“Debrief”

Transcribed by Ryan L. Melvin

October 1, [redacted]
[redacted], Illinois, USA

[redacted]: It’s my job to watch the corn grow. I have to shoot any that try to escape. The handbook doesn’t say what to do if someone goes into the field. That’s why I left the watchtower.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Yes, sir, I’m aware of the toxic eKects from when the pesticides [redacted] with the fungus beneath.

[redacted]

[redacted]: No, sir, I would never eat the corn.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Female. Mid-30s. Tall. Average weight. Dark hair. White dress.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Dead. Near the northeast corner.

[redacted]

[redacted]: I cannot.

[redacted]

[redacted]: No, sir. The body was too [redacted].

[redacted]

[redacted]: I could take someone there.

[redacted]

[redacted]: I don’t understand the question.

[redacted]

[redacted]: I don’t know how someone could work with the corn if they wanted to. What would that look like?

[redacted]

[redacted]: Corn can’t talk.

[redacted]

[redacted]: No, sir, no one thought corn could [redacted] until it did.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Why don’t we just burn that field? That’s never made sense to me.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Sir, no, sir, it doesn’t need to make sense for me to do my job.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Yes, sir, I’m sure I remember where.

----

October 30, [redacted]
[redacted], Illinois, USA

[redacted]

[redacted]: This makes three, sir.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Only me.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Dead. All in the northeast corner.

[redacted]

[redacted]: The nearby stalks had even more human parts than last time. One seemed to have teeth instead of kernels.

[redacted]

[redacted]: No, sir, the last time I noticed only ears and noses.

[redacted]

[redacted]: All gray. The doctor in the last team called it “pallor mortis.”

[redacted]

[redacted]: No, sir, they were all too [redacted], just like the first.

[redacted]

[redacted]: I can’t say.

[redacted]

[redacted]: Strange, sir? How so?

[redacted]

[redacted]: I think it makes perfect sense.

[redacted]

[redacted]: I watch the corn grow. I shoot any that try to escape.

[gunshot]

[sounds of a struggle]

[static]