1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I'm welcome to stuff 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: I've ever told you a protection of iHeartRadio, and welcome 3 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: to another edition of Sminty Fiction, which is a once 4 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: a month thing that we do. It has slightly I 5 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: always say slightly, it has more soundscaping. I would say 6 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 1: it's like not over the top, but it is definitely 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: more soundscaping than we normally have. It is an ongoing 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: thing that we do. This is Terminus Part two, as 9 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 1: the title was just, is part two of the Terminus trilogy, 10 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: which is a thing that I wrote during National Novel 11 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: Writing months starting in twenty ten. 12 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 2: Did you know there's a whole controversy happening at no 13 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: Pentley Nano Rimo actually hires people and they all got 14 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 2: laid off or something like that. They're not doing well. 15 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:11,119 Speaker 3: Sorry, this was many years ago for me, but yeah, 16 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 3: I guess. 17 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: That's to say this is an episode of snacks. I 18 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: must have been in this particular space, but I none 19 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,919 Speaker 1: of them are currently sponsors, but a lot of brands 20 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: are mentioned, so there's that. The content warning just in general, 21 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: there's disease, death, end of the world stuff, hunger for sure, 22 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: Hence the importance of snacks. Yeah, so quick recap. So 23 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: the world is ending because basically people can't have children 24 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: anymore because of this disease. And our main character, Tilda, 25 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: has escaped from the government entity and religious entity that 26 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: rose in the collapse of civilization because she didn't want 27 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: to lose him to this government entity. They are constantly 28 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: on the run. They're constantly being hunted. She discovers that 29 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: there is a vaccine, but these entities destroyed it. They 30 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: saved one. Because Madison is the grandson of the leaders 31 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: of this religious organization, she is able to broadcast about 32 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: what they did, what happened. Madison gets the vaccine. They 33 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: are on the run. There's a man on the horse. 34 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: We still don't know what's going on with him. Still 35 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: still don't I know. I really I was pulling this along. 36 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: It's cold. They are running out of resources. They found 37 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: a place to stay that had a dead body and 38 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: the phone ring and terrified of phones, they did not 39 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: answer it. They fled on a horse that they did steal. 40 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: And then over the intercom that the government has installed 41 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: to put out their messages, she gets a direct message 42 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: from the leader of the resistance, who she in her 43 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: view betrayed her, asking her to come back to Washington, DC. 44 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: So that is where we are. What are they going 45 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: to do? Well? Let us find out and get into 46 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: the fiction. Tilda glanced around, uneasy, her skin crawled with indecision. 47 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: What do we do, Madison whispered? Tilda shook her head days. 48 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: This was the second time she'd gotten a direct message 49 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: over the state broadcast system, demanding she'd go somewhere, that 50 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: we could win this. She didn't trust Mark as simple 51 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: as that. She hadn't trusted him before, and her instincts 52 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: had turned out to be correct. Mark had been willing 53 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: to use Madison as a bargaining chip to protect his 54 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: men and secure a vaccine he hadn't even been sure 55 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: had existed. He'd taken Tilda and her child to Chicago 56 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: against their will. Despite this, she found herself unable to 57 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: despise him for it. Everything he'd done, he'd done with 58 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: his people and the greater good. As much as Tilda 59 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: detested that phrase in mind, she didn't like it, but 60 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: couldn't say she wouldn't do something similar to protect Madison. 61 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: An image of the man she'd shot in the underground 62 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: laboratory flashed in her mind. She tightened her grip on 63 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: the reins and gave them a flick scout could apparently 64 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: since their tenseness, and started down the road again without hesitation. 65 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: Did the man with the horse work for the resistance? 66 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: Were they out looking for them too? And as pressing 67 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: as those questions were, they were distractions from the real 68 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: one Tilda faced. Did she trust Mark? And even if 69 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: she did, did helping secure the future for our children? 70 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: As Mark put it, warn't putting Madison at risk? Should 71 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: they turn around and head back into the equation of 72 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: unknown variables that were converging in the very place they'd 73 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: nearly lost their lives fleeing DC? Tilda didn't know her 74 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: instincts or could it be her fear? And fear alone 75 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: told her to stay away, to press on and find 76 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: what safety they could as far away from DC as possible. 77 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: Where fear and instinct did the same thing. It boiled 78 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: down to staying alive, didn't it? She didn't owe them 79 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: a damn thing, That was one thing she knew with certainty. 80 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: She pushed onward, aware that Madison was waiting for her answer. 81 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: The question then became why did they need her and Madison? 82 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: Mark had been sure to mention Madison back in DC. 83 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: She assumed they could have little use for her. It 84 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: was Madison they wanted, or more specifically, his newly minted 85 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: immunized blood. Madison had expressed his desire to help people 86 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,799 Speaker 1: if he could, but Tilda wasn't sure what that would entail, 87 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: yet another unknown that made her nervous. No, she decided, 88 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: too many unknowns without knowing more. They'd just be venturing 89 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: into enemy territory with no escape plan. And while Mark 90 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: and his resistance might be at the consul now arm 91 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: could take it back, the state could take it back, 92 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: or a fringe group. It was a power vacuum of 93 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: holatile situation for the power hungry to try and rest control. 94 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: We can't go mouse, she whispered, as though someone might 95 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: be eavesdropping. Not yet, we don't know enough. It's too 96 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,239 Speaker 1: dangerous right now. She could tell just by how Madison 97 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: was sitting that he was struggling to accept that answer 98 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: and the guilt that came along with it. Maybe when 99 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:30,239 Speaker 1: things settle down, she offered, hollowly, knowing in her heart 100 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: that things would never be safe enough. The situation may 101 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: become more stable, but it would never be truly safe, 102 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: not in her lifetime, maybe not ever. What was the 103 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: threshold of acceptable risk that she was willing to incur 104 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: when it came to Madison. They'd been so constantly in 105 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: a state of threat that choosing to do something that 106 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: would jeopardize him even further without the promise of a 107 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: vaccine or something equivalent did not appeal to her in slight. 108 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: It went against every bone in her body, every emotion, 109 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: every fiber of her being. In retrospect, she found it 110 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: difficult to believe that she'd ventured into arms headquarters the 111 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: heart of those who hunted her Madison, on the hope 112 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: that they hadn't destroyed a vaccine she'd only heard tell existed. 113 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: She'd been desperate, she'd wanted another future for Madison, and 114 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: was she now copacetic with denying the possibility of that 115 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: future to other children, other children like Madison, of giving 116 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: parents like her hope for now? Yes, what good did 117 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: all the risks she'd gone through that she'd put Madison 118 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: through do if he was taken into custody by the 119 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: Resistance or arm or whatever entities sought to control a 120 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: world spiraling uncontrollably downward and made to live a life 121 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:03,079 Speaker 1: of confinement and object to be studied and used for 122 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: the greater good or harmed in any way. No good 123 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: at all, Tilda answered to herself, trying to ease the 124 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: guilt bubbling in her stomach. They had another vaccine, she 125 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: reminded herself, and more pettily, the resistance had already betrayed 126 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: her once. They'd already displayed not only how little they 127 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: cared for her wishes, but how simply it came to 128 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: them to be Madison as a thing to be used. 129 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: They'll confind us, Madison asserted, quietly, ominously, they'll be looking 130 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: for us. Get in line, Tilda muttered. Madison half turned 131 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 1: to look at her inquisitively, and Tilda relented. I know, 132 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: but we can try Mouse. She'd been using his nickname 133 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: a lot lately. It was softer on her tongue. We've 134 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 1: been running from people for you. We've gotten pretty good 135 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: at it. Madison chuckled, a little, probably more at her 136 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: inclusion of him as a partner in crime than anything else, 137 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: or maybe to make her feel better. She knew the 138 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: guilt that was plaguing him, it plagued her too, But 139 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: she had the luxury of pinning it on her responsibility 140 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: to keep Madison safe. It was his blood and his 141 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: well being. Madison had no such deflection. Traced back to him. 142 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: He squirmed in the saddle. Thunder rumbled slowly in the distance. 143 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: Don't I shouldn't I help them? 144 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 3: Though? 145 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: If I can? Isn't that the right thing? Tilda pondered 146 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: that for a moment, maybe they need to help themselves 147 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: for once. It was a passive, aggressive answer, and not 148 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: one that would satisfy her or Madison in the long term. 149 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: But it was honest. Was the truth? What was she becoming? 150 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: What was she passing on to Madison? They were shaping 151 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: the world. Her decisions were impacting the future in a 152 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,239 Speaker 1: much more significant way than she ever could have imagined. 153 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,439 Speaker 1: But she did what she always did. She played it off, 154 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: She ignored it, and kept pressing forward, even though she 155 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: didn't know where Ford led. Yes, I think so, Tilda said, 156 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: wondering how Madison understood the events that played out that 157 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: culminated with them going to Chicago with the Resistance. Did 158 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: he realize they'd been betrayed, that the Resistance was content 159 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 1: to use him as leverage? Do you think that was 160 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: him on the phone too? A bizarre thought but most 161 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: likely true, though how he'd known that's where they would 162 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: be to call it. The fact he'd gotten it to 163 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: work at all definitely made Til to question the likelihood 164 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: they'd be able to evade him and his ilk for law. 165 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: The fog dissipated, the road came into view. Tilda pushed 166 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: Scout ahead, perhaps more quickly than she should given their 167 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: water situation, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being chase. 168 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: Pursued intently, of being observed. Tilda's mind wandered from blood 169 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: and vaccines to food and water and shelter. How much 170 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: of her time was spent dwelling on these things? Too much? 171 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: For sure? What did people think about before this? Tilda 172 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: felt an odd anxiety at the thought. They continued southward, 173 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,719 Speaker 1: a sea of unspoken questions between them. Tilda wished they 174 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: hadn't heard the broadcast. Mountains rolled like blue waves to 175 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: their left, forest to their right. The sky's hues shifted 176 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: into a soft blue. Though Tilda was expecting it, they 177 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 1: didn't pass another person on the road. It was strange, 178 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: but somehow it made her feel even more threatened than 179 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: it had when they were running into the herd. Of 180 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: folks walking to the north. More and more, Tilda came 181 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: to the conclusion that visiting her parents was out of 182 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: the question, but she couldn't shake the idea of it 183 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: from her mind. She wanted their advice now more than ever. 184 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: She needed their advice, But all those who were chasing 185 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: her in Madison would be expecting that. And who's to 186 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: say her parents wanted anything to do with her anymore? 187 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: What must they think of her? She couldn't dislodge the 188 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: image either of her parents meeting Madison. She was proud 189 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: of him, of his intelligence, his curiosity features. She loved him, 190 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 1: and she wanted her parents to love him as she did. 191 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: It was an image she'd just have to hold in 192 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: her head, she told herself firmly. If the Resistance was 193 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: looking for her, and they did their due diligence, they'd 194 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: have to send people to search for her. At her 195 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: old home in Atlanta, she wondered if her mother and 196 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: father were all right after her arm had presumably coerced 197 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: them into sending her that message of the broadcast system. 198 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: They continued on their new bearing westward. As the sun 199 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: moved higher in the sky above them, the temperature warmed, 200 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: but the warmth seemed very superficial on their already bone 201 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: deep cold bodies. Tilda wished now that she'd taken the 202 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: time to search the desk drawers at the office they'd 203 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: stayed in before they fled that morning. She might have 204 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: found a map, which would come in handy right now. 205 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: With their return to a paved road, Tilda had expected 206 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: to see the migration of people that had led to 207 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: her nearly fatal decision to cut through the state park, 208 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: but they'd yet to see anyone. The roads were empty. 209 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: They passed dilapidated gas station. Tilda guided Scout under the 210 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: awning that had been mostly reduced to cross beams. She 211 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: doubted they would find anything of use inside, but it 212 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: would be irresponsible not to check. She fastened Scout to 213 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: an exposed metal pipe right outside the glass door patting 214 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: around the neck. The glass wasn't shattered, but cracked, a 215 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: good sign that this place might not have necessarily been looted. 216 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: The newspaper plastered outside the windows made it impossible to 217 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: tell from the outside. When Tilda pulled out the handle, 218 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: it didn't budge, it had brusted shut. She sighed in disappointment, 219 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: jangling the handle fruitlessly. Do we have to break in? 220 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: Madison rubbed his gloved hands together for warmth, reminiscent of 221 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: someone's scheming hatching plots. Let's look around, Maybe there's another 222 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: way in, or a metal bar to use to pry 223 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: the door open. They circled around the back, where there 224 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: was indeed another door. It was locked as well, but 225 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: the entire knob fell off and Tilda twisted it. Tilda 226 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: reached inside the hole left by the knob, gripped her 227 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 1: fingers around the metal rod that had connected the two 228 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: knobs together, and twisted, pulling it toward her body. At 229 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: the same time, the white door, stained with rust and mold, gave, 230 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: practically falling off the hinges. As Tilda swung an outward, 231 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: nearly losing her footing, an old, rotten wood smell wafted 232 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: over them, and in unison, they reached up to cover 233 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: their noses, coughing into their elbows. After regaining her bearings, 234 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: Tilda edged inside the door, tile painted a sickly green 235 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: that reflected onto peeling walls, painting the room in an 236 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: eerie greenish glow. The smell became less pungent, and Tilda 237 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: tentatively lowered her arm, taking in her surroundings. In the 238 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: corner was a rusted toilet, the ceramic cracked. Next to 239 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: it was a sink leaning forward as it pulled free 240 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: from the wall. Above it was a black paper towel 241 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: dispenser that looked out of place, far too modern compared 242 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: to the rest of the room. In the far corner 243 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: was a dingy mop in a periwinkled blue pail. The 244 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: opposite wall was blank save for the map of mold 245 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: and bubbles of air pockets under the paint. There was 246 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 1: another door straight across the one they'd entered, that was 247 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: now hanging by only one hinge. This one looked sturdier. 248 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: Tilda strode over to it, testing the knob. 249 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 2: Locked. 250 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: This one would not be falling off like the other. Sheepishly, 251 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: she half turned to Madison, muttering for him to back up. 252 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: She steadied herself on the balls of her feet, taking 253 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: a deep breath, and then rammed her shoulder into the door. 254 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: The impact dazed her. She saw stars, giving her head 255 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: a heavy shake. She braced herself and tried again. This time, 256 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: she felt the wood give a little under her weight. 257 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: Here we go, She hyped herself up third times. The 258 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:56,360 Speaker 1: charm ram then immediate bounce back. Nope. She rubbed her arm, 259 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: the skin tingling, rolled her shoulders glared at the offending wood. 260 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: This time the door splintered under her weight. Ouch, Tilda 261 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: exclaimed softly, her hand coming up to creedle her arm. 262 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: A crack ran down the middle of the pane of wood, 263 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: splitting it nearly in two. Tilda kicked at the shards 264 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: of wood, and they clattered to the floor. Gingerly, she 265 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 1: reached her hand through the crack, careful not to impale 266 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: herself on the gigantic wooden tooth left by her mal treatment, 267 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: her fingers crawling up the wood on the opposite side 268 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: like a giant spider until they closed around the lock, 269 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: turning it the other way. The door jerked open with 270 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: a puff of stale air. Madison coughed behind her. She 271 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,719 Speaker 1: shouldered open the door, thinking of the ones who had 272 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: owned this store, who had cared for it, had newspapered 273 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: it to discourage looting, who had locked it up carefully 274 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: when the world was ending, when this station could offer 275 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: them nothing more. The inside was quite bland, a rectangular 276 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: room with rows and rows of cheap metal shelving. Most 277 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: of them held nothing but dust, years of it. As 278 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: a matter of fact. Tilda stalked down the first aisle, 279 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: cataloging what little remained on the shelves, extension cords, a 280 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: couple of tubes of pills, chapstick. At the end of 281 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: the metal shelving was the checkout desk, Lottery tickets and 282 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 1: cigarette packages displayed prominently overhead. Outside, Scout whinnied, scuffing her hoofs. 283 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 1: Tilda crouched underneath the open counter that typically could be 284 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: lifted and passed through, but now wooden budge. She re 285 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: emerged behind the checkout counter. Apart from a thick layer 286 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 1: of dust that muffled her footsteps, the tile was free 287 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: of the debris she'd grown accustomed to seeing in these places. 288 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 1: The cigar wrappers and empty pill canisters weren't there. The 289 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: cash registered drawers were open and empty. Not that money 290 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 1: would do her any good these days. Clippings of newspapers 291 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: detailing the spread of HSV five headlines gradually increasing with panic, 292 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: were laid out on the counter a morbid timeline. The 293 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: last one was dated years before Tilda was born. It 294 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: showed a picture of a harried looking man, hands raised 295 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: against the flashing of cameras and a sign of defeat. 296 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: The caption informed her he had been the last president 297 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: of the United States before it dissolved, back when there 298 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: was still the manpower to sustain that level of organization 299 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 1: and bureaucracy. On a whim, she gathered the clippings in 300 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: her hand. They were incredibly thin, like they could dissolve 301 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: into dust at any minute, folded them up and slipped 302 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: them into her backpack side pocket. She'd read them later. 303 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 1: She rifled through the drawers, coming up with nothing. She 304 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:47,239 Speaker 1: bent down and pulled open the cabinets, but they were 305 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 1: also empty, saved for some cleaning supplies. Pivoting on our heels, 306 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: she opened the last set of cabinet doors, discovering a safe. 307 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: Thinking it would bother her to never know what was 308 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: in there, she reached out to test the handle she 309 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 1: was certain would be locked, only to rock back on 310 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: her heels when the handle gave as though she'd torn 311 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,199 Speaker 1: it free from the rust that had held it in place. 312 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: Tilda wasn't sure if it had been unlocked, or if 313 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: after years and years of dust, rust and genilla roding 314 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: that comes with aging, she had broken the lock. Inside 315 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: the safe was a stack of money, a thin chain 316 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 1: necklace with a golden cross dangling at the end, and 317 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: a gun with a box of bullets. Tilda took out 318 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: the pile of money, knowing it was of no use 319 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,120 Speaker 1: to her now, but wanting to appreciate the novelty of it. 320 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: She removed a bill it was at twenty and traced 321 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 1: it with her fingers. Parts of the odd green paper raised. 322 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 1: It depicted the Capitol building on one side, with bushes 323 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: and trees out front, and on the other a man 324 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: she didn't recognize. There was a phrase in Latin, she 325 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: didn't understand it in another phrase, and god we trust 326 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: that she didn't really understand either. This used to be 327 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: worth something. People would buy things with. This would work 328 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: jobs they hated for, this would kill for this. It 329 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: was bizarre to her. In her hands, it felt like 330 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: a useless piece of paper. What is that? Madison piped 331 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,719 Speaker 1: up behind her, badly, startling her so that she had 332 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: to grab onto the cabinet door to keep her balance. 333 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: It's money, what they used to use to buy things. 334 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: She passed the bill to him, and he studied it deeply, 335 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: trying to divine the meaning. Tilda flipped through the rest 336 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: of the bills, almost wanting to pocket them, just knowing 337 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: that at one time that stack of paper would have 338 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: saved them. It would have gotten them food and water 339 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: and shelter, But now it was just extra useless weight 340 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: in her bag. Madison flipped over the bill, examining it 341 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: critically this way and that, holding it up to the light, 342 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: and asking Tilda about the phrases, about the pyramid with 343 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 1: the eye at the top, about the man on the back. 344 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: Til didn't know the answer to any of his questions. 345 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: As she took out the gun, making sure the safety 346 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: was on and the bullets. He asked, so, why was 347 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: it worth twenty Tilda thought for a moment, the box 348 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: of bullets in her hands, because people believed it did 349 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: Mouce believed it and agreed on it. But it's not 350 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: actually worth anything if you don't believe it. Now, I 351 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: guess not, She grinned, slipping the gun in the waistband 352 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: of her jeans, her skin recoiling at the cold metal, 353 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 1: and the box of bullets in the side pocket. Maybe 354 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: in a museum someday, if there ever were museums in 355 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: the traditional sense. Again, now the entire world felt like 356 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: an abandoned museum with no one to care for it. 357 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,639 Speaker 1: She closed the safe and odd sensation of sadness for 358 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: the person who'd spent so much much of their life 359 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: to save this money, who put it in a safe 360 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: and guarded it with a gun, only to then leave 361 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:11,959 Speaker 1: it behind. Does all of the meaning it held fell away? Weird? 362 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: Madison breathed, holding the bill out in front of him 363 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: like some delicate antique. Tilda heaved herself up and padded 364 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: Madison's head. I know, let's keep searching, okay. She swung 365 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: herself under the countertop and continued her survey of the 366 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: store of all its odd trinkets and knickknacks that Tilda 367 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 1: both thought were incredibly cute relics and frustratingly useless. She 368 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: half cursed past generations for taking up valuable shell space 369 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:41,360 Speaker 1: that could have been for canned and other non perishable 370 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: food items and used it instead for snow globes with 371 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:47,919 Speaker 1: women in bikinis and who the skirts in them? Pieces 372 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: of wood with trite phrases like I'd rather be at 373 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: the beach. She passed in a collectic collection of keychains, headphones, earplugs, 374 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,359 Speaker 1: face mask, a collapsed shelf that had odd looking pillows. 375 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: At the end of the row, opposite the checkout counter 376 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,640 Speaker 1: was the wall of refrigerated glass cases. Tilda swallowed dryly. 377 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:10,439 Speaker 1: The water, of course, was gone, as was much of 378 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: everything else. There were a couple of Coca colas and 379 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: some energy drinks, both of which were good for an 380 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: energy boost and not much else. Nevertheless, Tilda pocketed two 381 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: of each, hitching her backpack further up on her shoulders. 382 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: The other aisles mostly had rotten cardboard boxes, empty of 383 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 1: the candy bars and snacks he had once held. Look, 384 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: Madison exclaimed, bouncing into a review with a handful of 385 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: bags of chips clutched in each fist. Free does and 386 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,719 Speaker 1: barbecue lays. Good high mouse, she told him, singing her 387 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: backpack over one shoulder and putting the bounty in the 388 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 1: front pocket. He beamed at the praise. Where'd you find 389 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 1: these in the back of the shelf, he pointed, very back. 390 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: Tilda nodded, bending down to inspect the bottom shelf. She 391 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 1: found a couple of bags of M and M's peanut 392 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: and pretzel, a bag of cheese sets, some sunflower seeds 393 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: and beef turkey, and a tiny jar of peanut butter. 394 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: She checked the expiration date way past. But hey, pickers 395 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: can't be choosers, she told herself, putting it in the 396 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: bag that was getting steadily heavier. There were also bags 397 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: of popcorn that they'd be unable to pop, a cup 398 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,360 Speaker 1: of noodles they'd be unable to heat up, and some 399 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,360 Speaker 1: cans of soup and raveolli, which if they got desperate 400 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: they could eat cold. They also scavenged a couple of 401 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: boxes of band aids and insets, some packets of trail mix. 402 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: She would add them to her bag. And then her 403 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: eyes landed on an enormous chug of water the kind 404 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 1: used her water coolers till the guest that since it 405 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 1: was too heavy to carry, had been left reluctantly. She 406 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: stared at it like it was a religious icon. She 407 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: could have fallen to her knees and prayed. Some she'd 408 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: portion for Scout, or as much as she could drink. 409 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: The rest she'd rebottle for them. Hey, Madison, go look 410 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: around the store for empty bottles or bottles. We could 411 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: pour out whatever's in there and put water in. He stood, transfixed, 412 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 1: like catching the jug, causing the water's reflection to dance 413 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: across his face. Tilda called his name again, and he 414 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: snapped out of it, sprinting to the back of the store. 415 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 1: She could hear him scuffling around the store, bottles clattering 416 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: to the floor as she unlocked the front door and 417 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: started shoving against it, bits of red rest dislodging and 418 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: floating in the air. The metal squealed at an ear 419 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 1: cringing pitch. Painfully slow. She eleven opened the door. Scout 420 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: watched Tilda huffing and working away board. She wedged it 421 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 1: open enough to wriggle out, awkwardly stepping the jug in 422 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:50,199 Speaker 1: front of her. Madison returned with a small collection of 423 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 1: plastic bottles sliding easily between the gap. Okay, Tilda gasp 424 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: grabbing a gray bucket from next to the empty shell 425 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: of the ice machine and plunking it in front of her. Scout. 426 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: She rested her hands on her knees for a second. 427 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: Winded from her battle at the door, she struggled for 428 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 1: a moment to twist the top off, until the plastic 429 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: teeth finally gave and she spun the cap off. She 430 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 1: studied the jug for a moment, knowing she'd be unable 431 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: to lift it she'd have to tip it, but even 432 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 1: then she'd have to be careful not to tip it 433 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: and spill that most precious liquid all over the concrete. Mouse. 434 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: We're going to tip some water into this bucket for Scout. Okay, 435 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 1: can you tip the bucket toward me? Madison readily obeyed. 436 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:37,239 Speaker 1: Untilda knelt, shedding herself off her backpack and removing her 437 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: gloves to get a better grip. She tested its weight 438 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: at various points she could try and get a more 439 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: secure handle on the jug. She braced herself, taking a 440 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: position a little behind the jug, and asked ready. Madison nodded, 441 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: and she tipped the jug carefully, using her knees to 442 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: help prop it up. The water trickled at first, then 443 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: poured into the bucket, Tilda's arm shaking a bit with 444 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:05,280 Speaker 1: the effort. Scout's ears perked with interest, and she bent 445 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: her nose down closer to the bucket. When it was 446 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 1: almost halfway full, Tilda pulled the jug back, liquid slashing 447 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: around the plastic. Tilda collapse into a resting position on 448 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: her hands, catching her breath. The second she'd stopped pouring, 449 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,719 Speaker 1: Scout had closed what little distance remained and started slurping 450 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: up water. Madison looked on with jealousy. Warily, Tilda pushed 451 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 1: herself to her knees and zipping her backpack and rummaging 452 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: around for the empty water bottles. She lined them up 453 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: along with the ones Madison found. This was going to 454 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: be tricky, all right, she sighed heavily. Let's start with 455 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: the bigger bottles you found. Almost before she'd finished speaking, 456 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 1: Madison held out an empty Coca Cola bottle. Tilda, smile, Riley, 457 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to go slow, okay, I don't want to 458 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: lose any more water than we have to. She tipped 459 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: the lip of the jug, the amount of water, making 460 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: it even more awkward to pour. Even though it was lighter, 461 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: it was still too heavy to lift. But now the 462 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: water level was lower, she had to get a higher 463 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: angle to pour it out. She stood, anchoring her feet 464 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: far apart, cheeks puffing with exertion as she lifted the 465 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: jug just barely off the ground, her arms trembling with 466 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: the effort it took control it. Water dribbled out into 467 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: the bottle, clinking against the side agonizingly slow. As the 468 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: jug gradually lightened, she was able to tip it more easily, 469 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: water pouring into the bottle at a much steadier clip. 470 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,719 Speaker 1: The jug clunked back upright, Tilda allowing her arms to 471 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:42,959 Speaker 1: hang like overcooked noodles. She popped her neck, staring at 472 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: the jug like it was her arched nemesis. Madison looked 473 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 1: at her hopefully, waiting for her permission to take a sip. 474 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: Wait till we're dunmouse, then you can have some. Once 475 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 1: she'd regained some of her strength in her arms, they 476 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: began again a meager assembly line of water bottles, getting filled. 477 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: As the jug got lighter, the pouring got easier, which 478 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: was good. Tilda doubted she had the strength to fill 479 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: too many more water bottles. Scout had slowed, lapping water 480 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: at a much more leisurely pace. After they filled the 481 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: water bottles, there was still a bottom ring of water remaining. 482 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 1: Tilda replaced all of the bottles, but the big one 483 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: to be split between her and Madison. She retrieved a 484 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: bag of sunflower seeds and m and ms to share 485 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: as well. Wondering when they could find something for Scout 486 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: to eat, she let Madison have the first crack at 487 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: the water. He gulped it in the most controlled way. 488 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: He could muster, Tildo imagined. She opened the bag of 489 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: sunflower seeds, cupping a small handful and eating them one 490 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 1: by one so she'd feel like she was eating more. 491 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 1: The sky darkened as they ate and drank, Tilda considering 492 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: their bounty. The jug of water almost seemed too good 493 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: to be true, and a couple of snacks to boot, 494 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: and the gun cold metal against her lower back. It 495 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 1: had slipped lower down her waistband with all of her 496 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: rustling with the water jug. Do you think the man's 497 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: okay that we took a scout from, Madison asked, popping 498 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 1: an orange eminem in his mouth. I think so. He 499 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: looks like he could take care of himself, and the 500 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:17,640 Speaker 1: weather has gotten a lot better. Madison nodded, reluctantly, watching 501 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 1: the horse. She'd finished with her bucket of water and 502 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:25,240 Speaker 1: was watching them with what Tilda anthropomorphized as contentment. Tilda 503 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: leaned back on her hands with a swig of water, 504 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 1: her lower back ached with carrying the pack and keeping 505 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: the water jug steady. She glanced around the sky grumbled. 506 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: Tilda didn't see any signs to indicate what row they 507 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: were on. She stood and stretched her back, her shoulders, 508 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:47,440 Speaker 1: her legs, Madison munching on the remainder of the sunflower seeds. 509 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: When he was finished, she gestured for him to hold 510 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: out the water bottle they'd just emptied and filled it 511 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: with what was left in the water jug, replacing the 512 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,280 Speaker 1: cap and putting it in her pack. She rolled the 513 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: discarded jug into the gas station to hide somewhat any 514 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 1: obvious signs that they'd come through here. Madison stood, dusting 515 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 1: off his jeans, and they both looked down the road, 516 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 1: expecting to find an answer or a clue as to 517 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: what the future held for them. And that brings us 518 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 1: to the end of this chapter. This was such a 519 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: video game chapter, like when I was looking back over 520 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 1: and I was like, you can tell I play video games, 521 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: because it's very much like she opened to the store 522 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: and found this item inside. Does mean yes, would you 523 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: like to search the shells for snacks? 524 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,840 Speaker 2: Some way to do that interactively? Because I think that'd 525 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 2: be funny. I mean, honestly, someone should get on it. 526 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:15,280 Speaker 2: I bet there is. It is interesting to see my past. 527 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:19,439 Speaker 2: I trying to work through the good for the mini conversation, 528 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 2: because if you've heard my thoughts about the Last of 529 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:27,879 Speaker 2: Us and about Star Wars, even I've got some complicated 530 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 2: relationships with that, But it's it's fascinating to me that 531 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 2: in this chapter you're hearing Tilda try to parse out 532 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:42,680 Speaker 2: what is the best thing she can do, Like is 533 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 2: it going back to this place that she doesn't trust 534 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 2: with this person she doesn't trust, but maybe it will 535 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,440 Speaker 2: help with a new vaccine, or is it just protecting 536 00:34:56,360 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 2: her kid and pretending she now heard it. So it's 537 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 2: fascinating to me where I am now versus when I 538 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:09,360 Speaker 2: was writing this. But also some things are to come. Listeners, 539 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 2: that is for sure. 540 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:14,880 Speaker 1: I do think it's fair to say I can't go 541 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,400 Speaker 1: into this whole argument I had with myself after I 542 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:21,360 Speaker 1: read this chapter again that there is a difference between 543 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,279 Speaker 1: a lot of the things I have a problem with 544 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,040 Speaker 1: and what happened here, which was sort of outright betrayal 545 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 1: before before the call to come back came. But more 546 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:37,479 Speaker 1: to come and more to say, I shall believe it 547 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 1: there I was always Listeners. I hope that you're enjoying 548 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: this shout out all the shout outs to Christina who 549 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 1: makes them happen. It's fun, it's fun for us, so 550 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,360 Speaker 1: hopefully you're enjoying it. If you have any theories or 551 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,440 Speaker 1: thoughts or suggestions for other things we could do like this, 552 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,839 Speaker 1: it has to be in the public domain, but if 553 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: you have a suggestion let us know. You can email 554 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,319 Speaker 1: us Stepania mom Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You can 555 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,239 Speaker 1: find us on Twitter at mom Stuff podcast, or on 556 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 1: Instagram and TikTok at stuff I've Never told you. We 557 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 1: have a YouTube page and a tea public store and 558 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: a book you can get wherever you get your books. 559 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:19,320 Speaker 1: Thanks Zowis too, our super produced Christine, our executive producer, 560 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 1: My and your concurctor Joey. Thank you. Thanks to you 561 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,439 Speaker 1: for listening. Steffan never told you us direction of iHeart Radio. 562 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you can check 563 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: out the heart Radio app Apple podcast, where you listen 564 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:29,360 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows,