a clone." Leonard said before bursting out into laughter.
"What I found fascinating was that you actually considered yourself to be a clone. It is an interesting existential crisis but one so not based on reality." Kirk added.
"Cloning is a thing! It is done with animals so why not people?" Big T replied furiously. He was already loosing his cool.
"I am not denying cloning but we need proof it is done with humans. Videos of celebrities doing a weird thing isn't evidence." Kirk replied seriously to Big T while Leonard giggled. The audience quickly typed their amusement at the stream so far.
"It's all too useful for the powers that be not to use."
"In your video, you pretty much imply the government made random people clones, a large chunk of the population. Pretty much everybody! No reasons why or anything was given by you. As mentioned, you actually entertained the idea you could be a clone because you didn't remember where you put your car keys and butter knife. Isn't it obvious you are experiencing paranoia?" Kirk said with sincerity before taking another drink.
The Big T was silent. He was becoming furious and he breathed heavily.
"Let's go to the next subject." Finally responded the Big T.
"Okay. The next is your stuff about aliens. I believe in alien life existing in the universe but you really make the idea sound stupid."
"In what way!" Exclaimed the Big T with his arms now crossed.
"You think aliens are on the Moon which is apparently hollowed, that they are in the governments to inflate the economy so it collapses, and that they are at the bottom of the ocean to mine and fish for exotic markets in faraway worlds. You come up with science-fiction level shit that is just unfounded in reality." Kirk refuted.
"If aliens are capable of interstellar travel, they could do those things, Kirk!" Big T replied.
"Yeah but why collapse the economy? Why would anyone give a shit about a planet's currency when they could just blow us up if they wanted to. Also, we haven't had any problems so the aliens are doing a bad job if they are doing that. The Moon being hollow has so many flaws to it that I am not even going to bother tackling it. The last thing you claimed of aliens at the ocean is pure assumptions." Continued Kirk.
"USOs, short for unidentified submerged objects, are a thing and-" Big T tried to quickly argue before Leonard shimmed in.
"Emphasis on unidentified. It doesn't automatically mean aliens and doesn't support your intergalactic trade conspiracy."
"But there is tons of unexplained things about the ocean. From Bermuda Triangle to the fucking Bloop!" Big T loudly declared as he balled up his hands into fists. Kirk then spoke.
"Nothing concretely connects those things in anyway, bud. It takes a lot of mental gymnastics that only you can pull to make something like that logical. Also, both have their own lengthy mundane explanations that don't include something otherworldly. Sometimes the answer to something is usually the simplest."
Before he could speak, Leonard then took out an air horn and used it, startling Big T who visibly jumped in his seat wildly. Big T's headset almost fell of his head. The audience were entertained, ignoring the fact someone was spamming the chat with offensive imagery. Kirk and Leonard snickered to each other as they observed the Big T recollect himself.
"You alright?" Asked Leonard with a large grin.
"You know what?! I'm out." Big T said angrily.
"What?" Kirk then asked.
"Fuck you guys. You clearly are government plants trying to discredit me. Fuck you!" Big T declared as he furiously removed his head set and attempted to leave the stream.
"Very well. That was our guest, the Big T, folks!"
"Yeah, remember that name, you fucking bastards!" Yelled Big T as he squinted at his computer, trying to figure out how to leave.
"Ah fuck it." Big T said before flipping off the two amused hosts and unplugging his computer. The hosts chuckled to each other and the chat reacted with glee.
KEK! Big T raged quit! A user named hitlerdonger69 typed into the chat.
Knew this would happen. Typed another named badmutafakz345.
"That went better than our last guest, Leonard." Said Kirk with a smile to Leonard. He was still processing Big T's empty accusation.
"Yeah. Should we just watch his videos and continue to rip into them for the bullshit they are?" Leonard replied to his cohost.
"If the audience wants it. Type in the chat, folks!" Kirk said into the camera to the audience.
A day after the attack of the coastal cities of China.
Big T looked at blurred images and videos of military activity concerning the South China Sea. Rumors have sprung that evacuation of port cities near that large body of water were due to something much more than just a tsunami or earthquake. Big T quickly speculated and messaged a few of his personal buddies to chat about the matter. After an hour, Big T came to a conclusion of what was happening, and he went onto his social media through his phone.
The Big T typed away and submitted his post. It was short and tagged the two hosts of the Intoxicated Skeptics podcast.
"I was right, you fuckers! #aliensattheocean" Read the post. He then added a picture of himself flipping off the camera while drinking a cup of coffee with a smug expression on his face. Big T's followers quickly flocked to share and like his post.