Currently on Blair Witch: Season 2...

With James now separated from Emma and Ray, Ed heads to an abandoned radio tower on the edge of the woods, hoping to reestablish contact with his crew. The tower operator's notes seem nonsensical at first, but with your help, Ed boosts the signal and gets back in touch with Emma and Ray. However, it soon becomes clear that Ed and his crewmates have very different notions about how much time has passed. As they discuss whether they've been out of touch for days - according to Ed - or mere minutes - according to Emma - the signal drops, and a police transmission cuts through. Ed learns that the sheriff's deputies have found the team's rental van on the forest's Eastern Access Road. He races to the scene, hoping to scoop up any evidence. Before the van is impounded, Ed manages to steal a camera bag. Inside, he believes Emma has left him clues pointing to their location in the woods. However, he needs your help to find the final, missing clue.

Hints

Logging On

• Check Ed's letter for the specific task Ed assigns you. Ed asks you to find the location of Emma's missing clue. Sending him a specific location on www.superneutralpodcast.com will complete this objective. The website's password is YEREN.

Missing Map

• First things first! You'll need to decipher Emma's encoded message on the survival guide in order to get clues about the missing map.
• Is there something odd about the license plate number on the car rental agreement?
• Is there any information about cracking codes in this episode?
• Have you checked any objects for clues?

Morse Code

• Emma has written some encoded information on the survival guide. Is there a key for deciphering Morse code in a previous episode?

Note from Harriett

bonus content between Episodes 2 & 3

• Does this draw any comparisons to an item you've received?
• Imagine you're inside the house, and then follow Harriett's directions for letter placement. Writing the letters down may help. What do all these placed letters spell out?

Ray and Emma's Hiding Place

• After you help Ed find the correct location of the missing clue, he'll send you the missing half of Emma's hand-drawn map. Put the two pieces together, and look closely. What is surrounding the word "here"?
• Check out the ranger incident reports and the filming permit application. Are there any places mentioned that sound like the location Emma has drawn on the map Ed sent you in the chat?

Rhymes of Burkittsville Email

bonus content between Episodes 2 & 3

• Is there anything unusual about the capitalizations in the rhyme?
• Is there a message that can be created out of the capitalized letters?
• What words have the Rhymes of Burkittsville emails revealed thus far?

Reveals

Missing Map

• Emma's instructions in Morse code on the survival guide tell you how to discover the spot in the van where the missing map is located.
• Emma's note to "step up to the plate" is a reference to the license plate number on the car rental agreement. It isn't a license plate number at all! It's an encoded word.
• The second post in the SuperNeutral message boards gives instructions on how to crack a keyword cipher. Now all you need is the keyword!
• The keyword is hiding somewhere on the Knitting Betty doll.

• The letters found on the car rental agreement (RHCIMCME) can be deciphered using the word found on the Knitting Betty doll (HUNTED) using this set-up:

  • HUNTEDABCFGIJKLMOPQRSVWXYZ
    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
• Make sure you decode down!

• The answer to the missing map's location is: TAILPIPE. Type the word "tailpipe" into Ed's chat box on www.superneutralpodcast.com to complete the first tasks and move on to the next section of the episode.

Morse Code

• The SuperNeutral notebook you received in Episode 1 contains a page on how to decipher Morse code.

• When deciphered, Emma's notes in Morse code on the survival guide read:

  • Safety Strategies for Wildlife Encounters

    • Is he doing this on purpose
    • I'm not an idiot
    • Gross
    • Stickmen
    • He's escalating

  • When to Seek Help

    • How to find the rest of the map

      • I left you a key
      • She has the secret
      • Step up to the plate

Note from Harriett

bonus content between Episodes 2 & 3

• Harriett assigns specific letters to each area of her house, which can then be followed to find a message. You must visualize yourself standing inside the house in order to correctly orient yourself to the directions, otherwise, right and left may be reversed.
• The walls match up to the letters as follows: R is "front door", U is "right wall", N is "back wall", N is "ceiling", O is "left wall", W is "floor". When the path is followed correctly, Harriett's message spells "RUN NOW".

Ray and Emma's Hiding Place

• The circle around the word "here" is made of Quercus alba trees, better known as white oak.
• The location on the found map is known as The Trench. To complete the episode, go to www.superneutralpodcast.com, open the chat box, and type "The Trench" in a message to Ed.

Rhymes of Burkittsville Email

bonus content between Episodes 2 & 3

• The capitalized letters here are L-I-L-W. Unscrambled, they make the word "WILL". Incorporating the message from the previous episode, the rhyme emails have so far spelled the phrase "You will".

Hidden Text

Knitting Betty Doll

• The cap of the doll contains the word HUNTED written by Emma.

Transcripts

Audio from Emma's Phone

[Ray rummages around the van while Emma sets up her phone. She double-checks if it's recording and takes a breath.]

 

Emma: Hey everyone, this is Emma here with my... with Ray. Say hi, Ray.

Ray: Yeah...hey.

Emma: It's been a while since we've given you a proper update, huh? I figured now would be a good opportunity to... you know. In case there was any doubt, we're still lost! Uh, James -

Ray: - Left -

Emma: - got separated from us. So, hopefully, he's alright. Um, Ed's reception has been spotty at best. Fortunately, I think we've done pretty well for ourselves - just the two of us. We found the van! Finally, we can get out of here.

Ray: Doesn't matter. James has the keys, and Ed has the spare.

Emma: Are you serious?

Ray: Super smart since he was never gonna actually come out here. I don't know if they'd even work if we had them. There's this weird mucus -

 

[A loud slam as Ray shuts the hood.]

 

Ray (cont'd): It's all over the engine.

 

[Emma takes a deep breath in and shakily breathes out.]

 

Emma: Perfect. More weird stuff we can't explain. That's just... perfect. Um, well, listeners, at least we found the van. Um, maybe we should wait here for James. Or we could just follow the path we came down on foot. What path there is. It's a plan at least. But it might just get us more lost.

 

[Ray gets out of the van and approaches Emma.]

 

Ray: You good?

Emma (hesitantly): I want to go home. What if... what if there really is a witch out there?

 

[Ray scoffs.]

 

Emma (cont'd): No, no, seriously. Like, uh, what would we even do? I - I mean, getting lost is one thing, but getting lost in the Black Hills Forest is... I don't like it. We've been in here for like 30 minutes maybe, but it feels like it's been hours. What were the signs of the witch again? Aren't you supposed to, uh, lay out some salt or something?

 

[Emma laughs nervously and sighs.]

 

Ray: Do you even have salt? Emma. Nothing's gonna happen. We're at the van. The path we took in is right there. It's got to lead out, right? Forget the stupid witch.

 

[A sinister growling is heard, but neither Ray nor Emma seem to notice.]

 

Ray (cont'd): I'd be more worried about weirdos from town pulling some sort of prank.

Emma: Yeah, you're right. You're probably right.

Ray (chuckling): I know I am.

Emma: Thanks... well - oh, my god, am I still recording?

 

[Emma clicks the recorder off.]

Audio from Ray's Phone

[Forest soundscape. Ray and Emma walk through the woods. When the audio starts, they're already mid-conversation.]

 

Emma: - no way the path goes on for this long. We've been walking for hours.

Ray: We drove in, so maybe?

Emma: Are we even on the path?

 

[Emma picks up some leaves covered in slime.]

 

Emma (cont'd): What even is this slimy crap... it's everywhere.

Ray: Let's not wait around and see if we can find out. It can't be that much farther. God, I can't wait to get some real food.

Emma (laughing): Oh yeah, I would kill for some crab legs right now.

Ray: Oh, I saw that diner down the block had a triple fudge sundae. I can hear it calling my name.

Emma: I thought you were lactose intolerant.

Ray: It's gonna be worth it. I don't care if I -

 

[The sound of twigs breaking nearby interrupts him.]

 

Emma: What was that?

 

[There's a moment of silence as Emma and Ray listen in. More twigs break in the distance.]

 

Ray: Hey, i - if someone's there, stop playing.

 

[The footsteps sound as though they are approaching.]

 

Ray (cont'd, yelling): James! James, that you?!

Emma (whispering): Shh, shut up!

Ray: Okay, very funny, James! You sure got the new kids!

 

[The footsteps stop. Emma continues to whisper.]

 

Emma: Ray! Be quiet. We have no idea whether that's James or... something else.

Ray: Well, if it's not James, it's someone else who could help us. Even if they're trying to screw with us.

Emma: You don't know that.

Ray (whispering): Trust me. I know it's not a Witch.

Emma: No, you don't. Let me see that map. We need to get back to the van.

Ray: 'Kay.

 

[Ray unzips and rummages through his backpack. Emma paces until she notices Ray's phone is on and recording. She approaches.]

 

Emma: Your phone's on. Did you know this is recording?

Ray: What? No.

 

[Ray pulls the phone from his bag.]

 

Emma (frightened): Oh, god... was it listening to us?

Ray: No, no, it must've just turned on by accident.

Emma: This is creeping me out real bad. I want to get out of here.

 

[Audio ends abruptly.]

Car Rental Agreement

Front → Emma's Handwriting

• RHCIMCME

 

Back

• Emma: woods listening. write it down.
  STOP! WRITE IT DOWN.
• Ray: not allowed to talk anymore?
• Emma: NO. It heard us before. Write from now on.
• Ray: Fine. which way?
• Emma: West.
• Ray: how did we end up back here? Dont - you said to take you west I took you west
• Emma: Let's sleep in the van - no camp.
• Ray: food?
• Emma: I'll check. You watch.
  21 boxes
• Ray: Cool that's a lot
• Emma: It isn't. 4 days.
• Ray: I'll take your word for it
  When we get out of here, let's go to that play
• Emma: Just try to sleep.
  Do you see that?
• Ray: What are talking about
  STAY QUIET
• Emma: The lights
• Ray: What are you talking about stay quiet. Everything's gonna be ok
  Did it stop?
• Emma: You really didn't see them
  Why were you whispering to me last night?
• Ray: I wasn't
• Emma: Don't lie.
• Ray: I wasn't
  What's that? Want to stop?
• Emma: Ranger station!
• Ray: What waste of time. You get anything?
• Emma: Papers. A list. Seemed useful.
• Ray: Great. paper, weird dead rat-thing, and snail drool
• Emma: Did you touch it?
• Ray: accidentally
  I followed the map, I swear
• Emma: Then why are we here A̲G̲A̲I̲N̲
• Ray: The sun's still out. why is the sun still out
• Emma: How would I know?
• Ray: I didn't do this
• Emma: Let's just try again ok?
• Ray: This doesn't make any sense
• Emma: Why do we KEEP. COMING. BACK. HERE?!
• Ray: I told you. I'm not doing anything.
• Emma: I didn't say you did.
• Ray: Then why are you mad??
• Emma: BECAUSE WE'RE L̲O̲S̲T̲
  We're staying here until I decide where to go next.
  We shouldn't have lied about the permit. We should have listened

Ed's Victory Audio Recording #1

[Ed, having just received instructions that Emma hid a note in the van, is marching to the Impound Lot. Gravel crunches under his purposeful footsteps.]

 

Ed (hushed breath): Hey. Gotta keep it down; there's a cop at the front gate. I'm gonna hop the back fence. Hang on a second.

 

[Ed fumbles to place the mic in his pocket as he approaches the chain-link fence, which rattles loudly at his touch. Ed grunts and the fence jitters as he climbs, transitions at the top, and drops to the gravel on the other side with a breathy exhale upon landing. He grabs his microphone from his pocket.]

 

Ed (keeping his voice down): Okay, I don't think anyone saw me.

 

[Crouching, Ed moves slowly toward the impounded van. Gravel softly crunches under his feet.]

 

Ed: Okay, tailpipe. Good... god. Man, this thing really is ruined.

 

[Ed crouches down.]

 

Ed (nervous): Good thing I have my tetanus shot.

 

[Paper slides against rust and debris as Ed pulls a rolled-up map out of the van's muffler.]

 

Ed (quiet disbelief, gasp): You were right!

 

[Ed unfurls the map.]

 

Ed: This is it! We can use this to figure out where they're going. I'm going to send you a picture and then get out of here. I can't risk anyone seeing me - oh sh-

 

[Ed holds his breath as a car rolls past, the gravel signaling its patrol.]

 

Ed (whispering): Check out the picture I just sent you. Hopefully, with the rest of the stuff in the package, you should be able to figure out where they're going. I gotta get out of here without getting arrested. Get back to me as soon as you can.

 

[Ed clicks off the recorder.]

Ed's Victory Audio Recording #2

[Ed is walking outside after having left the Impound Lot. He's tired, concerned, but hopeful that his efforts getting to the van have been paid off by the player's accomplishments. He's running on fumes, but ready to go, walking quickly over fallen leaves.]

 

Ed (tired, but eager): Hey, friend. The Trench, huh? That makes sense. Emma and Ray are hiding at the Trench. God, I hope they're alright. I keep calling and texting all of them. I know they can't be seeing it, but still...

 

[Ed swallows nervously.]

 

Ed: This should be happening to me. Not because I - I mean, I was the one who brought them out here. I was the leader. Now everyone's lost.

 

[An animal is heard in the distance. Ed's tired footsteps transition from grass and leaves to paved road as he begins walking to Main Street.]

 

Ed: And I can't go to Lanning for help. I have to be the one to go get them. Nobody else is gonna do it.

 

[Ed takes a deep breath.]

 

Ed: Wish me luck, Investigator. I'm gonna go get ready. Hopefully, the next package I send you has some better news.

 

[Ed turns off the recorder.]

Filming Permit Application

Emma's Handwriting

• You were never coming in
• good places to scout?
• nice and high, poor visibility — dense foliage (mostly eastern white pine), maybe
• search party, god no
• too far, the hermit?
• the pale thing, never
• good cover, but how deep? oak leaves, good for tinder?
• hard to find, tough hike to get there, treeline sparse, but maybe
• the lights, no
• the most remote, access to water, maybe

Hidden Text

• The writing on the Knitting Betty Doll reads: HUNTED.

Note from Harriett

bonus content between Episodes 2 & 3

My cozy little house

Is more than just a home

I use it to remember things

No matter where I roam

 

I write things on the floor

And even on the walls

It helps me to know what to do

When someone wicked calls

 

You're standing in my house

And facing my front door

You hear a noise outside and then

You're shaken to your core

 

But now you must remember

The thing you need to do

You look around my little house

And try to find a clue.

 

Floor is W

Right wall, U

Left wall, O

That much is true

Front door, R

And back wall, N

The ceiling is the same! So then….

 

Look at the door,

Then turn to the right

And stare straight ahead as you tremble with fright

Then turn to the back

Look over there, too

O, is the Blair Witch out a-hunting for you?

Eyes up to the ceiling

And now, quarter turn

Then eyes straight ahead

As you gaze with concern

Look down to the floor,

And that's the last one

But will the witch take you before you are done?

Play Advertisement

Front → Ray's Handwriting

• Day 3 (morning?)
  She's not talking to me. Not allowed to open my mouth apparuntly. This isn't my fault.
  Staying in the van til she decides it's safe. Who knows when that will be.
  Somebody from town is messing with us. Hear rustling and whispering outside. Laughing like tree trunks scraping together.
• Day 4?
  She still won't let us leave. Why can't she trust me? Maybe this play will give her something to look forward to.

 

Back → Ray's Handwriting

• D̵a̵y̵ ̵4̵
  Day 5
  No food left. Someone attacked the van last night. Only saw branches slamming against the windows.
  Told her I would protect her. Can I?
  Stupid stick things everywhere outside. I know they're real cuz she saw them too. Don't think it's people from town anymore.
• Day ??
  Gave her ideas but she didn't care. All within an hour's walk. Dead Man's Rock, Jones Camp Falls, or Dutch Hill. All great but she shut down every one. We need to go somewhere.
  Anywhere.
  Screaming and screaming and more screaming outside the van all night. Then that laughing again.
  But the screaming sounded like me.
• Day ??
  More stick people outside. More and more and more.
  I'm SO HUNGRY. Can't sleep. Not that I even should. Something out there. Watching. Doesn't make sense, what I thought I saw. Tall. Skin like bark. Branches for antlers.
  Ed never said anything about this.

 

Inside → Ray's Handwriting

• Day ???
  A pile of rocks outside the van. Heard enough of Ed's Blair Witch talk to know what that means.
  I just want to go home. Please just let me go home. Please please please please please PLEASE
  she says she has a place, it's now or never. It's coming for us tonight.

SuperNeutral Message Board

[A SuperNeutral fan has played one of the podcasts backwards and uploaded it to the message boards.]

 

James (muffled and glitching): We're never gonna make it out of the woods.

SuperNeutral Podcast: Knitting Betty Audio Recording

[INTRO MUSIC, fading to the introduction by our hosts Kristen Flanagan and Shawn Bauman.]

 

Kristen: Welcome to SuperNeutral, the pint-sized paranormal podcast that pits a believer: that's me, Kristen Flanagan...

Shawn: Against a skeptic like me: Shawn Bauman. Now, Kristen, I read your newsletter about Knitting Betty, and let me just say... a ghost in the woods. Exactly SuperNeutral's bread and butter, right?

Kristen: Ha, yeah, this is the kind of story that gets you a Castwire deal. Ed and James are so busy, I still can't get them on the phone! But, yes, to be honest, I did pick this story because Ed and James always listed her as one of their favorite legends.

Shawn: Very cool. So let's talk about this. Knitting Betty was beheaded as a spy?

Kristen: That's what they say, but I've read different accounts. This is a very small-town legend in New Jersey, and some people say she was accidentally caught and called a spy because she just sat watching the battles, while other accounts say that she actually was spying! They say she was reporting on the movements of British soldiers. What's wilder though, is the different forms people claim she can take.

Shawn: Oh my god, can she turn into an owl or something?

Kristen: No, less shape-shifting and more about her having powers and, like, attitudes toward strangers. She has three particular ways of appearing. There's "English Betty", "Dutch Betty", and "Black Betty". Which do you want to hear about first?

Shawn: Oh, uh, let's just go in order. I - I think I want to save "Black Betty" for last.

Kristen: Hmm, wise choice. Okay, "English Betty" is what she's called when hikers come across her seemingly sitting on her rock just knitting peacefully. No matter what you say or what you do, she won't react. They call her "English Betty" because in this mode she is wary of all strangers. To her, you and any other hiker are the English, and she's spying on you just like she did during the Revolutionary War.

Shawn: Huh, that's kind of fun. So, she's keeping an eye on strangers. You know, it's actually kind of creepy to imagine her staring at you out of the corner of her eye.

Kristen: Yeah, like, pretending to be focused on her knitting, but really watching everything you do. Like when paintings in fancy houses follow you with their eyes.

Shawn: Hey, uh, is it weird that they call her "English Betty" when the point is that she considers YOU to be the English?

Kristen: Yeah! Very. Now, "Dutch Betty".

 

[Shawn laughs.]

 

Kristen: "Dutch Betty" is a lot more frightening. In this form, they say she's holding her decapitated head in her lap as it spins around and around screaming for help to be put back up on her shoulders.

Shawn (laughing): Oh my god, that's terrifying.

Kristen: I know. Uh, but believe it or not, it is nowhere near as terrifying as "Black Betty". This form sees Betty appearing inside an enormous cloud in the sky, sewing a pouch made from the skin of anyone foolish enough to commit any act of evil on her mountain.

Shawn: Well that's a huge change. She - she's a cloud now?

Kristen: Well, she's in a cloud. But yes, suddenly very god-like.

Shawn: Yeah, a - a vengeful god.

Kristen: Right. So be on your best behavior if you're hiking on Sourland Mountain.

Shawn: Good advice. Boy, Knitting Betty, huh? No wonder Ed and James are into this one.

Kristen: Ugh, I love her.

Shawn: Well, listeners, I think that brings us to the end of another episode of SuperNeutral. We'll be back next week to talk about another threat waiting for you in the woods, but until then it is safe to turn out the lights.

Kristen: Or is it?

 

[The music concludes, leaving us with a post-show snippet.]

 

Shawn: Hey, uh, what do you think Knitting Betty is knitting?

Kristen: Hmm... How about, like, a long shawl? Cuz that's not exactly beginner stuff, and she's definitely got the time.

Shawn: A shawl. Is that like a cape or something?

Kristen: Yeah, exactly. Knitting Betty is my hero.

Survival Guide

Beneath Signaling Section → Emma's Handwriting

• What To Do Next

• Stay at the van until we have a game plan. See "General Safety Considerations". We can't stay here. It knows where we are. Leave a trail for EB? Will these things be able to follow it?

 

Beneath Safety Strategies → Emma's Handwriting

• Ray

  • Says he knows the way, but then we always get lost. .. ... / .... . / -.. --- .. -. --. / - .... .. ... / --- -. / .--. ..- .-. .--. --- ... .
  • Won't stop whispering at night. Says the whisper is coming from outside the van. .. -- / -. --- - / .- -. / .. -.. .. --- -
  • Read his little diary just now. --. .-. --- ... ...
  • ... - .. -.-. -.- -- . -. everywhere.
  • More of them tonight.
  • Rock formations. .... . ... / . ... -.-. .- .-.. .- - .. -. --.

Beneath When to Seek Help Section → Emma's Handwriting

• .... --- .-- / - --- / ..-. .. -. -.. / - .... . / .-. . ... - / --- ..-. / - .... . / -- .- .--.

  • .. / .-.. . ..-. - / -.-- --- ..- / .- / -.- . -.--
  • ... .... . / .... .- ... / - .... . / ... . -.-. .-. . -
  • ... - . .--. / ..- .--. / - --- / - .... . / .--. .-.. .- - .