1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I'm welcome to Stephane 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: Never Told You Production ByHeart Radio, and a welcome to 3 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 1: another edition of Spinty Fiction, which, as a reminder, is 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: a once a month thing that we do that has 5 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: some more sound effects. It is ongoing. This is chapter 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: ten point two of Terminus, So if you haven't listened 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 1: to all those other chapters, you might want to do that, 8 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: but I can't tell you what to do, so that 9 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: that's up to you. And always, always, always, always thanks 10 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: to Christina who makes these amazing. So as I mentioned 11 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: in the last one, I guess I'm just not good 12 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: at judging how long chapters will be, so sometimes the 13 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: chapters will be short, sometimes are really long. So this 14 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: one got split into two. So this is the second 15 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: part of chapter ten. This is something I did in 16 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: twenty ten as part of Nano Raimo. It's not really 17 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: edited because I kind of just wanted to one not 18 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: put too much more work on me, but to kind 19 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 1: of get a like a sense of what was going 20 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: on and Annie's mind, and so that's what we're doing. 21 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: The content warning for this one child endangerment, death, gun violence, 22 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: disease and pandemic no heights on this one. No heights 23 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: on this one. That's always I almost didn't even put 24 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: that in, but I remember for the last of Us, 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: part two, a lot of people say, the scariest scene 26 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,919 Speaker 1: is the one, you know, the one with the heights, 27 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: and I get it, like it's you're afraid heights that 28 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: scene was. It was scary for me, and I'm not 29 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: afraid of yes, yes, yes, yes, and no heights in 30 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: this one. Also, yes, disclaimer, I try to be really 31 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: accurate in a way that was probably not useful for 32 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: anybody in terms of directions, but I did try to 33 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: do it. You can yell at me if you want, 34 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:17,239 Speaker 1: or I just like gently point out my inaccuracies. Also, 35 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: I know that especially in the last chapter, not so 36 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: much in this chapter, but it's not an accurate depiction 37 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: of a child the child's stamina. But anyway, recap all right, 38 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: So there's a virus. It's like largely wiping out the population. 39 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: Babies just aren't really being born. A new government has 40 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: taken control and they are leading along the side a 41 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: religious group that is named arm and they just control 42 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: all all pieces of contraception and if a child is born, 43 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: then they control where the child goes, and so Tilda 44 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,679 Speaker 1: ran off with her child legally and is now on 45 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: the run from the government enforcers. It's been seven years 46 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: they've been on the road and now like winter is coming. 47 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: As they say, they have had many encounters with enforcers. 48 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: Told at was shot by one. They were found by 49 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: a nice woman named Lynn who helped her recover, and 50 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: Lynn revealed that there's a resistance group maybe in Kansas City, 51 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: and that there might be a cure to the whole 52 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: thing that they're working on, and that is where they're going. 53 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: So in the last in part one of this chapter, 54 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: they had to transfer so very risky bridge situation hints 55 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: heights and just as a reminder, I know the last 56 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: of us have not come out at this point. Okay, 57 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: I know it sounds similar, but I just want to 58 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: be clear. But all right, that's where we are. We've 59 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: crossed this dangerous bridge and they're moving further towards their goal, 60 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: further into the city. So let us get into the fiction. 61 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 1: They were almost to the end of the ramp when 62 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: Madison exclaimed softly in her ear dog, twisting her head 63 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: to the direction Madison faced while still pressing forward unwilling 64 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: to stay stationary, She at first thought the child was 65 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: imagining things delirious with sleep deprivation, but a yellowish blur 66 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: moving at the river bank caught her eye. A large 67 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: golden retriever trotted along the river bank, coat splotched with mud. 68 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: It would stop abruptly, sniff something, and continue along, sometimes 69 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: backtracking or lapping up water. Tilda could have watched the 70 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: creature until it disappeared. Something about seeing a living thing 71 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: in such a dead place was mesmerizing, but she forced 72 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: her eyes away and followed the road as it banked left. 73 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: What do you think he's doing here? Madison's question was muffled. 74 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: Maybe he lives here. Til disapplied quietly, more focused on 75 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: putting one foot in front of the other. Madison didn't comment. 76 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:12,799 Speaker 1: Possibly is thrown, as Tilda at the sight of the animal, 77 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: when everything else around them felt decayed and rotten and lifeless. 78 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: The road curved again, intersected by a small road that 79 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: led to what Tilda guests was an industrial complex. She 80 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: chose instead to keep on twenty third. It was a 81 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: main road, and a sign up ahead read downtown Kansas City. 82 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: From her foggy recollection of the maple and had gifted 83 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 1: to them. She remembered that the Liberty Memorial was just 84 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: south of downtown. On the left, they passed a dilapidated 85 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: and overgrown park. Madison swiveled his head at taking in 86 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: the jungle around them. Tilda stepped over a felled lamppost, 87 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: her legs feeling as if they could give out at 88 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: any moment, but she didn't see anything around them that 89 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: looked remotely safe for them to take a break in. 90 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: They reached a main highway I thirty five. A precursory 91 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: survey of each direction bought up nothing to the north, 92 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: or more buildings the jagged mob of useless structures. To 93 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: the south. There was less in the way of skyscrapers 94 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 1: and city ruins, and more greenery. But her gut told 95 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: her to trust her memory. She opted for the southerland route, 96 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: treading the closest edge. Keep an eye out for anything 97 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: behind us, yeah, she requested, and Madison nodded his acquiescence. 98 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: What am I looking for, he asked, sleepily, and forcers 99 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: for one besides them. Tilda smiled at his all suffering tone. 100 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: We're looking for something called the Liberty Memorial, Tilda told him. 101 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: Or a place that looks like people live there. I 102 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: guess nothing around them looked inhabited now or in the past. 103 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: No homes or businesses line the highway. The ground was 104 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: largely paved. To her right, across the way was a 105 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: large field of green and brown and yellow. Her heart 106 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: leapt at the next sign, Penn Valley Drive, Liberty Memorial, 107 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 1: next exit. Anticipation intertwined with anxiety. She crossed eight lanes 108 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: at a diagonal, turning to look over her shoulder, the 109 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: sensation of being watched making her skin crawl. The road 110 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: branched off to the left, and Tilda took it, her 111 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: senses ramping up. She saw no indication of anything that 112 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: might preclude to resistance, but she supposed they wouldn't still 113 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: be around if they were that simple to find, if 114 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: they existed at all. But it couldn't only be her, 115 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: could it. Others must have escaped. There must be some 116 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: that wanted to fight for their children, and the possibility 117 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: of a cure had Tilda's blood humming in her veins. 118 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: A mucky lake appeared to their left as they emerged 119 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: onto Pin Valley Drive, its surface green with algae. Tilda 120 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: might have mistaken it for a field of moss, if 121 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: not for the gleaming surfaces of water beneath tufts of 122 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: vergent growth catching the sunlight. Opposite it was a red 123 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: diamond of dirt, alien in its meaning, now a relic 124 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: of an age long since passed. The Liberty Memorial loomed 125 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: before them in the distance, and obelis slicing into the sky, 126 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: surrounded by planes of green with patches of brown. Tilda 127 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,119 Speaker 1: decided to cut through the grass. In the scheme of things, 128 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: it wouldn't make much difference in terms of a stealthy approach, 129 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: but it would shave off time and distance, and since 130 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: clothes covered her skin, she didn't have to worry about 131 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: ticks or irritating brush at her ankles. But she did 132 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: have to lift her feet higher and ruminate on their placement, 133 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: both of which sapped her already waning strength. Several times, 134 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: a foot got caught in the undergrowth and almost sent 135 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: her crashing to the ground. Her arms trembled with the 136 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 1: weight of Madison, but she soldiered on the monument in 137 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 1: front of her, a beacon of hope, a compass needle 138 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: for safety. A log snagged her foot and her knee 139 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: impacted jarringly into the dirt, her slow reaction time preventing 140 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: her from catching herself. Tired arms never leaving Madison. It 141 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: took a moment for her to gather her strength, and 142 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: she struggled to her feet like one fighting invisible restraints, 143 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 1: her blonde hair shrieking across her face. Madison held to 144 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: her more tightly as she regained her footing. She wavered 145 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: for a moment, but she pushed on her steps as 146 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: if she treaded on ice instead of the loose gray 147 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: dirt beneath her boots, dry grass crunching under her soul. 148 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: She came to a marble pathway, deliberating her first step 149 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: onto the smooth rock surface, Tilting dangerously at first contact, 150 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: She reeled onto the white slab, correcting herself after several quick, 151 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: staggering steps to the side. There was something unearthly about 152 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 1: the giant white monument, stretching out to the sky, with 153 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: ivory pathways like spokes of a wheel, all meeting at 154 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: the base and around it nothing but unkempt grass. Tilda shivered, 155 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: tracing the Obelis ascent with brown eyes unsettled, she strode forward, 156 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: timbering her face tattered flags hung limply from poles faded 157 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: on either side of the monument. Tilda Madison in her arms, 158 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: approached the monument, wary. In between the paths she traveled 159 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 1: and the one directly across from her, a series of 160 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: dark marble lines, space evenly apart, formed a conical shape, 161 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: shortening in length that the spokes of the tower sloped 162 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: downhill and culminating in from Tilda's vantage point, a great 163 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: circle of obsidiad in the ground, surrounded by a semicircle 164 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: of wide stairs. As they approached the circle, Tilda inspected 165 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:21,199 Speaker 1: the dark slab, attempting to divine the purpose. The surface, 166 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 1: once glossy and smooth, now bore several deep gouges and 167 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: reflected only dully. If ever any intelligent being came after 168 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: the human race faded away, what would they make of 169 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: things like this? The prosperous generation before HSV five were 170 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: foreigned to Tilda, and she again could not stifle the 171 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: impression that she had stumbled on the ruins of an 172 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: alien society. Dog Masson murmured for the second time with 173 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: the baris traces of incredulity. Sure enough, the Golden Retriever 174 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: looped behind them about halfway up the path. Panting, Tilda, 175 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: while grateful the dog wasn't barking, hoped it would not 176 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: keep following them. The risk involved great. On opposing sides 177 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: of the crater were two sphinxes of worn stone, their 178 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: faces eroded and blank. Debating for a moment, Tilda dropped 179 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: down the first step, wincing at the jostle to her back. 180 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:13,599 Speaker 1: She walked to the edge of the next step and 181 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: hopped down and again and again until she reached the 182 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: obsidian disk. The clatter of pause told her that the 183 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: dog was not far behind. He stared over the edge, 184 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: observing them, but making no attempt to descend after them. 185 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: Tilda moved to the edge of the disk, the unscathed 186 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: portions on the surface like a black lake, still as glass, 187 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:36,079 Speaker 1: a portal to the night sky. There's a door behind you. 188 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: Tilda whirled around at the sleepy decoration. Sure enough, there 189 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: was a square entryway carved into the rock under the monument, 190 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: with a plain black door in the center. Above the 191 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: doorway was a rectangular slab of black marble. Most of 192 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: the letters washed away with time, but enough remained for 193 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,319 Speaker 1: Tilda to drive up. The phrase returned to dust. Evermore, 194 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: Underneath the string of letters were carving, still discerniraable, though 195 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: given a few more years they may not be. They 196 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,559 Speaker 1: depicted two sets of people coming towards each other, but 197 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 1: between them and the center stood a man with massive 198 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: outspread wings, arms stretched wide in his hands. He held something, 199 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: but Tilda couldn't decipher it. A chill raised down her spine, 200 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: and she held Madison more closely to her, not sure 201 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 1: she wanted to know what lay beyond the doorway. Tilda noan. 202 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: Tilda whipped around at her name, shouted in a voice 203 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 1: rough with both determination and jubilance. On either side of 204 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: the craters stood two enforcers, a different pair than the 205 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: ones they had ditched at the pharmacy. They hovered next 206 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: to the sphinxes, the statues towering over them like guardians. 207 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: Their guns were dreamed on. Tilda put the child down now, 208 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: the one to her right ordered. Tilda wondered if they 209 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: meant to shoot her once Madison no longer acted as 210 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: a shield. Inadvertently, her gaze darted to the door. Don't move, 211 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: the enforcer shouted, his command, fierce. They wouldn't shoe, not. 212 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: While she held Madison but they were circling around, strafing 213 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: slowly away from the stone, sphinxes to pin her in 214 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: the entryway, leaving her nowhere to go except through the 215 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: door and whatever lay behind it. What if it didn't open, 216 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: she thought, sick at the mere possibility of it, but 217 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:22,079 Speaker 1: she had to make her move soon. She backed slowly 218 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: under the stone, outcropping, her gaze roving from one forcer 219 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: to the other. As they stepped down the first stair 220 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: in tandem, her back touched a cold, flat surface, steel 221 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,679 Speaker 1: instead of the wood she had expected. She reached a 222 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,599 Speaker 1: shaking hand behind her, the other arm trembling under the 223 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: full brunt of Madisine's weight sweat. Sheened her skin. The 224 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: enforcers descended another two steps, cutting across diagonally, their arms unwavering. 225 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,599 Speaker 1: Madison breathed with tiny whimpers, trembling like a leaf in 226 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: her grasp and making him harder to hold. Tilda fumbled 227 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: behind her, but could find no doorknob, no handle, nothing 228 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: but metal for jid beneath her fingers. Panic rose inside her, 229 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: drying her throat, making her dizzy and numb. Her knees 230 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,719 Speaker 1: threatened to give out. One of the enforcers grinned with 231 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:14,599 Speaker 1: cruel anticipation as he advanced down the final step. She 232 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: jerked badly at the sound of a heavy bolt giving way, 233 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 1: reverberating in the steel, and without warning she was shoved 234 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: to her left, landing heavily on her side as the 235 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: door swung open. Before she could process this, three ear 236 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 1: shattering blams rent the air. Blood sprang from the head 237 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: of one of the enforcers and onto the marble as 238 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: he dropped like someone who had just had a vital 239 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: switch inside them, flipped from on to off, his legs 240 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: twisting awkwardly beneath him. The other caught the impact in 241 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: the shoulder and crumpled first to his knees, blood pouring 242 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: between the fingers of the hand that had instantly gone 243 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: up to staunch the flow of red, raising the hand 244 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: that still held the gun, but with a gasp, he 245 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: colasped went to his side, unmoving. Madison was screaming into 246 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: Tilda's neck while she stared stunned at the two bodies 247 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: strewn next to the sunken obsidian disk. She could barely 248 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: hear him over the ringing in her ears, and then 249 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: a face was right in front of hers mouth, moving 250 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: almost choking on her shock, Tilda propelled herself backwards, smacking 251 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 1: into stone, transfixed as more people emerged from behind the 252 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: door she so recently had been desperate to open, producing 253 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: tarps and dragging the bodies onto them and wrapping them up, 254 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: leaving dark red streaks on the white rock. A hand 255 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: jostled to her shoulder, and she tore her eyes away, 256 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: trying to focus her steadily blurring vision. She offered only 257 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: a token resistance as hands pulled her to her feet, 258 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: leading her inside the square of black. A loud clunk 259 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: behind her, and the patch of light disappeared as the 260 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: door shut. A heavy scraping of metal on metal signaled 261 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: that the bolt had slipped back into place. There were 262 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: stairs almost immediately, and Tilda would have fallen if not 263 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: for the hands keeping her upright. The stairs opened into 264 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: a wide space with long rectangular tables in the middle 265 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: and small rooms made with sectionals along the sidewalls. Hallways 266 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: branched off to either side the procession. Hurting, Tilda took 267 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: the one to the right. The cold and stale air 268 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: only increased her dizziness as she sucked in shallow breasts. 269 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: Her knee throbbed from the impact of her fall fire, 270 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: looking at her joint with every step. They were led 271 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: into the first room on their right, a large rectangular 272 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: room with dark gray walls and small cots covered in 273 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: faded white sheets. The hands guided her to the nearest bed, 274 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: lowering her onto it. Her neck was wet with Madison's tears. 275 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: Tilda stared blankly ahead, numb until she felt someone trying 276 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: to remove Madison from her arms. She reacted violently, kicking 277 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: out and screaming, dropping off the bed and retreating to 278 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: the furthest wall. Turning to face those who crowded in 279 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: the room with her, she could make out five people. 280 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: None of them made any move to advance, but she 281 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 1: darted her eyes between them, watching for any sign of movement. 282 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: One of them spoke, but the buzzing in her ears 283 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: had yet to fade away. Concentrating on blinking and raining 284 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: in her breathing, her vision gradually returned to her enough 285 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: so that she could make out the people in the 286 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: room with her. Three women, two men, all waiting silently 287 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: for her to regain some composure. You with us, one 288 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: of them, asked, A tough looking woman with tan skin, thin, 289 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: dull brown hair, and dark eyes, forcing herself to take 290 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: deep breath. Tilda Nod had poised to run, even though 291 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: there was nowhere for her to go. A broad shouldered 292 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 1: man with dark hair and a short beard spoke up. 293 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: If you were looking for the resistance, you found it. 294 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: Tilda felt no relief at that, and she had thought 295 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: she would. In her mind's eye, she saw the blood 296 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: spray from the enforcer's temple, the awareness in his eyes 297 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: gone in an instant. One of the men bled from 298 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: his upper arm, red leaking past the hand clenched over 299 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: the wound. The third shot must have been for him. 300 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: She had the sudden horrific epiphany that perhaps Madison had 301 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,959 Speaker 1: seen those two men murdered. Hugging him closer, Tilda whispered 302 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: in his ear, did you see At first, she thought 303 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: he hadn't heard her, but he shook his head into 304 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: her neck. She sacked with relief. You need to sit down, 305 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: a dark skinned woman advised, so we can check the 306 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: both of you out for injuries. I promise you you're safe. 307 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: Here til to try to remember what safety felt like, 308 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: but she knew she was on the verge of collapse, 309 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,919 Speaker 1: like a frightened animal, creeping forward to accept food from 310 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: an outstretched hand, til to move to the nearest bed. 311 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: The one furthest from the group of strangers. Who are you? 312 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 1: The man with the bleeding arm eased onto a bed, wincing, 313 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: and the woman who had just spoken began coaxing his 314 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: fingers from the wound, pulling gauze from a drawer next 315 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: to the bed, and wrapping the wound with it. Were 316 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: the resistance, the first man repeated, as if that explained everything. 317 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: The blonde who had been the first to speak, add 318 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: it acidly, were the ones who just saved you from 319 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: the enforcers. The last woman, tan skinned with dark curly 320 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 1: hair past her collarbone, chimed in, maybe it's names you want. 321 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: Her brown eyes were kind. I'm Zulaika. That's Taylor, she indicated. 322 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 1: The blonde woman Marcus, the dark haired man, Amelia, the 323 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: woman finishing wrapping the wounded man's arm, and Adam. Marcus 324 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 1: leveled his dark gaze on Tilda. And you are Tilda 325 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: and Madison? No one, how do you know who we are? 326 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: You are Priority number one, Marcus replied tonelessly. Arm has 327 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 1: been broadcasting about you. They have enforcers scouring the continent 328 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: for you, and you led them right to us. His 329 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: cool accusation had Tilda wanting to take a step back, 330 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: but she stood her ground. Taylor piped up, at least 331 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: now we have something they badly want. Tilda sat on 332 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 1: the edge of the closest bed, leg's unable to sustain 333 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: her for any longer. Madison showed no signs of wanting 334 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,239 Speaker 1: to let go of her, huddling in her arms. All 335 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: of their eyes rested on him. Amelia stepped four tentatively. 336 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,399 Speaker 1: May I check you over for any injuries. We're fine, 337 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: Tilda dismissed, gruffly. Your hands are bleeding, Amelia pointed out 338 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: gently to Tilda, surprised the doctor was right. Her palms 339 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,719 Speaker 1: caked with crusty red. She must have scraped them when 340 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 1: she fell. Clearing her throat, tilt deflected. We just need 341 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: some rest. For a moment. No one moved, but then 342 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: Amelia disappeared in a room in the back, returning with 343 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: two glasses of water. Tilda leaned away as she approached, 344 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: but she just placed them on the bedside table. We'll 345 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: leave you rest, we can talk. She shot a meaningful 346 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: glance at Marcus. Later, she ushered the others out the door, 347 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: and shut it behind them, flipping off the main switch 348 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: so the only light emitted was from a lamp. Hands trembling, 349 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 1: she reached for the glass of water and took a 350 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,239 Speaker 1: big gulp, nudging Madison with her shoulder and getting him 351 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: to do the same. Wide hazel eyes glowed up at her. 352 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 1: Are we safe? Couldn't answer, her whole body heavy like lead. 353 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: Slowly she led them down in the bed, Curling her 354 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: body one big bruise, Masson pulled himself into a ball, 355 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: still in the shelter of her holes, and even though 356 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: they were both terrified, they drifted to sleep. And that 357 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: brings us to the end of this chapter ten point 358 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: two section of our fiction, and we are moving into 359 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: the part I've been kind of hinting out that I'm 360 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: excited to talk about because I tried to put romance 361 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: in here, Samantha, and I clearly it was like the 362 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: last thing I cared about, and I didn't know how 363 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 1: to do it like it I like, so I'm excited 364 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 1: to talk about it. Also, you and I discussed this recently, 365 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: so we were introduced to a lot of nude characters 366 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: in this chapter, and you said, like the way you 367 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: choose names as you will look up like most popular 368 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: names of a year. Yeah right, I'll go down that list. Yes, yes, 369 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 1: well I mine all means something and it's kind of 370 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 1: pretentious and annoying, but all of them have like a meaning. 371 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: Is it like that iked she who Should not be named? 372 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: Naming character level? It's it's no, it's like literally you 373 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,679 Speaker 1: have to look up what that name means. But if 374 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 1: you do, then it means like to witness or something, right, 375 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: I mean literal, So you're you're a little bit more literal. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 376 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: I've actually been working on I mentioned it recently, but 377 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: thirteen Days of Halloween, which I know it's just me, 378 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 1: but we we work on these very early, and the 379 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: names in there. I was kind of I was waiting 380 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: for somebody to be like, why did you choose these names? 381 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,239 Speaker 1: Like you know why? You know? Yes, I always look 382 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: at the meaning and then even if it's like brings 383 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: you out of the moment because you're like, oh, I 384 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: know what the meaning. I'm really bad about it, but 385 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: we're gonna have fun talking about it. I can't wait. 386 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 1: I can't wait until we get to the next edition. 387 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to super producer Christina, who makes these happen, 388 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 1: and if you would like to email us about this 389 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,719 Speaker 1: or anything else, you can. Our email is Stuffanidia mom 390 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You can find us on 391 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: Twitter at mom Stuff podcast, or on Instagram and TikTok 392 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: at Stuff I've Never Told You. We're also on YouTube 393 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:25,919 Speaker 1: and we have a book coming out that you can 394 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: pre order at stuff you should read Books dot com. 395 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,239 Speaker 1: Thanks as always, yes to our super producer Christina, our 396 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: executive producer Maya, and our contributor Joey. Thank y'all, and 397 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: thanks to you for listening Stuff I Never Told You 398 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: thes protection of iHeartRadio. 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