1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media. 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 2: Book Club book Club book Club. Welcome to cool Z 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 2: Owned Media book Club. That's the best introduction we've ever done. 4 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 3: Thank you. Yeah. 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 2: Club bars on the floor, but we stepped over. 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 3: I practiced for weeks. We've had to cancel three other shows, 7 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 3: but I got it. I got it now. 8 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: The people that you live with have been really appreciative. 9 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: They've all messaged me to. 10 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 3: Let me Knowah, they love the chanting Yeah, huge chanting fans. 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: And the chanting show that you're listening to is cool 12 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: Zone Media book Club, which you probably figured out by 13 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 2: the title or the other part of the introduction. But 14 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 2: this is the only book club where you don't have 15 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 2: to do the reading because I do it for you. 16 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 2: I'm your host, Margaret Kiljoy, and my guest today is 17 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 2: Robert Robert Evans. 18 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 3: Hi, that's me. 19 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: You always made this joke about how you were the 20 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 2: only Robert Evans, and it took me about three years 21 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 2: to get the joke. 22 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,559 Speaker 3: Yeah, well it was. It made more since years ago 23 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 3: when the guy who produced Godfather was still alive and 24 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 3: in the news. Yeah, and I changed my online name 25 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 3: to that the day he died as a bit and 26 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 3: just haven't moved on. Yeah, fair enough, because I used 27 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 3: to be the other Robert Evans, right. 28 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, well you're always the greater Robert Evans to. 29 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 3: Me, thank you, thank you. I'm certainly the Robert Evans 30 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 3: who has done less cocaine, because no matter who you are, 31 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 3: you've done less cocaine than the Robert Evans who made 32 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 3: The Godfather. 33 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 2: We're going to have to actually invent immortality in order 34 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: to be that record. 35 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't care for literally scarface. 36 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 2: So this week and last week and the next several weeks, 37 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: we are reading The Barrel Will Send What It May, 38 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 2: which is the second book in the Danielle Kaine series. 39 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: And if you want to go back, you can hear 40 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 2: me read the first book in the series to Robert 41 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 2: Evans a couple of years ago. But you can probably 42 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: use a certain function instead of scrolling yep, and you 43 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 2: will find me read the book The Lamb Will Slaughter 44 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 2: the Lion. But this book, well it's chapter two, so 45 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: you probably know what's happening, or you don't because you 46 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: live a very different life than me, and you start 47 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:14,399 Speaker 2: on chapter two. 48 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe you're one of those second chapter people at 49 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 3: book talk who believe you should always start with chapter two. 50 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 3: Is that this no, but they it might be. It 51 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 3: is now, it is now. I did have My old. 52 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 2: Art teacher was always like, it's okay to read the 53 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: end of the book first, because you are the person 54 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 2: that it is the object mm hm, and I like 55 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 2: both appreciated that and was like, I will never do that. 56 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 3: As a writer. I find that deeply off putting as 57 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 3: a logical argument. I can't disagree with it. 58 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: My friend always talks about I'm not going to spoil 59 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 2: this book for the audience, But my friend always talks 60 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 2: about how great spoilers are. Historically, there's like studies that 61 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 2: show that spoilers actually make you enjoy something more. Oh yeah, 62 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: and how during like ee oldie Shakespeare times, like when 63 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: a new play would come out by anyone, people would 64 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 2: like in the docks, like the boat would be coming 65 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 2: in and they'd be like, what happens at the end 66 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: of the new play? Them in a different culture's sure 67 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 2: to do? 68 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 3: We sure do. 69 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: I was going to somehow tie that into this book 70 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: also has the singular day, but because so did Shakespeare anyway, 71 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 2: thine sure Section section two Jesus Christ, Chapter two of 72 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: the Barrels send what it May, second book in the 73 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: Daniel Kaine series by me Margaret Kiljoy. Staring out a 74 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 2: window again at the low sun. I wasn't in my 75 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: body but just above it? Or was I in the 76 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: driver's seat again? I wasn't. I was in the passenger 77 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 2: seat of a stranger's car. Not a stranger, Gertrude. Maybe 78 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,119 Speaker 2: I was concussed. What did the doctor ask me when 79 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 2: I was a kid and I hit my head super 80 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 2: hard on the playground? What year is it? What's my name? 81 00:03:58,680 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: Count? 82 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: Backward from one hundred by sevens one hundred ninety three. 83 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 2: I should have just pulled over earlier, as soon as 84 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 2: I'd been tired. Why hadn't I eighty six? It had 85 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 2: felt good driving, I'd felt useful. No, it hadn't been 86 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 2: for other people. Driving west away from Iowa. I'd felt 87 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 2: in control of my own life and destiny. That's half 88 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 2: of why I travel seventy nine. I hadn't felt in 89 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: control for months. It wasn't the magic and demon's thing. 90 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 2: It was Clay's death. He'd been such a I don't know, 91 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 2: not a corner stone, a keystone. His existence somewhere in 92 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 2: the world had been keeping me together. He was gone, 93 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: and ever since, I hadn't felt like I was in control. 94 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 2: Maybe it wasn't him specifically. Maybe I would have felt 95 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 2: that way if any of my close friends had died. 96 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:01,919 Speaker 2: Did I have close friends anymore? Seventy two? Traveling with 97 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: others is always a trade off. Being close with other 98 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 2: people is always a trade off. Do we give up 99 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: pieces of our autonomy to be with others? Is it 100 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 2: worth it? Eighty five? 101 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 3: No? No, that isn't right. 102 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 2: Fifty five one number was I on? I couldn't be 103 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 2: concussed for the simple reason that I didn't want to 104 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 2: be and I wasn't sure that there was anything I 105 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: could do about it. Even if I was, I probably 106 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: couldn't count backward from one hundred by sevens. If I 107 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 2: was fine, It was fine. I was fine. I could breathe, thankfully, blissfully. 108 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: The sun made its way below the horizon and stopped, 109 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 2: reminding me of that time I flipped a car and 110 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: almost killed everyone. I even let myself doze off. But 111 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: do you know what came to me in my dreams? 112 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 3: Robert Evans a belief and an understanding that the only 113 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 3: way to the Promised Land is through the products and 114 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 3: services advertise next on this podcast. 115 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: Whatever they are, that's right, we fully support this is 116 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 2: your only way to Heaven, and we're back. It was 117 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: about a three hour drive, and we discussed our plans 118 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 2: as best we could in someone else's car. We'd try 119 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 2: the library. If the folks there were as similar to 120 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 2: us as Gertrude figured, then they'd put us up at 121 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: least for the night. Anarchists stick together, well, except when 122 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: we get mad at one another over small details. Also, 123 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 2: I guess I kind of fed an anarchist to a 124 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 2: deer a couple days ago, but that's besides the point. 125 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: It was collective self defense. He was trying to get 126 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 2: the deer to eat my friends. No matter. We'd try 127 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,119 Speaker 2: the library, then see what we could do about getting 128 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 2: a new vehicle. Pendleton goes from rural road to downtown 129 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 2: in less than a block, which is kind of impressive. 130 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: Nothing nothing, pasture, nothing, trees, nothing, then a speed trap 131 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,239 Speaker 2: and a tourist trap right in a row. The latter 132 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 2: even had a concrete tyrannosaurus out front. That kind of 133 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 2: awesome place you don't see much of until you get 134 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 2: to the parts of the country people write road trip 135 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 2: movies about. Then a Western style tourist downtown, complete with 136 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 2: boardwalk and old timey looking lampposts. This town has seen 137 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 2: better days, I said, as we drove past a broken 138 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 2: trunk of concrete fence that lined the boardwalk. Ain't no 139 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 2: jobs now that the tourists are gone? Why are the 140 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 2: tourists gone? Budget cuts? Gertrude said, I don't know the 141 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 2: whole ways of it, but a lot of public land 142 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 2: went private, and there's not so much outdoor recreation like 143 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 2: there was. It was okay for a while, there was 144 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 2: still work for the gas companies, but I guess this 145 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: area wasn't so good after all. And all the jobs 146 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 2: are a couple two more many hours east to hear, 147 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: and no one young sticks around. That's a shame, I said, 148 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 2: because it was everything ends. She said that's just God's way. 149 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 2: I didn't believe much in God, but she wasn't wrong. 150 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 2: People are staring, I said. We were stopped at a light, 151 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,119 Speaker 2: probably the only light in town, and an old white 152 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: man was glaring from behind the curtains of some kind 153 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:30,119 Speaker 2: of knickknacks store. Oh they're not staring at you, Gertrude said. 154 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 2: The light turned green and she turned left off the 155 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: main drag. The town was only about three maybe four 156 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 2: blocks wide, maybe ten blocks long, lots of small houses 157 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 2: with forests and plains just beyond. People here ain't prejudiced, 158 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 2: got nothing against black folks or even folks who dress 159 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: like I don't know what you call that, punks, I asked. 160 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 2: We weren't what most people think of when you think 161 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 2: of punks. None of us had mohawks, and I don't 162 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: think any of us besides maybe Thursday or Brynn, listened 163 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 2: to the sex pistols, but we were punks. Sure? Yeah, 164 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 2: what about trans people? Vulture asked. Gertrude looked up in 165 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: the rear view, probably looking at Vulture to see if 166 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 2: she could tell he was trans. Oh, honey, this is Montana, 167 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 2: not North Dakota, she said. Does that mean a yes, 168 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 2: Sarah no, Vulture asked. We read the news, we've seen 169 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 2: people like you online, and people around here are willing 170 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 2: to let people be people. That's cool, Vulture said. He 171 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 2: didn't sound incredibly reassured, you know, Gertrude said, I never 172 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 2: would have noticed you pass really well. So that's the 173 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 2: kind of thing that probably sounds like it's going to 174 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 2: be a compliment but turns out not to be Vulture said, 175 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 2: have you had you know, I think the three of 176 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 2: us tried to cut her off at once. Not a 177 00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 2: real polite topic of conversation, I said, got it. She 178 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 2: genuinely seemed to take it well, but telling her not 179 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,839 Speaker 2: to ask the questions she so clearly wanted to ask 180 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 2: still managed to kind of silence the car for a moment. 181 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 2: So why are people staring, I asked at last, when 182 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 2: we stopped at the stop sign. Folks have been staring 183 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 2: at me ever since I came back back to town, 184 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 2: back from the dead. She said it so casually, like 185 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 2: it was something no one would raise an eyebrow at 186 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 2: about that. I asked, you mean like they had to 187 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 2: put those paddles on you and shock you back to 188 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 2: life after a car accident or something. If that's not, 189 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 2: I don't know. Also the kind of question that's rude 190 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 2: to ask. No, No, it's okay. Gertrude turned right onto 191 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: an unlit street. Maybe the library was this way, maybe 192 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 2: something worse was happening. For the first time in the 193 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 2: whole interaction, Hey, I may be slow, but I'd had 194 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 2: a rough day. I was getting uneasy sitting on the 195 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 2: edge of my seat, eyeing the law on the doors. 196 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 2: I died of cancer last Christmas Eve. I was dead 197 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 2: six months. God bring you back. I dealt with crazy 198 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 2: folks all my life. It was fine, we'd be fine. 199 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 2: I turned over my shoulder to see if my friends 200 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 2: were paying attention. They were. Brin had her hand on 201 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: her knife. Thursday had his hand in the kangaroo pocket 202 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: of his hoodie, probably on his gun. Someone like that, 203 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 2: Gertrude said. I had a feeling it wasn't God who'd 204 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 2: told Gertrude to pick us up. After all, we'd asked 205 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 2: for the dead to guard us. She stopped the car. 206 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 2: It wasn't sudden, she'd been slowing down, but it caught 207 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 2: me off guard, and I reflexively flicked off my seat belt, 208 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 2: ready to fight or run. Well, she said, turning to 209 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 2: smile with her cold smile. We're here. Been a pleasure 210 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 2: meeting you punks, and God bless. The library was in 211 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 2: an old post office building on a darkened side street. 212 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 2: Greek style column supported the front of the stone building, 213 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 2: and a single flickering bulb and a scance illuminated the door. 214 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 2: A hand lettered wooden sign read Pendleton Library Still free, 215 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 2: Still open to the public ten am to four pm, 216 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 2: run by anarchists. Beneath it, someone attacked a piece of 217 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: paper that read, we do not carry the anarchist cookbook. 218 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 2: Get your bad politics and bad science recipes off the internet, 219 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 2: not from us. I got that one from an actual 220 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 2: anarchist bookstore. I had that sign up. 221 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 3: But I want to make my what is it? What 222 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 3: is the napalm recipe in that? 223 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: Oh, I will not say that. I will not say 224 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 2: recipes of such things online personally. 225 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 3: No, but it doesn't work. 226 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. 227 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 3: Also, don't make napal. 228 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, it never goes well. 229 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 3: Yeah. Not something that's ever been used for liberatory purposes. 230 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, we could find friends here. What's our cover story, 231 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 2: I asked, Thursday shrugged, play it by ear back up 232 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 2: whatever someone else comes up with. Thursday knocked. He broke 233 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 2: up the rhythm of his knock, presumably to sound friendly 234 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: and less like we might be cops. No one likes 235 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 2: a cop knocker. It started raining out of the blue. 236 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 2: There's been a few drops on the windshield in the 237 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: last hour, but nothing serious. As soon as we stood 238 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 2: under the awning of the library, the sky opened up. 239 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: We're closed, A voice said, sleepily from the other side 240 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 2: of the door. We're travelers, heard there were good people here. 241 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 2: The door opened a slit. The white man peering through 242 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 2: the crack looked to be a little bit older than us, 243 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: maybe in his mid thirties. Gray streaked his thick black beard, 244 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 2: and one half of his mustache was stark white. A 245 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: spade was tattooed and faded blue on his cheek. Who 246 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 2: told you that, Gertrude Miller? I said, she picked us 247 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 2: up hitch hiking. There was fear in his face. His 248 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 2: eyes darted to each of us in turn. Another face 249 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 2: appeared behind his, a woman closer to my age, with 250 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: pitch black hair cut into baby bangs that continued into 251 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 2: an undercut on the side of her head, feral bangs. 252 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 2: I'd heard the style called. They went well with her 253 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: septum clicker and immaculate makeup. Sometimes I'm jealous of people 254 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: who pull off high fems so well. Oh, for fuck's sake, Vasillis, 255 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 2: she said, let them in. Sorry, The man, presumably Vascillius, mumbled. 256 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 2: He opened the door and went inside. And do you 257 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: know what they found inside there? 258 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 3: Robert evans um, did they find the products and services 259 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 3: that support this podcast. 260 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 2: They did. They found exactly all of the objects and 261 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: ephemeral things that you were about to hear about. 262 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 3: Excellent, perfect, sexy. 263 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 2: And we're back. I'm used to anarchist spaces being a 264 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: little bit humble might be the polite word for it, 265 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 2: scrappy dy. But this place looked like a library, a 266 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 2: small one, sure, but also one inside a beautiful old 267 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 2: post office building. Rows and rows of books on thick 268 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 2: wooden shelves filled the downstairs. The only thing they'd done differently, 269 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 2: it seemed, was try to kill the sterility one usually 270 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 2: sees in small town libraries. Tasteful sconces set into the 271 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 2: wall lit the place, and a slightly ragtag assortment of 272 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 2: comfortable chairs and couches were everywhere you live here. I 273 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 2: asked All of my questions about more pressing matters, like 274 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: the apparently dead woman who'd driven us to town, were 275 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 2: lost in my excitement about people having taken over a 276 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 2: small town library and kept it running. It's funny because 277 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: when I wrote all of this, like like, oh, they're 278 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: going to privatize the parks, yeah, Like, well, at least 279 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,119 Speaker 2: it means we can probably take over my libraries. 280 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 3: Going is going to be very impressive in the future. 281 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, totally, yeah, Vascillas said. He led us through the 282 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 2: main room of the library. It's hard to walk past 283 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 2: that many books without stopping to flip through them. But 284 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 2: I followed him up the backstairs to the apartment above. 285 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 2: It looked a lot more like places I was used to. 286 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 2: The living room was still covered with Florida ceiling bookshelves, 287 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 2: but there was also a dining table and a counter 288 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 2: that separated off a small kitchen area. A short hallway 289 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 2: led to three other doors, presumably two bedrooms in a bathroom. How, 290 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 2: I asked, the county left it empty. We moved in. 291 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 2: It's squatted then, technically, Vascillis said, But even the sheriff's 292 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:11,880 Speaker 2: wife comes here to check out books. I'm not sure 293 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 2: anyone knows or even cares that no one legally owns 294 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 2: the place. People assume we bought it, and we don't 295 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 2: discourage them. I'm Heather, the woman said. As we did introductions. Wait, 296 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: Vascilla said, after I introduced myself as Danielle, what's your 297 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: last name? Cain, I waited, cringing to hear him call 298 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 2: me Danny. He didn't you knew Clay? He said, we 299 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 2: talked about you a lot last time he was through here. 300 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 2: You know, Clay, Doomsday asked. At the same time, as 301 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 2: the ice was broken by knowledge of a mutual friend, 302 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 2: a different sort of tension filled the room, the tension 303 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 2: of discussing a mutual dead friend. New knew Clay. None 304 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: of these assholes had come to his funeral. Everywhere I traveled, 305 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,719 Speaker 2: people knew. Everyone talked about him like he was a 306 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 2: magical gift from the universe to its denizens, which he was, 307 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 2: and not one of them had made it to Denver 308 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 2: to drink and mourn with me and his mom. Maybe 309 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 2: I'd go out that way too, I'd live on in legend, 310 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 2: but no one would feel obliged to actually miss me. Sure, 311 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: Vascilla said, he came through a couple of times a year, 312 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 2: always wanted to check out whatever new books we had. 313 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 2: The books up here were in fact different from those 314 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 2: on the shelves downstairs. A lot of them had blank spines, 315 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 2: a lot of them were gold embossed. Some of them 316 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 2: looked older than some people think the earth is. This 317 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 2: isn't accult library. I asked, well, what else are you 318 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 2: all doing here? Vasillis asked. He and I were the 319 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 2: only ones still standing. I realized everyone else had made 320 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 2: themselves comfortable on couches and chairs. Rain lashed against the windows, 321 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 2: and thunder rumbled across the plane. We uh. I tried 322 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 2: to figure out what to tell him. I tried to 323 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 2: figure out what was safe to tell him. We're demon hunters, 324 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 2: Vulture blurted out. He put down a book and his phone. 325 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 2: He'd been taking pictures of the pages. We're on the 326 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 2: run because of some stuff that went wrong, and Eulixie 327 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 2: maybe killed a lot of people and some cops too, 328 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 2: so much for a cover story. Doomsday and Thursday shot 329 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 2: him the same look at the same time. The combined 330 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:30,959 Speaker 2: glare would have driven lesser men to silence, or at 331 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 2: least to show remorse on their face. Vulture did neither. 332 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 2: You demon hunters, Vasillis repeated, like the words didn't make 333 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:41,959 Speaker 2: sense in his mouth, like he was speaking some language 334 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: he didn't know and was just parroting the phrase back. 335 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 2: I mean we are now, I guess. Vulture gave his 336 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 2: best whoop, sorry, look to the rest of us, you're 337 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 2: here because of the disappearances. Then that was Heather, who 338 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 2: was sitting next to Brynn on a love seat. Thursday 339 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 2: said yes, Vulture said at the same time, Doomsday ritual 340 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,199 Speaker 2: must have done a hell of a lot more than 341 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 2: get us a ride safely. What disappearances, I asked, you 342 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 2: might want to sit down, Heather said, this is weird. 343 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 2: I found myself in a large comfortable chair by the window, 344 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 2: and Vasillis brought us all tea. Heather, with a cop 345 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 2: in her hand, told us the story. There used to 346 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 2: be two more of us living here. She started punctuating 347 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 2: her sentence by blowing across her tea, Damien and Asola. 348 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 2: Then there's Loki. I know Loki, I said. It's a 349 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 2: small scene, hitchhiking, weirdos, queer, kind of small book thief. 350 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 2: I'd stayed with them. Loki didn't like being called he 351 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 2: or she. In Oakland for a couple weeks the summer before, 352 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,479 Speaker 2: they had been planning a rare book heist. I skipped 353 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 2: down before I found out how it went. Yeah, Heather said, 354 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 2: Loki came through with some books for us. Real shit, 355 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 2: they said. Then they and Damien and Asola went winter 356 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 2: camping in Glacier, and then none of them came back. 357 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 2: Heather took a tiny sip of her tea, decided that 358 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 2: it was cool enough and took a longer sip. Months 359 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,959 Speaker 2: go by, no word from any of them. Vasillis and 360 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 2: I tried to track them down, but never found anything. 361 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 2: Not their car, nothing, a record in the back country 362 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 2: hiking registry at Glacier, and that's it. Then this spring, 363 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 2: a Sola shows up in town. She won't talk to us. 364 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 2: Squat's an empty bed and breakfast at the edge of town. 365 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 2: We see her around town sometimes, but it's like she 366 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 2: looks right through us. She looks right through everyone else too. 367 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 2: She's back, but she's not back. Where are the books 368 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 2: Loki brought, Doomsday asked. Most of them are shelled now, 369 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 2: Vasillis said, gesturing at the walls around us. Most of 370 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 2: them are the same garbage you always find though. Ninety 371 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 2: nine point nine percent of occult books or just trash, gibberish, 372 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 2: packaged up all spooky, made to sell for as much 373 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 2: money as possible. Most of them are shelved, Doomsday continued, 374 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 2: Vasillis sighed. The three of them went to Glacier with 375 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 2: one book, one that seemed legit. Loki says they stole 376 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 2: it from some of Vola type fascists on the Olympic Peninsula, 377 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 2: says those people had stolen it from somewhere in England, 378 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: the Book of Barrow. Our friends took it to Glacier 379 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 2: because they were going to try something out. What were 380 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 2: they going to try out? Thursday asked, Vasillis looked to 381 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 2: the floor. Heather answered, instead resurrection Loki wanted to hunt 382 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 2: a bear and bring it back to life. Oh fuck that, 383 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 2: Bren said. So they went out to the back country 384 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 2: wilderness in the dead of winner to kill a hibernating bear, 385 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 2: which by the way, doesn't count as hunting, and turn 386 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 2: it into a zombie bear. And then they didn't come back. 387 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,239 Speaker 2: Thursday asked, gee, I can't think of anything that might 388 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 2: have gone wrong with that plan. What a mystery, Thursday 389 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: Doomsday said, No, Thursday said, you've got to be kidding me. 390 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 2: Mystery solved. They got killed by winter or the bear, 391 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 2: and frankly, it's hard to claim they didn't have it coming. 392 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 2: What about Gertrude Miller, I asked. She told us she 393 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 2: was dead six months then was resurrected. Honestly, Heather said, 394 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 2: Looking at Thursday, when they didn't come back from Glacier, 395 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 2: Vasillis and I thought the same thing you did. But 396 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 2: then a Sola came back. Okay, she's shell shocked and 397 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 2: doesn't want to talk to us. Heather turned to me. 398 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: But then Gertrude came back. She was dead for six months. 399 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 2: She was telling the truth about that, then, I said, 400 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 2: Heather nodded. Vulture clapped his hands together. We all looked 401 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 2: at him, and he tried and failed to wipe the 402 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 2: smile off his face. Sorry, he said, It's just we 403 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 2: have our first mystery. Yeah, Thursday side, we'll start first 404 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:22,120 Speaker 2: thing in the morning. Dinner consisted of reheated couscous, baked potatoes, 405 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 2: and green salad. There were too many of us for 406 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 2: the table, so we ate on the couches and easy chairs. 407 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: We talked about friends in common who weren't dead or missing, 408 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 2: the state of the anarchist movement and its role in 409 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 2: fighting the rise of fascism and nationalism globally. Then more 410 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 2: interesting to me the state of magic. How many practitioners 411 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 2: do you think there are, I asked, Until a couple 412 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 2: of days ago. I've gone my whole life without seeing 413 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 2: an ounce of real magic, and I have met plenty 414 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 2: of people who spend their time trying it's hard to answer, 415 00:24:56,040 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 2: Vascilla said, I guess that worldwide, we're talking about a 416 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 2: a few hundred, maybe one thousand people who are real 417 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 2: magicians who are tapped into what the endless spirits have 418 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 2: to offer. Then below that, I don't know a couple 419 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 2: million people who stumble upon magic here and there but 420 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:17,199 Speaker 2: mostly fail. What do you mean? As far as I 421 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 2: can tell, there's only one system of magic that actually 422 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 2: works with any consistency, and that involves appealing to or 423 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 2: summoning directly the endless spirits. But there are a lot 424 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 2: of rituals that end up tapping into that power kind 425 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,719 Speaker 2: of by accident, through a side door that people stumble 426 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 2: upon from time to time as they practice other systems. 427 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 2: Most of those side doors are for magic that only 428 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 2: affects the practitioner. Like rituals to grant you courage, work well, 429 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,640 Speaker 2: rituals to heal yourself work a little less well. Rituals 430 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 2: to heal other people almost never unless you're communicating directly 431 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 2: with a specific spirit. Okay, I said, If there's a 432 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 2: system of magic that works, why doesn't everyone know about it? 433 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:06,360 Speaker 2: Keeping information rare is harder and harder these days. Oh, 434 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 2: I know, Vulture said. We all turned to look at him. 435 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 2: He finished his food already and was lying across Heather 436 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 2: and Brynn on the love seat. It's the Magic Feds, 437 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 2: he said. I'm on this forum right, and I don't 438 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 2: know a lot of it probably isn't true. But there's 439 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 2: this thing people mention and no one knows its name. 440 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 2: But it's the Magic Feds. And they're like Molder and Scully, 441 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 2: but evil, well not evil from their point of view, 442 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 2: but evil from my point of view. Yeah, Vasillis said, 443 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 2: he used to be the church. Now it's the state. 444 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 2: Still an inquisition. Wait, I said, should we be worried 445 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: about this then? I mean, Vascillis said, as long as 446 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 2: you don't do something crazy and spectacular, like said an 447 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 2: endless spirit against your enemies in broad daylight, you'll be fine. 448 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:01,919 Speaker 2: Brinn started laughing, so I said, yes, we should be worried. 449 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 2: There was a spare bedroom it had been a Sola 450 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 2: and Damien's, and we piled in with our bags. Doomsday 451 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 2: claimed the bed for herself on Thursday, and I laid 452 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,399 Speaker 2: my sleeping bag out on the floor. Vulture said he 453 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 2: was going for a walk Thursday, said he was going 454 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 2: to stand watch because something felt off. Brynn was out 455 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 2: in the living room, still talking with Heather. I was exhausted, 456 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 2: but as soon as I laid my head down on 457 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 2: my bald up hoodie, I was awake too much, all 458 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 2: in one day, too much, all in one week. I 459 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 2: wanted Brynn there. I wanted to hold her. We'd been 460 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 2: cuddling most nights. I hadn't kissed her or anything. I 461 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 2: hadn't really been sure i'd been ready to do something 462 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 2: like that, and vice versa. But I wanted to cuddle 463 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 2: with her. She was out in the living room talking 464 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 2: to a high femme, gorgeous stranger. That was fine, It 465 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,400 Speaker 2: would be Fineane had let up, but there was still 466 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 2: thunder in the distance. Other than that, everything was quiet. 467 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 2: Small towns are strange at night. None of the people 468 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 2: noises of big cities, none of the car noises of 469 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 2: busy rural roads, and none of the wild life noises 470 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 2: of the countryside. Just that thunder and the sound of 471 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 2: Brynn laughing from the living room. It wasn't fine. I 472 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 2: was being an idiot, and I knew it. Brynn didn't 473 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 2: owe me anything, and she wasn't doing anything wrong. Or 474 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 2: even weird or mean. Knowing I was being an idiot 475 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 2: didn't make it better. Couldn't I just think about the 476 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 2: car crash? Instead? Lightning lit the room. Doomsday started snoring. 477 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 2: Worry became anxiety. Anxiety started on its way towards panic. 478 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 2: I got up, pulled my hoodie on, slipped on my boots, 479 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 2: and went out to the living room. Brynn and Heather 480 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: were leaning against one another, talking sweetly. Brynn caught my 481 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 2: eye and smiled. It was fine. I went down the 482 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 2: stairs and out the front door. Thursday was on the porch, 483 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 2: staring off down the street. His backpack was in his hand, 484 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 2: concealing his gun. Couldn't sleep, He asked, what is there 485 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 2: to keep watch for? I asked, talking about something other 486 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 2: than me would be good. It was what I needed. 487 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 2: Hell if I know, Thursday said, I'm just I'm just 488 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 2: trying to be useful. I feel that. I said, I'm 489 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 2: not always this way. Thursday said, what way? I don't know? 490 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 2: Protective kind of macho and nodded. I love Doomsday more 491 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 2: than I love life itself. I'm worried about her, I'm 492 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 2: worried about the rest of us. So I don't know 493 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 2: what else to do besides watch out for her best. 494 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 2: I know, how what do you like usually? Believe it 495 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 2: or not. I think I'm usually the funny guy, he said. 496 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 2: When shit ain't serious, I ain't serious either. It's just 497 00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 2: shit's real serious. Right now? I can feel that you 498 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 2: like Brynn, he said. It wasn't a question. He'd seen 499 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 2: the two of us together. Yeah, he looked over at me, 500 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 2: took in my expression for a moment. You're jealous of 501 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,719 Speaker 2: her and Heather. No, I'm not. He didn't say anything 502 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 2: to that. I guess I am. 503 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:16,959 Speaker 3: Want to know why. 504 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 2: I think that is sure, I said, because you don't 505 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 2: know where you stand with her. That's it. That's all. 506 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 2: You figure out where you stand with her, You talk 507 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 2: it over with her, and none of that shit will 508 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 2: bother you any more. He was probably right, Doomsday and me, 509 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 2: we know where we stand. She fucks someone else, how 510 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 2: she falls in love with someone else, it wouldn't bug 511 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 2: me much because she makes it clear where she and 512 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 2: I stand. You all are polly. I feel like most 513 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 2: of the people I know are polyamorous. But it still 514 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 2: surprised me. The days seemed so I don't know traditional 515 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 2: in a wandering a coultist with a bounty on their 516 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 2: heads kind of way. I wouldn't worry about her and 517 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 2: me unless I don't know. Idris Elba decided he was single, 518 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 2: started hanging around. Doomsday is a crush on Idris Elba. 519 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 2: Hell if I know, Thursday said, I'm the one with 520 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 2: a crush on Idris Elba. I laughed at that, Glad 521 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 2: to know I can still be funny when shit's serious. 522 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 2: He said, I'm glad I met you all. I said, 523 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 2: this is hands down the weirdest week of my life, 524 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 2: but I'm glad I've gotten to meet you all. You too, 525 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 2: Danielle Kane. I'm going to go back and try and 526 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 2: sleep again. I said, don't say anything to her what 527 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 2: you're in sad sack mode. I get it, we're all 528 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,719 Speaker 2: sad sacks sometimes. But if you go talk to her 529 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 2: right now, you're going to come across wrong, You'll come 530 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,959 Speaker 2: across controlling. Just go to bed, and if she cuddles 531 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 2: up with you, cuddle right back, and if not, try 532 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 2: not to stress about it. Thanks for looking out for us, Thursday, 533 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 2: Sleep well, Danielle Kane. On my way back through the library, 534 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 2: I saw three rats on the checkout counter. I have 535 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 2: a hard time getting mad at rats, all the best 536 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 2: animals or scavengers squatters. On my way back through the 537 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 2: living room, I saw Heather sitting next to Brynn. Heather's 538 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 2: arm was across Brynn's lap, and Brynn had a needle 539 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 2: and ink in her hand. She was tattooing Heather. I 540 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 2: couldn't tell what the design was. Brynn looked up at 541 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 2: me and smiled sweetly, and I knew Thursday was right. 542 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 2: If I told Bryn I was sad. Hell, if I 543 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 2: said anything at all, it would come across wrong, and 544 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 2: Brenn wouldn't be smiling so sweetly. No more. I smiled 545 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 2: back and went down the hall to where my sleeping 546 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:36,240 Speaker 2: bag waited for me. It was fine, I was fine. 547 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 2: That's the end of chapter two. 548 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 3: Well, I'm excited. I'm especially excited for the Magic Feds 549 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,600 Speaker 3: because I fall asleep many nights watching X Files, and. 550 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 2: I've been watching Twin Peaks recently. Oh yeah, yeah, Magic 551 00:32:58,840 --> 00:32:59,959 Speaker 2: Feds are a good trope. 552 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 3: It's great in part because, like, no matter how horrifying 553 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 3: you make like the Magic Fed story, it'll be less 554 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 3: scary than what they normally do. That's I say, on 555 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 3: the day as Habitat for Humanity's bank accounts were frozen 556 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 3: by the FBI. 557 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 1: Fuck. 558 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 2: Oh. Sometimes I'm like, we all want the like weird 559 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 2: to demon hunting version of the world because the actual 560 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 2: monsters are Yes, we know who they are, They're in power. 561 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,920 Speaker 3: I've always made this argument Scully is a cop Fox 562 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 3: Molder is not a cop. 563 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, totally. 564 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 3: He never even arrests anyone. 565 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:47,440 Speaker 2: He's just a nerd who got dragged along. 566 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 3: No charge is brought. He loses his gun every third episode. 567 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:55,880 Speaker 1: You know what we all like. 568 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:57,800 Speaker 2: It's the same as how like with billionaires, I just 569 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 2: want them to stop being billionaires. You know, they can 570 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 2: choose to stop being billionaires. I believe that Molder would 571 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 2: join the side of the right. 572 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 3: Well, Moulder would be surprised if you put it out 573 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 3: he still has a batch. 574 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,440 Speaker 2: I'm still waiting for the day where you and I 575 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 2: just get to write a like X Files reboot instead 576 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 2: of worrying about the world falling into fascism'. 577 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 3: That's the dream. That's the dream, And suddenly the primary 578 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 3: conflict in our life will be you repeatedly trying to 579 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 3: convince me that every episode can't be about Bigfoot, and 580 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 3: you have. 581 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 2: To convince me every single time that they can't just 582 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 2: quit their jobs. That actually one of the core components 583 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,840 Speaker 2: of the show is that they had to have those jobs. 584 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 3: Those two issues will be the Yoko Ono of our 585 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:48,760 Speaker 3: creative relationship. 586 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:55,399 Speaker 2: Anyway, Part three happens next week, and you all can 587 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,839 Speaker 2: write wait or you can go find the book. And 588 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 2: also if you're like, wow, I'm really enjoying this, I 589 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 2: want audiobooks of this book, the one that came before it, 590 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 2: and the third book in the series that isn't even 591 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,319 Speaker 2: out yet. Well, have I got a deal for you. 592 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,800 Speaker 2: There's a kickstarter. It's really cheap. We saw our audiobooks 593 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 2: for really cheap because we're an independent publisher, which means 594 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:14,839 Speaker 2: our books are slightly more expensive than we wish who 595 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 2: they were. I mean, they're like a normal heist. But 596 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,279 Speaker 2: that's still too high because we're weird punks. But right, 597 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 2: we can make the audiobooks really cheap because there's no 598 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 2: paper that we have to pay for, so we passed 599 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 2: the savings onto you. Anyway, see you next week. 600 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,320 Speaker 3: I'm all right, that's it, baby. 601 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:36,840 Speaker 1: It could happen here as a production of Cool Zone Media. 602 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media. Visit our website 603 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,840 Speaker 1: cool zonemedia dot com, or check us out on the 604 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,480 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, 605 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,000 Speaker 1: you can find sources for It could happen here, Updated 606 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 1: monthly at cool zonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.