1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome stuff I 2 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: never told you Protection of my Heart Radio, and welcome 3 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: to another very special edition of Sminty Fiction. I am 4 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: going to say it very special because we're getting to 5 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 1: the end of an era wow on this one. So 6 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: if you don't know, if you have missed it, if 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: it's not your thing, but somehow you're listening to this one. 8 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: This is a once a month thing ish that Christina 9 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: makes amazing where she puts in all these sound effects 10 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: and it sounds so good. I love hearing what she 11 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: does with it. And this has been a long endeavor. 12 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: So this is the finale of the Terminus series that 13 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: we've started years ago. It is an ongoing story. I 14 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: know some of you have written in and told me, 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: please tell me when it's over so I can binge it. 16 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: This is it, This is it. I think we might 17 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: try to do like playlists, so. 18 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 2: Think look, this should be a Christmas edition, which we've 19 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 2: done before, where we will do some playlist. I feel 20 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 2: like this should be one of those. 21 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: I think so too, because we have had to take 22 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: some breaks here and there, and I know you can 23 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,559 Speaker 1: kind of lose the plot when it comes to something 24 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,839 Speaker 1: like that, and this has been going on for quite 25 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: a while, so yes, this is something I wrote for 26 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: National Novel Writing Month, which is no longer a thing, 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: but this was the third one in a trilogy. I 28 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: do think you will be quite lost if you just 29 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: start here, but I can't tell you what to do? 30 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: You do you? I yeah, you do you. I'll be 31 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: happy to hear from anyone about it, and it is 32 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: it's the finale. I'm very I'm kind of bittersweet about it. 33 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: I've really enjoyed sharing this with you all and hearing 34 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: from you about it, and I do have some thoughts 35 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: I'll share at the end, because yeah, I'll share them 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: at the end. I don't want to spoil things. But 37 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: as always, I lightly edited these because I kind of 38 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: wanted them to capture what was going on in my 39 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: head at the time. And I honestly do find it 40 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 1: really interesting because a lot of this is about kind 41 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: of motherhood and having a kid, and I don't have 42 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: a kid. I would say that I have some experience 43 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: of like feeling that I had to help raise a sibling, 44 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: but I'm nothing near this, so it is interesting to 45 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: me that this is what I wrote. CW. The content 46 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: warning is for guns, and I was like, quite a 47 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: lot of guns, violence, child endangerment, just some like I 48 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: don't know, keyness, some like general bad guy not being great, 49 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So here's the recap. 50 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 3: Here we go. 51 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: In this universe, there has been a disease called HSB 52 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: five that has pretty much wiped out the human population. 53 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: It's made it very difficult to conceive, and because of that, 54 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: the government in the US at least became what they 55 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 1: call the States, and they partnered with a religious organization 56 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: called arm and they controlled conception. If you tried to 57 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: conceive outside of the conception centers, then that was illegal 58 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: and they would come hunch you down. They also determined 59 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: where any kid who was born would go. So our 60 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: heroes are Tilda, who had a baby out illegally, not 61 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: at a conception center, has been on the run for years, 62 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: and she happens upon this resistance while she's on the run, 63 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: and they're trying to come up with a vaccine, and 64 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: they say, like there was a vaccine, the state destroyed it, 65 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: but there's one left and it's in d C. So 66 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: she goes to d C with her son, Madison, and 67 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 1: she learns that the leaders of ARM are the paternal 68 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: grandparents of Madison. Yeah, there's a skirmish and they're injured. 69 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: Tilda manages to get out this broadcast about what happened 70 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: and that there's been one vaccine, but one of them 71 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: so they think there's two, but the one that they 72 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: know exists was given to Madison. So they're on the 73 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: run again, and then all of this other stuff happens. 74 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: She encounters like violent gangs who try to like bring 75 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: her into their community. Madison is dealing with all of 76 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: the skills about it. Maybe he can help make the 77 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,679 Speaker 1: vaccine because he's got it. Tilda's so concerned learned about 78 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: the resistance and all of the traders and everything. She 79 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: doesn't want to go back. Even though her mother comes 80 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: on the broadcast system and it's like, please come home, 81 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: she doesn't do it. And then they encounter another group 82 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: who are these radicals who come in a tank. They 83 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 1: attack Tilda, leave her for dead, and kidnap Madison. And 84 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: then she has to figure out, like what is she 85 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: going to do. This has been her whole identity is 86 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: protecting Madison, and now now what she happens to run 87 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: into members A member of the Resistance who is sympathetic 88 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: to her cause, and he is like, I really hope 89 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 1: you decide to come with us, but I'm going to 90 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: give you the information you need and you can make 91 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: your own decision, and he tells her where they think 92 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: Madison is. So she goes to this place infiltrates it 93 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: uses a motorcycle, perhaps not realistically, but we'll leave that, 94 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: and that she finds Madison. She finally finds him in 95 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 1: all of this chaos as the Resistance is fighting this 96 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: radical group. And that's where we left off, So let 97 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: us get into the conclusion of the final chapter of Terminus. 98 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: There were shouting bullets just down the hall, but in 99 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: that moment, Tilda felt whole. She pulled away and grabbed 100 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: Madison's hand. They both stood stepping over the body and 101 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: the pool of blood spreading from it. Her mind working quickly, 102 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: Tilda whispered, We're gonna run for it. Okay, can you run? 103 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: Madison gave her a prompt nod okay. By the hand, 104 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: she led him through the small medical wing into the door. 105 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: Peeking out into the hallway, the fog from her smoke 106 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: bomb had almost entirely dissipated. Looking down the hallway. She 107 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: could see the shapes of people scuffling in the main entryway, 108 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: fast and chaotic. Tilda glanced behind her, hoping that perhaps 109 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: she'd just missed a back door exit. There was a door, 110 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: a heavy gray slab that blended in with the wall. 111 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: A bullet bared into the wall inches away from her, 112 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: with an explosion of dust and small pieces of debris. 113 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: Tilda jumped back and followed the bullet's origin to the 114 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: man with the tattooed face. His eyes filled with rage 115 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: and focused on her wait. He called out, presumably to 116 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: alert everyone that she was escaping with the child that 117 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: they were fighting over, but his command was lost in 118 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: the chaos, and he was forced to return his attention 119 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: to the entryway when another burst of bullet's rang out 120 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: through the air. Using the distraction, tilt a dough for 121 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: the door, her fingers scrabbling for the handle. It was heavy. 122 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: She anchored her back foot and heaved it open, motioning 123 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: Madison through. He darted out the small gap, and Tilda 124 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: leverished herself against the door frame and pushed back against 125 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: it to open the heavy door, catching sight of the 126 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,559 Speaker 1: tattooed man breaking away from the fight. The door slam 127 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: shut with a heavy clunk, and Tilda smashed into the 128 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: ground with a pained hiss, but she wasted no time 129 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: pushing herself to her feet, Madison watching her with wide, 130 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: fearful eyes. Tilda grasped his tiny hand and they started 131 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: to run into the woods. Tilda intended to do a 132 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: wide loop to her motorcycle to make their escape in 133 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: the chaos, The quick crunching of steps was the only 134 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: warning she had before crashing weight barreled into her back, 135 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: sending her careening into the hard, cold dirt. Madison screamed. 136 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: Tilda coughed her hand, blindly reaching for the gun that 137 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: had been knocked from it. She could feel the man 138 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: trying to grab the shotgun, the one that she'd gone 139 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: out of her way to get and carried with her. 140 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: Despite the extra weight it gave her and her own 141 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: self admission that she didn't know how to use it. 142 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 1: That would be what was used to kill her. Tilda 143 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 1: jerked her elbow back, making satisfying contact with the man's nose. 144 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: He cursed and fell away, and Tilda seize the opportunity 145 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: to crawl forward and grab her weapon. Flipping over on 146 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 1: her back and pointing it at him. Madison scrambled behind her, 147 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: dodging the man's outstretched hand. The tattooed man propped himself 148 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: up on one elbow, reaching out with his other arm 149 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: toward her. Tilda cocked her weapon, her aim unwavering. Not 150 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: in this life, not in this life, do you kill me. 151 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: He sat up straighter, his arm reaching for her. In 152 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: Madison's eyes bright with hate. Madison's presence was heavy behind 153 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: her til to squeeze the trigger. Her eyes snapped shut 154 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: with the loud pop of the bullet exiting the gun, 155 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: the man fell back with a gasp of pain. She hesitated, 156 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: wide eyed, breath stuck in her throat, but only for 157 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: a moment. She got up, reaching for Madison's hand. He 158 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: took it automatically, as if on instinct. Dreamlike, she broke 159 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: left into the tree line and around the corner of 160 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: the building, just as the door to the compound started 161 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: to swing open. Tilda had to consciously slow down, feeling 162 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: the weight of Madison keeping her from running as fast 163 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: as she could. There was screaming and shouting behind them, 164 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: a smattering of bullets. Without thinking, Till to reach into 165 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: her backpacks side pocket and pulled out a tear gas canister, 166 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 1: pulling the pen and tossing it behind her. Seconds passed, 167 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 1: and then a bang, followed by a sharp hiss, some 168 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: more shouting. Tilda belongd to the gas, stinging at the 169 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: corner of her eyes. Faintly, she could hear Madison coughing, 170 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: feel his steps faltering. Come on, she muttered under her 171 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: breath to herself and anyone who was listening. They passed 172 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: the front corner of the building, still not leaving from 173 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: the cover of the trees. She turned her head, looking 174 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 1: at the front entrance. Some people were breaking away from 175 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: the scuffle, pointing at the trees. Tilda's breath was coming 176 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: in sharp pants, puffs of smoke in front of her, 177 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:54,439 Speaker 1: as if fueled by the fire in her side. Her 178 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: toe caught on a branch and she stumbled. She managed 179 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: to catch her weight, but Madison fell. The shouting by 180 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: behind them grew louder. She hefted him to his feet. 181 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: They navigated through the trees in the dark, the air 182 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:10,079 Speaker 1: thin and cold and cutting stop. Someone shouted far too 183 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: close for comfort. Til To pumped her legs harder, pulling 184 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: Madison along with her. Her eyes rove to the forest 185 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: in front of her, searching for the motorcycle she'd abandoned 186 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: only hours earlier, refusing to acknowledge the slim probability that 187 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: she'd find it again. Something intrinsic inside her knew she 188 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't survive losing Madison, not this version of her. Anyway. 189 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: She'd have to become something else. She was fighting for 190 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: both of their survivals. A gleam in the moonlight to 191 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: her left caught til DEA's eye. Hardly daring to believe it, 192 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 1: she adjusted their path toward it. The rapid footfalls over 193 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: needles behind her, growing louder with proximity. Laying in front 194 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: of a cops of trees a few yards in front 195 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: of them was the motorcycle. She needed the keys, but 196 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: that would mean letting go of Madison's hand or the gun. 197 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: With a moment's indecision, till to shut the gun in 198 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: her waistband reached awkwardly behind her into her pack side pocket, 199 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: her fingers fumbling to grasp the metal teeth as she 200 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: extracted the jangling metal keyring, heart leaping into her throat 201 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: as she nearly dropped it on the forest floor, she 202 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: slid heavily to her knees in front of the bike, 203 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: Madison hovering behind her, fingers shaking as she tried to 204 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,439 Speaker 1: jam the first key into ignition, missing several times before 205 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: going to the second. Another round of gunfire quickly returned 206 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: punctuated the silence, and some were yelling closing in As 207 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: the key slid into place, tiled a gasp with ecstatic surprise, 208 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: riding the bike and sliding her leg over it. Madison 209 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: hopped on behind her, wrapping his arms instinctively around her midsection. Belatedly, 210 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: Tilda remembered why she'd had to abandon the bike when 211 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: she first entered these woods, but there was nothing for it. 212 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: As carefully as the adrenaline coursing through her veins would 213 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: allow her, Tilda yeased her foot on the pedal, bark 214 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: flew off a tree to her right. As a bullet 215 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: buried in the wood. Madison's arms tightened around her middle 216 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: and tilt a bit, her lip in pain, fing more 217 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 1: pressure to the pedal with an answering roar. Needles pattering 218 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: the ground as the rubber tire disturbed them. The resistance 219 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: to move forward lessened as she bless themed desirable speed 220 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: around the trees and toward the road, remembering the tank 221 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: and the vehicles the resistance had traveled in, and knowing 222 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 1: that she had a very small, small window to butt 223 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:22,439 Speaker 1: any meaningful distance between her and Madison and the parties 224 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: that sought them. She couldn't hear any pursuers over the 225 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: thundering of the engine. Whether that was because the sound 226 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: jrounded out or because they'd broken off for their own transportation, 227 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: Tilda wasn't sure. Snatches of Madison's voice rose above the 228 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: bike's engine, the majority of it lost yours, she thought 229 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 1: she heard. Tilda didn't answer. Guiding them through the maze 230 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: of trees, silver moonlight reflected off the gray asphalt river 231 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: ahead of them. Should she go back in the direction 232 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: they came or continue west? Bright lights flooded the woods 233 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: around them, and Tilda winced some of the resistance members 234 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: must have made it back to their vehicles. She gave 235 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: the bike or gas hold on, she shouted over her shoulder. 236 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 1: She gunned it up a small incline and onto the road, 237 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: swerving to her right as the tire found easier traction, 238 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: rapidly picking up speed west. It was then the lights 239 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: grew brighter, barreling down on them. Trees had been traded 240 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: for cars, A scrap metal obstacle course before her. She 241 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: went as quickly as she was comfortable, risking and perhaps 242 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: a bit more, hoping that her smaller transport would offer 243 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: them more in the wave of speed, that the Resistance's 244 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: larger vehicles would slow them down. At least she hoped 245 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: it was the Resistance. If it came down to it, 246 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: Tilda would rather be captured by them. The cold air 247 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: whipped through her hair, Maston huddled against her backpack to 248 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: shield himself from it. A horrible thought, how Tilda, glancing 249 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: frantically down at the gas indicator, but the tank was 250 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: over half full. She looked up in time to dodge 251 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: around the corner of a red truck. Metal clanging and 252 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: tearing cut through the motorcycle's roaring engine behind her, Just 253 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: ahead was a bridge suspended over a winding river, the 254 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: moonlight shimmering on the water's surface giving the impression of 255 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: a graceful, slow moving silver snake. And Tilda's experience, bridges 256 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: were a risky endeavor, structures crumbling under the roofless march 257 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: of time. A cluster of abandoned vehicles had once converged 258 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: at the entrance and exit, but by the looks of it, 259 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: had been bulldozed out of the way, some laying on 260 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: their sides and others crunched inward. Tilda suspected the tank 261 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: had cleared the path if the tank could make it 262 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: over the bridge. The engine rebbed as she pressed down 263 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: hard on the pedal, the cold of the metal leashing 264 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: through the thin sole of her shoe and arching up 265 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: her calf. Glass glittered on the road. Tilda did her 266 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: best to avoid it. A blown tire would seal their fate. 267 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: The shadow of the creature she appeared to be on 268 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: the bike raced in front of her, made by the 269 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: white halogen light flooding from the car bearing down on them. 270 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: The sound of gunfire had her ducking down instinctively as 271 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: she crossed over the bridge's metal post. The light behind 272 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: them swore the bullets must have been directed toward the car, 273 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: whose headlights bathed them with a bluish light. Wind gusted 274 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: through breasted trestles with ominous creaking sounds, and whistled past 275 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: fraying cables, bullets ripping through the night behind them, a 276 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: cacophony audible over the air, wishing in her ears the 277 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: debris littering the road, easily crushed perhaps by a tank, 278 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: forced her to slow down to navigate through it, forging 279 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: her own path through a maze of debris and glass. 280 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: The moon hung low on the horizon directly over the river, 281 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: so close Tilda imagined that she could make out all 282 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: of its edges. For a moment so fleeting, it slipped 283 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: by before Tilda had time to acknowledge it. She thought 284 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: it was beautiful. She was struck with the memory of 285 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: a similar image, moonlight dancing on a river, guiding her 286 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: and Madison out of DC, so many months ago, lie 287 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: times ago, when she came to terms with her motherhood. 288 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: She could have laughed aloud at the joy of it. 289 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: Under the tires of her bike, she felt the bridge 290 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: shudder and sway, a pursuing vehicle passing on to it, 291 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: just as she and Madison shot out the other side 292 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 1: onto a surprisingly windy road. She didn't know what the 293 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: future would hold. She knew that they couldn't keep running 294 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 1: forever her mother was out there. Madison could potentially help 295 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: make a vaccine, and one day he'd be old enough 296 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: that he wouldn't need her anymore. But for now, she 297 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: knew who she was after all these years, and Madison 298 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: was by her. 299 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 3: Side, and that brings us to the end. 300 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 2: Why wouldn't be outro music on that one special one? 301 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: We need like a moment of like meditation. I always 302 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 1: want to Eves gives us so much of her time, 303 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: but I'm always like, can we please do another meditation? 304 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:20,640 Speaker 1: She's excellent, She's excellent. All right, So that's the end. 305 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 1: I know, it's kind of an it's an abrupt ending. 306 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: I it ends very similarly. It has kind of a 307 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: mirror effect to how the first one ends, where they're 308 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 1: going into the night, and you know, till it was 309 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: considering maybe I will go back to the Resistance, but 310 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 1: right now I'm not going to do it. And in 311 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: my head, because I never wrote anything like what might 312 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,439 Speaker 1: happen after this, in my head, she does go back eventually, 313 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: but it's up to you. It's up to you what happens. 314 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: I think I just I didn't have enough time to 315 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 1: really flesh out. I didn't think she would go back 316 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: at that time. I think given some space and once 317 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: Madison gets older, I think he'll be like more vocal 318 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:19,360 Speaker 1: about wanting to go back. But in the timeframe of 319 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: this where I was like, this is the ending. I 320 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: think we should stop here. I don't think she would. 321 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: She would go back so hopefully that you know, it 322 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: might be a sudden ending and he might be like what, 323 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: but hopefully like what's time passes you'll be like, Okay. 324 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 2: Well you have to do a prequel now, and then 325 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: you'll also have to do when Madison grows up. 326 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. I have thought about it, and it's so interesting 327 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 1: to me because I know I always say this, but this. 328 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: I wrote this before the Last of Us came out, 329 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: But I've always thought that, and maybe the this is 330 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,680 Speaker 1: just me being hopeful in my own universe that I've 331 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: created that the vaccine would work if they used his blood. 332 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,400 Speaker 1: So I think it would be interesting to come back 333 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: and revisit the fight that they would have and kind 334 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 1: of that when you know, when your kid gets older 335 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: and they're starting to have these really strong opinions and 336 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: the power balance shifts. I think it would be really 337 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: interesting because a part of this, the whole thing, was 338 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 1: like Tilden not knowing who she was without him, so 339 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: she has to deal with she has to confront like, oh, 340 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: he doesn't necessarily need me as much as he did 341 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: when he was younger. Yeah, so I have thought about that. 342 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: She does talk about in the final part of this 343 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: kind of freeing nature of even though she's still sort 344 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 1: of defined by Madison in some ways, she feels very 345 00:20:57,960 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 1: confident in who she is now now that she's been 346 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: away from him, so she has she's seen growth in 347 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: that way. So I thought that was really interesting. And 348 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: I talked to my mom about this because she actually 349 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: read it. Yeah, she read it back when I was 350 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 1: trying to get it published, and she was talking to 351 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 1: me about how she was surprised, not that I wrote 352 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: anything amazing, but she was like, you know that that 353 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: idea of like I've always been a mom, Like I 354 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: almost com and lost my name when I became a mom, 355 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,239 Speaker 1: like it like so much my identity was this And 356 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 1: so I'm glad that she felt that way. And it 357 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 1: does like this final bit again, does have a lot 358 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: of things from my childhood. The red truck. My dad 359 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: had a red truck, just like a lot of little 360 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: little things, a little little odes. But it does still 361 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: end in chaos. So who knows, Maybe I'll come back and. 362 00:21:55,359 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 2: And revisit and Madison finds the one or something done it. 363 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, Oh my gosh, well, hm, I remember it's 364 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: so sad. Do you get this way, like where I 365 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: want to write something new, but I'm also so attached 366 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: to something else. Oh I'm not, like, I don't want 367 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: to let it go. Yeah, So that's kind of how 368 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: I feel. And you know, this is the this is 369 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: the finale. We're talking about maybe doing a one shot 370 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 1: Halloween fiction in October and then maybe taking a break 371 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: because it's the holidays and these are a bigger lift 372 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: for Christina. I do already have another long form story 373 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: that I'm excited to share, but it is kind of 374 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 1: sad saying goodbye. I'm a little like. 375 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 2: We're going to bring it back, going to bring it back, 376 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 2: you see. 377 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:54,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, Oh absolutely absolutely, I'm very excited to share. It's 378 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: gonna be kind of difficult to do because it's sort 379 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: of like a found podcast, found footage pot story. I'm 380 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: sure we'll figure it out. But if any listeners, if 381 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: you have any things you'd like to see for fiction 382 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: on the show, or any ideas for this particular story 383 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: or something I could revisit, I would love to. I 384 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: love a good prompt. It gives me some direction, So 385 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: just let us know. You can email us at Hello 386 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: at Steffannever Told You dot com. You can also find 387 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 1: us on Blue Sky at Malsa podcast, or on Instagram 388 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 1: and TikTok at stuff I'll Never Told You. We're also 389 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: on YouTube. We have some new merchandise at Cotton Bureau 390 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,239 Speaker 1: you can find and we have a book you can 391 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: get wherever you get your books. Thanks as always to 392 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: super producer Christina, who has absolutely made this series you. 393 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: Thanks to our executive producer Maya and our contributor Joey, 394 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:52,640 Speaker 1: and thanks to all of you for listening and coming 395 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,879 Speaker 1: along for this ride. STUFFA Never Told Me the production 396 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 397 00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:59,959 Speaker 1: you can check out the heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 398 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.