The Lesser Dead - The Moth - Season 1 - Episode 2

Episode Date: June 6, 2023

After being scolded by Margaret for not following the vampire children and trying to find their “sick in the head” Maker, Joey enlists the help of his girlfriend Neva and her Spanish Harlem “family,” the Corazones Frios. They search the night-time city for the rogue vampire and make a terrible early-morning discovery in Chinatown.

Echoverse Echoverse presents The Lesser Dead Second Avenue 8 p.m. My Nattins just going on like everything's the same. But I guess it is. This island doesn't give a shit. It doesn't give a shit any more than any place in the world I've heard of. New York's too busy for you. It doesn't care if you drop dead.

Doesn't care if you love it or hate it. All that not being cared about can make you tired. When you see little bitty children who somebody turned into vampires, you can also make you scared. Even if you're a vampire too. Scared? The fuck do you mean you were scared?

Not other kids Margaret, they were, you know, tiny. It's just the whole thing was creepy. Creepy? Well, you know who's creepy? You are. And I am. Cause we're creeps. We live underground and we're dead and we do bad things. Creepy, my arse. You should have followed them. I mean, who turned them? And why? Well, there's the question, isn't it?

And one you might have answered if you don't what you should have. What was that for? My figure if I slap it back hard enough, maybe your stones will drop under the wee pouch waiting for them. I'm not taking the piss, Joseph. You need to take more initiative. You tried to hide from trouble you always have. But an animal who hides all the time eventually gets cornered.

Mark my words. This is the place. It was an old building, whitewash brick. We went up the porch steps. I think Margaret took me out of here, not just to give me an earful about my dereliction of duty. But to show off what a good hunter she was. And to be fair, she had a damn good system. All of us who stayed in the loops copied it

Find somebody with wide veins and a narrow mind scoot in once a week and make him a pint lighter then make him forget Who is it Margaret have come over for a little drink Margaret Margaret who Margaret from a few doors down. Do you not remember? The lady peeps and just like that, Margaret stabs her with her eyes, like some old cage and giggling a frog. Now is that any way to be neighborly? Leaving us on a snowy stoop. Invite us in for something warm. Won't you come in for something warm? I don't mind if we do.

Jack's out to a tin, yeah? That lumpy little husband of yours? He gets back from the shop at 10. That's what I said, isn't it? Why, Purchen, you're drooling. And lock the door behind us. I couldn't make cocoa. I don't care if I fucking cocoa. G don't care for fucking cocoa. Gatney Baloney. Yeah.

Frypa-piece and butter, little salt and pepper. Mind you don't burn it, just little burn. And sometime tonight would be wonderful. Now, Joseph, you failed in no question. But you're not beyond redemption. At least in this matter. You'll find them kids and where they're sleepin' won't ya? That's right.

I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you're right. I... I'll find them. You will. I know you will. Do you know how I know? Because if I don't, you'll beat me shades of blue they don't have names for in the paint store. That's right. Also, you're gonna find them because it's important.

Find them, and we find out who turned them and take him, son-vading. Because anyone who turns children is sick in the head, and there's nothing worse or more dangerous than sick in the head family. They make mistakes. They get noticed. He turned me when I was a kid. What? I was 17.

That's a kid. What? I was 17. That's a kid. Well, only in America. So where are we? Communist China? Ah! Your arms cotton wise, aren't you? Do you never think about more than what feels good to say or do in the moment? Why should I?

Because following your every impulse is not how you build things. I'm a fuck are you talking about? What's to build? We take things. We don't build shit. I built something fuck are you talking about? What's to build? We take things. We don't build shit. I built something, didn't I? I brought the least ones of us together on the ground, and now I keep us safe, and I keep us hidden.

And I don't do it by amusing myself with little games. I get things fucking done. Hello, he's ready. Take it off the heat, please. Then put a towel down and stand on it. We understand each other about them kids. Yeah. Good. Take your Puerto Rican girlfriend and have a good look around.

What? Never? She ain't my girlfriend. What's so funny? You are your weak cat. Don't know a good thing in hand because you're looking for what's next. And what's next? And always better. Maybe not, but it's next. No, anyway. Take her, look around, ask questions.

But first, find Luna and let her know to do the same. She and the new girl, Lena, work in Times Square. And I don't go to that or market. I've retell Billy Bang as well. I'm on the towel now. Thank you, Sally. It's Sarah. Don't correct me, Sally.

Sorry. So we go into the kitchen. Margaret stands over the still warm pan with a brown smoking piece of baloney on it and breathes in the smoke. Mmm, lovely. Then she bites that woman in drinks until Sarah or Sally or whoever starts to shut her.

Even does a little Wednesday Adam's dance, twisting on the balls of her feet. For all Margaret's rules about not peeling anybody, she comes pretty close to killing her marks. She's hungry. I guess she misses the lung. I almost feel bad for whoever's turning kids on Margaret's front porch. She doesn't fuck around when it comes to keeping vampires shit on the QT, and somebody's about to find that out. Before I call Neva, I gotta pass word on to Luna.

The thing about Luna, she's a hooker. I mean, it's how she hunts, and makes money. I don't know if she was a hooker or a vampire first. They kinda go together. Privacy, secrecy, nighttime. Makes you wonder how many regular hookers out there are actually family. You never remember after all.

I've always thought I wouldn't mind being a hooker myself. Nah, I really wouldn't mind being a hooker. Wanna be a hooker baby? What's the kiddie told you? Make a hooker! Fuck sake. Ah! I'm so sick of you, make a whole cat in here! Fuck sake. I'm so sick of you, make a whole cat in here! I'm so sick of you, make a whole cat in here!

I guess Hooker's around here have good hearing. Say, you seen Luna? What? Keep a deep mouth. She's out by the old man's! The Ubleets is a novelty shop, with little movie cabinets specializing in foreign stuff. Swedish, French, and if you like the rough stuff, German. I guess losing a couple of wars kind of fucks you up in the head.

I know I'm gonna get housework, okay? About your mom's age? Where's Luna? I say yeah yeah look at me. How old are you? Where's Luna? Cabin three. Great. Now give me a hundred bucks out of the register and thank me for it. Thank you. Don't mention it. You don't mention it.

I expect to see Luna's who's schmuck. Well, Luna's there, beautiful girl. Like Goldie Hans loose cousin. The schmuck's there, frizzy red hair is pants round his ankles. But there's another vampire crammed in the booth too. Sandy, she's new. Luna's been teaching her. Bite him.

I can't bite him He looks like he looks like fat art garfunkel Biden Hey Joey, will you tell her she's got a bite on what the fuck are you watching? I don't know titles on the door HR pooping stuff Are you fucking kidding me? The popcorns go for weird, it's a fact.

Now bite and sandy we haven't got on night and you have to learn how to do this on your own. Look, it's so weird, we fix so it's not really mean here. Sure. Perfect, here, look now, you're not sandy anymore, you're Veronica Lake. Bite the sky and let's get out of here. Okay, now everybody's happy. Yeah. Yeah. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Okay.

Now everybody's happy. I got some stuff I got to tell you from Margaret. And you should tell Billy Bang, too, when you see him. And I tell her about what I saw in the subway. Now this little bitty girl charmed a guy on the sixth train. And these two little boys met up with her in Grand Central. And they all led the poor sap away. Margaret wants us to keep our eyes open. Ask around, find out who these kids are. And find out who turns them, right?

Yeah. Because that bastard's got to die. Why do you assume it's a man? Because I'm not a lot of men. Take my girlfriend, Margaret says. Ask questions, she says. The thing about now, even if she was my girlfriend, you don't take her any place. She takes you. Okay, Wednesday. What number do you feed on Wednesday? There, well, where is side? Okay. Hello.

Hi. How's your evening? It's okay. I put safety pins through my tits earlier. That's just swell. Listen, is there a nice port to recongirl in your house? Maybe with a bloody mouth? Yeah, mouth's not bloody though.

It will be. What's she doing? Oh, watching TV. Give me the phone! Have that ice-pink, or something. Oh, a land of a branch. You want to come over and eat you honky for me? Nah, I don't like that place. It smells like vassal.

What you want, babe? The same thing I always want, a little piece of love and understanding. Wrong number. Bitch, get away from the window! Nobody I clear stream wants to see your skinny ass. Sit down next to your two. What do we do? How do I know?

Juggichata offer like it. Whoa, whoa, I was kidding. At the stoppiece. Stop! You're not seeing my fucking ass. That sounds like a party. Well, if you don't wanna come here, I'll meet you someplace. If you dress nice, how you dress? Nice, like usual.

Yeah, you dress okay. Some can talk in an hour? Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I tell her about the kids. We got to play detective. Yeah, okay. I don't want to burn in the ass or anybody's trying to kid. I'll bring my budget and the whole gang. Oh, hold on! She's trying to go out the window. I know to look out! I'm out!

I need to see a doctor. You're gonna see a doctor when I leave. When the water is over. No, I'm not. I'm not gonna see a doctor. I'm not gonna see a doctor. I'm not gonna see a doctor. I'm not gonna see a doctor. I'm not gonna see a doctor. I'm not gonna see a doctor. I You're gonna see a doctor when I leave! When the water on this over!

Not salt! Miltai, haitons or coquette! They never take the bruheri away! If you don't like to charm coquettes, then why do you go to punk houses? Pick up the best music! You're not even listening to music. And did I hear you say, the Walten's? Fuck you!

I like the Walten! It's like a make-believe world where everyone's in like nature. Everybody mostly looks the same, so they're nice to each other. I wish it was not but a fucking border week because some seeds are shining sweet, but that ain't gonna happen, so. Let me just watch my show. Bite these motherfuckers and meet you by the swing says.

Okay? Now it'd be a good time to tell you about the chorus so as free us, and to your about to meet them all. They're Margaret's creatures, just as much as those of us who stay with her in Dark City. She turned them, drank them dry, stopped their hearts, and spat blood from her own stomach back into them, thus blinding them forever to the sun,

and gifting them the bright, long night. And why, gang shit? Back about 10 years ago, Mapace and the Corasones were the toughest gang in alphabet city. They were old school. Would rumble with fists and bats and garbage can't live in shit.

Maybe a knife, but they weren't trying to kill anybody. Things were changing, though. This new gang came up. The alphabet devils. More Italian than Puerto Rican. Mopkin and they were a lot of them. They sold weed,

dabbled in heroin, and they liked guns. One day one of the devils shot Slopa. My poche is older brother. Shot him in the leg, but clipped in artery. And he died. My poche lost his fucking mind. Got himself a piece and shot two of them, including the leader's girlfriend.

The girl was an accident but the devil's came on and killed three car-sonous. They were too strong, knew the right people. The police came looking, but not for the devils, just from Apache. Bob was asking about him too. Old boy was keeping an eye on the situation. And when he told Margaret, she got an idea. Who's there?

Mr. Gonzalez. I am not unsympathetic to your situation. Nothing calls me like a bully. And that's what these alphabet devils are. They're going to kill you like it's not. It doesn't have to be that way. They knew about Margaret. Part of our loops are just under the East Village.

One neighborhood over, you see. They'd seen her. He even had an idea of what she was. Called her, Lacka Lacka. Skeleton. And now she had a come to call with an offer. You know what I can do for you, but you need to know what it costs. No take-backs on this.

This is forever and ever, Amen. And you and the rest will owe fealty to me as long as I'm in this world. And you, with me. I'm not against a new enemy, but I'm always ready to go down. Three of the remaining seven Corazonis Blitown when this started to go down. But four stayed and took the deal. Forever and ever. But I'm in it.

I'm in it. But I'm in it. I'm in it. I will be done. I will be done. I will be done. I will How many? I will be done. A couple of weeks later, imagine the surprise of the alphabet devils. When they wore their colors down, having you ate on a midnight clear, heard someone whistling at them from the park.

Saw five dark shapes in the swing set. And heard Margaret calling them out. Look at she's in your fucking ridiculous jackets. You know what you look like? A bunch of bullies. Jesus, I hate a bullie. Like, who the fuck are you? You don't know me. Do you mind know this bunch?

Oh, Lamarigone! Dalli! I wanna get in here with my son! I can't watch someone else! See you, mamamijon! You know that girl! There have been a lot of gunshots in this story. There's only one left.

The same light in a vampire's eyes that can charm you into doing what they want can also find the fear in you. Whatever secret lock box of boogie men and old hurt you got walled up in the darkest parts of your heart, a vampire's eyes can find it. Like a search light. You can dig it out bring it up amplify it like the sun through a magnifying glass like a firecracker in a tin can Marco Shorty T.O.R.L.E. the leader of the shorties gang ran.

They didn't get far. Nobody ever heard of the alphabet devils again. Marker got instant muscle with the Coruscones. Most vampire outfits fall apart once you get more than four or five of us together. We all like to be in charge. But there's something about Margaret that makes you love and fear. Either one's a powerful motorbanner, but both? Both can move mountains.

She's got like 20 of us she can call. That's a lot of family. So now I'm supposed to be me, Neva. Only when I meet her, it isn't just her. The chorus zone is free also with her, all of them, lounging on the playground like they're posing for an album cover. Their silhouette's dark against the snow. Eyes shining just that little bit extra, like ours do.

No steamy breath, even though it's below 30. The leader, Mapaccio, with his Australian bus shot and his denim vest open on his Jesus-y ribs. He's got a newspaper under his arm. I don't know why you. Then there's Guagua, second in command, big as a bus, Biccio, the only one shorter than me, and surplus motorcycle goggles that make him look like a bug. And of course, Nefa, in a black beret, like some comey gorilla, with heavy eyeshadow, her heart shaped face and a pout.

She pours herself out of her swing, starts walking towards me, and I wonder, which one of her nicknames I'm gonna get tonight. Paju, go! What's shaking Neva? You and me? Come here. You see, I can touch my cousin, Pee-Kart, and he pre-map favorita. Hey, hey, Jack, good wedding!

Hey, wait, wait, she took advantage of me. Apace, do you all so? So? Laka-laka, she got some marching orders for us, huh? Yeah, she wants us to find these kids, I saw. Mapache, do you all saw? So? Like a laca. She got some marching orders for us, huh? Yeah, she wants us to find these kids I saw. But oh, some family. Yeah, they're vampires.

At least I'm pretty sure. Margaret wants us to find them and find out who turned them. Might be the same one who peeled this dude near the park. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was thinking the same way. Check it out. I turned up fucking dead with his eyes poked out. Exanguinated, they said. Look, look. I love that word, don't you? That's family sure as fuck. But look here. Now they got the taxi driver saying he dropped

them off to go to a birthday party. What? I mean, those however the fuck you say his last name, 31, see? That's the taxi driver. I wonder if he saw something he ain't talking about. Potsau's logo. Who? Can you imagine having to spell that out for people your whole life? But you know what that name makes me think. That they're inkin' and be a lot of potsau whatever's in the phone book.

Esso si hombre! That's it. That's it. That's it. It turns out there are four Milos Potsosicles and two M-Potsosicles. The M's are probably chicks living alone, so we leave them for last. He's been all goddamn night peeking in windows looking for a 31 year old Greek who might drive a cab. We get lucky in Chinatown. His address is on Maustreet, near the train. Alright guys, shut up. Alright, I got a good feeling about

this one. That's probably his cab on the street over there. I say we go in Do a knock and charm. I don't know about you But I could use a bite if this one in our guy Maybe someone wait out here while me and Okay, who's best at charming? Okay, who's best at charming that speaks fucking English Never what you say she's better than me? I am better than you, Prima.

No, you are not better than me, okay? It seems like it's always been for you, Wabong. I know you're better than me. I know you're better than me, Prima. We're almost up to the building. An ugly brownstone covered in graffiti, when we see him. It was just for a second, a shadowy figure, big, sort of poured out the second story window,

scoots down the fire escape, barely making any noise. Only vampires move like that. He melts away into the darkness. All right, I'm going up to now. Qua-qua, stay on a site and watch. In Goro-Porki-Solo, stay on a site and watch. In Gov. Por Quisolo. That's just how it is, Gayina. We'll let one seguida.

Joey, post the number again. We get up to 203. The door's locked. Nobody answers. Nothing never, and we're broken up. Butternife can't handle. So I try a footpath to threshold. If anyone else lives here, I won't be able to go in.

If the Empire should's weird, I set my foot down. No problem. Guess the guy lives alone. Climbing my first dash. Shut up. Me, son-up. You're the one I'll trip in the sea. Oh, fuck me. Oh, Jesus.

If you're in the market for a taxi medallion, one's about to go for sale. Pots of whatever is all done, the stiffs tits down in bed with his head on the wrong way, looking up at the ceiling. Well, he would have been looking if he had eyes in his head. Those are gone. And there's a newspaper stuffed in his mouth.

Clon, you. Never takes the paper out of his mouth. It's the article he's quoted in. Of course it is. I'd dismiss that message. Don't talk to reporters. A familia. A regular citizen can twist ahead like that.

But who? We look around the place. Nothing useful. Downstairs, the winds picked up, blowing trash around. B-chow lost whoever it was, and that beefy car is sung, guag guag, he's gone, just gone. Bad fucking news, right? Well Margaret's gonna get the full report, but that's got to wait. Because fuck, I'm hungry.

I won't burden you with the details of dinner. It was tapping on windows. Sleepy people charmed through their windowpaints. We're cold. It looks warm in there. Open the window. Hello again. There's a long time. But you look good.

Can I come in? Hello? From Belly's 4 and on Lones Racing with the evening's troubles, we look for a place to get underground. We go way back to the loops and rest from this fucked-up night. We better get a move on. Sun's close. Relax, little boy.

We got time. It was barely. It's almost dawn. Actually, it is dawn. But we're still in the shadow that's melting away fast. We're in Grammersea. Like Oni's 21st, Neri's 22nd. Probably enough a manhole cover about to dip under.

Oh, damn. And that's when we see the girl. Across the street from the alley-wear. On her side, there's a dumpster with a bunch of cardboard boxes nearby. The girl's got it before years old. As on a bunny-rambit onesie. Fuck's sake. I'm scared.

Help me. Help me. I see your teeth now. Not big, but sharp. She's the color of a dead fish on the bank of the Hudson. She's family. Oh, shit. What on the stuff?

We gotta help her. This is exactly what Margaret wants us to find. Now maybe we're gonna get some answers. Is someone here to hurt me, isn't it? She's squinting. A wedge of orange sunlight shines through the break and the alley separating us from her. Just looking at her, it's like a mother. It hurts like a spike behind the eyes.

Hey, little girl, you gotta get to us. We'll take you down this manhole and help you, okay? She nods her head. The sun gets brighter and harder to look at. Are you ready? Okay, good, good. Now, you see those cardboard boxes by the dumpster? I want you to pick a good one.

Yeah? One with no holes in it. That's right. No holes. And you're going to crouch under it. Like you're hiding in a fort. You got it? Yeah.

Yeah, that's a good one. Now hide. Tide under it. And and crowd walk like a duck Keeping that box all the way down against the ground. Can you do that? Perfect sweetie Keep coming keep coming Listen for cars. Don't come if you hear one there aren aren't any cars coming. Cars aren't the problem. See, the wind's been blowing the direction of the cross street.

I watched the little box inch across the street, and I know what's gonna happen. A half a second before it does. Fuck! Fuck! Wait! Ah! Bono! It's a clear day. A clear day is the worst. She gets full-sung all over her body. All it wants, she goes up like a torch.

She stumbles, burning across the street. Never gets the fuck down the manhole and unbreak behind her. But before I close the iron cover, watch the girl stumble, blazing against the fuck down the manhole and unbreak behind her. But before I close the iron cover, watch the girl stumble, blazing against the car in the air. It catches two. People are yelling now, starting the open doors. I still watch, even when I hear the sirens coming. From the engine, the lock climb into the bag.

And it seems wrong. Nothing that bad should happen on such a clear day. This is the end of the video. The Lessor Dead was performed by Jack Kilmer as Joey Peacock, mini-driver as Margaret McMinnis, Saul Rubeneck as Fettga. Directed by Dan Blank, written by Christopher Buelman, series created by Christopher Buelman, based on his book The Lessor Dead. Executive producers Mark Stern, Joshua D. Mauer, Christopher Buelman, Mini Driver, and Jack Kilmer. Producer, Alexandra Whitman.

Original audio production, music, and sound design by Salt. Producer, Ali Strobel. Original music and composition by Benjamin Sterley. Sound designed by Christopher Baudis. You're the only one free.