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SMNTY Fiction: Terminus, Part 2 (Chapter 8.2) · Stuff Mom Never Told You

• 0:05
  Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha and welcome to stuff
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: I'll Never told you, a production buy Heart Radio, and
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: welcome once again to Sminty Fiction, which is something we
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: do once a month. It is something that has a
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: bit more sound effects. If that's not your thing, I
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: totally get it, but Christina makes it amazing. Is something
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: that I wrote for National Novel Writing Month, and I
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: believe twenty eleven slightly edited on my part, but I
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: kind of wanted it to stay as it was and
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: think about, like what was going through my head at
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: the time. This is the final chapter of Part two
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: of Terminus. It is a trilogy. Part two is called
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: Big Things Start Small, but I thought it was gonna
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: be too confusing, so I just called it Terminus Part two.
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: We'll go into part three after this. That one is
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: much shorter, but yeah, I'm really really excited for this one.
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: A quick content warning disease descriptions of violence, gun violence, death,
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: and harm to animals. Yeah, it's an intense chapter, so
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: for a quick for a quick breakdown before we get
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: into it. This last chapter, there is this disease that
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: is called HSB five and it's really taken out the
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: human population to the point like people are thinking they're
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: going to be extinct, and it's made having children incredibly difficult.
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: In all of the chaos of this, the government in
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: the US rose up alongside this religious organization called ARM,
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: and they took control of every aspect of reproduction. Unto
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: our protagonist, Tilda has escaped with her child, Madison, who
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: she conceived illegally. She is on the run with Madison
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: from the enforcers of the government. She has been for
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: seven years. She's dealing with all of these feelings of
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: inadequacy and if she did the right thing, and just
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: trying to fight for them to survive. She does eventually
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: encounter someone who leads her to a resistance who is
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: trying to find a vaccine that they claim exist. But
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: the resistance ends up and not being what she thinks
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: they are and they betray her. But through this they
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: do Tilda does learn that there was a vaccine, but ARM,
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: who created the virus that caused all of this as
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: some sort of punishment, destroyed all of the vaccine except
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: for two. Tilda decides it's worth the risk to go
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: to Washington, d C. And confront ARM to get her
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: son the vaccine. He does get it because it turns
• 2:56
  Speaker 1: out the leaders of ARM are his grandparents did not
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: know that, and there's a violent confrontation. Both of the
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: leaders of ARM are injured. Tilda broadcast over the system
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: what they did and then escapes, and then they've been
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: on the run ever since. It's been a brutal winter.
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: There's been people chasing them. They had a very violent
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: encounter with I guess a roving what would that be called?
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: A group of people trying to survive, but they're very
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: violent in their methods. And now she's found they found
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: another group who seems to be a bit more green.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: Behind the ears, as they'll say, they're still kind of
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: like upbeat that maybe something could happen. The message there
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: was a broadcast message from Tilda's mom that implies that
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: there are new vaccines being made. Madison wants to go
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: back to DC and meet his Tilda's parents and help
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: with this vaccine. Tilda does not trust them, so that's
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: where they are. What are they going to do next?
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: Let us see, let's get into the fiction. Shock leaked
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: onto Tilda's face and the barrel of the gun lowered
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: in her surprise, but she jerked it back up. When
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: the man took the tiniest of steps closer. You are
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: Tilda and Madison, no one, the man marveled. I can't
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: believe it. There was murmuring from upstairs. Tilda stared at him, confused,
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: not knowing what to do. How do you know who
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: we are? She forced out, almost not recognizing her gravelly voice.
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: He snorted once again, glancing upstairs and then back to Madison,
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: and then back to Tilda's face. Everyone knows who you are.
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: You're the broadcast where you told everyone about the vaccine,
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: the one today. He shook his head. You have no idea,
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: do you? Tilda waited for him to explain. No, how
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: could you? The man answered himself. Look, we have no
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: intention of hurting you. We're a group of four, my
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: wife and her sister and her husband, on our way
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: to DC. We're just stopping here for the night. You
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: have my word, we mean you or your son no harm.
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: I've heard that before, Tilda told him, unmoved. The man nodded,
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: I'm sure you have, he agreed sympathetically. You have the gun.
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: We have some provisions, stuff to build a fire. He
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: gestured toward the stone fireplace. Let's sit and talk. I
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: don't know how else to me. You trust us, He
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: looked once again upstairs, as if for help. Tilda stood
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: paralyzed with indecision. Something in her did trust this man,
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: or about as much as she could of a stranger.
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: She didn't get the sense he was trying to cost
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: her or her son harm. Keep your distance, she commanded,
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: all of you. She half lowered her gud. He nodded,
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: waving down the people upstairs. Tilda heard their cautious footsteps
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: A moment later. I'll just get started giking the fire,
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: all right, Tilda realized he was asking her permission. She nodded,
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: and he knelt in front of the fireplace, doing his best.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: Tilda could tell not to look back at her. He
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: pulled some wood from a metal crate on the side
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: that Tilda hat noticed earlier, or perhaps they'd put their
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: own wood there. Two women and another man appeared, all
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: similarly dressed, with hiking backpacks that had sleeping bags and
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: pots and pans strapped to the front. They glanced back
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: at Tilda, nervously crowding around their friend and helping him
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: with the fire. The candles and the cellar burnt out
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: just as the orange yellow light of a fire flared
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: to life, and the crackling burning of wood filled the room.
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: Scout had settled in the far corner. The group of
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: four settled wearily around the fire, eyeing Tilda, who shouldered
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: her rifle in favor of her smaller handgun. Any wine
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: down there, the second man asked, in a would be
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: jovial voice. Tilda nodded. Hundreds of bottles, she answered. Sitting
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: cross legged on a rug a small distance away. Madison
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: took a seat slightly behind her. The heat from the
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: fire washed over them, and Tilda almost sighed with the
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: warmth of it. The group took in the handgun clasped
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: loosely in her hands. The first man cleared his throat
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: and clapped his hands together. Tilda tightened her grip on
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: the gun at the sound, and he tensed so Introductions,
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: he said, his voice high, I'm Fred. This is my
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: wife Tarah. He pointed to a kind eyed woman with
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: crows feet and graying hair. Her sister, Hannah, a slim,
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: red headed woman, waved awkwardly, and her husband, Jason, a
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: broad shildered man with a square jaw. He gave her
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: a nod and a smile. We were thinking of cooking
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: up some baked beans and some canned salmon, a regular feast,
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: he laughed, humorously, but still jovial, and we'd be happy
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: to share with you. We can also boil some water
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: for coffee, and we have some chocolate squares bor dessert.
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: Tilda's mouth watered. Then we can talk. Sound good. Tilda nodded, belatedly,
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: realizing she'd never introduce themselves, but it appeared that the
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: group knew who they were anyway. Tilda watched awkwardly as
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: they set to work making dinner, talking quietly amongst themselves,
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: pulling out canned goods, hot plates, and silverware, the benefits
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: of having a group all equipped with hiking backpacks. Tilda
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: felt like she should offer to help, but also felt
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: it would have been too awkward. Several cans of beans
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: went into a pot, Fred held it over the fire
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: with a gloved hand. The contents of a bottle of
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: water went into another pot, and a few tins of
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: salmon were dumped into a saucepan, the smell filling the air,
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: both in the fire as well. In a few minutes,
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: the meal was done and divided equally on tin plates,
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: you're lucky, Tara smiled, passing a plate first to Madison
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: and then to her tilta tensing painfully. We happened to
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: have two extra plates and two extra sets of silverware.
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: Madison smiled, Thank you. You're welcome, young man, Tara said warmly.
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: Two monks of coffee were also passed their way. Tilda
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: balanced the gun on her thigh the plate on the other,
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: her eyes, darting around from person to person. For a
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: couple of moments, they ate silently, savoring the warm, salty
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: food and the coffee, which warmed Tilda's aggravated throat. Jason
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: was the first to breach the silence, addressing Tilda. I
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: couldn't help, but notice your face is quite swollen, he
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: pointed with his fork, and your throat is bruised. Are
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: you injured elsewhere? For some reason, Tilda flushed at the attention.
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: Struggling with a mouthful of beans, she shook her head.
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: What happened? Anna asked her, wide eyes, surveying the damage.
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: Tilda shrugged, but then scolded herself, telling herself that these
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: people were sharing limited rations with her in her son
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: when they absolutely did not have to, and a world
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: of rapidly dwindling rations. Her eyes slid to Fred. I
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: told you I've heard before that someone meant us no harm.
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: He was a liar, and now he's dead, and unbidden
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: voice added in the back of her mind. She hunched
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: her shoulders, imagining that they could see her for the
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: killer that she was. She felt mass in tents beside
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: her as well. Fred whistled, you weren't kidding. Tilda could
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: tell that they wanted to probe, but refrained. She appreciated it.
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: Thank you for the food, she offered, gruffly, her throat
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: twinging that sounds painful. Tara sympathized, You're welcome. Fred picked up,
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: shooting his wife an exasperated but fond look. He switched gears.
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: We're on our way to d C to see about
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: this vaccine and the provisional government. There's just not much
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: left out here. Tilda could tell he wanted her to
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: elaborate on her plans, but she didn't. You were there,
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: Jason asked in DC. Tilda relented, nodding, figuring that they
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: knew the answer to that already. Why. Tilda turned to
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: look at Madison against her will. He stared back at her,
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: his eyes opened books in the dancing orange light of
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: the fire. I was looking for a vaccine. How do
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: you know that ARM had one? Tilda looked back at Hannah.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: It felt so far away, all of it. It's a
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: long story, she admitted ruefully. I didn't know they had one,
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: and they didn't originally, but the Resistance discovered there was
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: a secret supply, and ARM destroyed them all but two
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: of them. Tilda took a bite of salmon self consciously.
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: How'd you know though I was there? Tilda said quietly,
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: then shook her head as if to clear cobwebs. How'd
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: you know who I was? She directed at Fred. Your
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: picture has been posted everywhere for years for starters priority
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: number one, he informed her. Tilda had suspected this, but
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: hadn't known for sure. Her picture was posted. You were
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: younger in the photo, obviously, but still recognizable, he allowed.
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: Tilda averted her gaze, embarrassed. And the broadcast you sent
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: he paused, his eyes drifting to Madison. I don't thank
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: you realize everyone knows who you are. His eyes landed
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: back on Tilda. You're sort of a hero, he said
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: this without any guile. Tilda blinked. Jason chuckled at the
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: look on her face, and she shook her head, not
• 13:45
  Speaker 1: believing you are. Fred reiterated that broadcast it gave us hope.
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: You stood up to arm, You gave the human race
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: a second chance. No, I didn't, Tilda disagreed, taking a
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: sip of coffee. I was just I was just doing
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: what I thought was best for my son. Fred granted
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: her this with a bow of his head, and in
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: doing so, you gave us hope. Seriously, you're like worshiped
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: in some circles, Jason added a smile in his voice.
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: Tilda shook her head. Sure they were playing with her.
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: What happened that led up to the broadcast? If you
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: don't mind me asking, Tilda scraped up the last of
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: her beans, giving them the abridged version, leaving out the
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: truth of Madison's parentage. They all listened, attentively, sipping out
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: their coffee, all the plates cleaned. Madison sipped at his coffee, too,
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: making a face after every swallow at the bitter taste.
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: Jason cleared the plates, wiping them down with paper towels
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: and tossing them into the fire. Fred passed out squares
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: of chocolate. That's amazing terror, murmured, I can't believe you've
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: been on their run since such a young age, managing
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: to avoid the enforcers and to break into arm headquarters
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: and escape. Her hands went to her heart. It's rough
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: out there, Jason added, I can't believe you have managed
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: to make it all these years, and with a kid.
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: No less, We've only been on the road a week
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: or so and we've well, it's been an eye opener.
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: We thought we were prepared, but we've struggled. That explained
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: why they were so willing to share their rations. A
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: couple more weeks on the road and they would not
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: be so willing, till the thought. As she guiltily nibbled
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: at the corner of her chocolate square, she thought about
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: offering them tips, but besided against it. There was nothing
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: she could offer them that wasn't common sense. Like with
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: most things, it's just came with experience. So she shrugged,
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: you do what you have to. The gun felt heavy
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: in her lap. Fred laced his fingers together, leaning forward.
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: If you don't mind me asking, where are you heading?
• 16:10
  Speaker 1: Tilda did mind him asking, She answered the question he
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: was really asking or not going to DC? You're not
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: Hannah repeated, surprised, but after the broadcast from your mother today,
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: she trailed off, looking at Tara. Tilda just shook her
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: head once again, looking at medicine. It's not safe there.
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: It's not safe out here, Fred responded, waving a hand
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: at her face. For some reason, Tilda suddenly felt like
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: bursting into tears and exclaiming it's not safe anywhere in
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: an overly dramatic fashion. But she didn't. We've run in
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: with the resistance before that. You didn't give me much
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: in the way of trusting them. If something convinces me
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: that's changed, then maybe I'll change my mind. She justified
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: her decision quietly, not as satisfying as her melodramatic breakdown
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: would have been. I'm sure you're aware, Fred began, slowly.
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: People are looking for you, other sects of people. Tilda
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: almost laughed. One more people not looking for them. Terra
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: seemed to share her thoughts. Honey, they've managed to not
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: get caught for eight years. There are more people looking
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: for them now, Fred argued, Now that can be true,
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: could it? At Her broadcast had a bigger impact than
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: the old Priority number one messages. I just the man
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: broke off, rubbing a hand over his beanied head. I
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: just don't want anything to happen to you. Are your son.
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: You could travel with us, You'd be safer in a group.
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: He stopped at Tilda's immediate shake of her head. Fred,
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: she knows living in this new wild world better than
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: we do, Tara reminded him gently. There was an uncomfortable silence.
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: Tara turned her gaze to Madison. Did you enjoy the chocolate?
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: Madison nodded shyly. Been a long time since I've seen
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: someone so small, Jason said, good naturedly. I wish I
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: was taller to reach things better, Madison said, adorably, untiled
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: his opinion, don't worry, little man. Big things start small.
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: They all turned to stare into the fire, each lost
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: in their own loud thoughts. We should get some sleep,
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: Fred said, defeated, til to clutch at the gun again reflexively.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: The look he gave her was one brimming with pity
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: until it felt an answering swell of annoyance. Pots, pans, plates,
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: silverware replaced sleeping bags rolled out around the fire, keeping
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: an eye on everyone till they fished out their own
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: sleeping bags. Bright neon colored things and unbold them. I
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: hope at the very least we've won your trust, at
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: least that we mean you no harm. Tilda held Fred's
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: gaze for a moment, confessing, it's just hard for me,
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: for us, We've not met too many people we can trust.
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: I've kind of forgotten how I think. Fred curtly nodded
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: at her omission, appreciating her honesty. I understand, but she
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: can sleep soundly. He turned over his back facing her,
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: as if to prove he trusted her. Tilda slipped off
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: her rifle and laid it behind her, and then placed
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: her handgun next to it. She laid awake as the
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: fire died down, holding Madison close, sure everyone was lying
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: awake as well. All that talk of trust was easy,
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: but falling asleep in a room with strangers, letting yourself
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: be your most vulnerable did not come easy, especially not
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: in this new world of limited almost everything. One by one,
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: their breathing even out. Exhausted with the long days of
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: walking with packs and little food and water, Tilda was
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: the last to drift off, her frayed mind, holding on
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: as long as it could before she slipped into an
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: uneasy sleep. She jolted awake, gasping her eyes immediately seeking
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: out Madison. He was curled up in a ball next
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: to her, his hands folded underneath his cheek, his breathing soft,
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: and even Tilda's heart hammered in her chest. She placed
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: a hand over it, willing it to slow. She surveyed
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: the others, all apparently still asleep. Even Scout's eyes were
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: still closed in the corner. Her throat was painfully dry.
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: She retrieved a bottle of water and took a few
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: careful swigs, wincing, allowing her guard down. Now that no
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: one was watching, it was twilight before sunrise. Tilda laid back, gingerly,
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: feverish and hot and cold at the same time. Her
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: skin prickled with cold sweat. Madison turned in to her,
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: drawing his knees further up his chest. Tilda was unable
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: to fall back asleep. She watched the line of light
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: rise slowly on the far wall. The sounds of people
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: waking came sigimultaneously with the light. Tilda sat up, running
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: a hand through her hair as the others rose, stretching
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: and sipping at water. Madison's eyelids fluttered into waking his
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: eyes locked with Tilda's. The others set about preparing a
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: cold breakfast of canned fruit and beef, jerky and water.
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: The smoke from a fire would be too obvious. During
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: the day, Tilda and Madison rolled up their sleeping bags
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: and placed them in Tilda's pack, and then joined them,
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: enjoying mushy bits of pineapple and mingoes salted dried meats.
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: I guess we'll part ways today, Fred said, clearly, not
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: happy about it, unless you changed your mind about heading
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: to d C. Tilda shook her head. Figured, but I
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: had to try, he told her ruefully. Anything we should
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: look out for. A wraith like image of Jake and
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: ellis formed in her mind's eye. Yeah, she ventured, carefully,
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: knowing they'd pieced together what happened to her face when
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: she told them so, she opted for honesty. The guys
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: who gave me this, she pointed at her face, were
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: part of a group looking for members. We weren't inclined
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: to join. They didn't like that. Their campus somewhere near
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: Lafayette on six point thirty six. I'd steer clear of
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: that area if I was you, Fred nodded. Thanks for
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: the tip. Anything else till the thought, but came up
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: with nothing, not that I can think of, except avoid
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: the woods, all snow and no shelter food another nod.
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: The atmosphere was oddly solemn. As they packed up. They
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: sheltered their packs, avoiding each other's gazes. Ready, they stood
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: near the door awkwardly. Terror broke the silence. Madison, it
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: was an honor to meet you, such a polite young man,
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: and Tilda. She turned to Tilda, giving her a warm smile.
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: Such a strong young woman. You should be proud of
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: what you've done for him. Tilda nodded gratefully, unsure of
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: what to say. Jason added, look us up, you know
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: if you're ever in DC. Fred nodded in agreement, and
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: Hannah echoed Tilda's mother's words. Be safe out there, you too,
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: Tilda said tightly. A round of stilted nods, and the
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: group of four left, Madison and Tilda watching. Tilda waited
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: until they were out of sight before checking on Scout,
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: letting her drink some water from her cupped hands, and
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: then feeding her a few pellets. Within minutes, they were
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: back on the road, checking down the steep hill and
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: taking a ride at the end. Of it, Tilda could
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: just make out the silhouettes of their recent camping partners
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: in the other direction. She hoisted her rifle further up
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: her shoulder, subconsciously they were nice. Tilda almost laughed aloud
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: at the domesticity and venality of the comment. For several
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: hours they continued with little affair down six zero three,
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: the river sneaking along next to them, much quiet, they
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: whispering over sand and rocks. Tilda found herself wondering about
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: the group they'd encountered, hoping that they'd make it safely
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: to Dce, that maybe they would meet again someday. The
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: sun was directly overhead when Tilda heard it, a dull
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: rumbling that she at first mistook for thunder, but it
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: was too continuous. She'd heard something like it before, she
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: just couldn't place it. There was a loud crack, a
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: whizzing scout screened, dropping heavily to her knees, trying feebly
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: to right herself. Dark red blood was cascading down the
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: horse's flank. She'd been shot. Madison shouted in horror. Tilda
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: extracted herself with some effort from the horse's back, just
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: barely managing to avoid the horse's flailing legs. She grabbed Madison,
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: pulling him to his feet. On the road, barreling towards
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: them was a tank. Tilda looked back at Scout, her
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: heart swelling with guilt, and then jerked her eyes away,
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: running toward the tree line. Out of the corner of
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: her eye, she saw something fast approaching the butt of
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: a gun, presumably the one that had killed Scout. Something
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: heavy rammed into her side, winding her and knocking her
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: from her feet. She lost her grip on Madison's hand.
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: She blinked away red spots, reaching for her gun, but
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: a black boot stumped on her wrist. She screamed and
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: then instinctively kicked up. The man gasped in pain. Tilda
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: cradled her hand to her chest or reaching again for
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: her gun. The tank growing larger and larger as it
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: closed in. Strong hands clamped around her arms and yanked
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: her to her feet. She looked into eyes filled with rage,
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: the color of steel. A man in army fatigues, bulky
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: with muscle. Another man appeared from behind him, grabbing Madison,
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: who fought wildly. Panicked, Tilda kicked out again, but got
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: little reaction other than frustration. A fist collided with her face.
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: Tilda heard something crack, a spray of blood dispewing past
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: her lips. She almost blacked out, but her worry for
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: Madison kept her tethered to the here and now. As
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: awful as the heron now may be. Madison was crying.
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: The tank rolled to a stop befound them. Tilda was
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: able to make out through the haze of pain. Tilda's
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: rifle had been picked up by the man holding Madison,
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: but her handgun was still in the waistband of her jeans.
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: With what little mobility she had, she slowly reached behind her,
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: unable to make sense of the conversation going on around her.
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: She closed her hand around the grip, slid it free.
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: She felt as though time had slowed. She swung it around,
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: aimed the barrel at the man's guts, and pulled the trigger.
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: She was released violently. Loud shouting pounded against her ear drums.
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: Ear drums that were still ringing from the gunshot another
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: fist in her stomach, smashing into her side, into her face.
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: She stumbled back with each hit, scratching, hitting, kicking at
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: her assailant until she was shoved tipping backwards over the edge, falling.
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: A swirl of colors smeared as she rolled down the
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: steep hill on the side of the road, each impact
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: knocking the breath from her. Further and further away from Madison.
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: She fell until she smashed her face first into a
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: pile of mildewde leaves at the bottom, the smell filling
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: her nose. She fought to hang onto consciousness, the world
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: blinking in and out. The sound of the tank grew
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: further and further away. Madison was gone. That was her
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: last thought before unconsciousness finally claimed her. She'd lost Madison.
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: She lay still, unable to move as her world crumbled
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: into darkness. Who would she be when she woke up?
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: If she ever did, What would she be with out Madison?
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: And that brings us to the end of part two
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: of Terminus. Yeah, it's a cliffhanger, And I had a
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: This was something that if you've ever done something similar
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: to national novel writing a month, A lot of times
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: you're just writing whatever comes to mind, and like, if
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: I can get the words in page this, I was
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: not the ending I was planning, but I thought it
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: was interesting when I wrote it. In terms of now
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: she Tilda has lost Madison and what does she do?
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: What does she do now? Who is she now? And
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: that question of identity when you are so used to
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: defining it in one way, what does that look like?
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: And what is she going to do now? And especially
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: like looking back at their sort of probably over the
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: top but prophetic dreams that they were both having. Well
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: we'll see because yes, Part three will come soon and
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: that one is a much quicker like punching the gut
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: in a best in the best way. Okay, I hope,
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: I hope. Well tune in to find out in the meantime.
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: As always, I love hearing from people about this, thanks
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: to Christina who continually makes these happen. If you have
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: any suggestions for anything we can do in this realm,
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: we would love to hear from you. You can email
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: ust Stephani your mom Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: can find us on Twitter at mom Stuff podcast, or
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: on Instagram and TikTok at stuff. We never told you.
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: We're also on YouTube. We have a tea public store
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: and we have a book you can get wherever get
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: your books. Thanks as always too, Yes, our super producer,
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: Christina Executive producing my and our contributor Joey. Thank you
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. Stuff I Never Told
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: You is production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts from
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: My Heart Radio, you can check out the heart Radio app,
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.