1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I don't go to 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: Stephane never told you production of iHeart Radio. And today 3 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: we are doing another of our sminty fiction segments, which 4 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: is once a month. If it's not your thing, should 5 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: I totally get this current one is continuing. It is 6 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: part of something I wrote in for Nano Raimo. So 7 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: if you were like this probably come editing. I know. Oh, 8 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: I had a whole thing where I realized some people 9 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: must have always been cheating at Nana Arrival, but not me. 10 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: I only wrote it in November. Yes, as I'm getting 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: ready to post my fan fiction, I just realized, did 12 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: you forget a name? Oh? Figured out? Oh, Samantha. I 13 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: figured out three names. Because you can have a pseudonym, 14 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: you can have three plus names under the same account. 15 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 1: So I'm going to post like my sillier ones under 16 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: one account, by like more serious ones under another account. 17 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: I've got a whole thing, and I like every name. Well, 18 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: I do think all three of them. You could be like, oh, 19 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: that's I know who that is. If you know me, 20 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: you'd be like, I'm pretty sure, okay, yes, yes, so listeners, 21 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: I mean if you find me, look out. If you 22 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: know any this is this is the test. This is 23 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: the test. I'm excited. Well, do you know, Annie, I'm excited. 24 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: But oh, I think if you know me at all, 25 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure you could be like that's Annie, especially 26 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: if you knew, like what genre I'm writing in, what 27 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: phantom I'm running in, I'm pretty sure. Um. Well, anyway, Yes, 28 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: I write this for Nana Raimo. It is part one 29 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: of a trilogy, but I didn't really edit them four 30 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: of this partly because of time contrags, but partly because 31 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: I kind of wanted to talk about what I was 32 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: going through or dealing with when I wrote this, because 33 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: I do find it kind of bizarre and interesting that 34 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: I wrote a story about motherhood at this age when 35 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: I'm not a mother. So this is a continuing If 36 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: you haven't listened, I believe we're in chapter four now, 37 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: so you can find the first three chapters in a prologue. 38 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: Uh in our spendy fiction segments um content warning for 39 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: infertility viruses, government control, especially government control over women's bodies, 40 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: end of the world stuff. It's very dystopian um hunger 41 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: and feeling like a failure as a mom. And I 42 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: know that all sounds pretty grim. As I said, of 43 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: the times we could release this, this is perhaps the 44 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: worst time. But as I said, some people like me 45 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: kind of like yeah, reading or listening or however, consuming 46 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: media like this during a time like this, that's similar. 47 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: So quick recap our main characters, Tilda and her son Madison, 48 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: are on the run from enforcers because they have fled 49 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: um the contraception centers and the Board of Better Parenting uh, 50 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: and it is getting cold. They don't have a lot 51 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: of supplies. Madison appears to be ill, which is very, 52 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: very dangerous in this world. And they have a couple 53 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: of diverging paths and choices to make, and those choices 54 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: and paths are incredibly important to their future survival or not. 55 00:03:52,080 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: So let's get in to the fiction part of this episode. 56 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: An oppressive silence pressed around them, the stream now stagnant, 57 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: damned with debris. The muscles until this neck hurt from 58 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: straining to boost her hearing. They stepped over broken limbs, 59 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: ferns tickling at their ankles. Over the edge of the road. 60 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: The metal structure of a bridge came into view, growing sharper. 61 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: The beautriss is larger the closer they got Madison started 62 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: to hum softly. The tune was familiar, a vague, fuzzy 63 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: memory at the back of her brain. Elephant, elephant will 64 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: be all right, He's sang, almost manically. It took a 65 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: minute for her to process the lyrics. Amusement growing, would 66 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: you say a mouse? Confused that her humor, he replied, unsure, 67 00:04:54,720 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: elephant will be all right. It's a song. Lips twitching, 68 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: eyes not leaving the bridge as they near, and she prodded, 69 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: elephant will be all right. Madison nodded. We heard it 70 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: in Kansas, he added, as though she didn't believe him. 71 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: She smiled affectionately down at him, and he returned it tentatively. Yeah, 72 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 1: I think I remember that elephant will be all right. 73 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 1: Good song. Radiant relief shone on his face at her acceptance, 74 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 1: but it dimmed quickly as he caught sight of the 75 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: bridge swinging slightly in the wind. It was close. Now 76 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: are we going to cross it? Tilda could hear the 77 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: anxiety she felt at the idea reflected in his voice, 78 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: could tell he wanted her to say no. The thing was, 79 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: she couldn't figure out a way they could cross it 80 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: that wouldn't fall under suicidal the metal of the bridge 81 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: bent inwards and outwards junctions pulling away from either side. 82 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: She wasn't entirely positive the structure would hold. Secondly, surely 83 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: the enforcers, if still in Cleo Springs. An intuition told 84 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 1: Tilda they were, would guard the bridge. But how else 85 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: could they cross? She turned her attention to the river. 86 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: Dirty water flowed slowly down the center of the riverbed, 87 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: tiny streams like spiderwebs, and the red clay on either side, 88 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: connecting and reconnecting, emptying and to stagnant muddy puddles. Still dangerous, 89 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: but the better option. If they got under the bridge, 90 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: maybe they wouldn't be seen. The mud would be slippery 91 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: and the water frigid, but if they moved quickly, they 92 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: wouldn't be in it long. Untilda thought she could make 93 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,679 Speaker 1: out the blue bordered building of a decently sized grocery store. 94 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: She crouched down, putting her finger to her lips. She 95 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: had yet to see any enforcers, but she wasn't about 96 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: to take any chances. Madison nodded, nearly smacking himself in 97 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: the faced muffle of Coffin time, a wins twisted across 98 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: Tilda's features. But she squeezed his hand comfortingly. We're going 99 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: to cross under the bridge, all right, Madison listened attentively, 100 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: frightened but eager to obey her In this. It's going 101 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: to be slippery and cold, but we had to be quick. 102 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: We don't want anyone to see us. Okay. He whisper 103 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: was almost lost, fear and agency restricting her vocal cords, 104 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:06,559 Speaker 1: but Madison hung on to every word, Ready, another nod, 105 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: keeping her hold on the child's hand. Tilda started in 106 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: a quick crouch, treadless shoes slipping on red clay, Unable 107 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: to grip the slippery substance. Madison almost fell, but Tilda 108 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: pulled up to his feet. Under the bridgish shadow, it 109 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: was colder, a damp, biting cold. Tilda flashed Madison another look, 110 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: silently asking if he was ready, the tiniest sniffle than 111 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: a nod, as close to her run as they could 112 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: get been over like this, they followed the path of 113 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: shade made by the metal overhead. The clay under the 114 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: bridge was a little dryer, not as slippery, but they 115 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: were breethous short lived. Both women and child slowed as one. 116 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: When they reached the sluggishly flowing water, perhaps twenty ft 117 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: wide and no more than six inches deep. Stealing herself, 118 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: Tilda took a cautious step, almost reeling back at the cold. 119 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: Before Madison could do the same, she slid her hands 120 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: under his armpits and lifted him into her arms. He 121 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: squeaked in surprise, instinctively wrapping his legs around her waist. 122 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 1: She placed every foot carefully as deftly as she could 123 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: without making too much noise. The cold jolted painfully up 124 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: her legs, the tingling, biting numbness spreading further the longer 125 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: she was exposed to the water, her jeans wet and 126 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: clean to her skin. Her teeth began to chatter. Tilda's 127 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: knees almost bluckled when she emerged to the other side 128 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: of the river, her legs too absent of feeling to 129 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: realize that the water no longer laughed around them. Tilda 130 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: didn't set Madison down until they reached the edge of 131 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 1: the bridge, taking in the steep incline covered in vines 132 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: and shrubbery, trying to find the safest route for them. 133 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: Retaking Madison's hand, she pulled him around to the left 134 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: side of the bridge, Still hidden mostly in the shadow. 135 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: Using the plants as leverage, they climbed up the slope, 136 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: slipping occasionally. Both maintained an urgent silence what Madison would 137 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 1: call allowed quiet. Tilda doubted she'd be able to hear 138 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: the enforcers of her own pounding heart it. When they 139 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: reached the top where the bridge rejoined the road, piled 140 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: a motion for Madison to stop listening intently. The bridge 141 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: clanged lazily. Leaves rustled around them, but no voices, no footsteps, 142 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: arms burning and flimsy. She pulled herself up on her stomach, 143 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: taking a frantic inventory of their surroundings. There was no one, 144 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: no one she could see anyway. Madison clambered after her, 145 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: and she pointed at the closest building catty corner to 146 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 1: them on the left, a chalky gray warehouse. It was 147 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: off to the side and less visible than a straight path. 148 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: She held up one finger, Madison swalling at the gesture, 149 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 1: but his face determined. She held up a second finger, 150 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,439 Speaker 1: then a third. They took off, sprinting for the far 151 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: corner of the warehouse, the pounding of their feet unnaturally 152 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: loud on the pavement. Their hands still clasped sung wildly 153 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: between them. Once they rounded the corner, they abrupt stop, 154 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 1: almost sent them crushing onto the pavement. Panting harshly it 155 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: Tilda tried to pick out the smacking of boots on asphalt, 156 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: half expecting it. Her breathing made it difficult to hear 157 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: much of anything else. Mass and coughed terrified apology painted 158 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: on his lips. Not pausing to think, Untilda took off 159 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: out a run, pulling the boy behind her down the 160 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: alley and toward the Bisian Flue grocery store. She didn't stop. 161 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: Something primal had taken over, but she stuck to the shadows, 162 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: every tiny cough between rough breasts assaulting her ears. The 163 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: back entrance of the grocery store was essentially a big 164 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: loading dock. They darted through rows of abandoned semis, up 165 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: some crumbling concrete stairs, and to a set of thick 166 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: double doors. For a gut wrenching moment, Tilda new a 167 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 1: conviction that it would be locked, but it wasn't. It 168 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: was heavy, and she had to leverage her weight to 169 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: hold it open. A crack Mass and ducked inside tilta 170 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: squeezing after him, biting her lip in exertion. As she 171 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: eased the door closed so as not to make a 172 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: loud bang, She kept her palms flat against the cold 173 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 1: metal as a sliver of light sinned and disappeared, leaving 174 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: them in darkness. Her heart skittered about like a hunted rabbit, 175 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: gasping breasts, scratching at her bone dry throat. A horse 176 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: cough caught her attention, and she pushed off the door, 177 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: Blinking rapidly. Her night vision started to kick in and 178 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: she took stock of their surroundings. Bits of rutting cardboard 179 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: and tarnished carts were strewn across tile that had once 180 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: been white but now is covered in the dark stains 181 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: of growing mold and a heavy coat of dust. She 182 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: wrinkled her nose at the dust she could feel swirling 183 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: in the air, and as the muted smell of rotting 184 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: meat stung her nostrils. They were in the frozen meat section. 185 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: Madison fumbled with her hand, grasping her fingers as they 186 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: maneuvered their way further into the store. Their steps the 187 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: weary ones of refugees navigating a minefield. Tilda steered them 188 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: to the left, away from the sour smell of spoiled milk, 189 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: now able to make out the signs hanging over the 190 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: aisles in the dim light. Your morbid little shopping trip 191 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: was first to the snack section. She grabs some trail 192 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: mix dry banana and mango, kale chips, a pack of 193 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: cornell the bars, a Derrk peanut butter crackers, and some almonds, 194 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: piling some in Madison's arms. When her own became too full, 195 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: she plucked two liter bottles of water and added them 196 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 1: to her bounty, almost shocked at their look. After a 197 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: moment's consideration, she decided that can goods were out, with 198 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: no way to heat them that she could think of. 199 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: She flirted with the idea of starting a fire in 200 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: the store, but decided it was too risky. The mushy 201 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: contents would be less than appetizing. The thought of cold 202 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: food when she was already so cold, made her stomach royal. 203 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 1: After she got some food in her stomach, she'd revisit 204 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: the problem not to mention, rifle through the close section 205 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: for something warmer, and pick up some food for their 206 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: journey out of here, But she didn't want to think 207 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: about that right now. That meant figuring out how to 208 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: evade the enforcers. And finding a way to keep going 209 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: day after day after day. She glanced back, grimacing at 210 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: the slightly wet footprints that they'd left in their wake. 211 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: If enforcers checked inside, the marks would lead them right 212 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: to their quarry. Madison coughed again, nearly dropping some of 213 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: the packages balanced curiously in his arms. Looking around, Tilda 214 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: told Madison to wait where he was and darted across 215 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: the aisle to a shelf opposite them, pulling down some blankets, 216 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 1: thankfully free of milk doing dragging them behind her with 217 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: her pinky. As she returned to Madison, his eyes wide 218 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: and unrelenting in the dark. From the quick glimpse she got, 219 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: Tilda deduced the store had been ransacked, whole aisles knocked over, 220 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: a dull rainbow of spilled cereals, a messy constellation of 221 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: broken printers and baby seats and other things that were 222 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: no longer needed. She supposed they hadn't been the first 223 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: to mind this store, not by a long shot. Depositing 224 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: her snack items on a mostly empty shelf, she took 225 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: out a blanket and let it billow out as she 226 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: loaded to the floor. Madison sat down, allowing the packages 227 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 1: he carried to tumble to the center of the checked 228 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 1: black and green fabric. Reclaiming her own freeze dried food, 229 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: she added it to Madison's dash, grabbing another one of 230 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: the blankets, this one a thick blue and red Dreeping 231 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 1: it across the child thin shoulders. He wrapped his fingers 232 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: around the cloth, pulling it closer, found himself with a 233 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: tiny hiccup. She took the last throw for herself, wearing 234 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: it like a cloak. It barely put a dent in 235 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: the frost, penetrating her bones, but it was a start. 236 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:15,839 Speaker 1: Drink first, she ordered, and Madison obeyed. Slowly, she tacked 237 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: on at his hasty gulps, he spluttered, setting the bottle 238 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: on the floor and snatching up a packet of trail mix, 239 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 1: fixing him with a meaningful look when he commenced, shoveling 240 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: the mix into his mouth. She chose the dry bingoes 241 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: and almonds for herself. At the first taste of food, 242 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: ravenous hunger exploded in her stomach. It was all she 243 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: could do not to choke down the food, the mediocre 244 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: at best age snacks delectable. She moved on to the 245 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: peanut butter, twisting off the top with an almost rabid eagerness, 246 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: and opening a package of stale crackers, using them as 247 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: vessels for the peanut e spread. They crumbled under the 248 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: weight of the peanut butter she attempted to heap on them. Already, 249 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: Tilda felt her strength returning, but it was nowhere near enough. 250 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: In that moment, she thought she could eat everything in 251 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: front of her and more, and it would be nowhere 252 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: near enough. Masison took a massive bite of granola, his 253 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: cheek like chipmunks. Tilda laughed quietly, accidentally swallowing a kale 254 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: chip hole, but apart from a sheepish grin, the boy 255 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: was clearly not deterred. Aloud clang and voices stripped their 256 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: faces of all traces of humor. Madison crawled over to Tilda, 257 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: curling into her side. Tilda listened intently, the food like 258 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: an iron weight in her gut. The voices were the 259 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: lowest murmur. They were coming towards the front of the store. 260 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: The softness of their steps informed her that they either 261 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: suspected someone else's presence or they knew it outright. Tilda 262 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: slid her eyes sideways. The noise had originated from the 263 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: front of the store. If she and Madison could retreat 264 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: out the back, she couldn't hear anything, no evidence of 265 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: their nearness, but if they saw her footprints, there would 266 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: be no hiding. Light from a flashlight swept up the 267 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: center row, Pulling Madison to his feet, the blanket sliding 268 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: noise asleep from his shoulders. She took cautious steps towards 269 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: the back entrance, hardly daring to breathe. She kept her 270 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: eyes riveted on the floor to avoid all the debris, 271 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: trusting Madison to do the same. They reached the end 272 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: of the snack aisle, the swinging beam of the light 273 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: growing closer, a crunch as someone crushed cereal under a boot. 274 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: Tilda and Madison pressed against the end of the shelf, 275 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: invisible to anyone glancing down the aisle. Muffled boot stamps 276 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: grew louder. White lights spilled down the row on their right, pausing, 277 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: then it vanished, shifting to their left, where they had 278 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: left their snacks and blankets. The light hung their hushed 279 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: voices conversing. Tilda's mind went blank with buzzing fear. Instinct 280 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: took over. She edged in the direction the enforcers had 281 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: just vacated, Madison hugging to her at her waist, turning 282 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: up the really enforcers had just checked. She could hear 283 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: them sorting through their snacks as she and Madison crept 284 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: down the adjacent aisle, clutching to each other too, sets 285 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: of eyes wide and terror needed boots moved closer and 286 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: passed them so close they could touch, if not from 287 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: the island of shelves separating them. Tilda sped up and 288 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: Madison mimicked her movements, jerky but still silent, as they 289 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 1: almost stumbled to the right, taking cover behind the shelves edge. 290 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: Chest heaving silently, Tilda perked her ears. She could see 291 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: the edges of the light illuminating the frozen meat section. 292 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 1: Hope in the stranglehold of fear, clawed at her insides 293 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: as the two she thought they were two, moved with 294 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: quickening steps towards the back entrance that Tilda and Madison 295 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 1: had first come through. Maybe they thought that's where the 296 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 1: footprints led. Maybe they thought their prey had exited that way. 297 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: We're no longer here. The steps grew further away from 298 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: the woman and the child and closer to the exit. 299 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 1: A sense of disbelieving hope swelled up inside Tilda. The 300 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,959 Speaker 1: enforcers were going to walk away. She and Madison were 301 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: going to escape. Madison coughed, the sound wrenched from him 302 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: forcefully past the frantic hands. Madison slapped over his mouth. 303 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 1: Time froze silence as the tractory set unstoppable. It had 304 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: been there all this time, waiting to be put into motion, 305 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: but in this moment there was an eternity realities and unrealities, 306 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: and never could be weaving the fabric of everything together, tenuous, 307 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:31,440 Speaker 1: no mercy, no considerations. Everyone was connected. The enforcers reversed. 308 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 1: Un Tilda started in a crouching round as quietly as 309 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: she could muster, pulling Madison behind her, she turned down 310 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: an aisle of clocks, glancing over her shoulder, the light 311 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: bobbed in their direction with increasing speed. She twisted at 312 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: the end of the row of clocks to the right, 313 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: once again, down an aisle of empty and toppled picture frames. 314 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: Tilda skidded to decide to avoid a pile of metal frames, 315 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: almost ramming into the opposite shelf, Correcting herself. Hoping that 316 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: the emergency exit in the store was in the same 317 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: places and superstores, she led Madison into the automotive section, 318 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: the bouncing of their pursuers boots getting louder, dodging toppled items, 319 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: they ran the enforcers closing in the emergency exit. Just 320 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: a little bit further. Tilda broke into a full outrun. 321 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 1: When Madison proughed again, she threw her hands out, nearly 322 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: slamming into the metal bar. She forced the door open, 323 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: the hinges wind the thick door thudding shut behind them. 324 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: They found themselves in a dark cement hallway, metal railing, 325 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: Sneaking around two descending gramps that led to another door. 326 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 1: Hardly pausing, tilta jog down the ramp, and nearly smacked 327 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: into the door when the handle resisted her grip. She 328 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,400 Speaker 1: jiggled at frantically, gritting her teeth, and with no warning 329 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: it gave light dazzled their eyes, but they couldn't stop. 330 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: Tilt to turn to the left, and ran as fast 331 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: as she could without dragging Madison off his feet, sticking 332 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 1: to the sides of the buildings, barreling down the second 333 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 1: alley they passed on the left. Things could have been 334 00:19:53,680 --> 00:20:19,719 Speaker 1: so different had they gone to the right. And that 335 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: brings us to the end of the fiction reading chapter 336 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: four of Terminus, and as always, thanks too are amazing 337 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: producer Christina for making these happen. She's fantastic. One of 338 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: the things, well, first of all, I did want to 339 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: say for anybody who was like, huh, yes, that was 340 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: a Jimmy Eat World song that was mentioned. If you 341 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: know what, then you know it was because that's when 342 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 1: I was a kid. Jimmy World was one of the 343 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: first CDs I bought with my own money. And did 344 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: I make her listen to it recently? Yes, yes, truth 345 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: and I for a long time I believed the lyrics 346 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: were elephant elephant will be all right, Um, so just 347 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: put that in here. Uh I. I do love when 348 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: you get older and you realize you've been mispronouncing or 349 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 1: you didn't understand lyrics for for your whole life. Essentially, 350 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:20,199 Speaker 1: I still don't understand them. Yeah, there's plenty of songs 351 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:24,360 Speaker 1: where all I'll be singing karaoke, I'm like, oh, I've 352 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 1: got that wrong. Forever. One of the things I wanted 353 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: to talk about briefly in this discussion section that we 354 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: haven't talked about yet but we have talked about on 355 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 1: past episodes of this is that whole idea of virginity 356 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: being like this ultimate prize, like it's something that you 357 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: give up and in this world is seen as very 358 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: not only shameful, um not only stigmatized, but also like 359 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 1: you will destroy the world because you had sex, and 360 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: that you're ruined after sex. That's destroy that because it's 361 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 1: you know, Tilda has all this internalized stigma around it 362 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: because she has them. There are the marks on her 363 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,719 Speaker 1: face that you know, so everyone knows after you've had 364 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: sex because you get these marks in your face, and 365 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: it is seen as you didn't do your duty, essentially 366 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: like you have failed, and now humanity continues to die 367 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 1: off because you have failed, and also with a really 368 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:38,919 Speaker 1: gross layer of you failed because you're a human. I 369 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: guess like you didn't do sex like we want you 370 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: to do sex. You didn't do that sex. Yeah, yeah. 371 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: And I just find it fascinating again because I was 372 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: writing this when I was just coming out of college, 373 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,719 Speaker 1: and given what we've talked about of my own trauma 374 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: on here, Like, looking back back at this, I do 375 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: feel like I have a better understanding of why, because 376 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:07,679 Speaker 1: when I wrote this, it felt to me like it 377 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: came out of nowhere, like I it's just suddenly I 378 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: was like, Oh, this is a story I want to write. 379 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: I had never thought about it before. It just sort 380 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: of happened. And then when I looked back, I was like, 381 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: that's I don't know why I felt so compelled to 382 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: write about this. But now that I've done some self reflection, 383 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 1: we've talked about some of these things on the show, 384 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: I understand it better now. But this idea, especially when 385 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: you're younger as a woman of like, oh, if I 386 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: have sex, I have lesser value to society, And this 387 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: idea that you have to if sex for a woman 388 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: is about having a baby and not for pleasure or 389 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,400 Speaker 1: not for anything else. So that's something we'll be talking 390 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: about more as we get more in depth of these. 391 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: As I said, this was the first kind of action chapter, 392 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: so I mean it was a little actionly, but um, 393 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: we'll see there's more to come. I hope that I 394 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: pulled it off some what. But in the meantime, I 395 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: hope you're enjoying these. If you have any fears about 396 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: what's gonna happen, I'd love to hear them. If you 397 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: have any like fiction in the public domain that we 398 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,880 Speaker 1: could do something with, like on this segment with sound 399 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: effects and stuff. Please let us know you can email 400 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: It's at Steffie your Mom Stuff at I hurt media 401 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 1: dot com. You can find us on Twitter and mom 402 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: Stuff podcast or Instagram and Stuff I've Never Told You. 403 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,479 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our super producer Chris do you know? 404 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 1: Thank you, and thanks to you for listening Stuff I 405 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: Never Told the distection of I High Radio. For more 406 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: podcast in my heart Radio, you can check out the 407 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: heart radio app, Apple podcast, or have you listen to 408 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 1: your favorite shows