1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:03,280 Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media. 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 2: Book Club book Club, book Club. 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 3: Look Club book Club. I was late. 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 4: I'm sorry. 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: No, it's okay. 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: It ruined it. 7 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, that's fine. We'll just you know, you can 8 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: only go forward, can edit, so fix fix it in post. Yeah, yeah, totally, 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: that's that's totally what will happen. Absolutely, this is the 10 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: cool Zone Media book Club. You're once a week fiction 11 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: thing about cool Zone media fiction. Once a week. I 12 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 2: read you a story. I'm Margaret Kiljoy with me today 13 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 2: playing the role of you. 14 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 4: It is Garrison. 15 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm you. 16 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 2: That's amazing. Yeah, you really are kind of you know, 17 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 2: the the every them, you know, like everyone can. 18 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 3: Sure, sure, yeah, I can slot into any place. 19 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 2: Much like how the everyman can character of Mickey Mouse, 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 2: who has just entered the public domain. 21 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 3: That's right, but only the one from nineteen twenty eight. 22 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's okay. I think that was when he was 23 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 2: more than every them. 24 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 3: No, he was a lot cooler, like if you actually 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 3: watch the Steamboat well I shouldn't say cooler because it 26 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,119 Speaker 3: really bad. But if you watch the Steamboat Willie cartoon, 27 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 3: it's just him like abusing animals for like ten minutes. 28 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,199 Speaker 3: But he's I don't know, Mickey Mouse is so sanitized 29 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 3: now and to watch just like the actual insanity of 30 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 3: that of that original cartoon is a kind of jarring 31 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 3: compared to the current brand image of Mickey Mouse. But 32 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 3: he just instead just goes around like torturing animals and people. Yeah, 33 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 3: but you know, that's like standard cartoon fair it's not 34 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 3: like actual animal abuse. 35 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 2: It's like, you know, there cartoon animals. 36 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, come on, come on, yeah, yeah, Yeah. 37 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 2: I got really sad this morning. I was thinking about 38 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: I was reading something about how Mickey Mouse entered the 39 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 2: public domain because that's what I do with my life, 40 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 2: and it was talking about how Mickey Mouse was like 41 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: in some ways inspired by Charlie Chaplin's characters, and then 42 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 2: I was thinking about how Charlie Chaplin was, while not 43 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 2: good on the feminism front, was an anarchist. And then 44 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, he got 45 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: like fucking kicked out of the country over it and 46 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,679 Speaker 2: shit during the Red Scare. Yeah, he was upfront and 47 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 2: he identified as an anarchist. Again, it doesn't mean that 48 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 2: he didn't whatever, And none of my notes in front 49 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 2: of me, I'm not trying to like specifically Lion Eye 50 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 2: or talk. 51 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 3: To Margaret's canceling Charlie Chapman. That's first whatever, Who's who's 52 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 3: ever looked at Charlie Chaplin's life and been like, huh's 53 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 3: a there's a few discrepancies here. 54 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: Well okay, but the thing that actually happened is I 55 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: sort of like defend it because I'm like, people are like, oh, 56 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: Charlie Chaplin fucked that guy, and I'm like, it's kind 57 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 2: of interesting politically as an anarchisty he wrote this thing 58 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: about how animal shouldn't be in cages and it just didn't. Anyway, 59 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 2: That's not what we're going to talk about today, because 60 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 2: today we're going to read a story about a mall. 61 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 3: I love I love malls. 62 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: I really like full car. It's like my favorite genre 63 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: of horror. And I really like the idea that full 64 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 2: car can happen in urban environments because it's usually just 65 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 2: like there's bad things in the woods, which is like true, ye, 66 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: that's like why we live here, but cities are bad 67 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: things too. 68 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 3: Really. Suburban folklore has been like kind of a rising 69 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 3: genre as of late, especially when we have like urban decay, 70 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 3: malls being a really prime example of these things that 71 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 3: used to be places but are no longer actually like 72 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 3: real places. Yeah, and that is just rife territory for 73 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 3: the intrepid folk horror author. 74 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 2: Well then today's intrepid full car author, who's usually more 75 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: of a body horror author. I don't know how he's 76 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: going to feel about me calling him a full car author, 77 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: because he's a smarter about horror than I am. Is 78 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: Evan J. Peterson, And I'm going to read you a 79 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: bio for Evan J. 80 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 4: Peterson. 81 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: He's an author and a game writer. His latest book 82 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: is Meta Flesh Poems and The Voices of the Monster, 83 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: and recent work includes Dragstar, published by Choice of Games, 84 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 2: which is the world's first drag performance RPG, as well 85 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: as The Road to Innsmith Arkham Harr. Evan's writing appears 86 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 2: in Weird Tales, Pseudopod, Nightmare, Queers, Destroy Horror, Boing Boying, 87 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 2: and Best Gay Stories. Evan's serial novel Better Living Through 88 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 2: Alchemy will be published in twenty twenty four, which is 89 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 2: this year, by Broken Eyebooks websites Evanjpeterson dot Com where 90 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: you can go to learn more. This story is called 91 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: the Untimely Death of Northgate Mall. Even the gumball machines 92 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 2: were empty. Someone already pulled out the mall's directory maps, 93 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: leaving behind blank white portals to some shopping limbo. Kyle 94 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 2: paced the midway of the dying mall and surveyed the damage. 95 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 2: At least, it still smelled like a mall pretzels and 96 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 2: bleach and books, while strains of Blondie and other pop 97 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: standards still echoed down the promenade. The wrecking ball had 98 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 2: already knocked the teeth out of Macy's. The American flag 99 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 2: still waved in pride against the backdrop of the crumbling facade. 100 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,679 Speaker 2: Shopping cathedrals all over the nation were dying out. Maybe 101 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: Northgate Mall, now toothless and increasingly vacant, had already died 102 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: of hunger. The Northgate Mall was actually the first fully 103 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,119 Speaker 2: indoor shopping center in the nation, a decision made thanks 104 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 2: to Seattle's rainy weather. And that's not even the most 105 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 2: interesting thing about it. The Northgate Mall started with eighteen 106 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 2: stores in April of nineteen fifty only in your state 107 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 2: dot com slash Washington. Kyle tightened the laces of his mask. 108 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: Ben had sewn it by hand for him, and it 109 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: looked like a surgeon's mask, the kind that ties in 110 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: the back. It even felt a little fetishy, especially when 111 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 2: he wore it with nitrol gloves to venture out into 112 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 2: the public. No more ben thoughts, he told himself. Others 113 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 2: plodded along the mall in their own masks. Kyle used 114 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 2: to walk up and down through the crowds, elbow to elbow, 115 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: with whatever viruses strangers carried, unconcerned if they coughed or sneezed. 116 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: Some parents still let their children cavort in the play area, 117 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,119 Speaker 2: masked or not. Kyle heard a rustle and a shriek 118 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 2: behind him. His stomach lurched. He expected to see a 119 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 2: bleeding child, some accident of negligence, but it was just 120 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 2: a seagull rifling through the trash. The gulls in the 121 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 2: neighborhood were bolder lately. They flew right into the mall 122 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 2: and stole the trash. If trash could be considered stolen. 123 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: Some crazy rich people probably thought so, the same crazy 124 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 2: rich people who wanted to knock Seattle flat and build 125 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 2: a thousand skyscrapers on its broken ribs. The seagulls just 126 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: fulfilled their niche and scavenged the mall's carcass. In his 127 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 2: sleeveless Dawn of the Dead t shirt, Kyle leaned against 128 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 2: an empty kiosk and wondered if seagulls could become undead 129 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: if they preyed on zombies. He thanked God or whoever 130 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: was responsible, that it was just COVID happening outside and 131 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: not a zombie apocalypse. Would people still be screaming about 132 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 2: their freedom if it was zombies instead? Probably? He imagined 133 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: mal shamblers wearing Don't Tread on Me ball caps reflexively 134 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 2: trying to shoot each other with empty guns. Jesus Fucking Christ, 135 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 2: it was too real. Graham Junior planned Northgate as a 136 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: one stop shop for all the suburban America families needs that, 137 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: weirdly enough, included a hospital. Northgate General was operational in 138 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 2: the nineteen fifties but defunct by the nineteen nineties. Being 139 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: born in a mall is peak Americana. Natalie Graham The 140 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: Stranger ten twenty four, twenty eighteen. Kyle worked his first 141 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 2: job in a mall Spencer Gifts. His second job too, 142 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 2: Walden Books. He had his first big crush on a 143 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 2: boy who worked at Hot Topic. He had his first 144 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: kiss with a boy, a different boy, in a food court, 145 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 2: both of their mouths sweet with junk food. During this 146 00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: August heat wave, Kyle walked them all for the refuge 147 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 2: air conditioning. He couldn't afford an apartment with AC, but 148 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 2: even on its deathbed, the mall cranked it. It was 149 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 2: also supposed to distract him from the breakup, but that 150 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 2: strategy failed spectacularly. The mall squatted only two blocks from 151 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 2: Kyle's apartment. He and Ben bought one another presence here. 152 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 2: They people watched and made fun of strangers. Here in 153 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: the lusty early days of dating. They even had a 154 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 2: quickie in one of the single occupant bathrooms. Memories infested 155 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 2: the place, and the fact that most of those memories 156 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 2: were happy only made it worse. It's worth noting that 157 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 2: Washington might be the only state to have a mall 158 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 2: that has an entire terrorists and serial killers section on 159 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 2: its Wikipedia page. Only in your state dot com slash Washington, 160 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 2: and do you know who else has terrorists and serial 161 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 2: killers woven throughout? 162 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 3: I mean, our actual show more so terrorists than serial killers. 163 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 2: That's true, that's true. We're doing the only crime, the 164 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 2: only crime, the true crime, wrong you know, yeah. 165 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, but I'm also suspecting that there will probably be 166 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 3: advertisements for something serial killer related since you are listening 167 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 3: to a podcast, so you enjoy enjoy that. 168 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I hope it's for another podcast and not 169 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 2: an ad to become one like a cop ad. Here's 170 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: the ads go, and we're back. He stopped a stare 171 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 2: at the Bear baseball cap display rack and the window 172 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: of Champs, the translucent plastic domes looking like a swarm 173 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 2: of jellyfish without the hats to engulf them. This was 174 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 2: the spot where the relationship had finally begun to rot 175 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 2: at the core. They were brows sneakers when Kyle asked 176 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 2: if they should move in together. They had been dating 177 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 2: over a year, and it made sense. Living alone in 178 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 2: Seattle came with a steep rent. Ben froze, and Kyle 179 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 2: could actually see Ben disassociate, his eyes fixing into the 180 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 2: middle distance. Christ it wasn't a marriage proposal, it was 181 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: a perfectly reasonable thing to ask for. Then the pandemic hit, 182 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 2: and dust to dust. He heard the gull scream again, 183 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 2: plucking him out of his memories, and now there were 184 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 2: two of them. They flapped around, rooting in the trash, 185 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,079 Speaker 2: spreading it everywhere. A gray haired woman from the still 186 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: standing jewelry store ran at them with a broom, yelling 187 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 2: in what sounded like Spanish, but the gulls didn't retreat. 188 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 2: They lunged and screamed, spreading their wings to intimidate her, 189 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 2: and it worked. She backed right off. See Gulls one Mall, 190 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 2: Lady zero. The thought made him laugh for the first 191 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 2: time in two weeks. Kyle stopped for a pretzel covered 192 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 2: in cinnamon sugar sides of icing. The pimply underaged pretzel 193 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 2: girls behind the counter flirted with him, and he flirted back, 194 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 2: using every charming trick he knew to get a discount. 195 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 2: The smell of hot dough and sugar filled his nostrils. 196 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: He sat on a bench, undoing the top laces of 197 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 2: the mask and letting it fall against the hollow at 198 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,679 Speaker 2: the base of his throat. Next to the pretzel stand 199 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 2: was a cavern formerly occupied by Spencer Gifts, not the 200 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 2: one he'd worked for, but they were all the same. Inside, 201 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 2: someone from the corporate office had already removed the exterior signs, 202 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 2: but Kyle knew the spot. He went in once a 203 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 2: year or so for the nostalgia to remember what it 204 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 2: was like making a shitty mall wage and cleaning up 205 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 2: after customers that broke more than they bought. Back when 206 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 2: he worked there, there were blatantly homophobic and transphobic items. 207 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 2: Kick me stickers that said gay pride meant for covert 208 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 2: placement on someone's back a real laugh riot. Now. The 209 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 2: store sold T shirts with the painted faces of famous 210 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 2: drag queens and posters of yawie boys. Please cut that? 211 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 4: Is it? 212 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 2: Yawi? How you pronounced that? 213 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 3: I kind of want you just to leave this in. 214 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: The fact that I don't know how to pronounce this, 215 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 2: that you don't know how to pronounce you? Okay? But 216 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 2: am I right? Am I right? Huh? 217 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 3: You are right? 218 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, all right, fine, you can leave it in al Sorry. 219 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 3: I like that you went to me for expertise on 220 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:27,079 Speaker 3: how to You're my gen z friend. 221 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 2: Do you you know all the stuff? 222 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 3: Uh huh yeah, uh, well I know my way around 223 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 3: some yowie. 224 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: Well, which is good because the store sold T shirts 225 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 2: of the painted faces of famous drag queens and posters 226 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 2: of yawie boys kissing and holding hands. A word I 227 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 2: totally knew how to pronounce the first time It was disorienting, 228 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 2: but that was the first real test of acceptance in capitalism. 229 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 2: Did it cost more to persecute marginalized people or to 230 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 2: assimilate them. Queer was cool now when it sold a 231 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 2: lot of merchant, but it couldn't sell enough to save 232 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,959 Speaker 2: a dying mall. Black tarps blocked the glass storefront. Kyle 233 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 2: could see a bit inside through the door, and of 234 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 2: course it was dark abandoned, but the door was slightly open. 235 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 2: Kyle entered the cave forgetting to retie his face mask 236 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 2: to his head. He poked around in the dim light, 237 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 2: hidden from outside view. Lots of empty, cheap shelving, but 238 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 2: maybe he'd find something fun. His shoe bumped something large 239 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 2: but lightweight on the ground. Kyle stooped and found it 240 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 2: was a Halloween mask. The store must have begun stocking 241 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 2: for the season, after all, even though someone in the 242 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 2: chain of management knew it was pointless. Maybe it was 243 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 2: a vain attempt to resuscitate business, a kind of sympathetic 244 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 2: magic of supply and consumption. Or maybe no one really 245 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 2: knew what else to do. Kyle certainly didn't criminal incidents. 246 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 2: In nineteen seventy three, the serial killer Ted Bundy reportedly 247 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 2: apprehended a purse snatcher late at night in the Northgate 248 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: Mall parking lot, a few weeks before his first dock 249 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 2: mented murder. Many of his subsequent victims were approached in 250 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 2: parking lots. On September twelfth, nineteen eighty three, Tracy Ann 251 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 2: Winston was abducted from Northgate Mall and murdered by Gary Ridgeway, 252 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 2: the Green River Killer. The following year, on April twenty third, 253 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty four, a seven man force of the Order 254 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 2: attacked an armored car at the mall after first staging 255 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 2: a diversionary bombing. Wikipedia dot Org, slash Wiki, Northgate Underschool Mall, Underscore, Seattle. 256 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 2: Kyle pulled his phone out to inspect the mask by 257 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 2: the led light. It wasn't a horror mask. It was 258 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 2: a stylized bird head, gray and white, not made of 259 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 2: rubber or plastic, but what felt like real wood, a 260 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 2: lightweight fiber like bamboo. It looked handmade and meticulously crafted, 261 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 2: not the kind of licensed pop bullshit the story usually stalked. 262 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 2: He didn't recognize whatever character the mask represented, something from 263 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 2: a video game, might be a pigeon. He heard the 264 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 2: faint scream of the gulls. Again, that's what the mask was, 265 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 2: a seagull. The whole coincidence of it was unsettling. Would 266 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 2: anyone be a seagull for Halloween? Maybe it was part 267 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 2: of a hitchcock bird's theme. Kyle checked the mask for 268 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: a price tag and sku something that would indicate whether 269 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 2: it was inventory. There were no stamps, labels, or stickers. 270 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 2: Maybe it really was handmade, which meant it didn't belong 271 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 2: in here. He could almost hear Sweet Ben daring him 272 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 2: put it on. What's the worst that could happen? Superstition 273 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 2: got the better of him and he didn't try it on. Instead, 274 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 2: curiosity and boredom pressed him further toward the mall's inner workings. 275 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 2: He navigated the dark sails floor, pussy footing his way 276 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 2: to the doorway of the back room. He smelled it 277 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: before he walked through, that dumpster smell, not quite nauseous, 278 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: but getting there, a salty sweet smell of recent garbage 279 00:15:55,560 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 2: and cigarette butts. The break room was completely black. No 280 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 2: good light reached from the mall promenade, and no light 281 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 2: came in from the door on the far side of 282 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 2: the space. The other door would lead to the mall's 283 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 2: labyrinthine bowels. The passages that joined the break were rooms 284 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 2: of every store, the kitchen of every food vendor, to 285 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 2: loading docks and disposal bins. Kyle fumbled with his phone 286 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 2: in the mask, and in a moment of failed instinct, 287 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 2: he held tight to the mask and dropped the phone. 288 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 2: The clack of it against the floor echoed in a 289 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: way that sounded wrong, like the room was far bigger 290 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 2: than it should be. The light of the phone's screen 291 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: blinked out. He crouched to pick it up, pat it 292 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 2: around for it, and felt something slice his finger. The 293 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 2: icy zing of it frightened him more than it hurt. 294 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: He brought it to his mouth and almost socked the 295 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 2: wound before he stopped himself. Fucking idiot, he thought, this 296 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: is how he gets staff. He realized that his cotton 297 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 2: mask wasn't tied in place, but he left it for now. 298 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 2: He thought of the film DEMONI that the woman cutting 299 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 2: herself on a prop mask coming possessed by a demon. 300 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 2: Italian horror was weird like that. All the elements were 301 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 2: here for a real Giallo Clusterfuck the mall, the mask, 302 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 2: the wound, Kyle wiped whatever blood leaked from his finger 303 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 2: onto his jeans. Hopefully it was just a superficial wound, 304 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 2: but right now it's stung like hell. When the late 305 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 2: celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain came to Seattle in twenty seventeen, 306 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 2: he also asked me about serial killers. What was it 307 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 2: about the Northwest and serial killers? Bordein asked, I joked 308 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 2: that it is an easy place to hide the bodies 309 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 2: Newt Berger, Seattle Magazine, March twenty nineteen. And you know 310 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 2: I already did the serial killer cut. 311 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,120 Speaker 3: You already did the serial killer bit. 312 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 4: Yeah? Fuck? 313 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 2: Well, wow, we're just bitless, like a screwdriver that you've 314 00:17:53,480 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 2: lost the parts for. Here's the ads, and we're back. 315 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 2: He didn't know whether to grope for his phone again 316 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 2: and risk another cut, or just grab the mask and 317 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 2: feel his way back to the door. Fuck it, it 318 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 2: was about time to get a new phone. Anyway he 319 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 2: could erase the data remotely. Kyle found the door, push through, 320 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 2: and it spilled him out into not the store. He 321 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 2: found the wrong door, and now he was in the 322 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 2: mall's inner maze, but where he did expect brassy moth 323 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 2: splattered fluorescent lighting. The hall glowed red. As his eyes adjusted, 324 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 2: he saw the walls and floor glistened and seemed to ripple. 325 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 2: It was humid in there, too, with a thick smell 326 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 2: of dumpsters and animal shit that made him gag. He 327 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: almost fainted, grabbing the wall for support, and his hand 328 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: clutched the slick, warm flesh of it. That pushed him 329 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 2: over the edge, and he spewed onto the floor. 330 00:18:59,600 --> 00:18:59,719 Speaker 1: Now. 331 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 2: Sound came then, and he spit and cleared his mouth, 332 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 2: rustling wings. A dozen seagulls careened around a corner, diving 333 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 2: into his pool of vomit and consuming it. He wretched again, 334 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 2: but nothing came up. Some of the gaulls looked at 335 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 2: him and screamed, real bird screams, not some synthesizer growl. 336 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 2: To match the peeled reality of this nowhere place. Kyle 337 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 2: knew in some deep genetic memory that he was an 338 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 2: animal space now, bloody and hungry, he'd fallen from the 339 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 2: apex of the food chain and was somewhere outside his 340 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:33,119 Speaker 2: world and inside a primordial space beneath it. It was 341 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 2: not a world made for him. The gulls cried again, 342 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 2: some hopping toward him. He backed away, but they popped 343 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 2: forward and raised their wings, threatening him. God, they were 344 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 2: so much bigger up close. A couple of them lunged 345 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 2: toward him, and in a docking instinct, he pulled the 346 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 2: bird mask onto his head to protect his bare face. 347 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 2: Sounds stopped. It was perfectly dark inside the mask, and cool, 348 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 2: not hot and steamy and filthy, like the passageway, if 349 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 2: that grotesque hallway existed under his reality. The inside of 350 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 2: the mask was another layer down. You've come back, said 351 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 2: the voice inside the mask. 352 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 4: I've been waiting. 353 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 2: It was a feminine voice, ageless, deep in velvety. Was 354 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 2: it outside or inside his skull? Who are you? Kyle, 355 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 2: asked the vast and empty space inside the mask. 356 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 4: You already know, you know me and your bones. 357 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 2: He was helpless, a small and flightless creature that didn't 358 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 2: know how to communicate without words. Perhaps whatever this entity 359 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 2: was and knew, he needed words to understand. 360 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,439 Speaker 4: I am the Northern Gate, the crossroads of land and hunger. 361 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 4: Mother whose milk is snow and whose womb is burial clay. 362 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 2: You a goddess, like a Duwamish goddess. 363 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 4: I was here long before them, before blood became warm. 364 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 2: Where is here? 365 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 4: Where are we in me? 366 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 2: We all took time to consider what that could mean. 367 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:04,719 Speaker 2: Did she eat him or was he in her womb? 368 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 2: Or could both be true? As primordial magic could fuse 369 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 2: life and death into the same experience. He had the 370 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 2: sense that he should be terrified, but all that he 371 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 2: felt were warmth and wonder. The darkness surrounding him was 372 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,640 Speaker 2: still perfect, no threat of gulls or stink of carrion. 373 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 4: I will feed you, Kyle, I will protect you. I 374 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 4: will burn away your pain and grow fruit from the ashes. 375 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 4: But you must also feed me. 376 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 2: Little white stars opened in the darkness, like holes punched 377 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 2: through canvas. They twinkled and pulsed, growing larger, and he 378 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 2: saw that they weren't stars at all. They were birds, 379 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 2: flying towards him from every direction. 380 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 4: You must sacrifice the things that stand between us. 381 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,719 Speaker 2: Kyle swallowed and tried to remove the mask. But he 382 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 2: wasn't wearing a mask, and he didn't have hands. He 383 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 2: was just a bird, a little white and gray bird 384 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 2: in a hungry, black void. Now, my warm blooded thing, 385 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 2: said the mother's voice. 386 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 4: Bring me nourishment. 387 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,680 Speaker 2: When he awoke, the mask was gone. The two pretzel girls, 388 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 2: in their purple uniforms and visors crouched over him. You okay, 389 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: one asked, I think maybe you fainted. Which story do 390 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 2: you work at? He sat up. Everything looked normal on 391 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 2: the inside hallway, even the pool of vomit next to him. 392 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 2: I'm fine, he said, and tried to stand. 393 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 4: Whoa dude? 394 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:33,199 Speaker 2: The other girl said, you're bleeding. He looked at his fingers. 395 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 2: The cut still bled, but it looked worse than it felt. 396 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 2: We have a first A kit at the pretzel stand. 397 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,679 Speaker 2: I can bandit you, but you should like go to 398 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 2: the hospital. I think get a tennis shot or something. 399 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: Can you get a ride? The second girl asked, you 400 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 2: probably shouldn't drive. Kyle laughed. The girls laughed too, but nervously. 401 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: I'm gonna be fine, he told them. Mother will take 402 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 2: care of me. With his other hand, he reached for 403 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,439 Speaker 2: his phone, found it back in his pocket. When it 404 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,399 Speaker 2: was out, he saw the screen head indeed cracked, but 405 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: was still usable. Can I just stay here after you 406 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 2: bandage me up, I'll call someone to come get me. 407 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 2: The girls looked at each other. Okay, one said, your 408 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 2: mom right? 409 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 4: You sure? You're okay? He smiled, and. 410 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 2: Better than okay. One girl left to get the first 411 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,160 Speaker 2: aid kit while the other held him up. A seagull 412 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 2: hopped into view from around the corner. 413 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 3: Ugh. 414 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 2: The girl said, they've been getting in here every day lately, 415 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 2: fucking garbage eagles. Kyle laughed again. They were here before 416 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 2: we were. They have the right to clean our bones. 417 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 2: The pretzel girl got up and left without a word. 418 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 2: She looked back at him once and sped up. The 419 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,120 Speaker 2: gall stared at him, daring him to do something. Sound 420 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: Transit is currently burrowing toward Northgate at a not fast 421 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 2: enough pace. By twenty twenty one, the light row will 422 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 2: have a stop up there. A complete redeveloped into the 423 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,680 Speaker 2: area around the station, including changes to the mall, is 424 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 2: under way. Natalie Graham, The Stranger ten eighteen. He texted Ben. 425 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 2: He knew Ben would come, even after everything. I'll be 426 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 2: right there. Ben texted back, stay safe. Kyle knew what 427 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 2: to do. First, he would take care of this little distraction. 428 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 2: Then you'd make sure the mother was fed. Dun, Dunt, dunn. 429 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 2: That's the end of the story. 430 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 3: Classic Pacific Northwest Limital Folk Corner. 431 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm into it, you know, like probably says stuff 432 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 2: about like capitalism and consumerism and gentrification and malls and stuff. 433 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 4: You know. 434 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 3: That happened to a friend of mine once, Yeah. 435 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 2: Got gentrified or became a seagull. 436 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 3: Well closer to the second one. I don't think it 437 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 3: was quite a seagull. But if you if you disassociate 438 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 3: in a and abandoned all too much, that will definitely 439 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:03,159 Speaker 3: happen to you. 440 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense. I like 441 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 2: it because, like I like things that break the divide 442 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 2: between like city and not city and just sort of 443 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 2: admit that it's all wilderness, even if it's like wilderness 444 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 2: of yeah, our own making and then decay and stuff. 445 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 3: You know, there's a few things that kind of straddle 446 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 3: that line really good. Where you get like this intense 447 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:30,360 Speaker 3: like industrialization, this very like heavily like like urban environment. 448 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 3: It interacts in like a magical realism way, the same 449 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 3: way that like walking through a forest and night does. Yeah, 450 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,440 Speaker 3: and they kind of they crossed into this very similar plane. 451 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 3: And I mean a lot of stuff specifically set in 452 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 3: the Pacific Northwest gets into that, and it's it's a 453 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 3: really it's a really fun space to explore. 454 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 2: That makes sense to me. I wonder whether and I'm 455 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 2: just completely conjecturing. I spent a fair amount time in 456 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 2: the Pacific Northwest because like the climate of the Pacific 457 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 2: Northwest is a very present character in your life when 458 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,200 Speaker 2: you live there. You know, Like I wonder if it's 459 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,719 Speaker 2: like since that climate stays with you whether you're like 460 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 2: in the city or not in the city, Like it 461 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 2: is still raining, you. 462 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 3: Know, like yeah, it's the sky is still great no 463 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:15,159 Speaker 3: matter where, Yeah, no matter where you go. Yeah, I 464 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 3: don't know. I mean I think this also could just 465 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 3: play into fiction inspiring other fiction. I mean, I feel 466 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 3: like in many ways we have like twin Peaks as 467 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 3: a thing that definitely it do not start this trend, 468 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:30,360 Speaker 3: but it's definitely one of the hallmarks of this trend 469 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 3: that other people have definitely continued to kind of play from. 470 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 3: It's like it's like a starting point that that is 471 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 3: where we still see a lot of culture that is 472 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 3: in this genre. Yeah, kind of play off of that idea. 473 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know. 474 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 3: It's certainly a fun space and the past really since 475 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 3: the pandemic, which makes makes sense why the story is 476 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 3: set in the pandemic, we've seen a lot more liminal 477 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 3: horder because people got to like experience the whole world 478 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 3: like that for a while. Yeah, and many places haven't 479 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 3: like come back, like malls aren't really things anymore in 480 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 3: a lot of. 481 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 2: In a lot of cases coming back I had. I 482 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 2: don't know, I'm not sure how we've been advertising that 483 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 2: people invest in mall coin though. 484 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 3: No, there's there's there's one mall specifically in Portland, the 485 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 3: Alloyd Center Mall. It's is just my favorite favorite place 486 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 3: to go if if I want to enjoy some dead 487 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 3: mall vibes, because it is it is eerie in there. Yeah, 488 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 3: it's it's really really fun. But no, we we've we've 489 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 3: had this massive explosion of like limital horror. Liminal spaces 490 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 3: were popular for so long. We get this brought into 491 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 3: things like the back rooms and very so there like 492 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,199 Speaker 3: lots of lots of like young writers who are like 493 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 3: writing what used to be fanfic and is now just 494 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 3: kind of it's it's it's more just like uh, internet fiction. 495 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 3: I guess. Yeah, creepy like creepypasta, I guess is kind 496 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 3: of it's kind of what it's in the vein of 497 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 3: I suppose. But we're getting a lot of a lot 498 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:58,479 Speaker 3: of people kind of got indoctrinated into writing in that space. 499 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 3: So we just see a a whole bunch just stuff 500 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 3: coming out of that, and it's been it's been fun 501 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 3: to see because there is there is some good stuff, 502 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,200 Speaker 3: Like anything like that gets like too popular to mainstream, 503 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,239 Speaker 3: it gets filled with a lot of a lot of 504 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 3: more like filler type stuff that just maybe isn't super unique, 505 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 3: but there is some really special stuff mixed in there too. 506 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. And you know, it's like when I first started 507 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 2: in book club, I figured we'd be doing almost entirely 508 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 2: science fiction, right or like climate fiction, you know, sure, sure, 509 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 2: And then I've been thinking a lot about how like 510 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:31,400 Speaker 2: some of this type stuff is also representative of where 511 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 2: we are. Like genre that is like fantasy or horror 512 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 2: has things that are supernatural in it is like also 513 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 2: a way of describing where we are a society. It's 514 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 2: like not just imagining scientific futures that allows that, you know. 515 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 3: Like yeah, I mean, and magical thinking is exploded like 516 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 3: across everyone we like even just on something like TikTok, 517 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 3: where you have a whole bunch of young people getting 518 00:28:54,920 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 3: getting surrounded by different types of magical thinking. Yeah, for 519 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 3: better or for worse, often often for worse. 520 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 2: In many cases, the splentering of reality is not something 521 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 2: to celebrate, it something to notice. 522 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 3: Sure, you know, but I think with that we I 523 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 3: think that sort of magical realism reaction to just the 524 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 3: increasing unreality of everyday life is a super understandable reaction. 525 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 3: I mean I play with that reaction quite often for 526 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 3: like my work and a lot of my hobbies and interests. 527 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 3: It's kind of exploring that that more fluid space. But no, 528 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 3: I think I think like magical realism and that this 529 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 3: sort of in between genre. It's not quite sci fi, 530 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 3: it's not quite fantasy. It's not quite horror either. Like 531 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 3: I really like it when it's there's just this there's 532 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:44,800 Speaker 3: kind of this little little bit in the middle where 533 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 3: just it's just weird shit. Like it's just like it's 534 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 3: just kind. 535 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 2: Of that's just seagull stories. I mean, come on the high. 536 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 3: Strangeness, the high weirdness genre. I think, like another great 537 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 3: example that kind of blends this like mystery of the 538 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 3: forest with like the the unreality of urban living is 539 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 3: the TV show Atlanta, which specifically was riffing off of 540 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,120 Speaker 3: Twin Peaks as well. But there's there's so many great 541 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 3: bits where people are getting lost in forests while also 542 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 3: getting like lost in high rises or getting lost in 543 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 3: like underground parking lots, and it's the same thing and 544 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 3: both like it explores very similar ideas. I mean, I'm 545 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 3: very happy to see more stuff in the genre because 546 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 3: it it does feel kind of an indicative of where 547 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 3: we are in some degree, because we are stuck between 548 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 3: the neoliberal death spiral and whatever is going to happen next. 549 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 3: But we're not quite in either space anymore. Like we're 550 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 3: not in the nineties, we're not in the peak of neoliberalism, 551 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 3: but we're not living in the post apocalypse, right, We're 552 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 3: living in this weird in between era. 553 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 2: Right, the right, the non post apocalypse. 554 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you're like, maybe this is just it. Maybe 555 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 3: it's just gonna be this forever, which completely copy because 556 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 3: there will always be because there will always be new things. 557 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 3: But it definitely has this very strongly liminal vibe. Yeah, 558 00:30:57,960 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 3: it's a fund space to explore. 559 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, if dear reader, you want to explore more 560 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 2: of it. I've read a bunch of other of Evan's 561 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 2: stories and they are genuinely really creepy and weird and interesting. 562 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 2: And I haven't read it yet because it's not out yet. 563 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 2: But to plug here at the end of it. Evan's 564 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 2: new novel Better Living through Alchemy is going to be 565 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 2: coming out this year in twenty twenty four, and people 566 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 2: can follow him on Instagram at evant j dot Peterson 567 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 2: or go to his website, which I probably already said 568 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 2: at the top, but you can probably google it and 569 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 2: no one's going to type in the URL anyway. People 570 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 2: are going to type in Evan Peterson author website. That's 571 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 2: what I would do. You got anything to plug? You 572 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 2: do have podcasts that people are already listening to the 573 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 2: feed of, but maybe they're not sure. 574 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 3: We have some fun stuff for Rick had appen here 575 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 3: planned in the new year. We have a week long's 576 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 3: worth of episodes about different aspects of The Daily Wire, 577 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 3: including a dissection of their new anti trans basketball quote 578 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 3: unquote comedy movie, which I I have seated. Oh I'm jealous, 579 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 3: so you're not. It's barely even worth the hate watch. 580 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 3: It's it's it's simply not a good piece of media. 581 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 3: But we will we will include a dissection of that 582 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 3: within our our weeks of Daily Wire themed episodes. And 583 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 3: then also I will be heading to the the What 584 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 3: I would say is the is the capital of Artificial 585 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 3: and Reality uh Las Vegas uh TO to report from 586 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:38,960 Speaker 3: the Consumer Electronics to showcase in the new year as well, 587 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 3: So very exciting stuff. 588 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 2: Excellent and people can check that out on It Could 589 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 2: Happen Here, which might be the feed you're listening to 590 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 2: this on, or you could be listening to it on 591 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 2: the Cool People Did Cool Stuff feed, because this show 592 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 2: is on both and if you listen to on the 593 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 2: cauld Happen Here feed, maybe you'd like my history podcast 594 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 2: which is called Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff? And 595 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 2: if the other way around, then the other way week bye. 596 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: It Could Happen Here as a production of cool Zone Media. 597 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 598 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: coolzonemedia dot com or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, 599 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can 600 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 1: find sources for It Could Happen Here, updated monthly at 601 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: Coolzonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.