The Order of the Fox Tooth - Episode 5: THE CATALYST
by Caroline Renee Mills
OMG.
You gotta get back to the house somehow, Em!
Derek can't poison Kate!
I can't walk. I've tried.
And The Order's still out looking for me.
My phone battery's flashing.
It's gonna die any second.
I can't believe it stayed on this long already.
I don't know what to do anymore, Andrea!
Give me Derek's phone number.
Why?
I have an idea.
Derek doesn't know my number.
I'm gonna pretend to be somebody else.
Who?
There isn't time to explain.
Give me his number before your battery dies!
OK.
555-6791.
I'm gonna get you out, Emily.
I've got 14% battery.
I've gotta do this quick or hope the cops get here soon with a car charger.
Emily?
3 minutes later.
The End Times are nigh, Shepherd.
Who is this?
I am The Catalyst.
Excuse me?
It is beginning.
You think you're announcing the End Times to me like it's news?
The Herald told me it was coming.
And I am telling you it is here.
What are you talking about?
The police are coming, Derek.
They know where the house is.
Looks like The Order isn't as cunning as the fox.
It's not over yet.
The Order will survive the End Times.
We will live on in the New World.
Then you'd better call in the skulk.
Your little foxes are scattered throughout the woods, looking for a lost sheep.
You are alone in the house with Kate.
How do you know all that?
Who the hell are you?
I ask the questions here, Shepherd.
Do you want to survive the End Times?
Of course.
Then call off the search for the lost sheep.
Bring The Order back to the house.
Let Kate out of the cell.
Why the fuck would I let Kate out?
Because she is important.
You won't survive the End Times without her.
She's not even fully inducted into The Order yet.
She's a nobody.
You are wrong, Derek.
She is The Key.
The Key?
To what?
To the New World.
I told you she's not even in the fucking Order.
The Key merely opens the door.
She has to stay behind to lock it again.
After The Order goes through it to the New World.
Why should I believe you?
Because the fire is coming.
The police will burn the house.
Think of the flames, the smoke, the smell of burnt flesh.
How did you know about The Herald's prophecy?
I told you.
I am The Catalyst.
Why are you telling me all of this?
The New World needs you, Derek.
You are The Shepherd.
OK.
I'm bringing The Order back to the house.
I'm calling off the search.
We don't need Emily, anyway.
We're strong enough without a new recruit.
You had better hurry, Shepherd.
I will.
I gave them each a token.
They'll return to me when the tokens light up.
I have summoned them.
Good.
They'll be here soon.
23 minutes later.
The Order is back at the house.
They said they heard police sirens in the distance.
But The Herald isn't here.
Where is Regina?
You don't need a herald to give you prophecies anymore, Derek.
The Order needs YOU.
Fine. OK.
They are here with me.
Where is Kate?
In the cell.
You need The Key to survive, Derek.
Let her out.
Not yet.
Shepherd.
The Key is safer from the police in the cell.
I'll let her out when it's time.
You have to release her now.
Shepherd?
Derek?
48 minutes later.
The police are raiding the house!
I think they arrested most of The Order.
The cops will kill them.
You said we'd get to the New World.
You fucking lied to me!
No, Shepherd.
I told you to release The Key.
I said you needed her.
You did not listen.
Let her out now and you may still survive.
I can't.
I've barricaded myself in my office.
The police are in the house, remember?
I'm not going out there.
They'll shoot me.
They will burn the house, Derek.
They will smoke you out, like the prophecy said.
If you don't release The Key, you are doomed.
I won't let the agents of the Devil kill me.
I refuse to surrender.
You have two choices.
Come out of the office and unlock Kate's cell.
Journey to the New World.
Or burn to death in the office.
There's a third choice.
What?
I'll fix myself a drink.
Getting drunk won't get you out of this.
Let Kate go!
Wait.
Fuck.
You aren't The Catalyst, are you?
What?
You aren't here to help me or The Order.
You're just after Kate.
You're working with the cops, aren't you?
You're an agent of the Devil, too!
I won't be fooled by you.
I think it's too late.
You already have been.
Have a drink, if you like.
But the police will arrest you.
You're going to prison for drowning Celia.
For hurting Sasha.
And for locking my sister in a fucking cell.
Wait.
Kate is your sister?
Is this Andrea?
You were Regina's friend.
Her name is Sasha.
What happened on the beach with her?
Did you push her onto the rocks?
No.
I took her there to talk to her alone.
Why?
I knew she was considering leaving the house.
She'd been upset about the breakup.
So I took her on a picnic of sorts.
Blanket, food, wine.
I tried to get through to her about the importance of our work.
But she got drunk and ran off crying.
She fell on the rocks and suddenly couldn't remember anything.
It was a convenient accident.
You told the police she went swimming and drowned!
You stood there at her funeral and acted like you were sad!
Are you totally fucking nuts or just a complete sicko?!
I did what I needed to do.
I recruited her because I knew she was The Herald.
She gave the prophecies.
I needed to keep her.
You faked her death!
It worked out OK.
She liked it at the house after that.
Do you really believe in prophesies and heralds and the End Times?
Of course.
Look around you.
What do you mean?
The Devil is taking over the Earth.
The planet is dying because of his agents.
There is war and poverty and disease.
We've all been ignoring the omens of the End Times.
Those terrible things aren't because of the Devil.
There is no apocalypse, Derek.
The police are trying to break down the door, but it's reinforced.
I have some time to pour that drink.
Why are you so afraid?
Because my eyes are open.
You should be afraid, too.
Just cooperate with the cops.
Please.
I'm out here with them on the dirt road.
I'm in the police car.
I've told them everything.
Just let them arrest you peacefully.
I lied about them burning the house down.
If you told them I killed Celia, they won't be gentle with me.
Why did you kill her, Derek?
She was only 15.
She was weak and unclean.
Like dead weight to The Order.
We needed to be strong.
I thought an extended vow of silence could fix her, but I was wrong.
She was too stupid to be a fox.
Why did you recruit Emily?
She is charismatic.
She would've done well in The Order if she hadn't asked questions.
If she'd obeyed me like she should've.
Where is Emily?
The police carried her out of the woods in a stretcher.
They're taking her to the hospital for a broken ankle.
Why did you recruit Kate?
Why did you need my sister?
I knew Celia wouldn't make it.
I needed to find a replacement for her.
I thought your sister had potential.
She was so eager, so willing to learn.
Fuck you, Derek.
You're going to rot in prison.
No, I'm not.
I won't be taken by the Devil's agents.
The police are not the Devil's agents, Derek.
They are here to help Kate. She's sick!
They won't have me.
You think you'll get away with this?
I think I like a strong drink.
And it's taking effect now.
What is it with you and your stupid freaking booze?!
I'm not drinking alcohol, Andrea.
Huh?
It's Kool-Aid.
What the hell are you talking about?
It's juice.
How does juice take effect on you?
I added a secret ingredient.
What?
Energy drink?
Drugs or something?
No.
Well, what?
Poison.
Epilogue—The police were able to break down the office door and found Derek dead in his chair, an empty glass of juice on the desk. The medical examiner determined his manner of death to be suicide.
11 other cult members were found in the house and detained for questioning by the police. None were determined to be directly responsible for the crimes committed. The court advised the members of The Order to seek outpatient therapy.
Kate was rescued from the cell and taken to a hospital for severe malnutrition. She made a full recovery and is currently in counseling.
Emily's ankle healed and she wrote a best-selling memoir about her experience with Derek and The Order. She is now on a book tour raising awareness about the warning signs of a dangerous cult.
Andrea graduated from college the next spring and went on to found a non-profit agency for victims of cult control. Her charity focuses on healing, education, and advocacy.
Sasha's family began a nationwide search for their daughter after they were informed she is still alive. They posted a substantial reward for any information leading to her safe return.
The only solid information they received was a necklace with a fox tooth totem, which had been found in the woods where Sasha was last seen.
She has not been found.
She is still out there.
Somewhere.
App