Currently on Blair Witch: Season 1...

Troubled teenager Liam Kent has vanished from the small town of Burkittsville, Maryland. After months without any leads, the sheriff's department has all but given up. Many Burkittsville residents believe the party responsible to be a local legend: the Blair Witch.

Liam's mother, Rosemary, is a staunch non-believer in the Blair Witch who refuses to stop looking for her son. Rosemary has contacted you, a private detective, to help her find Liam.

Hints

Invisible Ink Puzzle

• Pay attention to the features of Liam's pen. Could the pen help you discover any hidden information?
• There's more than meets the eye to the magazine spread.
• There's more than meets the eye to Liam's notebook.
• Once you've discovered all of Liam's hidden messages, check through the entirety of Liam's notebook for clues on how to decode them.

Logging On

• Check the letter for the specific task Rosemary assigns you. Rosemary asks you to find the last location Liam was seen heading toward. Sending her the name of this location through the tipline on www.kentcase.com will allow you to complete the episode. The website's password is Burkittsville8.

Missing Person Timeline

• In the missing person report, the sheriff mentions where Liam's bracelet was found. Cross-referencing this information with the map of Burkittsville will help you piece together a timeline.
• Read the newspaper article and note the kind of buildings that Hudson worked on.
• In Liam's behavioral records, Liam describes a place he likes to hang out when he is upset. What identifying characteristics does he reveal about this place?
• What does Liam's notebook reveal about places he frequented leading up to the day he went missing?
• You can cross-reference the interview transcripts with the map of Burkittsville in order to track Liam's movements on the day of his disappearance. What direction was Liam last seen moving in, and what relevant buildings are in that direction?
• Using the map of Burkittsville, it is possible to track Liam's whereabouts on the day of his disappearance. If you cross-reference the map with several other documents, you will be able to narrow down the possible buildings that Liam could have been heading toward when he was last seen, down to only one possible conclusion.

Reveals

Invisible Ink Puzzle

• The light on Liam's pen can reveal invisible ink that has been hidden on the magazine spread and in Liam's journal.
• Some of the notes are themselves written in code. The guide at the top of the inner cover of Liam's journal will help you decipher this code. Liam has written a partial guide to an atbash cipher. This is a code in which the alphabet is reversed, so that A = Z, B = Y, C = X, and so on.

• Here is a full guide to the atbash alphabet:

  • A = Z
  • B = Y
  • C = X
  • D = W
  • E = V
  • F = U
  • G = T
  • H = S
  • I = R
  • J = Q
  • K = P
  • L = O
  • M = N
  • N = M
  • O = L
  • P = K
  • Q = J
  • R = I
  • S = H
  • T = G
  • U = F
  • V = E
  • W = D
  • X = C
  • Y = B
  • Z = A

• Liam has written the following on the magazine spread in invisible ink:

  • Crazy stuff. Why'd Ant never tell me about any of this?
  • Nzbyv hsv orevw? Nzbyv hsv'h hgroo lfg gsviv?
  • Have to research more about this.
  • Sld wlvh hsv wvxrwv dsl gl xlmgilo? Dsl gl hkziv?
  • Gsv ifovh lu ivzorgb wlm'g zkkob. Gsv kzhg rh zorev lfg gsviv. Rg'h mlg xizab gl slkv.
  • Where to find out more? I guess the yzhvnvmg'h still my best bet.

• Decoded, the invisible ink written in atbash reads:

  • Maybe she lived? Maybe she's still out there?
  • How does she decide who to control? Who to spare?
  • The rules of reality don't apply. The past is alive out there. Maybe it's not crazy to hope.
  • basement's

• The following sections of text are written in invisible ink in Liam's notebook.

  • ABCDEFG...
    ZYXWVUT...
  • Rg hlfmwh xizab, wzw, yfg R slkv blf'iv hgroo lfg gsviv hlnvdsviv.
  • Rg'h mlg qfhg nv…
  • Sv fhvw gl hgzb uzi zdzb rm gsv givvormv, yfg ozgvob sv'h yvvm tvggrmt zonlhg xolhv vmlfts uli nv gl nzpv lfg srh uzxv.
  • R ollkvw zilfmw yzxp gsilfts gsv ulivhg zmw hmfxp rmgl gsv yzhvnvmg gsilfts z yzxp drmwld hl gszg rg dlfowm'g tvg yzxp gl nln.
  • Wzw, Ulfmw hlnvgsrmt lu blfih dsrov R dzh dzoprmt gsilfts gsv ulivhg lm nb dzb gl gsv yzhvnvmg. R zonlhg hgvkkvw lm rg, rg dzh irtsg lm gsv kzgs. Zugvi R ivzw rg, R ollpvw fk zmw sv dzh irtsg gsviv. Yvuliv R xlfow hzb li wl zmbgsrmt, sv qfhg hnrovw zmw dzopvw zdzb. R szev ml rwvz sld sv ulfmw blfi mlgv, li sld sv pmvd gl trev rg gl nv, yfg R'n tozw sv wrw.
  • R szevm'g hvvm srn ztzrm, yfg R'ev ulfmw z uvd lgsvi mlgvh rm gsv dllwh. Rg ollph orpv sv orpvh xlwvh, gll.
  • Sv glow nv dszg blfi ozhg dliwh dviv. Sv glow nv dszg blfi ozhg gslftsgh dviv.
  • R'n tlrmt yzxp lm Hzgfiwzb, yfg R nrtsg mlg yv slnv uli z dsrov. Sv nzwv nv z kilnrhv. Dv'iv zoo tlrmt gl yv gltvgsvi ztzrm hllm. Drhs nv ofxp.
• Several of these lines are written in atbash cipher, whose elements are detailed above.
• Blue ink indicates invisible ink on the in-box-document.

• Decoded, the ciphered lines in the notebook read:

  • It sounds crazy, dad, but I hope you're still out there somewhere.
  • It's not just me...
  • He used to stay far away in the treeline, but lately he's been getting almost close enough for me to make out his face.
  • I looped around back through the forest and snuck into the basement through a back window so that it wouldn't get back to mom.
  • Dad,
    Found something of yours while I was walking through the forest on my way to the basement. I almost stepped on it, it was right on the path. After I read it, I looked up and he was right there. Before I could say or do anything, he just smiled and walked away. I have no idea how he found your note, or how he knew to give it to me, but I'm glad he did.
  • I haven't seen him again, but I've found a few other notes in the woods. It looks like he likes codes, too.
  • He told me what your last words were. He told me what your last thoughts were.
  • I'm going back on Saturday, but I might not be home for a while. He made me a promise. We're all going to be together again soon. Wish me luck.

Missing Person Timeline

• The missing person report reveals that Liam's bracelet was found on the northern sidewalk of town. Focus your search on buildings along the northern sidewalk. Specifically, on the following locations:

  • Saint Diamas Church
  • Burkittsville Cemetery
  • Burkittsville Sheriff's Office
  • South Woodland Academy
  • Silver Moon Diner
  • Propriety Goodneighbor Library
  • McQueen Auto Shop
  • Andy's Cafe
  • Main Street Grocer
  • Burkittsville History Museum
  • Violette Apothecary
  • Something Borrowed
  • A Cut Above Barbershop
  • Siciliano's Bakery

• The newspaper article mentions that Hudson worked on municipal buildings. This tells you to focus on the municipal buildings on the map as places where Liam could be hiding. This narrows down the list of LIam's potential hiding spots to:

  • Burkittsville Sheriff's Office
  • South Woodland Academy
  • Propriety Goodneighbor Library
  • Burkittsville History Museum
  • Burkittsville Post Office
  • Burkittsville Community College
• Liam's behavioral record mentions that the building Liam liked to spend time in was built in the twenties. Liam's journal reveals that the day he went missing, he was planning to visit that place.

• If you cross-reference this information with the map of Burkittsville, you will find that this narrows down the places he could have been heading to the following places:

  • Burkittsville Cemetery
  • Burkittsville History Museum
  • Burkittsville Post Office
  • Burkittsville Sheriff's Office
  • Creekfront Pharmacy
  • Home Away from Home Inn
  • McQueen Auto Shop
  • Propriety Goodneighbor Library
  • Saint Diamas Church
  • Siciliano's Bakery
• Liam mentions in his journal that the place he likes to hang out is "Not a bad place to spend the weekend, especially if I stop two doors down to grab something to eat first, or if I can get Hank to make me a sandwich."
• This shows that Liam's hiding place is two doors down from an eatery, although that eatery is not the Silver Moon Diner.

• This limits the places that he could be hiding to:

  • Propriety Goodneighbor Library
  • Burkittsville History Museum
  • Something Borrowed
  • Burkittsville Community College
  • Home Away from Home Inn
  • Burkittsville Post Office

• Synthesizing information from Clementine Lidwell and Harriet Gillard's interviews, you can discover that Liam was last seen on the day of his disappearance walking east along Main Street, along the northern sidewalk. The buildings in this part of town are:

  • Andy's Cafe
  • Main Street Grocer
  • Burkittsville History Museum
  • Violette Apothecary
  • Something Borrowed
  • A Cut Above Barbershop
  • Siciliano's Bakery

• When you cross-reference all of the above information with the map of Burkittsville, you can conclude that Liam could have only been traveling to the Burkittsville History Museum.

Hidden Text

Magazine Spread

• Crazy stuff. Why'd Ant never tell me about any of this?
• Nzbyv hsv orevw? Nzbyv hsv'h hgroo lfg gsviv?
• Have to research more about this.
• Sld wlvh hsv wvxrwv dsl gl xlmgilo? Dsl gl hkziv?
• Gsv ifovh lu ivzorgb wlm'g zkkob. Gsv kzhg rh zorev lfg gsviv. Rg'h mlg xizab gl slkv.
• Where to find out more? I guess the yzhvnvmg'h still my best bet.

Liam's Notebook

• ABCDEFG…
• ZYXWVUT…

 

• Rg hlfmwh xizab, wzw, yfg R slkv blf'iv hgroo lfg gsviv hlnvdsviv.

 

• Rg'h mlg qfhg nv…
• Sv fhvw gl hgzb uzi zdzb rm gsv givvormv, yfg ozgvob sv'h yvvm tvggrmt zonlhg xolhv vmlfts uli nv gl nzpv lfg srh uzxv.
• R ollkvw zilfmw yzxp gsilfts gsv ulivhg zmw hmfxp rmgl gsv yzhvnvmg gsilfts z yzxp drmwld hl gszg rg dlfowm'g tvg yzxp gl nln.
• Wzw,
  Ulfmw hlnvgsrmt lu blfih dsrov R dzh dzoprmt gsilfts gsv ulivhg lm nb dzb gl gsv yzhvnvmg. R zonlhg hgvkkvw lm rg, rg dzh irtsg lm gsv kzgs. Zugvi R ivzw rg, R ollpvw fk zmw sv dzh irtsg gsviv. Yvuliv R xlfow hzb li wl zmbgsrmt, sv qfhg hnrovw zmw dzopvw zdzb.
  R szev ml rwvz sld sv ulfmw blfi mlgv, li sld sv pmvd gl trev rg gl nv, yfg R'n tozw sv wrw.
• R szevm'g hvvm srn ztzrm, yfg R'ev ulfmw z uvd lgsvi mlgvh rm gsv dllwh. Rg ollph orpv sv orpvh xlwvh, gll.
• Sv glow nv dszg blfi ozhg dliwh dviv. Sv glow nv dszg blfi ozhg gslftsgh dviv.
• R'n tlrmt yzxp lm Hzgfiwzb, yfg R nrtsg mlg yv slnv uli z dsrov. Sv nzwv nv z kilnrhv. Dv'iv zoo tlrmt gl yv gltvgsvi ztzrm hllm. Drhs nv ofxp.

Transcripts

Liam's Notebook

• What he taught me, in case I forget:
• Yesterday Ms. Tan gave me this notebook and said I should use it to write to Dad... And then she sat there with a stupid calm look on her face while I screamed at her about how dumb of an idea that was. I wish I hadn't done that. It wasn't right, and it wouldn't have made him proud.
• Dad, you were always so
• I'm really lonely without you. And I know how hard Mom is trying, and I know she misses you too. Last night, Tristan couldn't remember that thing you used to say to us all the time, and he started crying... I pulled him out of it, though. Helped him remember by making it a puzzle, just like how you would have.
• I think Tristan was too young to hold on to all the code stuff you taught us. But I remember. Would be good for passing notes in class. If I had anyone to pass notes to.
• Dad,
• You used to tell the coolest stories about the woods. Mom used to make fun of you for believing in all of that stuff. I don't know if you actually believed it, though. I think you just knew how fun it was.
• Time passes more easily out here, now slow and boring and lonely like at home or in school.
• Dad,
• Mom just sent me to my room. How old does she think I am? She doesn't treat Tristan like this, and he's not even ten yet.
• She said I upset Tristan. And then we all started fighting again.
• I don't know why I get like that. It's like everything annoys me. I don't know.
• Dad,
• The new kid didn't know anything about Burkittsville, so I took him by the forest and told him all about what happened. I showed him where the tree was and everything. For a second I felt like I was going to throw up or cry or something, but then I saw how freaked out he was... and it all suddenly seemed hilarious. Then I started laughing, and he ran away. So lame.
• And he told on me. Exactly what I needed. Apparently he told Ms. Tan that he saw somebody watching us, too. I said I didn't see anything.
• Dad,
• Guess I shouldn't be surprised that nobody else is willing to walk in the forest with me. At least Tank keeps me company. And you, in a way.
• Dad,
• Got to find out more about the forest. Mom can't know, she'll do that deep, guilt-inducing sigh thing and send me to my room like she always does. There's a bunch of stuff in town that I can look into, but I think I know exactly where to start.
• Dad,
• I can't believe how much stuff there is to go through down there, all crammed into those shelves you built when you renovated the place. Heading back tonight.
• Dad,
• Everyone leaves me alone down here. I can do whatever I want, even if I don't want to do anything at all. Not a bad place to spend the weekend, especially if I stop two doors down to grab something to eat first, or if I can get Hank to make me a sandwich.
• Dad,
• Nobody else knows I come here - it's always just business as usual upstairs. Not that they're ever busy. I take my time walking here through the woods, and walking back.
• Dad,
• I've finally figured out how to talk to him. He's an interesting person, if he's even a person at all. He knows things about you that he shouldn't have any way of knowing.
• Dad,

Rosemary's Confirmation Audio Recording

[Beginning of recorded material]

 

Rosemary: Liam was hanging out in the basement of the History Museum? I mean... why? What could have been down there? I'm heading over to take a look right now, it's right down the street from the diner. (sigh) Could Sheriff Lanning really have missed something so close to his office? Hey, Anthony? Anthony! (sigh) That's weird. The door's unlocked, but he's not here. Maybe he's in the basement. The door's right behind his desk. I'm just gonna check. It's not locked or anything. Anthony? Are you there? Uh, if you're down there, I'm coming down now. Jesus, why is it so cold down here? Okay, there is no way the sheriff searched this, there's way too much stuff crammed in here. (sigh) I'm gonna be here all night. But I guess the cold air will keep me sharp. (sigh) Wait, there's a window open back there. That must be where the draft is coming from. Who would leave this open? Wait, this is Liam's handwriting. Liam's been here! Oh my god, this is his pencil case, and there are all kinds of notes and - hold on, what are these? ... I'm not sure how to describe what I'm seeing to you, but Liam's notes are covered in a - all kinds of strange markings... uh, and this one is... oh my god, this handwriting is... this is Hudd's. Hudd wrote one of these notes. Years ago it looks like. Before the accident. You need to see this. I'm going to try to find some more evidence, and then I'll send everything over to you. Thank you. Thank you so much! You've just gotten me closer to my son than I have been in months.

 

[End of recorded material]

SuperNeutral Podcast: The Blair Witch Audio Recording

[INTRO MUSIC, fading to the introduction by our hosts Ed Barrett and James Durant.]

 

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

James: Against a skeptic. That's me: James Durant.

Ed: On this minisode, we're going to talk about the legend of the Blair Witch.

James: Right. Now, this is interesting because I only became aware of the Blair WItch a few years ago when you told me the story.

Ed: Really? That was the first time you'd heard the story?

James: Uh-huh. But before we get into it, maybe you should quickly explain exactly what the legend is.

Ed: Yeah, okay, sure. So for those of you out there who don't know already: In a small town called Burkittsville, out in Maryland, there's a story that stretches back over 200 years. They say that some local children accused an old woman of taking their blood. The townsfolk insisted that this woman was guilty of witchcraft. They tried her, found her guilty, and, depending on who you believe, they either abandoned her in the woods or executed her by hanging.

James: And don't they say that she came back a year later to exact her revenge or something like that?

Ed: Yeah, yeah, yeah... she's said to have returned to steal away those children that had accused her in the first place. And since then, basically, people in Burkittsville always blame "the witch" when someone goes missing, which, to be fair, seems to happen pretty frequently.

James: Yeah, just a few weeks ago, a terrible disappearance struck the town of Burkittsville.

Ed: Yeah. It was a teenager named Liam Kent. Horrible stuff. There's already a lot of speculation that the Blair Witch was to blame.

James: Okay, so should I just go ahead and assume you believe in the Blair Witch?

Ed: You can't argue with the stats, James. I showed you the list of disappearances in those woods. Children drowned in an inch of water. College kids going missing on a hike never to be seen again. It goes on and on.

James: I'll book the tickets right now.

Ed: No, thanks. I'm just saying there's a laundry list of people the witch has taken, you know?

James: So, listen, I realize that I'm supposed to be the skeptic in all things here, but I have to admit I found myself really getting into this story.

Ed: It's fascinating. There's so much to talk about in the legend of the Blair Witch. We'd need months to do it all justice.

James: Without a doubt. Without a doubt. But, briefly, I have notes here about a serial killer from the '40s who blamed the witch for his murders. Stories of horrible rituals being conducted in the woods. It's all really fascinating. There are so many different terrible things people have tried to get away with by saying "the witch made me do it".

Ed: If there are really that many awful things happening in Burkittsville, what makes you so sure that there isn't something evil causing it all to happen? Something, I don't know, as-yet unexplained?

James: Well, for one thing -

Ed: By your own admission, a lot of people have gone missing there, right?

James: Well, hey, I'm glad you said that because I looked it up, and according to recent data, you are no more likely to go missing in Burkittsville than really anywhere else in the United States.

Ed: Is that true?

James: I have it right here.

 

[James hands Ed a piece of paper.]

 

Ed: Huh. Well, this could mean a lot of things.

James: Such as?

Ed: Well, for starters, we know that there are other entities across the country that could explain the other disappearances, right? Bigfoot, The Bugman, things like that?

James (laughing): Well, I think that's about as good a place as any to wrap it up.

Ed (laughing): Come on, I'm serious!

James (pressing on): Thanks for listening to this mini episode of SuperNeutral. We hope you enjoyed this quick debate on the believability of the Blair Witch.

Ed: They say she's out there, protecting her woods. If you find yourself traveling to Burkittsville, Maryland, to investigate the Blair Witch, the best piece of advice I've heard is this: Don't go into the woods after dark.

James: So we'll see you in the next minisode.

 

[But until that time comes, it's safe to turn out the lights.]

 

Ed: Or is it?

 

[The SuperNeutral theme music closes out the podcast.]