CreepCast - Whitefall | CreepCast

Episode Date: April 5, 2026

After being stranded at the bus stop during a nasty blizzard, time seems to stop. And people start to disappear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uh, where are my gloves? Come on, heat. Any day now? Winter is hard, but your groceries don't have to be. This winter, stay warm. Tap the banner to order your groceries online at voila.ca. Enjoy in-store prices without leaving your home. You'll find the same regular prices online as in-store.

Many promotions are available both in-store and online, though some may vary. When West Jet first took flight in 1996, the vibes were a bit different. People thought denim on denim was peak fashion, inline skates were everywhere, and two out of three women rocked, the Rachel. While those things stayed in the 90s, one thing that hasn't is that fuzzy feeling you get when WestJet welcomes you on board. Here's to WestJetting since 96. Travel back in time with us and actually travel with us at westjet.com slash 30 years.

Back to Grimcast. Today we are reading a fan favorite author, C. Hey, Walker! And we're doing a story that we haven't seen, but I've seen actually a lot of people. I don't know if you've seen this as well, but people have been saying that this story is like a lot of people's favorites. So I am excited.

It feels like it's a, this is something we would have read at like the beginning of the podcast. It seems like a lot of people are like, this one's my favorite. It's called Whitefall. Once again, as always and forever. I have never heard of this before. I was actually curious if you've heard of this one.

So when people would talk, because when I was, you know, younger and reading C. K Walker stuff. It was like Barasca. It was like the heavy hitter. So that was the one I always heard in relation. But once we read it for the podcast, a bunch of people started to recommend C.K. Walker's other stories. And similarly to you, Whitehall was one of the ones that people recommended a ton.

Yeah. So I've mostly heard about it through our comment section and things like that. Because C.K. Walker, look, I said this in the Barasca Part 5, regardless of any qualms I have with her, she put me on. the path to want to talk about scary stories online. So, you know, I love her regardless for that. And some of her stories are absolute bangers, obviously, you know, the first Brasca. And we've read six of her stories now, right? Or this will be the six. We've read five of her first. I mean, dude. We've chosen like, yeah. We've had such a great time with stuff like Mayhem Mountain and stories like that. So I love her as an author. In my book, she is on the Mount Rushmore.

Of course, is what I say. I agree. Of this podcast, I believe that seeing, K Walker is I don't know which president the fans can decide who's who on the mountain but I will say that I do think that uh in terms of where we started where we've ended up and stuff I think that like so many of the things we've read have all come back to just like comparing our feelings to the first time reading her stories and I think that's always so cool and anytime we can you know it's always like we we read the Mayhem Mountain one on our live show um so I'm excited to actually sit down here and record a new one again without the audience and stuff and just kind of get immersed.

And I think this is kind of a longer story, too, so I'm excited. I'm excited for it as well. I'll also mention, because we always try to shout out authors, you know, on the story who have new works out and stuff like that. And with C.K. Walker, it almost seems redundant. She's published so many stories, has so much stuff out. But I will mention recently a paperback copy of Barrasco. Yep.

So if you want the classic, you know, wear it all began for a lot of us and for the podcast for a large part. We'll have her website linked in the description. You can pick up paper copy of Barasca. She also has her e-books out that looks like there's more volumes for called Cold Thin Air, which I've heard people talk about highly as well. And I mean, again, she has so many stories. You guys have done a great job supporting the authors and stuff.

That is like the coolest thing about our community, I feel like, is that people actually go and they pick up physical copies and stuff. A lot of the times, too, the authors in these physical copies have different writings or different interpretations since it would like either self published or however they go about it. So but like even our buddy Travis, strange accounts. His book is doing amazing on Amazon right now. Just wanted to shout out that book again because he's a, you know, I mean, he's a favorite of ours. I think he's becoming a fan favorite as well. Yeah.

But just happy for him and just very grateful that you guys do go out and pick up these books and stuff. because it really, I mean, you know, it helps the authors a lot, you know, and I think that also, you just, there's so much shit with online that freaks me out of like, it would just suck one day. If it's like, oh, yeah, for some reason the website got deleted. So it's gone. Physical media is very important. So I agree. If you guys can, be sure to support the author.

Pick up the book. I'll also, I'll also point this out about C.K. Walker. She, I've talked about this before, but she's also done writing for like Netflix shows. Yeah. So she wrote on The Haunting of Hill House. the Haunting of Bly Manor and the upcoming on our website the upcoming fall of the house of usher recognized huge industry talent and it's really cool to see someone who started making creepypastas online go on to like a professional writing career so that's awesome for uh lover stuff like i said it'll be linked in the

description but you all have recommended white fall to us so i'm excited to read about it yeah i'm excited to get into it today and for everyone who isn't on uh youtube watching us right now Thank you for listening on either Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere that I think you can get a podcast and think we have it. And thank you for giving us a good rating if you have because it does help us out. And also just want to shout out our Patreon. We've been doing live streams and we've been reading all kinds of new stories and stuff. So if you're looking for some extra content as well, if the daily fix or the weekly fix isn't enough, consider going over there and supporting the channel. It helps us out. Without further ado, I am ready to jump into Whitefall. I'm ready to jump into it as well. So I scroll down real quick and looked at it. There are a ton of quotes. So this is going to be ready. I'm ready.

Oh, I'm, I'm frothing at the mouth for it. All right. You ain't got to praise it that way. Also, I will say, I started a toy. Have you seen the toys that we released or the toy? Yeah, yeah, the Margaret.

Yeah, that's going really well. And just want to say that one day I'm going to make a giant toy of your lips. one million percent it's going to be a i wanted to make a conch shell i thought you were about to say something encouraging or like happy about like oh thank you to the fans and stuff like that well i guess it was going to lead into well it was going to lead to me being we should make some kind of toy or figurine or statue from the show but i'm like immediately i was just like it's got to be your lips or something i also want to take that photo of your dentist thing and put it on a shirt and sell it like a like a piece of street wear i think that would be hot you know if you go to like my uh my mentions right now

on Twitter. Most of them are just, I literally just opened Twitter to prove this point. I went to my notifications, okay? Yep. And I scrolled down to something a few hours ago. My gosh, dude. This was just the most recent thing somebody had said to me. Accurate. I thought that was a picture of Happy, Happy, that's constant. That's just, just kind of look like Happy, Happy, doesn't it? It does. That's just constant. That's all the time. It was never brought up. No one ever said a word about my lips till I met you. Okay.

Well, yeah, I think they're beautiful pump lips and I will, I'll never joke about them again. You can believe that as much as you want. What's that merch that you wanted to do? Well, that was before.

Now I'm saying now. Oh, okay. That's the old you, not the new you. Okay. Whitefall. You ever look back at the end of a fight with someone you love and think,

how did we get it? here. It was almost 30 years ago and I don't remember how the argument with Melody started, but I'll always remember how it ended with me packing my stuff and her crying in the bathroom. If I had to guess, it was probably about money. We were in our early 20s. Neither of us had much family. Shit job, shit apartment, shit life. But we had each other, loved each other. They told me that would be enough, but damn, it wasn't even close to enough. Three days, of not talking to each other, avoiding each other. I don't even think either of us were mad anymore.

Just tired. Too tired to push the wall down this time. And then I got a call from my aunt and uncle in Washington. Come to Thanksgiving. Work with my uncles through the holidays. They needed help on their farm. I didn't even think about it. I just said yes.

When I told Melody, I could tell she knew what I was really saying to her. Something my aunt and uncle didn't even know. I was going to Spokane for Thanksgiving and I wasn't coming back afterward. Melody didn't fight it. He just went numb. Like me. I spent $42 on a bus ticket from Buchanan to Spokane, which left me with $22 for food to eat on the three-day trip.

Leaving Mel, I was tired just thinking about it. My heart felt scalding hot. The one-way ticket in my pocket is heavy as steel, pulling me down. But my bags were packed and I was here at the bus terminal. The station was shipped. as most bus stations were. No cell phones back then, no TVs. Just a smattering of humanity, lounging, and hard plastic chairs,

waiting for their number to be called. Took a long drag off my camel, pulled out my ticket, looking for mine. Christopher Stikes. Bus 8.81. Buchanan, Virginia, to Spokane, Washington. Parts, 1.35 p.m. This just may be a show of my ignorance. You can get a $20 bus ticket from Virginia to Washington.

Is it not? I guess it's Spokane, Washington, like Washington's Day, yeah. Because it's not Washington. He spent 42. Okay. You can spend $42 to get from Virginia to Washington. I mean, to be fair, I, I've never ridden like a greyhound that far, so I have no idea. That feels extremely cheap, but I'm not sure.

It has to be. That's like the ultimate form of travel. If you can survive, it's worth it. You have to do it. I glanced at the clock on the wall, 118. My eyes slid to the door involuntarily. I wanted to leave this station, go home to Mel, bind her and tell her I was sorry

and that I wasn't going anywhere. But a small piece of me, a stubborn piece, just kept me sitting there. We had done this dance again and again and again. It never worked. Love was the luxury, the poor couldn't afford. Buzz 8-81 to Columbus, Ohio is boarding at Bay 7. please proceed to Bay 7 for bus 881.

Shit, no time to finish my cigarette. I smashed the button to the nearest ash tree and stood up, my eyes going straight to the front door. What was I waiting for? The solution to our problem striding in, easy as pie. A sign? Courage to leave and go back to her? God, I wanted that.

I wish I had that. Mel was everything to me, but not enough. You leaving? Turn toward the voice. A small woman, with smoke in one hand and a baby in the other. To gesture to my seat. Took one last look at the front door.

All yours. Picked up my bag and headed toward Bay 7. There were six people ahead of me, but the driver was quick, taking bags and checking tickets. That's all? He asked, waving toward my backpack. Yep. Buddy, you know you're going all the way to the other coast. Washington, it's on your ticket.

You should it's all you got? Yeah. I'll just keep it with me. The driver shrugged. I headed toward the bus door, waiting in line to board. I wish for the 50th time I could have afforded in flight. Uganda to Columbus to Indianapolis to Chicago to Minneapolis to Billings to Spokane with bus changes in Indianapolis and some place called Whitefall in North Dakota. It was going to be a long three days.

Man, that is a nightmare rotation. The cross-country traveling is it's just a literal prison sentence though. Yeah. Because also the buses are always packed. I've never been on one that isn't just absolutely packed to the brim. It's different when you're cross-country traveling and you have control of the vehicle, or you know the people in control of the vehicle. It's like a friend group or whatever.

It's completely different. Yeah, sticking on a time schedule with that, it's brutal. Bruttle, brutal. As the woman in front of me boarded, I looked back toward the bus station again. This was it. I would never come back to Buchanan. It was done. It was over.

We were over. And that felt so wrong. It was me and Melanie, always. We struggled, but we always. came back to each other. Poverty was a prison, but we were in it together. And now I was escaping alone, leaving her behind the bars. I couldn't do this. Hey, you're going on a lot. Guy behind me was short, a lot older than me, and clearly travel weary. He also didn't spell the greatest, but that was part for the course on these buses. Well, come on, man. I just

want to sit down. Coughed and readjusted the bag on my neck. Sorry. I turned back towards the door and stepped up onto the bus. My feelings were strong, but not logical. I loved Melody, but if I went back now, everything would be the same. This was a chance for her too. I picked a seat near the front, so I could be first off for cigarette breaks. There was a window seat available, and I took it, hoping no one would sit beside me. I leaned my head against the window and watch the rest of the passengers bored, lots of men traveling alone, a few families, and one girl who couldn't be more than 18 or 19. She looked nervous and, like me, kept glancing back at the bus station.

But she have reservations about leaving Buchanan, too? The longer I watched her, the more certainty it became that it was actually the opposite. She was nervous all right, but it seemed like she couldn't wait to get on the bus. My guess was that she was running from someone. Her eyes slid to the bus station and back so often it was almost funny. She hopped foot to foot and inch closer to the bus door every seven. as the driver checked her ticket and took her back. I was watching her close enough that I saw the little sum she made when someone came through the door.

I noticed the movement in my periphery, someone bolting toward our bus. I set up, ready to go out there and intervene if things got violent between the girl and whoever was after her. When I turned toward the threat, I recognized that long, curly brown hair, heart-shaped face, wild, green eyes immediately. I tripped over seats and legs in my desperation to get that long, curly brown hair, heart-shaped face, wild, and wild, green eyes immediately. I tripped over seats and legs in my desperation to get off the bus as soon as I stepped down onto the pavement, Mel was there, throwing her arms around me, her slight body racked with great heaving sobs. Chris, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I thought I missed you.

I thought you were gone, I wouldn't get to tell you. Mel, calm down, it's all right, shh, it's fine, it's fine, I'm right here. Chris, I'm right here, I'm always right here. I ran my fingers through her long hair, letting the curls wrap around my fingers, so I had done a million times before. I... I thought I'd missed you. You didn't miss me, baby. You weren't coming back, Chris.

I had nothing to say, because I didn't know what I was doing, or even why anymore. I was going to let you go. I was. I knew it was what you wanted, and you were dying and Buchanan suffocating. I was going to let you go and never come back, I swear. Well, what's happening, Mel? I whispered into her hair. Driver slammed the door of the luggage compartment and walked around us, boarding the bus.

Two minutes, Romeo, and we're out of here. Mel, baby, what's happening? I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't know. It was an accident. I was sick over us, and I wasn't sleeping or eating, but I was still throwing up. Thrun up all the time, so I checked. I went to the dollar store and I checked and I'm pregnant, Chris.

My hand froze in her hair for a few. seconds. Pregnant. Mel was pregnant. My sign from the door, my baby, my girl. Uh, Mel. I'm sorry. I just, I thought you should know.

She whispered. I hugged her tighter and breathed into her neck. I was an idiot. I can never give Mel up. Even trying proved how much of a fool I was. She was mine. They were mine. It's going to be okay.

I'll make it. okay. This is our baby, our family. I should never have left, Mel. I hate this for you. I don't you? You want a new start somewhere else? No, no, there's no new start without you. Listen, buddy, we gotta go. Driver yelled down from his seat. Kiss your girl goodbye. I pulled back from Mel, running my hand along the side of her face. Actually, I'm not going. I just need to grab my bag. No! Mel shouted pulling away from me. No, you should go. Go be with your family. My face tied in, pulling into a frown.

I'm not leaving you, especially now. Make up your mind, kid. I ain't missing my connection for this shit. I recognize that voice is the travel-weary man that had been behind me in the line. My eyes went back to the bus driver above me. You can go. No, no.

Mel pulled my face down to look at her. You wanted a new start in Spokane. Well, so do I. You have family there. I'll keep working here when I can afford a ticket. I'll come to you. You. No, no, I'm not leaving you alone and pregnant in our shit apartment in our shit neighborhood. I'll be fine. I want this for you. For us. Chris, I don't want to stay here either. I hate Buchanan.

You're always the best thing about it. And I have a piece of you with me. She touched her belly in my hand and went to cover hers. I'm still staying with Mandy. It's safe. It's cheaper. I'm fine on the couch for a few weeks. Fuck the apartment. Go to Spokane. Work with your uncles. I'll keep working at Freddy's for a while. Save money. I take it and follow you. No.

Chris! Pulled me closer and closed her hands around the side of my face. I don't want to raise our baby here. Not here. She looked close to crying. She was right. Buchanan was the prison. Poverty was the bars.

I don't want to raise our family here either. A deep breath. Let's go, Romeo. Last call. I will call you every day when we stop. Yes. Every night at Spokane. She nodded, trying to blink away the tears that ran down her face.

Three weeks. You'll be in Spokane and no more than three weeks or I'm coming back. She threw her arms around me and hugged me tight. You know Mandy's number. I love you, Chris. I hugged her back. I love you too. Both of you. Everything's going to be okay. Fike here, let's go! Said the travel, weary man. Only this time his voice was joined by the agreeing moans of the other passengers. I call every day. Every day, baby.

I kissed her head and then pulled back, squeezing her hand one more time before letting go. three weeks. Mel nodded and then smiled for the first time in, I don't know. I remember when Mel used to smile. I felt like years ago. Got how beautiful it was. Like pure light. Bounced up the stairs, hopped over legs, and jumped into my thankfully still empty seat. Then I turned to look at my gorgeous girl out the window. She was still smiling, though it was less brilliant and more warm tint. That's how I felt too. Filled. Like no matter what, everything was going to be all. all right. Because I was going to make sure it was, and nothing was going to stop me from taking care of my girl. Fucking finally. Someone mumbled nearby. Driver shifted into gear and with a stuttered the bus

began to pull away from the station. Mel waved to me. She was still crying, but she seemed to peace because she believed to me. We were going to make sure everything was okay. I watched her until we turned on the 19th street. The bus station of my girl disappeared around the corner, but I continued to look backward because I could still feel her there. I wasn't leaving her behind. We were a team. We're 11 minutes behind, you know. What?

I jerked forward at the voice. He was the weary traveler, sitting up in his seat and looking over the back of it. I finally gave him a good, hard once over. He was grizzled from the road, but well kept. He had to be in his 60s. The man's hair was an interesting spatter of brown and graying his close-screamed blue-collar tradesmen. These brown eyes were focused on me, narrowed and unhappy. We're not 11 minutes behind because of me.

I held up the bus for maybe five. Sorry. I got a connection to make. I better not fucking miss it because of you. I'm sure we'll make up 11 minutes by the time we get your connection. You better fucking hope so. I'm going to post falls to see family. Just stared at him, wondering why he was volunteering this information.

That's in Idaho. Man shook his head. Little shit. Drop back into his seat. I leaned my head against the head rest and stared out the window. watching Buchanan slip away. The last 20 minutes had left me with a lot to process. I was going to need to convince my cousin Lloyd to take me on full time,

not just through the holidays. I was going to have to work hard, save money. That meant no drinking, but I should probably cut that out anyway since I had a baby on the way. A baby. Holy shit. Oh, and I were going to be parents. Good afternoon, everyone.

My name's Bradley, and I'll be a drive all the way to St. Louis if you're going that far. Our first stop is going to be Columbus, Ohio. where those of you going to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Louisville will make bus changes. That should be in about six and a half. Slung my headphones over my head and pressed play on my walkman. Closing my eyes is the sweet notes of Guns and Rose's patience drifted in. Smell and I song. So.

Okay, so there's an asterisk there, a bit of a break, I think. Good spots. This is big talk from a guy who abandoned his wife. Yeah. Well, I was going to say, I don't know. It seems like a, uh, there's a lot of, there's a lot of, there's a lot of, there's a lot of different things happening, which is we get introduced to a guy who's like, I'm devastated. My relationship is over, right?

Right. This kind of thing. I'm going to up to see family. I'm going to live with them. Then all of a sudden, his supposed ex comes up. She's like, by the way, I've been feeling fucking sick. I'm actually pregnant. And then I don't care.

I don't care who you are. Just wait a couple more weeks until you can afford tickets for both of you. Am I wrong? him leaving right there feels insane to me if they are so poor that he had $62 to his that's true that's true and he used two thirds of his savings to buy one bus ticket I feel like it's like hey I have a job lined up in Washington I have to go to that the it's it's mostly like the such a bombshell you know what I was thinking though the entire time was I was like a guy's like I'm lost, we need to break up, whatever, this place is a shithole.

And then immediately it's like a pregnancy comes in. It's like, well, you know, the baby, that's the best thing to fix a marriage or the best thing to fix a relationship is introducing a baby. You know, you know what pulled me out of poverty and a love lost relationship, a child. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's going to fix this. Which, you know, I understand like Kim being in the situation where kind of all hopes lost. it's like, hey, you would now have a life that you created that you're responsible for and stuff like that.

And that kind of almost sobering him up a bit to any discontent he had towards Mel. But it does feel a little out of left field just because we don't get a ton of context as other than just saying that they were poor, which it's like, yeah, I mean, that makes sense, but you wouldn't leave someone you loved over it. I'm wondering how much of that introduces it to his character, though.

Because you're, it's kind of interesting because when you said it, you were like, well, he has a job that he needs to do, you know, it's there. Which, you know, um, Buchanan could just be a place where there's no work, just, you know, it's horrible. But it also does seem it's just like you didn't have a job there. Like it's it's we have, I don't think that we fully revealed this character yet. You know what I mean?

It's like all these little things where it's like, well, all I have is this much money to my name. And then now he's supposed to support a kid. And it's like, why weren't like what was the job situation before? It's just a little bit. Like I went over, when we were first reading it, which I doubt it's this. I was almost like,

they sound like crack addicts or something, don't they? Mm-hmm. They seem like kind of like a wiry, like unemployed couple that's just like tumultuously. That had tumultuous relationship where he's like, well, fuck it.

I'm going to leave and go back home to my family. I mean, that's kind of, again, there's not a lot of context given. He talks about he probably can't, drinking's the first thing that came to his mind. Yep.

So it kind of implies that maybe he was an alcoholic or, He is an alcoholic. Yeah. Yeah, he has some kind of vice that maybe contributes or was a cause of the poverty. Maybe you could say that just being in that state of poverty, both of them were so depressed that that's what made them draw away from each other. And either it's really capable of giving emotion or feedback to another person.

So they kind of both just lost any love they felt. And then I could see how a child would, you know, reawaken that feeling. But yeah, I think it's more so the language switch for me. me where it goes from like, I'm just done, I got to go. And then she's like, I'm pregnant. He's like, my sweet angel, my beautiful, lovely, honey, baby. It's like, delusional. That's tough talk from a guy that was going to just never look back. Now it's like three weeks where I'm back. It's like, okay. Yeah, very like. But like you said, it could just, it is kind of symptomatic of an addict or someone who is very short-term thought process does stuff quickly.

I have learned. Learn my lesson, Isaiah, from the Spire in the Woods character. Okay. What do you mean by the Spire in the Woods connection? I guess at the beginning, we were like, this guy's really down on his luck. And then later he turns out to be a fucking monster. I'm saying I've learned.

I've learned to be like, I don't know. Here's the difference. Here's the difference. Spire in the Woods, we had all of those clues, literally shoved in our face in some occasions. And we just ignored all of them. did it think and you know what it was it's because we were being we were being we were young and we were being two guy about it we were being too much of guys but it is it's the first little

section and there have been no clues laid out to give us that so i'm confident in my stance now if we get another 18 chapters uh and there's more stuff about you know a girl i still i still think i won't know my my uh my reading my uh comprehensive or my, like, media literacy or whatever. I bet it's like a giant red flag. And I'm like, God, that's a great blue flag. Yeah. Hey, wake up. We're stopped.

A jerked awake, folding up right in my seat, where your traveler was giving me a dirty look. Everybody has to get off. You're holding us up again. I mean, forward and dragged my hands down my face, wondering how long I'd been out. Where are we? Charleston, come on.

Get the fuck off the bus so the driver can lock it. He needs to take his break. Man, grab my arm and kind of pull me out of my seat. Get off me. I'm going. I shook him off and stepped out into the aisle, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. Not trying to hold you up.

Damn. Yeah, well, you are. I have to make my connection. Me too, man. If I got places to be. Climmed down off the bus and nodded at the driver. We were in a McDonald's parking lot. Thank God.

I could take down half a dozen Big Macs right now. Now that I had my girl back, my episode, it's that. It's that language that gets me. Now that I had my girl back, it's like, why did you not have her? That's right. you were abandoning her.

Now that my girl's pregnant, now that my girl has a fetus inside of her, I love her again. Now that she will never get away from me. I just want to say, I would rock that fucking old man's face. I would deck him. Oh, someone,

an old guy physically grabbing you to pull you up. And handle me out of that chair. Dude, I'm my heel, your temple. I'm talking roundhouse kick. Boom! He's blind on the ground.

Oh my God. Where am I? And I'm like, just fucking put him in a chokehold. You know, I really like, the idea of you just like kicking someone unconscious on a public bus that'd be awesome can you imagine my like fat stubby legs actually getting up that high and being broke the the the guys who are like

the most dangerous fighters are huge and it's because when they get that weight around there it is a truck yeah god for god forbid it makes a connection yeah if if if if one of their bones makes contact with one of yours, they win. Every, every engagement. It's time to talk about something scary. Your health. I know I don't go in the doctor as much as I should. If I'm feeling sick, I'll just lie in bed and sleep it away. But that's only because I don't want to have to deal with the appointments,

insurance, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's why I have Zock Doc. Zoc Doc is a free app and website where you can search and compare high quality in-network doctors. Choose the right one for your needs and click to instantly book an appointment. We're talking about in-network appointments with more than 100,000 health care providers across every specialty, from mental health to dental health, eye care to skin care, and much more. And the nice thing about Zoc Doc is that you can filter for doctors that take your insurance are nearby and are highly rated. It's super easy to use and you can find an appointment time

that works for you with the right doctor for your needs. Plus, Zoc doc appointments happen fast. Typically within just 24 to 72 hours of booking. You can even score same day appointments. You don't want to admit it, but you should probably see a doctor. So stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to Zocdoc.com slash creepcast to find and instantly book a top rated doctor today. That's ZOCDOC.com

slash creepcast Zocdoc.com slash creepcast Thank you Zoc doc for sponsoring the episode. Back to our spooky story. Now that I had my girl back, my appetite was too. I started walking toward the door already tasting those amazing burgers.

Then I thought about how I only had $22 to eat for three days. Plus, I wanted to call Mel every day. That'd be long distance. And I wanted to talk to her for more than a few minutes. maybe I should wait to eat until we got to Columbus. Bus station would probably have cheaper food like vending machines. It wasn't ideal, but it would get me through.

I pivoted and walked over toward a crowd of smokers standing against a wall. I had nine cigarettes left, and I knew I couldn't afford to buy another pack on the road, so this would be it. Probably for the best, baby on the way and everything. Wow, a baby. Excuse me. I turned at a voice and looked down at a girl from my bus. She was the nervous one, the runner.

She didn't seem to be any more relaxed, but then again we were only a few hours away from Buchanan. Not far enough for her comfort, I'm sure. She was pretty, dark eyes and skin, long hair. Though she was clearly on edge, there was a directness to her. Strength. I don't have any money to spare that I can give you, but I was wondering if I could bum a cigarette. Shook one loose and held the pack out to her. She took it with thin fingers.

Thank you. Got a light. She shook her head. I don't have much at all, really. I let it four and then lit mine. So, why are you headed? She took a drag off her cigarette and looked away. Playing it close to the chest.

That's smart. Got a name? Yeah. You got one? This girl was going to be just fine. Fair enough. Well, thanks for the cigarette. I usually smoke when I drink, but...

Are you a little young to be drinking? Instead of laughing or responding to my bullshit, she looked away again. I'm going to try to carry her voice away, but I heard her words anyway. I'm a little young for a lot of things. Oof. Jesus.

Honor. What? I just, I didn't like that comment. I know, dude. The shiny, the shiny gentleman.

The shiny gentleman. It's fucking, it's peeking over the horizon like that fucking howls moving castle. Looks like a gibley machine just like bouncing a little. I'm like, no! Not again.

The giant silver meat grinder. You know, it would actually be like the greatest trick our audience pulled is if this is like an interim story of Barasca when, you know, um, um, hey, hey, yo, they got sandwiches. What's your name? Kimber. Hey, okay. To remember her name. I had to remember the man that you, Hey, yo, Kimber, they got sandwiches.

Yeah. if this is just an interim story of Kimber on the run. And our audience kept that secret from us until we read it. I'd be impressed. I'd be impressed. I'd be kind of hyped on that, actually. Yeah, I'd be down. But yeah, here we, here, I don't think it'll be that,

but I do think that theme will be in it, as was just mentioned. Shouldn't have tried a teaser. This girl was not in a place for that. I cleared my throat. Here, you turn back toward me and frowned at my outstretched hand. No. Here, take it. him. I shook the pack of cigarettes at her again.

What? What do you want for them? Nothing. They're yours. She continued to eye the pack warily. I promise. Look, I just... I just found out I'm going to be a father in like, I don't... Eight months or something. I want to quit anyway. Her eyes tricked up to mine. The girl at the station?

Yeah. That's my girlfriend. The girl's eyes drifted back down to the cigarettes. Aside. Her name is Mel. That seemed to be enough. She was giving this girl that much of me. Nodded. I still leery and cautiously took the cigarettes out of my hands.

Thanks. She pocketed the smokes and a racket bag slung across her chest. We exchanged no more words. The driver eventually climbed back onto the bus and people began boarding. This was my last cigarette ever, if I was strong enough. Damn, I just want to enjoy it. Savor it. That meant I was the last person aboard the bus again.

Rue Traveler took exception. So I dropped into my seat, he shook his head at me. Of course. You've got no respect for the people, son. Grew off. Shot out of a seat. What the fuck did you say to me? Said, screw off.

Grab me by the jacket and shook me twice. For a small guy, he was stronger than he looked. My knees banged against the metal chair supports. I grabbed his wrist and squeezed, push him back. Get the hell off me. You entitled little piece of shit. You've made the entire bus wait for you three fucking times and you've only been in this goddamn thing for four hours. Hey!

I heard the driver shout. Like, oh, you crazy shit! I hissed him, shoving him back while trying to avoid the other passengers sitting in aisle seats. If I miss my connection, I will punch your fucking lights out. I've got people waiting for me. Hey! Knock it off right now and sit down! Driver yelled again. No one was intervening. Look, I apologize for what happened in Buchanan. The last time I fell asleep and I'm damn sure I'm not going to apologize. apologize for that. Just now you held up the whole goddamn bus to smoke a cigarette. I got on the bus right after that family sitting in the back. You're the one holding the bus up right now. Son of a bitch.

Sit on immediately. Both being kicked off the bus. This time the driver stood, where your traveler released me instantly and shoved me back. I fell into my seat. That's you crazy asshole. Gave me a disgusted look and sat back down in his seat in front of me. Driver glared at us both. If I see anything like that again, you will both be left on the side of the road. You're scared people. There's kids on this bus. Do you get that? I saluted him with two fingers and the guy in front of me just grunted something agreeable. Driver nodded. That's your only warning. Sat down and put the bus in gear. Finally pulling out of the parking lot. What do you think is up with this guy? I'm like, I can't get a read on him. I don't think he's just, I don't think he's just a weird old man. I feel like

there's something happening. I don't know. I need the line. I have people waiting for me felt suspicious. He just keeps saying. You don't understand. I have people waiting for me. I have people waiting for me. It almost sounds like he, uh, maybe I don't know. I have no idea what the supernatural or like the threat is in the story or something like that,

but he's got to be a part of it and that I have people waiting for me felt odd. Might be too common, but it is interesting. It's like our main character is going to meet with his family in kind of, not maybe not as urgent, but there's a parallel between both of them where they're both going to like

a destination to meet up with family in some kind of way. I don't know if that has, I don't know if that will, I don't know if that's going to have any correlation or whatever, but just, I don't know. Yeah, it could be someone he's going to meet or something like that. I don't know, but we also have no idea what the threat is yet. Exactly. It's hard to, yeah.

Sometimes in these stories, it's supernatural. Sometimes it's not, you know, with C.K. Walker, so we'll see. I tried to fall back asleep, but I was too hungry. Too agitated. stared at the window at the passing cars. Some had babies, and I studied those intently. A little sedan went by. A father with his toddler in a car seat behind him.

He was smoking a cigarette while his babies slept in the back. And even though the window was cracked, I could see the clouds of smoke drifting back from the front to a sleeping kid. Hell no. That would never be me. I was done with cigarettes. I wouldn't be like that, Dad. More cars passed us.

I started to make up stories about who they were and where they were going. The Lincoln. New York to oversee a company merger. Pick up with the trailer. Louisville to buy a horse. The minivan with a smiling parents. Disneyland on a family vacation.

Yeah, I would do that too. Take my kid to Disneyland. Something neither male nor I had ever gotten to do. And yeah, I wanted to do that for her too. M&Ms? I whipped my head around as someone dropped into the seat next to me. It was a runaway. I was confused.

What about him? She frowned. Do you want some? He held out a yellow bag. Sorry, the peanut. They're the other ones that could grab when I was, when I left. Trailed off and looked down at the bag. So, do you want some?

Held my hand out. Hell yeah, I'm starving. Peanut Eminems are the shit. The peanut Eminemes are objectively the best Eminem as well. I disagree, but good. She smiled then. It was a small one, one that didn't reach her eyes, one that was more of relief than happiness,

but there it was. And like my Mel's smile, it was beautiful. She stepped the bag into my waiting hand and didn't stop until the bag was empty. Aren't you sure? Because I got no issue eating all these, but they're your M&M's. She nodded and crumbled up the wrapper, shoving it into her big bag. I'm sure. Stead up and looked toward her seat at the back of the bus.

Thanks, said as I shoved M&M's into my mouth by the dozen. She looked back down at me. You're welcome. Then she leaned down a little and lowered her, voice to a whisper. Maybe go easy on him, though, okay? She nodded to the seat in front of me. Oh, come on, you're on his side?

Whispered back, mouthful of chocolate. She shook her head. No, I just don't think he's trying to be mean. I'm pretty good at reading people's intentions. I think he's just anxious. Anxious about what? He said he's going to visit his family. I don't know.

Ask him. Then got up and moved back to her seat. I rolled my eyes. I wouldn't be asking him shit. With any luck, he'd be boarded a different bus in Indianapolis. I wasn't quite sure where Post Falls, Idaho was, but I hoped to God it wasn't by way of Chicago. Night came slowly. The gray asphalt whizzing by outside, fading to black, and the cars alongside the bus darkening to unrecognizable colors.

I could see city lights ahead of us, not warm and welcoming, but bright and sharp. Columbus. I could find something in the vending machine here. Fill up my water bottle from the fountain. smoke a cigarette, well, damn, scratch that last one. I could already feel the itch under my skin, but I ignored it. Food, water, bathroom, call mail, these were the things I was focused on. The bus took an exit and continued down several busy downtown streets before pulling up at the Columbus bus station.

The doors opened and I stood a stretch, glaring at the clock on the front of the bus. I smiled. A few minutes early, screwed the weary traveler. All right, folks, everyone will have to disembark. here. Please not leave any personal items of the bus. If you're continuing on bus 8-8-1 to Indianapolis, we will be boarding at 825. If you're continuing on the other destination, it has been a pleasure traveling with you, and thank you for riding with us. My first stop was the bathroom, then the water fountain, then the vending machine. I bought a pack of strawberry pop-tarts in a bag of nuts and sat down to eat. By eight, I was antsy to talk to Mel. I found a pay phone in the corner and

spent the 25 cents to caller, the line connected immediately. I was disappointed when I heard Mandy's voice through the line. Hey, Mandy, uh, it's Chris. Can I talk to Mel? Hey, Chris. She's actually working right. She said if you call to tell her that she'll be home around two in the morning. Damn it.

Mandy's voice grew soft. I know. I'm sorry for rent so she could save money, but she said no. She'll pay. I have a feeling she'll be working as many doubles as she can. Is that? Is that okay? being on your feet so much when you're...

I didn't know what Mello told Mandy. Right. Thanks, Mandy. Tell her I won't be able to call her until tomorrow morning and tell her... Tell her I'm right here. Can you? Yeah. I'll tell her, Chris. Thanks. Bye, Mandy.

I hung up, grateful I hadn't wasted more than a quarter on a call where I couldn't even talk to my girl. I noticed there was a line at Door 9 for Bus 8-8-81. I wanted another window seat. So I got behind a tall, lanky guy around my age. He had been on the bus from Buchanan, but there was a lot of new faces. A lot of old ones too, including runaway and to my immense disappointment, a weary traveler. This is a fun concept for just getting new people in and out of the story, I think. Yep, yep, a bus trip.

Yeah, the amount of like random strangers that would come and how do they interact in the side. It's just a fun narrative device. Well, I was also thinking like, I had the thought of, thought when the story started like okay if the story's about him on a farm in spokane why are we spending this time so much earlier at the beginning of the bus trip but now i'm seeing the story is about the bus trip yeah i think that it's like there's almost entirely about the bus trip is right i think i think i think it i think the whole thing will be the bus trip especially because he mentioned the last connection to spokane was in whitefall so i think that being the title of the story and

all, we have this interesting set up, almost like an Odyssey venture, where we have this kind of nebulous end goal we have to reach, not only for the sake of himself, for the sake of Mel, and for the sake of their child, but whatever threat appears along the way is going to stand in the way of that. It's a very interesting concept. It's a road trip horror story. The concept here, too, of like, I believe something is going to, like, what hops on the journey with him, you know? Yeah. And that's, and I'm waiting for that threat. And I'm, I'm, yeah, it's weird because I keep, I keep making, I keep making assumptions or in my mind, but I'm like, nope. Well, so far, other than the weary traveler being kind of suspicious with I have people waiting for me, comment,

there's been zero horror or supernatural or creepy tonations anywhere. Just people running away from their problems or running away from, yeah, I mean, just essentially it seems like people running away from problems. I don't know. It's a it's a cool concept. I like the idea of a bus horror story. It's neat. I want to take a moment to thank today's sponsor, Ridge wallet. I've had a Ridge wallet for the past five years and I am never going back. This thing is leagues above, bifold or a trifold wallet that is uncomfortable and takes up a ton of space in your pocket. I've dropped this thing off I don't know how many hillsides and it's still holding up. That's because Ridge has some of the most durable and stylish wallets on the market. Plus recently, Ridge took their design and made

it even better with Ridge 2.0. They're 10% lighter and more modular with an improved money clip or cash traps. The wallet holds up to 12 cards plus cash and comes in over 50 designs, including your favorite college and pro teams. Plus Ridge has a built-for-life warranty, so even if your wallet is lost or stolen, they've got you covered. Plus, as someone who spent eight hours the other day, I'm not joking, looking for their wallet to the point they drove to the grocery store and asked if anyone had seen it. I can tell you that the Ridge tracker card that lets you always know where your wallet is at is also a huge plus. Ridge is my go-to gift for people, and you should give a gift to yourself and get in on their offer. That's because for a limited time, our listeners

can get 10% off your order at Ridge by using discount code Creepcast at checkout. That's right, 10% off. All you have to do is head to the link in the description at Ridge.com and use you discount code Creekcast and once you check out if you could let them know we sent you it would really mean a lot thank you to ridge for sponsoring the show their link will be in the description and we are now back to the episode i boarded after lanky guy ended up across from him in a window seat so i flipped my gnr tape to the other side i noticed lanky guy took out a notebook and started sketching or maybe doodling it's hard to tell i watched his hand move quickly and deliberately over the page must be one hell of an artist. There's no hesitation at its movements. It's a landscape, a mountain range. Huh?

Been so focused watching his hands. I hadn't even realized he caught me staring as I shot up to mine briefly. My girl likes mountains. I nodded. Cool, man. You going to see your girl? Yep. Cool. And that was it. Lanky kept sketching and I relaxed back into my seat. Only a few hours to Indianapolis and I'd be changing buses. Hopefully I could stay out of weary travelers way. I smiled, noted I'd been on the bus before him this time. He was near the back with runaway about halfway between us. I drifted to sleep quickly, hoping I'd stay sleep until he stopped to get into midnight. Hey.

jerked awake at Linky's voice. What? I said, my voice raspy. You dropped your shit. My bag was on the floor, shit spilling out of it. God damn it. Been over and started shoving stuff back in. You sleep heavy.

I know. My girl sleeps heavy too. He smiled a little then, looking down at his drawing, which appeared to be finished. Haven't seen her in a while? I guess, setting back up. I didn't always like to get into conversations on Transcontinental Bus Rides, but Lanky seemed cool. Yeah, almost a year. What's her name? I asked. He hesitated. I understood that. I didn't give out personal details to strangers either.

Sarah. she's an accountant smart way smarter than me she likes me anyway though that's cool my girl's way smarter than me too how long you've been together about four years off and on i think this time it's real though i really hope he's not this isn't about the 18 or 19 year old girl i didn't think about i didn't even think about that yeah i hope not too that'd be awful uh but she would have he would have noticed her i'd imagine freak out or something um also it's funny to me that as soon as you start reading someone who's an artist doodling and sketching you immediately do like a uh heavy lisp nerdy geeky voice i always paid whenever i uh whenever i'm like if i'm ever

drawing or something in a sketchbook i always feel like a kind of a dork or something so i'm always just like yeah I draw my book I always like to just joke around like that but also also I have I have wrapped this character until your self-depreciation yes yes yes yes so is that where you're about to say when you said I have to oh no I just I have uh I have only so many voices so I'm trying to differentiate them yeah yeah yeah yeah good for you man thanks he said closed his notebook chibbing in his bag now There's Indianapolis. Turn to look out my window.

We were definitely heading into a big city. I could use a stretch and a cigarette. I can't even think about anything else. I need a nicotine. Damn. Then I remembered the dad with smoke clouding around his baby in the car. No, bathroom, water, bus change. There's no point in calling Mel.

It was only a little after midnight. We reached the station and I bought another pack of Pop-Tarts for the morning time. I checked my ticket and saw it was boarding bus 950 at Door 1 in about 10 minutes. People were lining up already, so of course I did too. Again, hoping weary traveler was on literally any other bus. But there he was in line near the front. When he saw me, he shook his head in disappointment. Well, I don't like you either, buddy.

Runaway and Lanky were also in my line. I was happy about these two. They were all right company. The driver checked our tickets and let us board. This time, I was near the back. Runaway was a few rows behind. We were a traveler even farther back and Lanky was closer to the front. I ended up without a seat partner again and smiled at my good luck.

After a few minutes, the driver climbed on. She was pulling the door shut when we heard a loud bang on the glass. The woman frowned down at whoever it was and then reopened the doors. She nodded politely at the guy who climbed the stairs. He smiled and shoved his ticket at her. You almost missed the bus. It's after departure. A driver, a woman in her late 40s, told him before smiling back.

Glad you made it. Yeah, I gotta make it to Chicago. I wouldn't miss my bus, baby. He said to her, and I automatically hated his voice, slithered over your skin like a wave of grease, clinging and sour. All right. Well, why don't you take your seat? She said, clearly put off at being called Baby by some nut sack in his late 20s,

or maybe younger, with a hard life behind him. The closer he came, the better I could see him. He was scraggly, jerky, itchy, possibly high or something. And he stank. Guy moved toward the back of the bus, studying everyone in every seat as he did. I had a sick idea of what he was looking for. Spun around to look for runaway. She was sitting alone with the nervous look on her face as he came closer.

She was getting the same vibes we all were, and she was the only single woman on the bus. It was clear as day when Scraggle noticed her. His eyes lit up and he moved a bit faster. I started to stand up, hoping to move back to the seat next to her, but he was too close. I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and glanced her back. Weary Traveler has moved up to sit next to her. He saw my intention and nodded at me.

He had her covered. I looked back towards Scraggle, who was now frowning. He, instead, took a seat directly behind her. where you traveler and I exchanged a look that may as well have been a conversation you would stay right next to her and I was there if he needed help I fell back into my seat and saw

lanky eyeing the entire exchange Scraggle wasn't very big but he was likely volatile unpredictable the more people to help manage the situation the better. Good man drive I really that's a fun little paragraph

all these individuals noticing the girl needs help and stuff like that, that's nice. Also, weary traveler stepping up as a good dude, too. Yeah. Well, it's what the runaway said that. Also, I like how none of them have names. So it's Scraggle, Renaway, Traveler,

but it's like, it vibes. It flows. Very impersonal. It's what Renoy said where it's like, he's just anxious about something for some reason. The driver, Sandra, as she introduced herself as over the PA, got the bus on the road and headed out toward Chicago.

I was looking forward to getting there. It would be early morning, and I'd be able to call my girl. and then again in Minneapolis. Things were quiet for most of the ride as other passengers slept. The only sounds on the bus were quiet talking, light snoring, and lanky scribbling. I still kept my headphones off in case of trouble, and trouble was what we eventually got.

It was early at the sunrise when I heard runaway shout. Don't touch me! I spun around just in time to see Scraggle pull his hand back between the seats. We look so peaceful sleeping there. Beautiful like a princess. I heard a murmur, where he traveler was already turned around. in the guy's face.

You don't touch women who don't give you permission to touch them. Calm down, old man. Linky smiled as he relaxed back in his seat. She just brushed your hair off her face. That's not all you touch. Oh, you liked it, baby. I saw. You were still asleep and you purred for me. Fuck you!

Curse was loud enough to wake most of the back of the bus. I stood up and nodded at Scraggle. Maybe you should switch seats with me. Scraggle sneered at me. I'm good where I am. Wasn't a request. The seats in front of my row are empty, so you should be able to keep your hands to yourself. Yeah?

And what if she doesn't want me to keep my hands to myself? Believe me, I do. Runaway spat. Wary Traveler stood up, nodded in my direction. I think you should go. No. Scraggle laughed. Then she can move up, I said, and held up my hand to runaway.

She squeezed by weary traveler and dropped into the seat next to me. Now leave that girl alone. Can you do that voice again? Now leave that girl alone. own. Kind of like Kermit, kind of.

Suddenly, I look to my left and Kermit the frog of Muppet's fame is sitting in the seat next to Lanky. You let her go.

Stop touching her. Yeah. Kermit standing up for women's rights. No means nobody. Hey. Kermit would, dude.

He's a G. You have they would. I'll break your fucking fingers. Hey, look at me, Pip squeak. I'll fuck you up. You see me?

Motherfucker. All right. Jesus, just calm down, man. Just calm down. I'll skin your asshole bra, bastard. What? When you taught, you skin my ass, all you heard me, bitch. A little sick little bitch.

It's been a completely normal story. No supernatural. And then just Kermit, the frog rotates around in his chair. I actually just like to think it's Jim Henson and he's under the seat with his arm up, puppeting it. He can cut a hole in the chair so that he can pup it. Kermit, yeah. A man from the back of the bus said into the silence.

Perfect. Another woman said quietly, though we all heard it. Scraggle turned around. Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Let it go, man. Almost to Chicago. Yeah, why ain't getting off in Chicago?

Are you? How about that fine piece of woman you got there? Is she? Shut the fuck up, boy. Worry Traveler said, and Scraggle laughed. The PA suddenly boomed over us, waking the front of the bus to let us know we were in Chicago, and for those of us continuing on bus 950, the bus would re-board within the hour. Not much time. In this point, I needed a cigarette, badly. I even thought of only one back off runway,

but I couldn't stop thinking about the dad in the car, his baby in the back. I could be strong for Mel. As soon as I was off the bus, I was shoving a quarter into a pay phone, Mel, picking up on the second ring. Hey, baby. Hey. Where are you? Chicago. I know you just got to sleep a couple hours ago.

There was silence. I'm sorry. I just needed to hear your voice. I needed to hear yours too. I miss you. Hey, Mel, so I'm almost positive. This isn't how your voice sounded in our first interaction at the beginning of this story. And I feel like there's some trickery afoot that has now reduced you to whatever this

comical character is for a bit that some narrators have a ploplin moment. I don't know how to feel about it. I'm pregnant. I'm gonna hang up the phone now. Bye. I'm sleepy because the baby. Is that how it works? I need to hear yours too.

I miss you. You want to hear mine too? What? Oh, you know, now that, hey Mel, so now the guy narrating your voice is now trying to go back to the story and read the lines like this is normal. So I guess I have no recourse as the other narrator of this podcast, but who cares? I have to continue the narration like this. I miss you too.

How are you feeling? Good. I leaned against the pay phone. I know, but I hate it. Couple months. Weeks, baby. It's weeks. Please suppose it's right since to continue this call.

It's all I guess. I think it's just a guy screaming. Please suppose it's a drive by just to get his call. Yeah, it's like a red solo cup with a string tied to it. And there's another guy who has another string tied off under a Lee is the faucet 25% to continue this call. Also, the whole like, him laying against the payful, I'm like, oh, I miss you so much, baby. I can't bubble, blah, blah, blah.

He was abandoning her earlier that day. I just want to say that it's also anytime I like, I'm dreading the story now because every time we do these calls, I have to fucking call. Like, we're talking to each other as if like. I just, so I wasn't, I wasn't going to. I hate this interaction towards it. I wasn't going to draw attention towards it. I wasn't going to draw attention towards it. I was like 8.09 silly.

Because at first it was like hearing you'd be like, I know, but I hate it. I was like, Jesus. That first interaction at the bus stop where she stopped him. I know. I didn't want to say anything. It was rough. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to derail.

But me and you talking to each other and going like, oh no, baby. I'll just. I did not like it. I did not like it. It was too much. It was too fucking much. I'm saying is he better fucking stop calling her.

There better be like he better get robbed or something so we can stop doing those goddamn conversations. I need Mel to be dead so that I don't have to keep like Mel was like bedroom talking here. Watch. Mel was struck by a by a giant cement truck. Oh my God. That's all that's how it needs to end.

That's what I need to happen now. I can't. I can only. can only like give you bedroom eyes vocally for so long yeah that or during during the conversation yeah we just hear the horn blasting then you know what was that what was that game guys would play it was like high school guys no not tummy sticks we're like you're both setting down and it's like oh i i remember okay they called it gay chicken you know i'm talking about now what is that it's so it's like it's something that guys would do

okay there's no way i can describe this that it's not gonna sound terrible Isaiah did you play did you play no gun chicken is that way everyone kept balking at you whenever you met your friends not not not gun chicken not gay chicken yeah that well it would be like if there were a group of guys together and it was like one of you touches one of the other's knee and vice versa and then someone moves their hand up your leg or whatever and still someone's like

I can't this is too much I can't I can't I'm out whatever right yeah when they played at your house they always won didn't they well see that's the problem that's the problem with explaining this story because then people were like well what if no one backs out yeah

because that's exactly what happened that's why they kept calling you chicken little all throughout high school didn't they you're like I'm not going to, yeah, this rooster's not crowing this morning. I say I don't want to play this anymore. Though the way I don't like, don't phrase it that way with the I don't want to play this. Yeah, I was just saying cut that last part.

That sounds awful. My point is I got a like PTSD flashback to that doing those lines with you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I completely forgot about it. But the same feeling of like, okay, I'm tapping out. I'm tapping out. I'm tapping out. I had this. I, it was mostly, it was something where it's like, I really am trying to act my best at the same time.

I'm like, I don't want him getting any ideas. Like I, I don't know that these like getting it getting too involved with like, Hunter, you know, you really were pretty, uh, pretty convincing back there. As my friend, I need you to know. Yeah. Yeah, Hunter, as my friend, I need you to know. I don't like this. I don't like doing this.

All I'm saying is I better not look back at the footage. I better not look back at the footage and you're not on your tummy and you're like kicking your feet up in the air. You're kicking your feet as if you're finding this. Yeah, I've got like the cord for the microphone. I'm like twirling it around my finger. Yeah. Yeah.

I can never quit you. Yeah, exactly. I quickly dug in my pocket looking for another quarter. Shit. Long distance on a payphone was a quarter a minute. Damn. Chris? Yeah.

It's okay. I'm gonna go back to sleep. Call me from Minnesota. I sighed. Of course she was tired. I couldn't keep her on the phone just to hear her voice. Yeah, baby. I'll call in a few hours.

Okay, love you, Chris. Love you too. Good night. I hate it so much. I'm telling you. I love more professionals. This is our job. I fucking hate.

I just hate that I've completely lost the track of this is even voice. I feel like it's just people. It just, I feel like I'm just talking to you on the other end. Okay, I love you, Isaiah. I love you too, baby. Good night. Yeah, where the fuck is like the,

where the fuck are like the killer robots are like the weird sheriff? Yeah, what happened to the shiny gentleman? Where's the ghost and the werewolves? I thought this was a story about vampires or something like what's going on with all this. Yeah, this is this is all. The true horror is just literally Isaiah

confessing his, uh, his insistent need to play the Game gay chicken with his friends. This is the scariest story I've ever read because it's just me dirty talk. I was going to say. My friend for like an hour. This is a scary story just because I have to be intimate. It has to be intimate in conversation with my friend Isaiah. That makes this the most horrifying story of all.

Well, C.K. Walker has done it again. Also, I'm so tired of hearing you say, baby. It's fucking driving me insane. It's, there's not a good way. say it, dude. There's not a good way to say it. You've done it a couple different ways. They'd be like, baby. You've said it a couple different ways.

And each time I'm like, uh, yeah, I feel like there's not a good way to be like, oh, baby. You can't say, oh, baby in a way that's like sounds like the character said it, but also isn't awful. It's just, it's a rough play. Oh, baby. That would make it worse. That would make it worse.

Oh, baby. All right. Now you're getting a little too into it now. Fuck it. I'm going all in. Fuck it. I'm going 110%. I can't. I can't. I'm doing it. I hung up the headset and ran my hands through my hair. Shit.

Walking over to the vending machine, I paid for a water and another pack of Pop-Tarts. If I had to eat nothing but Pop-Tarts all the way to Washington, I would. Nothing would stop me from calling Mel every day for as many minutes as she would talk to me. Passengers traveling on bus 950 to Venetianapolis. Please line up at Bay 16.

I walked over to door 16 and was for once happy to see weary traveler in line, but unfortunately, so was Runaway and Scraggle a few people behind her. Hey, runaway, I called. She looked around for a minute until she found me. Why don't you come back here with me? Runaway saw where I was looking and I'd scraggle as she passed him. He made a rude gesture with his tongue and she looked away. That guy's disgusting.

She said when she neared me. I know. I thought we'd let him pick his seat first. run away nodded and then thank you stepped a little closer but didn't touch her you're welcome I know he's saying he didn't touch her

in the sense of like she needs space she's obviously but too like it makes sense but it's it's a little it just creep me okay okay okay I'm glad you felt the same because I was like what's the fuck I never assumed you did

I stepped closer but I did not lay a finger on not one hey buddy none of us were thinking that you were going to do that All right, damn, dude. Thanks for clarified, I guess. I like, I go almost instinctively one to like put my hands up.

Like, all right, dude, damn. Okay. Because again, I get it because it's like, you know, she's being touched by where people has a history. So he's like he's acknowledging your space. But the way it's worded it is, I stepped a little closer. I didn't touch her. Didn't touch her. I said, you're welcome.

Since we were at the back, there was only single seats left. Run away, I was happy to see sat next to Lanky. I ended up next to a woman who had a woman who had a woman who had been on our bus before and it looked like she'd been traveling for months she gave me a weary nod and then looked out the window closed my eyes for the first time in hours what is lake even drawing he's drawing uh hills and like meadows mountains right okay like landscapes it sounds like yeah all right i didn't know if he was just drawn like max or something he's like i like gondom you like gundum that'd be awesome this is a guy just got churmit the frog in one seek and then the other

There's like, I love Evangelian. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah, Kermit's like, I really like End of Evangelian. Like, he's like, shut the fuck up. The rebuilds are a total best, you know it. Kermit is on this bus to me, by the way.

Like, when I think of an overview of it, he's like two rows back, left side, behind the driver. Which also, to be fair, end of Evangelian is the official ending to me. So I just want to put that out there. So this is crazy, but I still have never watched you, Van Gellion.

I'm surprised because I feel like you'd be right up your alley. Shinji is literally you, by the way. I hate that. I hate that because I do that voice and you tell me that Shinji. Yeah. No, it's, it's just like that. Okay. That's not a good thing to say about me.

But I, like, attack on Titans, like one of my favorite things ever. So I never finished it. I never finished. I heard people really like it. I just remember hearing like, I don't know. How far did you get? I can't remember. I couldn't tell you.

All I know is the people kind of told me what happened towards the end. And I was like, this sounds kind of silly. It was a little silly. No, no, no, no. But I'm also a pessimistic man. I'll say it this way. Attack on Titan watching the full series is one of the best things I've ever seen. Like of a movie, of a TV show, of anything like that.

I would easily put it in the top, probably three shows I've ever seen. Were you happy when you found out like inside the castle walls, there's like the giant people. That's the end of season one, yeah. That's the end of season one. Okay. Yep, yep. There's four seasons,

and then season four is the length of all three other seasons combined. And between season three and four, the show completely changes what it is so dramatically, but it had subtly set it up so well. It's one of the most impressive writing decisions I've ever seen done in a story. That the show was so much one thing

and became something else in a way that was set up, but I never would have realized until I got to the end. And by the end, I was like, wow, that completely took me for a loop. If, like, really, if you want to watch anything,

I would recommend give an attack on Titan another shot. Okay, I'm watching Doctor Who right now, but I'll watch it here pretty soon. I watched, I know we're just talking now and I haven't read the story, but I watched, I was really into Dr. Hu

when I was younger. I was joking. And I watched all of 9, 10, and 11, and I quit. a little bit into 12. I did him not watching Doctor Who. It was a lie. Okay.

All right. Well, so you got me with that one. I thought maybe it was for a video or something like that. So there's like a realm of no. No. If I have to see that fucking clip of like the Van Gogh episode again, I'm going to actually put a gun on my mouth and pull the trigger. Oh, where he goes to the artwork and there's the flowers that he painted for Amy.

He's like, see? People love your heart. And he's like, this is crazy. He's like crying. It's really. I don't know. I've seen that clip. many times now.

When people are like, show name. Now. And I'm like, I feel like everyone should know that's just that doctor you have it. It doesn't matter. We should just keep going. You want to know maybe, gosh,

I don't even know if I should share this online. Oh, wow. I'm going to tell you this because it came up and this is funny. Careful. But I need, I need you, Hunter, to not think less of me for this.

That's going to be hard. Go ahead. So when I was, I want to say 11. Maybe 12. No, it was my freshman year of high school, wasn't it? Dang, that's right. I had to be 13.

Okay. I was so into Doctor Who. And that episode, specifically, the Van Gogh one, I loved so much that I wrote a fan fiction about Vincent Van Gogh's suicide. after with within the context of him meeting doctor who wow you know you you did a lot of interesting interesting things little boy are you saying this is a gay fan fiction about van go and dr who is what you're saying no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no it was it was like it was it was a description of like van go suicide

But his inner monologue. Why did you do this? I liked that episode so. So you wanted to write a fan fiction about a guy killing himself? No, because Van Gogh really did kill himself. So it was like it was an historical suicide with the context of like him thinking about what the doctor showed him and all that. It was, it's insane. It is absolutely horrific.

And I completely memory hold that until you brought that. episode back up. Well, that's a I'm I feel like there's other parts that still have not been revealed. I still feel like there's some kind of some kind of there was no no dog there was no homeroticism there was no romance or stuff like that. We cannot prove or deny that technically. So in the air it's it's it's tentative is how it's how I'm rating it okay um but you just gosh I needed that was that was this was like a catholic confession for me because I've remembered it felt it felt like I was in like the uh the little the the the the prayer box or whatever the

the fuck that's called the confession booth yeah in the confessional i'm like on the other side of the screen just like looking at you you're trying to make eye contact with me through the screen telling me about this and i'm like desperately side i'm just like trying not to make eye contact with you just side eyeing you uh so yeah that uh that's a thing that happened you've been revealed a lot about your childhood this this is usually usually it's I'm the one who has to talk about my weird. That's what I just said is one of the worst things I've ever done. It's one of the worst things are.

It took a piece of my humanity. That gives so many, that just gives so much of context to like so many underlined issues I had to have had and problems and being sheltered. I just love the idea of you watching that episode of Doctor Who and like holding the TV remote, turning off your TV and just being like, wow. That was incredible.

I know what I must do. There's no, I've, I've, I have nothing to say to make it better. That's just a thing that happened. You know what? I think it's a perfectly innocent thing you did. That's not bad. I think it's funny that it's, uh, as soon as we're never recording, I'm going to get a text about it.

It's like, I can't keep doing the show. I'm just, I'm not like, you know. Oh, all right. I have to, before this episode goes live, I have to try to, to track that down and make sure that's not posted anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I hope not. Okay, anyway. It was somewhere near Madison that the trouble started. Woke up to yelling and looked back to see Lanky taking a punch. Weary traveler trying to hold back, Scraggle in the aisle, runaway practically standing in her seat trying to get the bus driver's

attention. You ready to trade the seats now, Pussy? Scraggle punched Lanky in the stomach again. Very traveler, not able to do much to hold him back. Falk off. Lanky hit back. but it didn't slow down Scraggle, where he tried to wrestle him down in the aisle. Sit back in your goddamn seat. Scraggle knocked him off easily, then turned around and kicked weary. A man clearly on the other side of 60. The entire bus erupted in outrage, but no one seemed to want to intervene. Lanky tried to push him away from Runaway again, but Scraggle took him down with one punch to the face.

Yeah, anybody else wants some? Scraggle sat down in Lanky's seat and stroked Runaway's leg as you try to kick him off. Come on, baby. You can sit right in my left. lab. I was over my seat and down the aisle before he could yank her down on him. I grabbed Scraggle by his shirt and hauled him up. Where he was old, Lanky wasn't accustomed to taking a punch, but I did manual labor for a living and got into a lot of bar fights. Even high as a kite and freakishly strong, Scraggle had nothing on me. I dragged him down to the aisle as he yipped and cursed. A few passengers

got in a kick or two as he was pulled between them. Where the fuck are you taking me? You're getting off the bus. I am, they attacked me first. I was just trying to talk friendly to that girl. Yeah, looked real friendly. Sandra, who must have caught some of the commotion, was already pulling the bus over. Get off me! Man! Man!

This man is assaulting me and I would like the police called. Scraggle choked as I dragged him down the stairs of the bus. Sandra scoffed. Look more like you were harassing that poor girl and kicking an old man. I don't tolerate that sort of behavior on my bus. You're getting off here. She opened the doors, and I pushed him out. Landed on his feet and spun around quickly.

can't fucking do this. I paid. I'm calling corporate. Bus 950. And you can't just leave me here. You have my bag. Backpack came flying out the door behind me and landed in a dirty puddle further down the embankment. There's your fucking bag. Runaway said, the turn and walked back to her seat. Safe travels. I smiled at him as the bus driver pulled the doors closed in front of me. I watched Scraggle tried to chase the bus and we pulled away. Other passengers slipped him off or insulted him out the window. Some gave me high-fifers. five's are nodded approvingly at me. I will say,

that moment felt a little too everyone stood up and clapped, you know? It's a little marvelous, but I'm here for the ride. Yeah, yeah. Runaway was helping Weary back to his seed and Linky was already next to him. I pulled out some clean X that Mal had put in my backpack ages ago, so I offered it to them.

Hey, you got you good, Lanky. Lanky laughed. My name's Dillon. Dylan? I'm Chris. Mack. Weary interjected from next to Lanky. I'm Mac.

Nice to meet you, Chris. Thanks for stepping in. Yeah, I was getting my ass beat. Dylan laughed. Oh, you were not. The dude was just super methed out. Runaway chimed in. And thank you.

All of you. I'm Gracie. Well, that was eventful. Hopefully some of you were getting off in many for good. Nope. I'm going through to Idaho. Weary. Now Mack, said. Gassville, Wyoming. Dylan.

Crazy hesitated. Billings, Montana. I don't know anybody there, but I don't know. I heard it's a nice place. I nodded. Smoke gain for me. It's like we're all in for the long call. Here, sit. Mac nodded at me.

Why? You need to clean that. Clean what? He bit you in the arm. I look down to my arm. Damn, he had. Broke skin, too. in my head back and closed my eyes.

Shit. Don't worry about it. I'm sure you're fine. Yeah. He looked real clean. Dylan laughed and then poured hydrogen perox out on my arm that he'd gotten from God knows where. I must have fallen to sleep again because the next thing I knew, Mac was gently nudging me. Hey, you want some jerky?

I blinked and set up. What? Jerky. You look like you haven't eaten in days. He hasn't. I heard Gracie from across the aisle Set up and rubbed my eyes That took the strip of dried meat from Mac

Where are we The border Which border We're almost in North Dakota I shot up What happened to Binionapolis You slept through it Soundly

Said you were going through to Washington Didn't seem any reason to wake you No reason I was supposed to call my girl Well you can call her from Whitefall that's a terminal a lot of people are changing buses there mac and me are well how far is whitefall i asked exasperated dillon's arm came over the back of my seat and hugged the headrest a couple hours but you really didn't miss anything payful bake was crazy in minneapolis i was supposed to call my girl sarah that wasn't time call him whitefall

god i knocked my head back against the seat rest damn it i didn't know know what time I'll work today. I was supposed to call her from Minnesota. What if she was worried about me? Couldn't get to widefall soon enough. Max shared his entire bag of jerky with me, silently, and I was grateful. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Just had some place to be, some place important, I guess. The snow started just after we hit the border. First gentle flakes, then a flurry, finally a full-on wide out. I had no idea how the driver could even see through it. And even though Whitefall was only supposed to be about two hours or so from the border, it felt more like five. It even seemed like the sun was setting by the time the PA came on.

It wasn't until then I realized we had switched bus drivers and many. Folks, this is Richie your driver. We're pulling into Whitefall station now. Looks like we've got a few other buses parked, which is great for you folks making transfers. Everything should move on schedule provided the weather cooperates, which, as you can see, is pretty nasty out there. This is going to be a 20-minute stop. Ordinarily, I'd give mention some of the fast food restaurants of town if you want something hot to eat, but I don't recommend leaving the bus station in Whitefall.

It's a real blizzard out there. You was right. It was hard to see anything at all, in fact. Slowly the clean walls of the red brick bus station materialized out of the building white. It was a sizable terminal, though not quite as big as Indianapolis. The bus pulled to a stop and the doors opened. Please take everything with you off the bus. Everyone must get off even if you are continuing on with us to Rapid City.

We're going to reboard at 540. The current time is 520. 520. This was supposed to be an unhurried three-hour stop for me, but it seems I would only have 10 minutes to find a board bus 414. Was the weather that bad? Had we been going that slow? I stood up quickly. I'm going to be the first people off.

Nice meeting you all. Good luck. Mack, we only got 10 minutes before our bus leaves. I saw. The bus station was madness. There had to be 70 people inside, including us, and it wasn't as big on the inside as it had looked from the outside. Everyone was shouting.

People were snapping at each other. Baby screamed bloody murder on the other side of the room. It was absolute chaos. What the hell? Heard Mac beside me. Whatever. Let's just figure out what door we need to be at. The ticket window was empty of a station employee, so I went to the board near the front of the room.

I found bus 414, but across from it, where the bus 414, but across from it, where the ticket. door number should be there was nothing it was blank fact they were all blank what the hell is going on the guy who answered my question was standing underneath the board leaning up against the wall he had on a chief's t-shirt and looked like he just pulled up in his daddy's lexas us are canceled all of them board has been like this since the first one rolled up this morning from kansas city fuck dad i have a connection to make i got to make it to post falls mack was red-faced and heaving He was pissed. Stranger laugh, but there's no humor in it.

Start walking then. You little shit. Mack yelled and tried to take a step toward the other guy. Put an arm across his chest. Relax, Mac. He's just some guy, having a bad day, like the rest of us. Yeah, we've all got places to be, Max. So, play nice.

The douchebag taunted. We walked away, and Max shook my arm off. Play nice. Fuck that guy. All the buses really canceled. I've got to get on the 414. to post falls. Someone's meeting me at 9 p.m. I told her 9 p.m. I can't be late. I promised. Gracie appeared. Shit. 312 to Billings is canceled too. Also, I just want to say Mac,

like I said, there's a, there's a correlation between him needing to get there. Like, now we're finding out that it's also like a woman that he's meeting. So there's just that that connection's kind of interesting. But there's more information coming out. Yeah. Yeah. Back of the board inside. Doesn't look like any of us are going anywhere. Should we find someone to talk too. Crazy snorted. I tried. There's not a station employee or driver to be found.

I haven't tried knocking on the employee's only door and no one answered. Shit. Dylan had suddenly appeared behind us as well. I gotta call Sarah. Yeah, I gotta use the phone too. Mac? No, no, I don't.

I don't have her phone number, just an address. And a letter won't make it in time. Shit. Yeah. Had a Mac on the shoulder, and followed Dylan to the pay phones. There were two and only one was free. You go ahead.

Thanks, man. Phone rings so long I didn't think Mel was going to answer. She did. The connection was pretty bad. Damn it. I could hear. God damn. I'm like, fuck.

God damn it, bitch. Let that shit go to voicemail. Holy shit. Don't make us do this. Don't sit us back. Well, he said the connection is bad. So they'll probably just be like, oh, you're breaking up or something, right? It's better.

So I could hear about 70% of everything she said, but that was it. I apologize from Indianapolis and she understood. I told her it looked like there'd be a delay getting to Spokane and then I was stuck in a blizzard in North Dakota. That sounds terrible. How bad is it? Remember New York four years ago? Oh my God. But worse. Said something that I didn't catch.

I asked her to repeat it. Maybe Monday. You have an appointment on Monday? I see. Chris? Mel. phone disconnected. I stared at a few seconds before pulling another quarter out of my pocket. Don't bother. Look at the same shitty connection. Warrant a tall blonde woman next to me.

Kept digging. Oh, I just want to try. Save your money, son. An older man said from beside her. She's right. The storm is interfering. Might as well wait until it calms down, son. Took a look outside, but all I could see was white. You think it'll calm down? I have to get to Chicago Right Just came from there Man next to her nodded Minneapolis bus

That's how you come in Stuck out his hand Name's John Pollock This is my daughter Emily I shook it Chris Stikes Held my hand out to Emily And she took it as well

On a pretty crushing grip Better settle in for the night Stikes Nobody's getting out here until morning Yeah who said that Come over the PA while you're on the phone. I exchanged the look with Dylan. Not good.

Especially not good for Mac. Nice meeting you. He said currently before Dylan and I headed towards the last place we'd seen the weary old traveler. Found him sitting down in a chair near the door when he had come in from. Gracie was next to him, smoking a cigarette.

God, I could use one of those right now. How you doing, Mac? You talk to your girl? Bad connection. Looked over at Dylan. And you? You get a whole of your girl? Dylan shook his head.

Didn't see much of a point. Mac nodded. So we're all fucked. I sat down across from him, noticing for the first time, most of the people on our bus were seated in this area, too. What do we do now? Just wait. Gracie nodded.

Yep. We're stuck here until the morning. Anybody want anything for the fast food place? Yes. Thank you. Excellent. Perfect. A man I recognized from our bus asked.

I'm gonna chance the storm. See if I can find the McDonald's nearby or something. Awesome. This is perfect. Dude, I'll tell you what, you're a trooper right now. There's like nine characters. I'm so, I keep changing, fucking up the voices. I've tried so hard.

This is rough. I'm glad I took the protagonist because of, oh my gosh. Man, I do not envy you right now. A few people raised their hands and handed them money. God knew it was tempting, but I needed to save as much as possible for the pay phones. opted for a snickers bar from the vending machine instead. I watched him walk to the front door. Flaping his arms.

Ah! Runs outside. There's puppet strings above him. Swinging his legs back and forward. Jim Henson on a roly chair. He's like on one of those mechanic chairs in a like a garage. Yeah, uh, floor dolly. Yeah.

I watched him walk to the. front door of the station. He struggled with the way. Okay, I got like it. He struggled with the wind and the door and in the end all he left behind was the dusting of snow that escaped into the building when he left. I never knew his name.

We never saw him again. I wonder if this is becoming, I wonder if this is like becoming the mist almost seems like a purgatory kind of story or something. You know? Everyone's got somewhere to be. Yeah. Yeah. But then now they've gotten there. Now there's

no connection. It's like there's no this you can't even make it to the real world or I don't know it just seems kind of odd a very like ghostly almost you know that too I almost get missed vibes too of like yeah we're all stuck inside of the structure can't go out past the veil you know yeah

we all did our best to get comfortable in our chairs the baby wherever it was stopped screaming around nine Gracie who was stretched out on the floor dropped off first settle between me and a chair on a ride and Dylan and Mac and chairs on other side the station quieted down and by 1 a.m. there were only whispers and wind to keep me company. I tried calling Mel again around 1.30 and I think I got Mandy but the distortion was so

bad it was impossible to tell. I finally fell asleep around 3 a.m. and didn't wake again until 8. People were up and moving around by then. The sun might have been out but there was no way to tell. An impossible amount of snow seemed to have fallen overnight and the windows were almost completely covered by the drifts. There had to be 7 feet of it out. out there. It was ludicrous. Hey you. I rubbed my eyes and then looked over at a vaguely familiar man. Me?

Yeah, you. What's your name? Stikes. Okay, Stikes. Well, that guy took my money last night for a burger and he never came back. Okay. Probably took all our cash and got a hotel for the night. Okay. Well, what are you going to do about it? What do you mean? I didn't give him any money.

Yeah, but you're the guy who sorts problems. like the meth head on the bus. I got a problem, so help me sort it. Look, man, I don't know where you got that idea, but I can't do anything about your money. If he went to a hotel, he'll be back this morning to board his bus. Take it up with him then. I left the guy and headed to the bathroom.

The line for the women's wrapped around the wall, and that morning I couldn't have been happier to be a dude. Bathroom was blessedly silent, and I reveled in that too. I could feel an undercurrent of anxiety and distress everywhere. washed the terminal from wall to wall. Here, I was happy to be removed from it. I had a loan. Cracked the PA above me.

This is the state. I'm sure you're all very eager to board your buses and get on the road to your destinations. We sympathize wholeheart with our passengers, so we are disappointed to have to inform you that the storm is not predicted to let up until this evening. I get your groans and curses and even yelling from the other side of the door. Our vending machines are fully stocked with food and drinks, so we ask that you do not attempt to step outside as when. are in 65 mile an hour range

and visibility is zero. For your safety, please do not attempt to leave the station. Fuck you! I heard someone yell through the door. This was bad, real bad. There were a couple of vending machines on each wall, but hardly enough to feed 70 people for an entire extra day. The one I had used last night was already almost empty.

I tried my hands and walked out the door, heading back to our group's section. As soon as I sat down, Gracie offered me a cigarette. I know you're stressed. I am. Are you sure you don't want one? I eyed the pack hungrily. Then I thought of the man in the car.

Oh, I'll have one. Matt grumbled. The rest of the day passed slowly. Talked about TV, movies, video games, places we visited, but nothing personal. I had Pop Tarts and Goldfish from the vending machine. Try to call Meligan and exchange maybe eight words I could understand with her. By nightfall, things were dire. We've been waiting all day to hear about the storm in our buses, but no one should.

showed up at the ticket windows and no one addressed us over the loudspeaker. Around six, I watched The Stranger in the Chief's T-shirt bang on the employee door with a couple other guys. They tried pounding on it. I tried shouting. Hell, they even tried kicking the door in. Nothing broke. It had now been over 24 hours that we had all been stranded here. The baby screamed from somewhere.

A man fought with another over the last moon pie in the vending machine. Frustrated people tried the phones. What do you think, Chris? Dylan fell down into a chair next to me. I think this place is a breaking point and we're going to hit it tomorrow night. You can get them that long? We don't hear something over at the PA before then. Yeah.

What do you think they're doing back there? I shrugged. Drinking coffee, sleeping on the couches, laughing at us. Mack looked out the window. The storm doesn't look that bad. I had to disagree. Sleep came easier that night due to my sheer exhaustion. I slept from 10 at night to 8 in the morning and was only woken by shouting.

A man was trying to leave the station and two people I recognized. father and daughter I'd met two days before we're trying to stop him. I have to get out of here. I have money. I'll find the cops or the Red Cross or something. I'll send help. Andy, no. Emily Polack yelled. You'll die out there. I can't stay in here anymore. I can't. Andy, stop. Emily yanked back in his arm as he tried for the door again. We need you. More importantly, son, it's not safe out there. Father chimed in. Oh, let him go.

Stranger with the Chief's T-shirt laughed. He's an adult. You can decide what he wants. Stay out of this. This has nothing to do with your people. My people? We've been on a bus with him since Arizona. We're concerned for him.

Focus on your Kansas City, people. I've been to bus with all these people. Chief T-shirt gestured, a large group in the corner. But if any of them wanted to leave of their own free will, I would let them. Emily Polack laughed. That's because you don't fucking care. Now, piss off, you pretty mom. boy. My name is Acker, but thanks for the compliment, bitch.

Hey, there's no need for that. Well, it looks like you're a daddy girl, too, you stupid bitch. I do like to think that the Kansas City Chief's guy is just like a super sassy gay man. I really love that. Yeah, it's a dude, if you close your eyes right now, it sounds like you're having a mental breakdown. I know. I feel like kind of schizophrenic. Just yelling at him.

Yeah, well, look, there's no need for that. Well, it looks like your little dadgy's girl, too. Go deal with your own group, Acker. She's dapped in the man. She'd been holding the hostage. Took them over to jerk away from her. Throw open the door and bolt through it.

It was on my feet in seconds. What the hell? How did he get through the drifts? Dylan was behind me as we ran over there. He was impossible. Snow was higher than the windows. You should have ran into a wall of snow. I threw the door open and found myself looking at a long, narrow hallway of snow.

So high on both sides, I could hardly see the top. The passage went on so long. I thought I'd lost until I spotted the dark figure of a man hurrying away. What? Don't like that. Huh? Like a maze? Like a giant like chute?

Like a giant hedge maze thing? But, you know, it made of snow? Yeah. It's very weird. Very surreal. Whoa, what the heck? Okay. I was pulled back and the door slammed

to my face. Emily Pollock was there glaring at me. You fucking idiot? It's bad enough he went out there. Who carved that path? Who cares? It goes nowhere. We sent a girl out last night to see if she could find help but she never came back. You said someone out there? I asked horrified.

I addressed this question more to John as he seemed the more rational of the two. I did not agree to that, but the girl and my daughter did. She went out on her own volition. That's insane! You said some poor girl out there? I collared for my left.

She won't make it 100 yards in this. She knew the wrists. Edgar Pollock snapped. But it went nowhere. And now we've lost someone we actually needed. What do you mean needed? Emily clinched her jaw and stared at me. Father just shook his head.

Neither volunteered an answer. He was a nurse. She needed him. Eggers shrugged from the periphery of the argument. Needed him for what? Someone sick? Himily laughed. Everyone is sick

or will be soon. This is our third day here without no contact with the outside world. The vending machines are practically empty. The woman's bathroom has overflowed. People who are supposed to get us out of here and refuse to open the door or even speak to us.

They don't care what happens out here. People haven't slept. The phones aren't working. And if we don't find a way to leave or get help, we'll all starve. I looked around the station. My bus had come in late evening, two days before. As I studied the room, I noticed that people seemed to have huddled into four groups,

one of them being ours, the passengers from the Minneapolis bus. There has to be another nurse or doctor here. Yeah, well, why don't you ask around the Minneapolis group? Because we had no medical professionals on the Kansas City side. So if you have one, set him over. I'll ask around. You could do that. Packer smiled and I had a feeling I was missing something. Mack pulled me back. to our row of seats and sat me down. You ever read Lord of the Fly, son? No.

What's going on? Gracie ass flinging some book she was reading on the seat next door. Look around. Do you see how the station is divided? Yeah. By random groups. Not random.

By both. Mac nodded and seemed relieved, as if the burden of knowledge was off of him. Over there. The guy with the chief's t-shirt. That group was on. another bus that came from Kansas City. And over there, that dad and daughter we met the first night. That whole group is from Denver. And what about that group?

Gracie asked, pointed the largest group. All of him sat against a wall and far side of the terminal. It's all like city. I was talking to a woman from the group earlier. Went over to ask if anybody had a stamp. She was polite but basically told me to fuck off. Right. Why does any of this matter? Axelot his eyes to me. It means that the situation is developing into every man for himself. More accurately, every camp for themselves. I think we can assume the loudest ones are the self-appointed leaders.

Dylan rolled his eyes. Right. The guy in the chief shirt, Acker, seems to speak for the Kansas City group. The loud woman and her dad seem to run Denver. I'm going to guess the woman who stood up when I approached the wall is speaking for Salt Lake City. That leaves us. Right.

And that's obviously, Chris. me why don't shrugged after the meth heads incident it just seems natural Max seemed to agree and simply nodded to me great

yes you have another little section so I like that I love the just random mage showing up outside right yeah I can't tell if the story is going like surrealist prison uh

like weird missed vibe or if it's like there's a white out blizzard and this is just going to go into straight Lord of the Flies like basically like absolute chaos which is still kind of like the mist too to be fair yeah but I don't

I'm afraid it will do a Barasca where it's like they all kill each other and then at the end it's like this was an experiment conducted by you know the government to blah blah blah something like that right but I think it's way cooler if there's a supernatural storm

they find themselves it not monsters or anything, but it's just like there's this kind of weird, liminal almost maze that develops outside. They have to choose to try to transverse or not, like a time gap. But I really don't like the segment where it's like, have you ever read Lord of the Flies? Well, we've elected, you know, we've democratically appointed leaders of our camps. It's like, what are, what? It's quick. Like, if that happens, naturally, that's one thing.

But to explain it as, have you ever read Lord of the Flies is so I don't like that. It's on the nose for sure. yeah it's it's similar to me as the whole like hey buddy back off from the bus with the scraggly guy yeah i i there's a little bit of uh you know it's it's it's uh campy's probably the wrong word but i mean it definitely has a few of those moments but i'm you know i'm i'm remaining optimistic i'm you know it is it's millennial it's millennial it's millennial he says it's millennial are you ginsie how what are you i'm jinsey jenzy jenzy jenzy I'm on, I'm 99, so it's like on the line. Later that night I woke several people up cursing at the phone.

I still called. Mel or Mandy still answered, but I can never make out a word they said, but I still called because she had to know I was always here and I was trying. I slammed the phone back onto the cradle after it disconnected for the third time and reached in my pocket for more quarters. Since all I had left were bills, I decided to break one in a vending machine. I should probably eat anyway. I've been an entire day since I'd had anything. And one of my favorite, the ones with strawberry Pop-Tarts. Vennie machine was against Salt Lake City's wall.

A woman sitting on the floor next to the machine narrowed her eyes at me as I approached. What? What are you getting? Pop-Tarts? How many? Just a package, why? Tone of my voice was no longer pleasant. Because I need to know.

Lady, I'll be damned if I'm going to explain why I'm buying a Pop-Tart. She laughed then. It seemed to surprise her as well and was a pleasant sound. She stood up and stuck out her hand. I'm Amanda Hewann. You're in Minneapolis, right? Chris Stikes, said warily. All right, Stikes.

You in charge over there? No one's in charge. I'll just wait for our buses. You didn't say anything for a moment. She died me instead. Let me give you a word of advice. No one here is your friend. what I know did you stumbled what I mean okay this kind of thing happens in airports you know if we're already in tributty like this I'm going to say it has happened if we're going if we're if I'm down to do you know if we're if I'm down to go the lower the flies route but I will say that it's it's a lot of

obnoxiously fast. To the point where someone's like, I need to know for resource. We're gathering resources. And then just being like, no one hears your friend, especially not you. During... During COVID, weren't people stuck in airports for like weeks?

That I mean, I don't know. I guess they had food brought to him, but what? What? What do you mean? No one here's your... Okay. I got that. Not even me. No shit. I just met you. She stared at me for a moment longer than and sat back down.

Enjoy your pop-tart. Stikes. All right, Kewen. I had my pop-tart in silence and watch the room settle down for the night. People were more restless. Baby cried louder for longer. I could hear crying. The whole situation was disintegrating.

Maybe that's what Mack and Amanda Hew in and even Emily had all been trying to tell me. Things were dire to roll your wagons. Uh, real quick. Seemed like an over... What? Um, is there just any obnoxious mind? of like fucks in the story yes okay but it didn't have that barrasca did it really i feel like part five did yeah yeah yeah oh gosh yes it did remember remember me we also called that out

in part five in part five yeah but i guess i i guess when i referred to a barrasca i was just think of like one through four the original yeah yeah in part five it happened so often that i started to say like make fun of it and jokes and stuff like that yeah yeah yeah it seemed like a overreaction and I went to sleep thinking so till I was woken at four in the morning by glass breaking. He was out of my seat instantly. Mac 2. Some guy had just been bashed to a long glass shadow box on the wall and Akker and some other

dude were screaming at him. Did you think we wouldn't see you? That we wouldn't have someone awake. The other guy yelled in the dude's face. You try to steal from us? No man. It's just, it's just a vending machine. The now bloody guy stuttered as Akker held him in a chokehold.

It's our vending machine. machine. Use the one in your area. Ours only has soda in it. So drink a fucking soda. Acker left and punched the guy in the face again right before I got there. I yanked Acker back and the guy dropped to the floor. All of Acker's group were suddenly out of their seats and surrounding us. Situation was getting out of hand.

I felt Mac behind me and then Gracie and Dylan broke through the herd on my left. I flung Acker against the wall. What the hell's wrong? wrong with you? That guy was just trying to eat. Yeah. Akker straightened and pulled his cuffs down like nothing at all. It just occurred. He can get food from Denver, there you heard him. There's no food there. It's just a vending machine, man. Really? Well, then let him get food out of one by your group. He can. No one would stop him. What about two days from now? Or three. Or a week. What about when there's that barely any food left.

Then would you let him? Of course. Your group is totally fucked. Might as well let that five-year-old lead it. He laughed and pointed out of a kid and his mom who's gone on with us in Columbus. You're insane. It won't come to three days or week. They can't leave us here that long.

It's been four fucking days, Stikes. No one has come. No one over the PA. Take a look outside. The buses are gone. We're alone. We've been abandoned. Get that through your fucking head or don't.

Hell, it makes things easier for Kansas City. You hear that everyone? When you're hungry, make sure you go to Minneapolis' vending machine. It's a free fall over there. His group laughed and then seemed to melt back into their territory. Matt grabbed my arm and led me away. Again, I could hear Emily screaming at the bloody guy in the hallway. she seemed pissed he'd gotten into it with kansas city

i also caught a man his eye walking back to a art area i could read what she was telling me in her eyes now you know the way things are be smart three days they're like speaking each other tribe mentality has happened after 72 hours is crazy you see that the buffets are

gone no pop tarts are gone man i'll be outside yeah when the pop tarts and doritos cool ranch flavor is gone it's going to be a fucking bloodbath in here in kansas city it's not going to be friends with anybody you hear me the next day seemed the next day seemed different my eyes were open to the actual dynamics of the situation all the things that have been going on in the background while i ate my pop tarts and pined away from melody again there's no pa announcement that day and again people try to break down or disassemble the employees only door the employees area we could get to had already been raided there's nothing useful that morning i asked dylan to take

everything out of our vending machines stockpile it in the corner when he said he didn't have enough money i told him to break the class which he did in an hour the other groups followed suit breaking into their vending machines as well so hold on hold on hold on they're going to start beating each other to like unconsciousness, but they didn't break the, they were still paying with quarters. Yeah, they were all. They had the, they had the right mind to at least still pay with the quarters. Yeah. There's like a shaman at the front, like, sitting in front of where the PA desk is with like a book he wrote. And he was like, the great text says we must abide by the rule of the quarter. I tried like hell to get to the quarters, but they were in a locked

metal box. I just wanted them for the pay phones to hear the line connect, to listen to the static, tell mellows always right here. I couldn't get to them. We didn't have a doctor or nurse in our group, but we did have a nursing student named Miles. He's able to calculate body weights and, with max help, rationed all our food individually, and we could last 18 days at minimum levels for survival. I hope to God we didn't need that long. That's also not true. If you have water, can go way more than 18 days if you already have food, but whatever. Whatever Survivor Man. What?

I said, whatever Survivor, man. I mean, you'd be miserable, but if you are eating food and ratcheting it, you're going to live a lot longer than that. I can only have one. If you're just sitting there. I can only have one ding dong and one Mamba a day. Yes. That's all you get.

I'd actually, I'd live off that. Mamas and ding-dongs, are you kidding me? Sounds like heaven. That sounds great. I feel like if you're in this situation, you just be like, why are you all so weird? Why is everyone being so weird right now? Yeah. I mean, don't be wrong.

It would be uncomfortable, but at the same time, I'd be like, why are we all acting like tribes? Can we, let's like, are you role playing? What is happening? Yeah. What are how long it takes until they kill somebody and they cook and they cook like a body or something like that? It's got to lead to that. Four days.

Yes, a day. They're going to cannibalize someone in the United States just in the middle of a blizzard. I hope to God we didn't need that long. I could only hope the other groups rationing their food as well. And if not, we had a schedule of centuries. Okay. All right.

They got centuries, Hunter. What the fuck are centuries? We had a schedule of centuries? Yeah, centuries. Yeah. Centuries are guards. Okay. Oh, I see.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. That's why I was slaving it. Yeah. It's not, didn't even say we had a schedule of guards. Century is an old Roman word for guard. I was just saying it lost me.

Yeah. They're just like Spartan warrior standing there. Yeah. Yeah. They have bronze shields and spheres. Yeah. Uh. So that.

Well, everyone eats their evidence. They have the giant red brush helmets. Yeah. So that two people from our group were always awake and watching for trouble. We melted snow for water, tried to wash clothes. Everyone stunk, a whole station. By the fifth day, the situation was critical.

People cried all the time. Arguments, fistfights, yelling. I watched a woman from Denver. I watched a woman from Denver, shove a woman from Kansas City into the wall. It erupted to chaos on both sides. Kansas City came after Denver and soon dozens of people on both groups were five. hiding, Kansas City having the clear advantage. I was halfway across the room when Akker finally

intervened, calling his group back with a laugh and telling them to... Play nice! On the sixth day, we finally got news. Crackled with the PA after so long probably scared everyone in the building, but we hung on every word that came after. Good afternoon, folks. Station Master here. Just wanted to give you a quick update. We still have quite a blizzard outside, so we are not able to depart any buses at this time. However, we are hoping the weather will clear up in the next couple days. So sit back. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, if that's your thing, and settle it. Please also remember that this is very important that you do not leave the station for your own safety. Thanks, folks.

Will you know when we have something more? The room, which had been quietly gasping and cursing during the announcement, became loud and chaotic when it ended. I felt the same. A few more days. Days. Delicate ecosystem of human suffering would not support days more of this. Oh, damn it.

Damn is right. As all Max said. And then set down. to work on a document he had been writing for the last few days. He was often writing or erasing and rewriting. I knew better than to ask him about it. But Gracie seemed to think he needed to do it. Dude, the thing I said about like writing a book, like a religious text.

Yeah, it's becoming reality now. It's becoming reality. Also, it's funny to imagine that before a group of guys are like, even, hey, I'm going to tie a rope to the door and try to look around the side of the building where like the back entrances and stuff, before they try. any of that they're like we're gonna start bashing people you know it's it i'm curious to see when it starts like when we start figuring out what exactly is outside also too i'm surprised that like also there hasn't been more of an attempt to break down the door to where the people are sitting at the

station master you know actually i just i just had a thought when i was talking about like people trying to figure it out you know what kind of story this reminds me of what this reminds me of an m night chamelon story i can see that like a little twisty kind of thing yeah i could see that Yeah, like there's a twist at the end and people are like turning on each other and there's a group we got. There's like a cast of characters who each have like a quark about them or something like that and I'll try to figure it out, you know? Yeah. I don't suppose you got any more of those M&Ms, Gracie. I asked one day when I caught her counting out individual nuts for the rations.

Fuck, I wish. Most of the last couple days for me had been getting to know the other people in the Indianapolis group and playing cards. Gracie was the best at poker and often ended up with all the peanut shells. which we've been using as chips. Macplate 2, but seem less and less his usual jovial. Read the sarcasm there. Self as the days passed. Dylan drew a lot and talked about Sarah,

how he met her work. Why they'd broken up his fear of commitment. When he realized he loved her, ran into her years later at a New Year's Eve party, and how it was going to be different this time, which he didn't have all worked out, but he had faith. It almost seems like all of it's like a, it's almost like a love sick tour bus. you have Mack who like who got broken up and he doesn't even have the girl's number he's just meeting her there

you have uh Gracie with her like methed up boyfriend who's like obviously abusive and assaulting her Dylan broke up with his girl and I was like trying to win her back and then now even uh even uh Stikes is like right like he is desperately trying to be with her but it's like almost like the universe is splitting them apart but he initially like was going on the bus to flee her I'm almost literally wondering if his love for his love for his uh for mel is what's fucking it's like what it's what's causing the storm or something that um i think that would be an interesting idea if there's if there's some connection between the love stuff and the storm you know maybe i don't know i hope it doesn't go nowhere that'd be sad but the following day was the seventh day a milestone an

entire week we all had horrible headaches from the ever a light bright fluorescent lights We weren't eating as much as we should, and we were all bored to tears. This was the mood when Amanda and John Pollock approached us with two other Denver ends in tow. The group had all kept striculated themselves since the night of the fight between Denver and Kansas City, so I was immediately wary. I met them at the top of the aisle with Mac and Dillon at my sides. Pollux, what can we do for you? John cleared his throat. We're actually just taking stock of food.

Our area had a cigarette machine and a soda machine, so. We've run out of actual food fairly quickly. We're hoping. We need all the groups to donate food to Denver. I had to interrupted. We're dying. You're dying? Yes.

Or we will if we don't get any food. What do you have to trade? Are you kidding? This is a matter of life and death, you heartless fuck. Exactly. So what do you have to trade? We're not trading anything. Pity.

Gracie says, standing up on her chair next to us. You can't get something for nothing, you know. Cigarette! We can trade. you cigarettes and soda. Dad, no, they don't need any of that. We'll take it. Keeping up morale's important, too. Cigarettes and soda will help. You got any weed? Gracie asked, is she leered over the exchange? Why don't you just give us some food and when you want cigarettes? No. We have 12 people to feed, including a kid. You have 15. You want food. You trade. I'm guessing you really want food.

Find. We will make a trade. One moment. I walked back into the Minneapolis group and let them know what was happening. Most people were okay with the trade as long as we got enough back and as long as there is enough for us to survive for another week. The mother and her son were less enthusiastic about it but as a parent I want to trade food my child could eat for soda and cigarettes either. But there were other people in the station who could starve if we didn't. I returned to the Polacks with my offer. We want 20 sodas, 20 pack of cigarettes. We'll give you 15 packs of nuts, five packs of trail mix, and 10 assorted candy bars in trade. That is a horrible trade.

That's absurd. We need more. We have 15 people. Then I suggest you ration it. Emily sneered and step up in Mack's face. I tinned. Sure, she was going to try something, but all she did was stare and then tell him, You stink.

To which Mac laughed. All we've been able to have were makeshift showers and the bathroom sinks. Everyone stunk. We exchanged what was promised and then I watched as the Polacks made a similar deal with Salt Lake. They had more people. people, so offered less, but Emily kept her temper and check this time. Finally, I saw them make their way over to Kansas City. Or I could even wonder how that go, Acker's voice carried across the entire building.

Keep walking, honey. You don't have anything we want. She said something back to him and Acker laughed. Hopefully whatever she got from us in Salt Lake would be enough to get by for a couple more days. But the 10th day at Whitefall, 10 days. But the 10th day at Whitefall, no one was crying or screaming or fighting anymore. Most people slept a lot. Conversations were quietly spoken.

I occasionally saw people quietly leave out of the station when it was my turn for watch. It looked like they've had enough. Never came back. I just want to say to you, after 10 days, this is when I would believe that people are starting to get tribal and shit, like very, very guarded with the resources. Around 10 days, if you combine the beginning of the tribal stuff,

with they keep sending more people to look who aren't coming back, then I think the tribal thing began. like if you have someone who's like I'm just gonna hug the wall and look over this back wall that guy doesn't come back someone's like here I'm just gonna hold a few belts together

it'll be like five feet out never comes back combined that with 10 days and then I think the tribal stuff starts you know yeah because that's when people get like hungry you know Salt Lake was the first to really struggle they had the biggest

group but still had tried to share with Denver they were down to half rations before any of the other groups we offered them what we could spare still 16th day a rumor spread that someone had died watched them hauled the girl out into the snow he was very slight to begin with not an ounce of fat on her

her skin looked gray made it look shell-shocked I knew she felt responsible the girl was hers from Salt Lake City Group I remember that look for the rest of my life by the 18th day 18th just casually on just another fucking week passes good Lord

almost reminds me the flow of this almost reminds you of like infinite ikea or something oh yeah it does it does kind of feel like that a bit doesn't it yeah yeah by the 18th day i realized the baby wasn't crying anymore oh that's a great ooh oh that was a good like point of dread right there just that because it doesn't elaborate further it's all it says i forgot about the baby but that's medicine. That I like that part. We were, I mean, obviously not the dead baby, but you get what I mean. Like the I like the dead baby. It's a horror

podcast. Huh, yeah. Anyway, we were dangerously low on food. Miles had dropped us to half rations. Still called Mel, just to hear the static, but I talked to her all the same. Told her how much I loved her in our growing baby. Told her I was always right here. The boredom had really gotten to people. They laid

around staring at walls, half catatonic. They begged Miles, keeper of of our food for something to eat. He just shake his head every time, not saying anything. He looked to be cracking, too. Mack worked on his pages, Dylan Drew, Gracie counted almonds over and over again. People played cards. We waited for rescue.

On day 19, we were awakened from our stuber by the loud crack of the PA again. It had been weeks and most of us were too shocked to react to the noise. Morning, folks. Just wanted to give you another update. We've heard from the National Weather Service that the storm shouldn't let up for another 10 or 12 days. not what you wanted to hear i'm sure but chita help yourself for a coffee or tea please of course let us know if you need anything or have any concerns we can't wait to get you back on the road that's fun that would drive me insane well i mean it's obviously like the voice being like 10 to 12

days it's like uh whatever entity is controlling all this is just speaking in the voice of the pa person you know yeah i imagine whenever the pa person left the desk and they can't get into the doors into the backrooms, that's when like the supernatural thing took over. Maybe the actual workers there died or something like that. You know, it's almost like, it's not as good quality, I wouldn't say. But it's a little left, right game to me, where it's like you get on the road and you enter this other dimension, right? But the rules are different and there's something happening behind the veil and all that. It's still so, uh, it's still so vague though of what is besides like the idea that's like, okay, well, they're stuck in some kind of like loop or maybe it is just chaotic weather, but right now

it's still extremely vague. There's no way it's chaotic. I can't be chaotic with everything. I'm just saying for no, people are just yeah, yeah, people are disappearing out in the void and stuff like that. I would like less about the Lord of the Fly stuff and I would like more supernatural storm mist stuff myself or at least let the Lord of the Fly stuff shows like. Because like you said, in the mist, they do get to the Lord of the Fly's point. It just takes a really long time, right? Yeah. Dead silence reigned after the PA shut off.

Shocked silence. Pauled silence. So some guy from Denver broke it. Why are some fucking concerns? He screamed, ran full force at the employee's only door, using his head as a battering ram again and again. I could see the blood spreading across the metal door from across the room. People sprung up out of their seats, not to help him.

No, they flung him aside and began battering the door. over and over piles of people running into the door shoving against it again and again i could hear the metal buckling from the other side of the room i was honestly surprised people had the strength after eating so little but then i noticed most of those battering the door were kansas city they hadn't shared any of their rations with the other groups allowed crack and the door broke in people trampled each other to get inside and mack and i were hauling ass over there immediately as well grab what you can. I yelled to the rest of the group who followed us in.

Okay, so now I'm annoyed because I thought it was just like a supernatural thing they couldn't open that door, right? But are you telling me they could have broken that if they just tried hard enough this whole time and no one did that? Maybe we don't know yet. Maybe there's something in there with the door, you know what I mean?

Beyond the door was anarchy. People grabbing and tearing it everything from coffee grounds for the staff coffee pots, rolls of paper towels to books. I could only hope my group was hoarding shit as well. The inside of the room was pretty disappointed in the end. Carpeted room with lockers, a couch, and a few nicer chairs,

and another smaller room with manifest route maps and the PA system. Where the fuck are they? Dylan yelled. Where indeed? There were no drivers here. I want to make the announcement. There was nothing.

No one. So where'd they gone? Where was the man who had been speaking to us five men? minutes ago. I became aware of a commotion at the same moment that Mack tried to clue me into it. Acker and a couple others of his group trying to push people out. What the hell, Hacker? This ain't your show. I said coming into the main room, turned to me and spat on the floor at my feet. This is Kansas City territory. This room and everything in it is ours.

Fuck you, that's not happening. Crazy said, and then picked up an empty coffee pot and hurled it at the wall. Now now, play nice little girl. Hey, snapped my fingers in his face to give his attention back on me. You think you own this room because the door is near your so-called territory? Yeah, but if you want to dispute that, we'll gladly reconsider. I didn't need to look around the room to know that would never happen. Akers Group was surprisingly healthy looking and had more men than women or children.

The other groups, even mine, were pale and tired. If you wanted a carpet and a couch, he could have them. Books, I said. Let us take as many books as we want and we won't dispute. claim to this room. Some brunette standing next to Acker laughed. Take the fucking books. You got anyone knows radios in your group? Mac asked him. Acker narrowed his eyes of Mac as if he'd beaded and if he should answer and then nodded tightly. Try to rig the PA system to call out. Or maybe look around for the system that will.

We don't want to be here any more than you do. Old man. Fine. I'll turn to my group. Take the books. As many as you can handle, it'll help with the boredom. Yes, everything. Take everything. I wasn't about to leave them a single page. Amanda Hewann seemed to agree in her group, bigger as it was, to give him more than we did. I saw someone with a copy of The Shining and plucked it right out of her hands. The Shining, huh? Gracie said, noticing the book in my hand. Yep, Stephen King, genius stuff. Southern to pass the time since we only hear from the PA once a month. Yeah? What I want to know is where's the fucking coffee and tea? Group kept to themselves for the rest of the day. Kansas City locked behind the employees-only door. I could only imagine what was going to

on in there. So far, they hadn't screwed with anybody, so I was happy to let them keep to themselves. It was a couple days later, maybe 9 o'clock at night, that the first murder occurred. Most of us were reading, a few of us sleeping. Gracie and Dylan were playing cards. I was in conversation with Miles. The food, even at half rations, would only last a few more days. Things were dire. It's time to drop to quarter rations, like Salt Lake and Denver had days before. What about boiling clothes or leather or something? He shook his head. We'll do it, but it's not going to be enough.

Damn. Maybe we can talk to Kansas City. Why Kansas City? They're dangerous, likely to stab me for just asking. Because, look at them. They're not weak. Not one person at the group is showing signs of malnutrition. They have food.

Denver and SLC are as fucked as we are. I sighed. looked toward their door. The word was hardly out of my mouth before the door was flung open and a guy from Denver was pushed through it. He was young, 20s maybe, and he was small. Acker followed the stumbling man out. Where the fuck are you, woman? She emerged from the hallway her group had been using, a bored look on her face. What is it? What are you doing with Jeremy? You mean you're a little spy? We got him creeping through our vent, trying to get into our area. You know anything about this? Of course not.

think I'm stupid? Jeremy, for his part, looked terrified. He said not a word, tried to catch himself as Acker and the brunette, I think her name was Natalie, shoved in between them violently. You're saying you didn't send this little prick to steal from us? No, we wouldn't do that. You have nothing we want. You forget, we've all been inside your little room. Acker studied her a moment longer and then picked up Jeremy and shoved him at her feet. The rest of the Kansas City group seemed to materialize behind her, in healthy and shrunker. just as miles it said. They deal with him.

In front of everyone here. Spread out his arms and gesture to the entire station. Show us how you deal with thieving spies. We'll deal with you since you seem to speak for Denver. I wasn't going to take anything. Jeremy protested, but then Emily kicked him in the ribs and he gasped. Yeah. Anchor smiled and leaned back against the wall, folding his arms.

That's a good start. Emily didn't even hesitate. kicked him again, and then again, and because she was two weeks, do any more damage, she addressed her group. Participate in Jeremy's punishment. All of you. A couple members of her group stepped forward, also looking hesitant. The other stayed back.

Emily stepped away and gestured at Jeremy again, who was moaning on the floor and bleeding from his mouth. Participate or you don't eat today or tomorrow. God, and my old and Mac who had appeared alongside me agreed. It was brutal. The kicks, the punches, they were weak. Jeremy, like his attackers, was frail. Went on for an entire minute before I couldn't take it anymore. That's enough, Emily. You're going to kill him.

I yelled as I left my group to approach the chaos. Yes, that's quite enough. I would say he's learned his lesson. Everyone's stopped. No. Emily said quietly, but it didn't matter that the words were soft. Her group wouldn't have heard them anyway. They were mad with bloodlust, punching, kicking. angry angry at their situation the hopelessness of it they're likely impending deaths but not as jeremy who

by now had gone silent and when the last of them finally ran out of steam and collapsed on the floor next to him jeremy breathed his last death rattle oh my god heard gracy whisper from somewhere behind me emily ordered the body dragged outside kansas city went back into their room salt lake city looked on as if nothing had happened and i dropped into a seat next to dylan who continues to sketch mountains for was Sarah. Everything's gonna be different now, he said without looking up from his book. And he was right. That was the night the power went out.

It had been over three weeks and we had all gotten used to the blinding fluorescent lights, which never dimmed and always hummed. I didn't mind the darkness so much at first. We had lighters and someone had found a couple candles among the books in the employee break room. It was heat we missed most, and that became an issue within the first hour. I'd everyone pull out all the clothes in their bags and then assigned the them so that everyone in my group would stay as warm as possible. Next, we inventoried matches and lighters.

When that was done, we dragged two metal garbage bins in our territory into our area, and piled all the wood we could find, chairs, small tables, wall paneling, into the corner of our section next to the food. I watched as the other groups did the same. Salt Lake City of Indianapolis each had piles and piles of books which would work for kindling. Denver, as far as we could tell, only had a few books, or a few books. none at all. No one had any idea what was happening behind the closed doors of Kansas City's new territory,

but it wasn't long before we saw the orange glow of fire underneath the crack in the door. That made sense. They have years of paper manifest in charts back there. Smoke, with nowhere to go, hovered over us. It had to crack the door for ventilation, which only seemed to make it colder. Dime became confusing. Miles lost track of when to feed people. My watch kept running, but the time never seemed right.

Day bled to nine and back to day slower than I thought it should have. Life became a slow, boring, painful nightmare. We burned the book slowly, took turns in front of the fire. Denver struggled with the fire. They started eating snow, which Miles had already told me. It was one of the worst things you could do. Burns energy to warm snow up in your body. We tried to tell them, but Emily told me to screw off.

And then one day Amanda came to speak to me. I just hung up the phone. My hundredth called the Melody, to listen to the static, tell it that I was always there. I hadn't heard Melody's voice in weeks. Stikes? I looked up to find the tall woman standing at the payphone next to me. She was pale and thin and her skin was purple in places. Imagine I looked much the same. I nodded at her. How have you been?

Eh, could be better, I guess. I don't know the feeling. Have you lost anyone? Not yet. That soon. Everything felt heavy in my chest. We would lose someone soon. An older woman named Valerie or possibly even Mac. It was more absorbed in his letter writing every day. People were starting to get sick.

We lost some of him last night. I'm sorry, Amanda. We have a bigger group who's bound to happen to you first. Dan, he got sick. Alex, he was in his 30s healthy, but he just got sick. I'm sorry. She took a deep breath. We went to bring him out of the snow to bury him where we buried Andrea.

She was gone. What do you mean? She wasn't dead? No, she was definitely dead. My brain was cloudy, slow to work, slow to process. Are you saying she got up and walked away? No. I was saying someone took her.

Someone took her body? Yes, Stikes. Someone took her body. What for? We don't know, but you know, no. Natalie from Kansas City. Yeah, I know that was a bitch. Yeah, I know the bitch. Yeah. Well, yesterday when she came out these, when she came out to use the restroom, she was, she was wearing Andre's jacket. One we buried her in. They're eating them by the way. But yeah,

go ahead. I don't, I don't think that's what's happening. You don't think so? I fear this is going to become another weird sex thing. No, I don't think you think so. I don't think so. I don't think so just the note earlier about Gracie with like oh she knows too much for age and the guy on the bus who was touching her and then like the thing with him having a girl

and she's pregnant and everyone being related to love and stuff and mention over and over that Kansas City is primarily men I think that they're primarily the people are dying and they're digging them up and they're eating them and they're like stripping them with their clothes and shit is what I think that's also why they look so

healthy I'm just saying And if that's right, there might be, I feel like Kansas City is going to want to trade for Gracie, you know? Right. Because this is a, this is a St.K. Walker's story. We'll see, we'll see. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see. Okay, so Kansas City stripped her corpse for clothes. I think there's more to this than that, Chris.

You think they're abusing her corpse? I didn't know a politer way to say it. No, Stikes, come on, think about it. They're eating her. I heard Gracie before I saw her. She'd been standing next to me. God knows how long. Eating her?

We think so too. Our wall is near the door. We smell meat cooking sometimes. Do you remember when they were first moving in that room? They were almost as starving as we were. Right. And have you seen them lately? I groaned.

This was something. This was wrong. Eating dead bodies. So what I'm saying is, be careful. Be careful of Kansas City. Even more than you have been. Andre is dead. Jeremy's dead.

And now Alex. What's going to happen when they run out of supplies? I got to talk to Mack. I ran a cold, numb hand through my greasy hair. Listen, maybe we can agree to some sort of alliance. We'll watch your back. You watch ours. She nodded.

I think that's necessary at this point. I nodded goodbye and then stalked over to Mac. who was viciously erasing a sentence from his letter. We gotta talk. Oh yeah? About what? Kansas City. What they do now?

Salt Lake thinks they're eating the dead. Mack nodded and kept writing. That makes sense. Mack, this is a big deal. They got the first girl that died and that kid Jeremy. And Amanda lost someone last night, but he was sick. Not sure if they'll eat him. You're worried about what happens when they run out of him.

the meat stock. Recuel, that is phrase. Yeah, if that's what they're doing, they're stronger than we are. Yeah, well, we've got a bigger problem than that. What problem? I don't know if you've been watching, but Denver don't have no fires today. I threw it my hands. We've had enough to deal with trying to protecting our own people and have Salt Lake. I can be concerned with Denver getting cold. Max stopped riding and flipped the page over. He looked at me with hooded eyes. What do you mean now, Salt Lake? What did you promise them? Just that we'd watch their back and they would watch ours. Are you kidding me?

We don't have the resources for that. Or the energy. Their big group in this territory has strategic disadvantage, especially for defense. That human woman means well, but that group is fucked. They have huge numbers. We- Huge numbers don't mean nothing if they can't even stand up. What was I supposed to do, Mac?

Huh? She didn't have to warn me about KC. Like I said, we've got bigger problems than some cannibalism. Bigger problems that things. Like what? Like the fact that Acker and the Polacks have been talking an awful lot lately. Dylan. Dylan was the most observant person I'd ever met. He was a good person to have this conversation.

Come here. Dylan handed his notebook to Dan, five-year-old in our group. Dan was pale and thin, definitely showing signs of malnutrition, but he was also eating the best out of all of us. He made sure of it. Dylan sat down next to Mac and nodded at the letter. Get it right yet? Getting there.

Not like she'll read it. just passes that time. I was curious what he met. Who was for? But like Max said, we had bigger problems. What do you think about the Polacks and the Acker? Dylan shook his head. I don't know.

Looks kind of like they made a deal about something. Possibly food. More likely a power alliance, though. That doesn't make any sense. Denver's the weakest group. Acker wouldn't have chosen the worst. Not necessarily. Definitely.

Denver is also the most ruthless of the three of us. Which means whatever deal they were trying to make is not good for us. Damn. Dylan shrugged. We'll just have to wait and see. No, no we don't. We need something to defend ourselves with. The metal from the chairs or something.

We can break them and then bend them into big metal pipes. If we have the energy, we can try. So we did. It was exhausting and what we got out of it may not have been worth the effort. The fruits of our labor were seven jagged, sharp, curved pieces of shiny metal. It wasn't great, but it was better than nothing. It could have been hours, or it could have been days later that the raid happened. By the time I was woken up, it was already over.

Dylan and Jessica had been on watch, and it seemed that was all they'd done. What happened? I asked, looking over at the Salt Lake City Group, who looked scared and a little shell-shocked. Kansas City and Denver went over. Acker and Polack's exchange some words with Amanda. It didn't seem to go well. Emily grabs him, girl from Salt Lake and shoved her head into the bone, broken glass and the vending machine. She was bleeding everywhere.

Salt Lake is big. They tried to fight it, but they're just so weak. With Casey backing them, the fight was quick. Lots of injuries in Salt Lake. Denver and Casey together. Chris, there was nothing we could have done, even if you were awake. I promised that... What did they take?

Their food? Their books. Unanswered. That was when I noticed that Salt Lake City didn't have a burn barrel for warmth. Denver dead. Shit, I'll go talk to Amanda. She was curled on her side, laying against a wall. When I had met her weeks ago, Amanda had been a confident, strong, vibrant woman,

but now she looked like a different person entirely. I kneel down next to her. I heard about what happened last night. I'm sorry. There's nothing you your group could have done. Denver and Casey together. We were too weak to fight it. We've got a decent supply. We've got a decent supply. apply of books, why don't you come join our group? We'll figure out food and then at least it'll be warm. I suggest that this morning with what's left to Salt Lake City. They don't want anything to do with the other groups. It was included. Amanda, they'll die. Do they realize that? Yes. They're tired. We're all tired. No rescue is coming. They've accepted it. Before long we'll be eating each other. No, we won't.

she gave me a half smile they didn't reach her eyes and she closed them and coughed I hope you survive the stakes I'm curious where the it just doesn't seem like a normal like I'm wondering where the paranormal or like the kind of like surreal moment is coming in because right now it really does just read like people stuck in a snowstorm if it is a purgatory thing then maybe it's uh like a test you know yeah kind of got that vibe initially where they throw the guy off the bus so it's kind of like they're being tempted or like they're it's like how do you handle these situations? So maybe this is like a final trial by fire sort of thing before the afterlife.

Maybe. Who knows? But I did survive it, but John Pollock didn't. Days later, Kansas City came out of their room, something they rarely did anymore. They dragged a desk out behind them. Dylan and I were at the pay phones. Me, listening to the static. Dylan talking softly down the line, Sarah, or whom he imagined was Sarah, I assume.

There was very little to keep us saying after a month at Whitefall. Acker and Natalie and a few larger members of Kansas City approached Denver's hallway. John stepped out first, followed by his daughter, Emily. The rest of Denver stayed back against the wall. So? Acker started. Denver. We provided us.

That wasn't the deal. Emily folded her arms, tried to appear casual, but it was obvious from the sweat on her brow that she felt anything but. Holding out on you how? You got what was promised. Did I? Because it seems to me that war. You got the books you begged for. We did not receive the payment you promised.

So where is it? Emily shifted on her feet. We delivered the boy. That was not the deal. You were very aware of the terms when we agreed to assist you in finding fuel for your fires. So where is the woman? Emily dropped her arms. We're starving too.

There are 14 people in my group. We need to eat. We only had cigarettes and soap. in our territory. That's not my problem. Where's the woman? She's gone. She was gone days ago. You don't know what it's like in that hallway. That is not my problem either. I was the promise an adult and I didn't receive one. You lied to me. deceived us. That won't stand. Acker looked over at a large, red-haired man in his group. The man grabbed Emily by the back of her head and walked her to the burning barrel in Denver's hallway. Moved to intervene yet again

because this could only be brutal, could only end one way. Dylan shot his arm out and shook his head. We had our own problems. We had been down to quarter rations for days. We were boiling clothing, eating leather. We needed to pick our battles, and we weren't even a part of this war. The red-haired man shoved Emily at Acker, who caught her by the hair. Emily screamed as Acker, pushed her head down toward the barrel.

Stop, just stop! We'll get you what we promised, I swear it! John Pollack yelled as a woman held him back and another KCN took a shot at his ribs. Please don't hurt her. I swear we'll get you twice what we promised for the books. It's too late for that. Denver betrayed our arrangement. Emily Pollack speaks for Denver. Therefore, Emily Pollock will take the punishment. Akro shoved Emily's head deeper into the barrel and we heard the hiss of flame meeting skin and the smell of burning hair. Jesus. Emily didn't scream. She moaned. Sort of mowing a dying animal maces is being consumed, but still lives to feel the viscera being ripped from its body.

Please, please stop! John yelled again, tears running down his face. Dylan looked away, but I had to watch. I spoke from Indianapolis. I had to watch for them. Pity. You were really quite pretty. Can't imagine what you look like now.

Should we finish it? Burn you in this barrel? Your group would be warm for days, won't they? The leader should sacrifice for her people. Emily moaned again, but still, she fought with their legs kicking and jabbing. Acker laughed, pulled her head out of the barrel, and threw her back against the wall.

Her hair was burned away from the front half of her head. Her skin was melted, curled and grotesque. But she lived. So? Packer started and helped Natalie tie a long cord over the ceiling beam that ran above the desk. Who speaks for Denver? People in the hallway said nothing.

John was docile, limp. Zavall hope was lost. His daughter already dead. Well? Come on, tell me. Acker insisted, climbing on top of the desk and securing the cord while Natalie had somehow expertly tied into a noose. Who speaks for you? Is it Emily Pollock?

She'll be dead within days with those injuries and she knows it. Is it her? Silence, and then... Memo Ed. We all heard it. We all heard Emily try to speak as her bulginized, watched Natalie twirl the noose. Hacker jumped down from the desk and squatted in front of her. hands on his knees.

Seems you're the one willing to make a decision, Cherry Pie. So I'll ask you. Who speaks for Denver? My... Again, sweetheart. Speak up. My... Are you saying your father?

Emily nodded weakly. John lifted his head, the expression on his face one I can't even describe. Pain. Total devastation. His daughter was selling him out when she had no hope to live for her. herself. Disgusting. Ak whispered beside me. Acker rose. Do you agree? He asked the rest of Denver. We still cowered against the wall in the hallway. Is it John Pollock that speaks for you? At first no one moved, but then there were a few nods of weak agreements. Acker shrugged.

So be it. You nod to the woman holding John and she dragged toward the table. John didn't fight didn't seem to want to escape his fate. Natalie and the red-haired man hoisted John on top of the table and put the noose around his neck. Dylan was shaking next to me and I turned him away, pushed him toward Gracie, who caught him in her arms, but she continued to watch the lynching. Akker addressed the rest of the room. Promises are very important in the survival situations. They are often the difference between life and death. Denver betrayed us and John Pollock will die for that. This is a lesson to everyone still alive. Do not fuck with Kansas City. Akker leaned in close to John and told him something not

meant for the entire room to hear, but I heard it. Once you're dead, we're going to eat you, and then we're going to eat your daughter. John remained stoic, unmoving and unspeaking as Akker hopped down from the desk. No ceremony at all. Natalie and the red-haired man pushed the desk out from under John. Rope dropped half a foot and grew taut. John kicked him we pulled at the news around his neck. I said full minutes, several until he stopped moving. I watched it all. I mean, like all of this like weird.

I mean, I got it. The mist is just so clear. Like it just, I keep thinking of the mist. But I will say like this, this brutal. Not only that, but the whole mention to Stephen King. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's definitely a huge nod to the mist.

But I do, I, you know, these moments are fun where it now starts to get into the real tribalism kind of stuff of you know almost like fucking judge Holden or something is what it reminds me of just this brutal guy taking shit you know what I mean it seems judge Holden right yeah I'm yeah I wouldn't really yeah

but no I would say more so it fits like the religious leader judge Holden's whole thing is he demands to be the god of effectively his own god of creation that wars man's ultimate calling. This is more so, I mean,

Lord of the Flies is a decent time. I forget the name of the leader of the jocks in that, but it's kind of reminiscent of that sort of thing. But I mean, a lot of stories about like, I mean, they're all kind of like people being stranded and breaking up into groups. It hits the same theme of the woman, like the religious woman who becomes like the

kind of nut job leader of the group in the store. Yeah. Which depending on how you view that story, her death is actually the sacrifice that makes the misgo. away. She don't know why the mist ends. She dies and then the mist leaves. The, uh, Emily selling out her dad there was pretty crazy. That was pretty wild too. Yeah. Yeah. Just absolute. Just all of them become monstrous, selfish. That, that shot me pretty bad. I mean, usually in stories like that, it's usually, uh, like obviously a parental relationship or like a father-daughter. Usually,

they're like going to be really tight-knit, but in this one, like almost immediate, I mean, it's not immediate, but it is surprising that it's just like, like, oh yeah fuck it take my dad not me yep well we'll keep on chugging next part emily died the next day from what we heard she never spoken again last words the ones that ordered her own father's execution further penance for their crimes kansas city had taken all of Denver's books and wood and half of their remaining food which left them with one pack of nuts for 12 people he began to die one by one over the next three days most were sick already like salt lake and as they died the bodies were tossed out into the snow or hauled away by Kansas City, depending on if they died of sickness or starvation.

We're dying. Mack told me one night. Some of us won't last until the end of tomorrow. I know. I don't know what to do about it. I said in the scratch of Dylan's pencil stopped when the words left my mouth. Yes, you do. I'm open to suggestions. What do we do then? What if we have to?

Gracie told me a surprisingly amount of fire in her words for as weak and broken as we all were. I did not survive everything that happened in my life only to die in a fucking bus station. What do you guys want to do? Eat people? Is that it? Want to become cannibals like Kansas City? It's not just Kansas City. It's Salt Lake 2.

Not toward the wall that had once supported over 20 people. But now there were only 13. I was starving. I was unfocused. I hadn't noticed. But it was true. Watched in horror as a man from Salt Lake carved strips of flesh out of a dead woman's leg and handed it over to another woman and what looked like her daughter. They draped the pieces over a metal rod above the meager fire they could afford and watched them cook.

I rose and went to talk to the man with a pocket knife. You're eating the dead. Yeah, said without bothering to look up at me. Amanda's allowing this? Man wiped his face on his sleeve, his eyes were runny. They were also a blank of emotion. Amanda's dead. When?

This morning. But how did you? Why would... She would never have wanted this. It goes against your humanity. It goes against... She's the one who insists upon him. He said, and then gestured to the body he was carving, and it was her.

There's a t-shirt draped over her face, but I would have recognized her long, Auburn hair, now dull and brittle, anywhere. I stumbled back. Oh, my God. God. Matt grabbed my arm and dragged me back to our camp. He shoved me into a chair. Son, listen to me. We can't afford humanity anymore. Those people want to survive. And so do ours. You're saying we should, we should just. I'm saying that I'm dying here anyway. So I won't. But you should. They should.

said gesturing back to our sick dying group of busmates you're not going to die here mac yes i will maybe we all will but you should at least try for it you've got something to live for don't you i swallowed my mouth was dry my lips were cracked who is that you call every day mel meldy my girlfriend she she's pregnant with my kid. A family.

That's enough. That's worth living for. What about you, Mac? Who's that letter for? Who's in Post Falls? Mac leaned back in his seat and smiled first time in weeks. My daughter.

Yeah? You got grandkids too? Smile fell a little. I don't know. She wouldn't say. He was quiet for a moment. I was a dumb kid, knocked up a girl I knew. Nice girl. But I didn't want to be tied down. Left there's some money in my car and I split. I never came back. I never saw her again.

That about my kid a lot over the years. I finally did some digging about 10 years ago and found out I had a little girl. Elaine, she's in her 40s now. It took me a decade to gather up the courage to reach out to her. She was mad He laughed A brutal sound She's still mad Not that I blame her After a couple years of me

Bothering her every few days She agreed to meet me In post falls Just her If she has kids She don't want me around them And I don't blame her for that either I don't deserve to know my grandkids

I was silent for a few minutes Thinking about Mac when I met him I'm desperately want to make his connections and get to post falls on time. We're going to meet her, Mac. What I'm going to do is finish my letter before I die. When I go, you have permission to use my body to fuel yours. Damn it, Mac. I have faith in you, Romeo.

He said and patted me on the shoulder before laying down on the floor to sleep. Max love a lot these days. I say, good man, Mac. Good man, Mac, I agree. And all my qualms about the story, I really like that moment. That was a good moment. I like it. Phil's earned.

Feels like it was kind of alluded to. Like we talked about early, like, why has he got to get a post fall so hard? And he's anxious because that he messed up, doesn't deserve it, can help someone else. I like that. Good character, good moment, all that. It's a fun full circle moment for the relationship too.

Yeah. Yeah. Between like Mac and his daughter versus Chris and getting melody pregnant. And now he's about to be a father. doesn't want to make the same mistakes yeah yeah well it's literally also it's a younger version of i think max sees uh stikes as the man that maybe he sees himself yeah yeah the version of himself he wishes he was you know yeah yeah not doing what uh because mac did what chris almost did at the beginning the story and ran off and left a woman he knocked up yeah but now he's changing that so yeah next part

Denver's gone what Denver's gone The last Ford decided they did rather die making a run for it than expire here against a wall and be eaten. I watched all of them leave an hour ago. And out of my head. That I can understand. Chris, we have to, we have a decision to make. When I was in the bathroom, I heard Kansas City go through the wall. I heard them say that people are dying of natural causes, had no muscle, and wasn't enough to eat. They were arguing.

Arguing about what? About who in their group to sacrifice for food? In their own group? Yes, Chris, things are really bad. They're cannibalizing themselves because they aren't getting enough meat off the dead. You've been starving for a month, maybe more. I don't even know how long it's been. I know.

But we're out of food completely. The peanut shells, the leather, everything's gone. We have to do what we have to do to survive. I know. Hey, Stikes. Dylan interrupted, sat down next to Gracie and gave me a long look. We uh, we lost somebody last. night. What? Who did we lose? Miles. Bring my hands down my face. Damn it. He wasn't eating all of his

rations back when we had food. He was trying to make sure there was enough for Dan and his mom. Damn it, Miles. We need to, before he died, explain to me how to prepare meat for consumption. I heard him. I knew what he was saying. I looked around the 11 remaining members of my group. we wouldn't last much longer miles was only the first okay do it I mean which is a completely reasonable decision yeah I mean come on yeah 100% yeah I mean no reason um also the the real reasonable decision to make I feel like was what the rest of the Denver people did and just run I think you just got to get out of there fuck it yeah you just got to get out of maybe if you die in the snow or there's some giant like monster in the maze or whatever

Yeah. You just got to go. Yeah. I think the easiest thing to do, I mean, you can even make a system where like you leapfrog it, if it turns, keep people at each corner, you know, to keep track of how far you can go and take turns and stuff like that. Yeah. But they're too weak to do that now, but they should have done something like that earlier before they're eating each other. But yeah, in this situation, you have to eat them.

Yeah. It happened at what I can only assume was night. The fire barrels were burning low. More people were asleep than awake. In fact, we had long given up the idea of centuries. No one could stay awake more than an hour. anymore. Our bodies were shutting down. I woke up to screams, half-hearted, weak ones for my own group. It didn't take long to figure out what was wrong. The entire Salt Lake City group had been slaughtered

while everyone slept. Most of them had their throats cut, neck straining blood onto the floor. Kansas City's door was wide open. I could see the bodies being harvested inside. I stumbled to my feet and crossed the long room to the door. I could sense Dylan and Gracie at my back. I saw Akri immediately. He was standing over a grill, an entire Weber grill, flipping pieces of meat over with a fork. Everything smelled of dead flesh. Paper plates full of meat lined bookshelves. The scene was absurd. You murdered them? Was the only thing I managed to push through my teeth. Hey Stikes, yeah. We found this thing in the closet. A whole Weber grill.

Better than the garbage can salt lake was cooking over, right? Murdered them. Launched myself at Acker, ready to tear him apart, but the red-haired guy caught me in the chin with a fist. Went down against the wall. Dylan helped me back up. Easy. Play nice. Acker handed the fork over to someone else in his group and approached me casually, hands in his pocket. It was mostly a waste, you know? All of those people were sick. And those that weren't barely had any meat on them. They weren't going to survive, Stikes. Both of them had only hours left. What we did was humane.

None of this is humane. How many people have you murdered in the station by now? We're starving, man. Look around. Look at our group. We're alive, not at Dust's Door. Nobody's running a marathon, but we're more healthy than your people. And the other groups, we do what we do to survive.

And as in the day, we're all animals. Would you blame an animal for killing to survive? Animals aren't people. No. But people are animals. And you're starting to figure. that out. Last night we saw you. You're people cutting up that kid in the Jets jacket. You're gonna heat him. It was always gonna come to that. You should have done it sooner. Now it's

too late, just like Salt Lake. Is that a threat? Maybe it would have been, but judging by what we're getting off of these fucking people, it wouldn't be worth it. Let me ask you something, Acker. What's the point of surviving if you lose your humanity? leaned into me and I can smell the stench of the people on his breath. That's easy. Surviving. He stared at him as he reached back and pulled a strip of meat from a paper plate and held it out to me. I tied my jaw and he smiled, shoving it into his mouth and chewing, never breaking eye contact with me.

Come on, Chris. Let's go. The smell of cooking meat was strong. Permeated the entire building by now. As much as I hated it, my mouth watered in my mind can think of little else. Miles had been stripped and prepared. Meat was cooking nearby. Dan watched it excitedly, as did the other members of my group.

My only request had been that Dylan and the others harvest the body away from the side of our little camp. Dan was a smart kid and he probably knew, but he was beyond caring. Most of us were. The meat was passed around, but I declined. I'd known Miles, talked to him, strategized with him. I knew he'd been on the way home from college for Thanksgiving break. He was excited about seeing his mom and his mom. his twin brother. So when the makeshift scrapped of metals serving as a plate got to me, I passed on.

Yeah, I was starving, but this was a person. Me? I couldn't eat a person, especially not someone I knew. Kansas City kept their door cracked most of the time to allow the smoke from the Weber to escape. Sometimes we would hear arguments, sometimes out and out brawling before things would go quiet again. Mack didn't work on his letter much anymore. He spent a lot of time listening to Delver's and talk about Sarah. That kind of fondness for young love, I think. Gracie hung out with Dan a lot as his mother was getting weaker and sicker by the day.

She had also passed on the meat, though she encouraged Dan to eat his fill and forbid anyone from admitting what it actually was or who Dan had liked Miles. For my part, I still called Melody every day and told her I was always right here. Also told her I was sorry that I was never going home, that I never see her again.

No, our child. You'd watch how great of a mother. she would become. Time was strange. It drifted by in unfamiliar increments. Hunger was constant. The cold, relentless. Even the fire seemed to lose much of their heat

as the hours passed. We were out of meat for Miles' body on the first day. Then an older man, Harry, died into sleep. His wife told us it was his wish to contribute, so we cooked him and made him too, except for me. Couldn't bring myself to eat a man in front of his wife. And then came the last day.

Very last day we spent at Whitefall. Who knew what day that was? It started with a lot of yelling. It was Acker, of course, and some of his people. A kid who couldn't have been more than 18 ran out of the employee break room. He seemed to be going for the front door, but Acker caught him, threw him on the floor. You know the rules, Clarkson. You've been enjoying them long enough.

He turned to Natalie. Get the hammer. I rose to my feet, shaky and weak. I hadn't eaten anything but leather in days, but whatever was about to happen, would be bad. If I was going to die anyway, maybe I could stop it. Stop this one bad thing from happening. What are you doing? I asked as I reached them. Akker did a table take and then started laughing. Holy shit, Sykes. Is that you? You look fucking horrible. Akker chuckled as I pushed my way into the middle of the melee. What is all this? What are you doing to

this kid? Nothing to do with you. I want to know anyway. Sure you wouldn't rather just toddle along, go finish dying in the corner. What are you going to do with him? Well, see, in the kids of city group, we have a rule about the greater good. And whatever the greatest good is that you can offer the group, well, that's what you got to do. And what's his greatest good? Accur took the hammer from Natalie and pointed at the kid. His meat. That's all he's got left to offer at this point. Gracie's voice rang out from behind me. You're going to kill a perfectly healthy person for their meat? Natalie laughed. it wouldn't be the first time.

You've been cannibalizing your own group? We're surviving, aren't we? You've snapped, Acker. That kid can't be more than 19. Pick an older person. Our older person have other skills we can use. He doesn't. Anyway, this isn't a debate, Stikes.

I've satisfied your curiosity now. Fuck off. Boomer, hold him down. Large red-haired man flipped the kid over and sat on his back, holding his head between his meaty hands. The kid screamed blood. Bloody, terrified murder. I don't think I've ever heard more fear in a voice before or since.

It was all too much for me. As aacker turned toward the kid, I rushed him from behind and sucker punched him in the back of the head. He went down and the hammer skittered across the floor. They were on me in an instant, kicking, punching, even biting, and I couldn't fight back. I was a big guy, but I was thin now, framed of energy. Didn't have the strength. I heard Mack there, fighting. trying to pull them off me.

Mack wasn't a great fighter and the best of times, but now, taste from his death. I heard them beat him. I felt them beat me. At one point I was lying on the floor looking across it, getting kicked from behind. Mac was in the fetal position, covering his head. Gracie was trying to get him,

throwing punches of her own. She really was a little scrapper, but the hits seemed louder when they made contact with her body. I tried to call them off, call them all off, but those sounds came out of me. It's where my memories end. I woke up to someone dumping water down my throat. It was Dylan.

I was on my back on the floor in our camp. I would recognize those ceiling tiles anywhere. I've been staring at them for what felt like years. Take it easy. You got it pretty bad. Dylan said. I set up anyway with great effort. My vision was blurred and my mind was slow.

Everything hurt. Gracie. She's okay. A little banged up, but she's tough. I nodded. sounded like her. Handed the bottled man, I took another sip of water. And Mac?

Dylan didn't respond. Looked over at him, but he was looking out the window. The pain of black snow. And Mac? Mac. Mac was hours away from dying anyways, Chris. And did he? The fight was too much for him.

God, no, Mac. Not you. He said to tell you that he finished his letter. Push my palms in my eyes. Where is it? I put it in your backpack. It seemed like you'd know what to do with it. Right.

Did everyone else? You're scared, but they seem a little stronger. They're eating. Who? Dylan said nothing. Harry? Dylan took a deep breath. Speaking of, you need to eat, Chris.

What about the kid from? Kansas City, did he? Dylan shook his head. They were never going to let him leave. You know that. So he died anyway. After all that. Yeah.

And I got Mack killed too. Mack was done for anyway. I said nothing and drank more water. Gracie was nearby. I could hear singing to Dan. At least I hadn't gotten her killed. Only by the grace of God, though. It's fairly sure God long ago abandoned Whitefall.

Chris, you need to eat. You're weak. Your body needs to repair itself. I look down at the plate in Dylan's lap. It's filled with chunks of gray meat that smelled like rot and death, but also made me salivate with need. I can't. I heard what you said to Mac.

About your girl and your baby. Have you ever told Melody that you would do anything for her? My eyes snapped to his face. Screw you. Would you do anything for your kid? He is he's gonna need you. Melody is it gonna need you? Is that why you do it for Sarah? It's almost quiet for a minute.

No. Not for Sarah. There is no Sarah. I never was. I do it for Sam. There is no Sarah. Everything I told you was true, but about Sam, not Sarah. I love him. Look down at the media is holding. He really must do this

To go against nature Everything that made him human He did it for Sam I lifted my eyes to his face Sam who loves mountains He only nodded and his eyes fell back to the meat He sounds great man He'll smile a little of that and offered to play to me again

Do it for her Do it for them I let out a long, slow breath. You know, Mack, would smack you upside the head if you didn't. I wanted to laugh, but it wasn't in me. Mack had never eaten someone he'd known. He died before having to suffer than indignity. I knew what I was eating.

Good idea of who I was eating. I couldn't do it. But it didn't matter if I couldn't. Because I had to. I was starving. I was dying. Mac died for me. Mel needed me. Our baby needed me. So I reached over and picked up a chunk of silvery meat. It was well done and looked like it was cut for a stew. The smell was sickening, but saliva filled my mouth just the same.

I set the cube inside and began to chew. It was tough, tasteless, but I still swallowed it, practically whole. I took another piece and ate that, and another and another. than I was a rabid barrel starving. I'll say, so this story has dramatically won me back the more it gets near the end with like the chaos and stuff, specifically the stuff around Mac and all that. And that moment about Sam, or the moment with Dylan with Sam who loves mountains, that was a touching moment.

I liked that. Yeah. I saw him as I consumed more and more of the meat. Acker, standing in the doorway of his room, watching me. A smug smile on his face, but I didn't care. Right until only one piece of me remained, as I reached down to take it, the cackle of the PA popped overhead. Some of us screamed in shock, others gasped, and all fell silent.

Good evening, folks. I've got good news. The storm is lit up. The snow has been dug away from the bay doors. We're going to get you out of here within the next 30 minutes or so, so please check the overhead board and the terminal. and line up at the corresponding doorway to your bus. I know many of you making the bus changes in Whitefall, so please be sure to double-check your ticket before lining up.

Our drivers on the bus is warming up for you as we speak, when we'll be all on our way in a few minutes. We'd like to thank you for your patience during this delay. That's so uncanny in the midst of that. I love that. Yeah. It was over. It was over and we were leaving.

The power in the station suddenly clicked back on and we were washed in bright white light, and in it we can see our crimes more fully. The half-eaten bodies, the pools of blood, the class, the broken things, our sunken cheeks and the ribs in our chest, the gray piece of meat in front of me, once my friend, I could see the sinewy strings of muscle and I ate that last piece right then because we were leaving, but I was still hungry. We all rose, picked up what was left of our bags and checked the board in a trance.

I was a door four, Dylan was two, Gracie won. He stood next to each other as we read. the board and we stared at each other as we got in our respective lines but no one spoke. There was nothing to say, not even goodbye. All I had left in my bag was Max's letter, some scraps of clothing and $6 in cash. In a day as I watched the bay door open dug in my pocket for my ticket, which was still there, after all these weeks, now bloody and torn. Richard, our bus driver from before, took my ticket and punched it without a word.

I boarded the bus and took a window seat facing the station. There were only a handful of people on the bus. Everyone else was dead or lost. We were all in shock, not quite believing it was real, that we were escaping, that we weren't going to die in Whitefall. As we pulled away from the terminal, I noticed that the blizzard was over, and I could see for miles. There was no town beyond the bus station.

There never had been. Those that had ventured out and never returned were lost in the white nothingness. I felt a body falling at the seat next to me My eye snapped over to find Akers shoving his ticket into his backpack Hey Stikes Didn't think you'd be on my bus You headed to Seattle too I stared at him

Spokane Nice I'm going to see my girlfriend My family lives there too The Thanksgiving's at my dad's and are always Unfucking Pleasant because of his wife I didn't even want to tell him I was coming Just gonna hide out

at my girl's house. I don't respond. Are you to see your girl? My family. Sucks to be you then. He ends up the top of his bag and dug around a bit and pulled out a king-sized Milky Way. Want one? I have a couple. I stared at the candy bar. You had candy. Macer shrugged. I was saving it. It's my favorite. I tore it out of his hands and stood and pushed against his legs to get out. Name's Luke, by the way. I didn't answer. Just moved to the back of the bus and set in an empty row.

I tore into the candy part and it was gone in under a minute. The first stop we made with the fast food restaurant, I got off and bought the three biggest things on the dollar menu and then filled my water bottle for free. I couldn't think about the events of Whitefall. My body told me to eat, rest, eat, Mel. Whitefall would get its time later. First thing I did when I got out of the receipt was glance at the date.

It was Tuesday the 20th, two days before Thanksgiving. That would mean we were only at Whitefall for one night. One night. It was impossible. I ran straight to the pay phone on the outside of the building, inserted the quarters I'd made sure to get us change and dialed Mandy's number. Mel, Mel, when was the last time? you talk to me. She asked confusion in her voice. When was the last time I called? Bad, I was trying to tell you about my doctor's appointment. The line was really bad.

I try to breathe deeply. Yeah, baby, I heard you. Mel, did you hear me on the line? You were always there. Yeah, and I am, Mel. I do anything for you, for you, and our daughter. Yeah, I really think it is. I heard the driver whistle, then told Mel, I loved her again, and I would call her from Billings. I tried to stagger the burgers, so I wouldn't make myself sick. I was still starving and weak. First burger almost made me throw up. I had half a burger every few hours after that.

I was nervous about post falls. We arrived in the evening, close to nine. It was cold, not as cold as the terminal at Whitefall had been. A clutched Mack's letter in my hand as I exited the bus. I saw her immediately. She had dark hair and was short like Mac. The thing that stopped me dead were the kids in her arms. A toddler on her hip and little boy holding her hand.

And he looked a whole lot like his grandfather. Took a deep breath. A woman looked nervous but excited. She rocked from foot to foot and a man behind her rubbed her shoulder and whispered into her ear. I was glad he was there. I needed support after I gave her the letter. I walked over to Max's daughter and waited for her to notice me, but she didn't even see me. So intent was she on watching the stairs on the bus.

Elaine? She started and her eyes shot to mine. Her eyebrows pinched in confusion. Yes? I held the letter out to her. This is from your father. She took it slowly, then glanced back at the bus. Where is he?

He, uh... He really wanted to come. It was all I could say. I could only hope that Mac told her the rest. He's not coming? Tears filled her eyes. No, but he really... Really wanted to, Elaine.

More than he wanted anything else. Understand. I nodded at the paper in her hands. Read the letter. I turned and headed toward the pay phones. Wait. She called. I turned back to her.

Do you know my father? I'd like to think so. Maybe. Never told me his real name. She was quite a moment. Arthur Warren McKenzie. That's his name. Audit.

Thank you for the letter. She said, then turned back to her husband. I walked toward the phone bank, ready to call my girl. You were wrong, Mac. your whole family was here waiting for you. Man, you know what? That got me. That, that, that, that, that, Al.

That's, uh, your whole family. Not, not, not us choking back tears right now. CK. Walker, man, no, no character, knows dialogue. It's like, I think that's the strongest part of her. Yes. For every, for all my qualms, there will be these like grand slam moments like that. Your whole family's here waiting for you. You just,

Well done. I got off the bus in Spokane. I did it turn around. Acker was still on it. But he spent most of his time listening to his headphones and playing pocket poker. My walking was gone. Got to the fire weeks ago. Then I changed my mind.

Climmed back onto the bus, walked right to his seat. Didn't wait for him to see me and punched him in the face. Need him in the nuts. I used his hair to jerk his face upright. His nose was already bleeding. How's that for plain nice, Acker? I threw him onto the floor while Richard the bus driver yelled at me to get off, promising I never ride a Greylord bus again.

My family was there to meet me at the Spokane Terminal. Took me home, I ate, rested, and eventually got my strength back. My uncles gave me a job. I worked at three weeks and then used the money to buy a ticket for my girl. A plane ticket. Mel gave birth to our daughter in May. He named her Amanda Gracie Steik. out the bus company thought I was crazy when I called to complain they told me there was no

station in Whitefall in fact there are no stops between Fargo and Great Falls Montana furthermore they said there was no city called Whitefall anywhere in the continental United States despite ticket was long gone there was no way to prove it had been real other than the deaths often wondered about those missing persons investigations and where it led the detectives if there were was no whitefall. There was nowhere to look. Must have decided all those people had simply vanished into thin air, and maybe they had. I try not to think about whitefall anymore 30 years later, but it's there at night. In my dreams, the ones that turned to nightmares, I never really

escaped because I always go back. And in my dreams, I always will. So I just want to say this. This is my immediate reaction to that ending. Is this not Max, like it feels like there's a huge connection between everything, between all these like different characters and stuff. It almost feels like the story is being told as if it's the letter that Mac wrote. That's the letter that he gave to Elaine. And like Elaine is that like it's that relationship that could have happened. It feels like there's like not, I'm not saying that that's like literal, but it almost seems like that's the case. is like this weird kind of thing he would told her that's where this record of it comes from

almost it's almost like uh it's almost like the white fall is it is a which this might sound really stupid which you know me i say a lot of stupid things on the show it almost feels like it's different like dimensions or times that are crossing over at the same point like it almost feels like to me like mac was like a representation of him from the future where he did abandon his kid. It almost, it almost even seems like Gracie and like other characters could have been like his, Mel, it could have been his daughter, all through these different time periods where they have intersected because of like this one act of like a person at the very beginning, which is the catalyst of this conflict, which is like Mel showing up being like I'm pregnant and how did

this version of these people respond? It almost seems because right now the, there's a lot of things that like, I don't know if it's just going completely over my head, right? But it seems like one, the setup and this like, almost like the first half of the story almost felt like almost a little bit like a nothing burger. Once again, though, if I went back and reread it, maybe I would catch new things. But it felt like it was just like, it took a while to get there. It took a while to get there in the sense that the first half of the story is legitimately, who are these characters and why are they on the road?

And the way that like we didn't even and like, who are these characters and why around the road. It's more so like who are these characters, like who is Stikes and who are the accompanying characters in this bus or whatever. Like even Gracie and her boyfriend, there's points where I was like, man, you know, it would have been really nice if that guy would have stayed and he would have been the one to initiate this like weird cannibalism thing because we've seen how crazy he is. And like there would have been more motive in with Gracie's boyfriend. But one thing that's kind of interesting is that nobody's, everybody's who, either running away from something or trying to get somewhere is not on this bus or they're like not a part of this white fall terminal.

It's like they're all outside sources that are that are not like crossing at this point, which is also why I think once again it's like this weird mashup of like, I don't know. It's just this weird crossover between all these parallel universes and stuff. It's very interesting. I don't know. like I said, it just feels like really the beginning of the story is cheesy, kind of cornballish in a lot of ways. And then it kind of picks up in this weird where it almost just feels like it's a love letter to the mist. And it's kind of like doing this thing where people are isolated.

And then you get like at the end, it just feels like towards the end you get all these things where, yeah, it's cannibalism, but you get all these great character moments and these great character pieces where people are kind of like, they're either fighting for something or they're able to. to let go of something. Like even Mac being like, I don't think I'm going to survive this. I think is really him as a character saying, not that he doesn't deserve it, but he's like, my life with my daughter is gone.

Whatever. And like this, I just wanted to tell her this. Like this, I would never have the relationship that I wanted with my daughter and like, you know, I fucked up and I did this thing.

So it feels like, there's like all of these nice resolutions that are happening. And it feels like, same way that like when the guy shoots all those people in the car or whatever in the knees at the end of the mess yeah then the thing clears at the end of the mist um it almost feels like these resolutions or almost even it seems like as soon as stikes was able to almost eat somebody or consume mac or whoever it was on the ground that's whenever the speaker's like hey by the way

we're cleared up the moment the moment everyone in because he was the last hold out. So it was the moment everyone was either dead or a cannibal. Everyone has been eaten or and that doesn't feel that doesn't feel random. I feel like there's just something I'm not seeing yet. And I'm curious. Well I think to me to me what it is is everyone who was on here had at least the ones we get from our group. Everyone who was on here had a determination to change or do something or survival or something like that, right? So our main character's obvious, Mel, going to be a father, stuff like that.

You have Mack who was determined to see his daughter. You had Gracie, who was determined to be a survivor and get away from what they had done. And then you had Dylan who had the determination to go see Sam and like the relationship hadn't worked before, but this time he was going to make it work. So you had all these people who were going to change things. They had done a lot wrong in their life

or had a lot done wrong to them. and now they were getting away from it. So it is almost in that sense that the White Falls Station acts as purgatory, not in the way a lot of us think of like, oh, it's a place we wait until we get to pass on to the other side, but purgatory in a traditional Catholic sense

of a place of penance, right? Where you have to be put into and you have to either be lost forever or you have to rise to the occasion. You have to meet the challenge. It seems a challenge here. If we want to take cannibalism as a stand-in for determination, it was a dedication to survive,

even if it means throwing away what you know of your humanity, your purpose. Because the whole time, our main character was, Chris was fighting back against the idea of cannibalism because it's losing your humanity, it's throwing it away, but it is through sacrificing his humanity that he manages to live. So it's almost like a message of these people have to lose everything they know in order to find something new. And those that aren't able to do that not only drag themselves down, but everyone else down who dies in the meantime, right? There's also a lot of selfishness seen from the people that do die.

Acker is a survivor. But other than him, you have like the Polacks, right? The daughter who sacrifices her father and then she herself dies. and you have the people making deals with Kansas City to kill the others and all kinds of stuff like that. So there's all these different. Go ahead. Okay.

What were you saying? No, go ahead. So you have people who are determined to be selfish from the get-go, but it's almost like in a thematic sense, they don't make it because they were sacrificing for the sake of self. right there was no greater determination where you have salvation through our characters sacrificing for the sake of something greater um if that be to get to sam if that be to get back to

you know be a father to be with mel and things like that you have sacrifice with purpose versus a throwing away of a humanity you don't care for for selfishness like yeah sure you know emily gave up her dad but then she died the next day it meant nothing um so to me it's feels like, which I have to brew on it a bit more, but it feels like the Whitefall Station is a stand-in for a payment of a bus ticket almost, of something you have to pay for, something to go through. That's only one night, but feels like months for the people that are in it. Which it corresponds really well with Feed the Pig there. That's when we were reading, I didn't want to say it. It had that same theme of like a feed the pig kind of me.

Yeah, you got to crawl through it to get through it. Yeah. That being said, there was still a couple things because I agree. I think that like all of it feels like payment. It also feels like fighting people who have maybe, which maybe not so much for Gracie, but I guess it's people that are standing up for themselves or for the things that they want the most. Like Gracie being like, I'm not going to be abused anymore and I'm going to leave this like toxic environment. But I feel like for Stikes, it's like a matter of doing basically like changing his life for the things that he wants in terms of like his like family and shit. the only thing that the only thing that I thought was interesting is that

Ackner is the opposite of everybody there so far a little bit actor is Ackner was mostly yes mostly the guy who was taking his family for granted and one thing I really wish happened um was that whenever the buses came to pick him up like maybe he lost his ticket or he wasn't able to leave or something him kind of getting this this this I mean like yeah he gets punched in the face at the but it's like he still gets out of it it's like I'm still I really like he lost his ticket that sounds awesome you know what I mean like something everyone else is dead or leaves and then like the bus leaves without him gosh that would have been oh that would have been so well but once again

it doesn't feel random I'm wondering like I would love to hear I'm sure some people that were reading this were more maybe more receptive to it but I would love to know people's basically like description or decipher of his character because I will say I really liked him as a villain like I know we did the I did the flaunty kind of like bombastic voice or whatever but it like honestly I was kind of getting into it just because of like how overly evil and like selfish and disgusting like his like character traits were it was almost like comical like using that voice and it like fit you know um but I'm just I'm still lost on that it seems like so many people maybe maybe Maybe if you view it like objectively, like not in a sense of morality, but in an objection

of like, if you want to get through, you've got to be willing to put away your humanity. Maybe that's just easy for someone like Akru wasn't held on to it. Because he did have something he was trying to get for in that final line where he's like, oh, I'm going to see my girlfriend. So there was something he wanted to get on the other side of. But when he was presented was like, you have to abandon your humanity to get out. He said, no problem and just dove into it. So maybe maybe then.

It's kind of a harsh lesson, but similar to Lord of the Flies, maybe it's just the idea of those who are willing to throw off societal ties for the sake of their own survival tend to be, you know, tend to be the ones who survive without a system of governance might does make right when it comes to living. This had a kind of, uh, maybe not as poignant, but like, Lord of the Flies has this great ending where the people show up and all the kids basically return to being children and they're just a crime, you know, that's a great. That's the best moment of the book to me. That makes the whole book. Exactly. And the, in this part with Akner pulling out the candy bars,

which is not like that would have saved him, but it's just this idea that's like you had this thing, but yet you still... I love him pulling out the candy bar. I thought that was a great moment. I thought that was the strongest moment. I just thought that was really fun.

There's a lot to chew on, man. I don't know. Like, I mean, there is. It's weird because... This is a story that I underestimated at the midway point and was getting upset with kind of

because I thought we were falling into into some of the tropes. Yeah, full transparency. I mean, like we went to use like a restroom break, whatever. And we were just kind of sitting there being like, I don't know. Like I'm just not really sure. And luckily, I don't know. Like this is the, and this is the second time recently where we've read something

and like it's one of those images to me, which this is going to be stupid. And I really, I kind of hate these like meme template engagement based engagement base engagement bait post. But it's like that thing where it's like a stick figure horse at the beginning and that turns into like a fully rendered drawing or, whatever and people are like, what's, what movies start is like this? You know what I mean? Where it's like beginning like that the fully rendered part's awesome and then the stick figures like it's went to shit to me it's literally that moment though where it's just like this first half was just like

it's just so cheesy so cornbally like them rooting for when he like he beats up the guy and they're all like yeah and they throw him off and it's like this kind of weird moment. But once again, C.K. Walker just does this great thing where she's able to, uh, I don't know. She just makes you give a fuck about characters really strong with dialogue. That's a weird thing too is it's either sometimes it's like so comically Marvel or cringe, you know? And then other moments it's like she has you in the palm of her hand. It's very, I, I, that,

that dynamic is so polarizing, but I think that's also what makes it so fun. Makes you want to stay around. But yeah, any final thoughts or is that it? Okay. I don't know what happened, but while I was in the Discord call it, show that I joined it twice. And then it wasn't letting me, when I'd leave, it wouldn't let me come back in.

So I'm now talking to you on the phone. Oh, well. The ending of Whitefall was so good. It's almost like maybe she has these ideas for moments. Like the ending of Whitefall and the bus station and all that. And then she draws out the moment she wants and they're excellent. And then she's like, all right, and I'm going to have fun in between. And I feel like, you know, funny enough, this is the thing I was going to say earlier

that I said it's safe to the end. her writing reminds me so much of Stephen King because personally, I don't like Stephen King's writing that much. I think he's a great writer and I love a lot of his concepts but I don't like reading Stephen King books because in my opinion, they so often have excellent ideas and these really cool premises

and obviously he's a horror juggernaut, right? But the reading of it, like the in-between will have so much fluff or it will meander or it'll have these goofy moments throw you off from the main point, that it feels like a lot of his, to me, a lot, which again, who am I to talk about Stephen King?

A lot of his stuff, I almost feel like would be better as a novella sometimes. And I think his best writings are his novellas. Things like the Shawshank Redemption, and I think the Green Mile was also on, wasn't it?

Yep, or maybe wrong. Yep, no, it is. Because when it's more concise, it sticks with it. And I was thinking about how C.K. Walker's writing reminds me of Stephen King. And then there's that same thing,

where it's like, oh, Stephen King, he's a mastermind. So, you know, there's probably a bunch of people, including our audience, who do not mind the goofiness at all, who don't mind, you know, AC or being like, playing ice. And they can still, but it doesn't take away from the seriousness of them. For me, I have such a problem with it pulling down the weight of everything else around it. And don't give me wrong. The story, to me, in my opinion, certainly pull itself back up by the end that I was hooked and I was in it.

But for me, the quips bring it down so much. But there's a lot of people who probably like that. Oh, yeah. And more power to you. Yeah. No, I mean, you're right. And it's just a subjective thing. I mean, that's just all personal taste.

And that's just for our, you know, this is just our opinion. So it definitely, I wouldn't say that. That's just all subjective, I guess. I would like if someone's like, oh, I like it, I wouldn't be like, how. You know, it's just, it's just. Of course. Yeah, I get. Yeah.

This story was more than worth reading for the ending. I think so. I mean, absolutely. I enjoyed it a lot. It makes so much sense to me. And this will be my last thing is. it just makes so much sense that she's had success with screenplay writing. That ending shot with him walking up and the people waiting up the bus station,

so much of what she writes, I just picture it. I'm like, it's just so clear in my head. And I'm like, what's translates so naturally to like, I mean, screenplays for something for,

for you to watch and, you know, just sit back. The bus appearing from the whiteness. And then, man, when he pulled out that candy bar, I could see it in my head.

Yeah. like the focus arriving on it as it comes out. Did you picture the rappers being like super, super clean? I did. I was like, oh my God. Polish, super polished. And I imagined Chris next to it just staring at it, open mouth. It hasn't seen a candy bar in weeks.

Gone pale skin. Yeah. Excellent stuff like that. I do. So I do see how it makes sense for Acker to live from the sake of like, hey, maybe might makes right. But gosh, I love the idea you said if he forgot his ticket. I just, to me, that's when I was like waiting for it too.

like oh my god i was like waiting for a moment for me like stand up and be like yeah because fuck that guy but yeah i just i don't know i once again i feel like someone's going to have a comment or something that's just perceives in some way where i'm going to be like oh yeah exactly exactly well i uh yeah i i'm really glad we read it uh c k walkers uh needs no introduction obviously uh we will be making the book uh we will be linking the book uh the barasca of course which you know the o g uh And we'll have her website linked in the description as well. And yeah, I agree with you. It makes so much sense that she's so successful as a screenwriter

because similar to King, who I like more as a screenwriter, typically than the actual books. So a lot of this, the visuals are so beautiful. Translate so well, so I get it. So yeah, I enjoyed it. We'll have her stuff linked in the description. One of the juggernauts of the creepy pasta or online horror space. So we certainly enjoyed.

And hopefully you all do too. Guys, if you're listening on Spotify or Apple Podcast, take a second to maybe give us a nice rating. it does help us out. And then also thank you to our patrons who do support the channel and help us just kind of keep this thing going and have some fun stuff, some extra goodies on the side. So thank you so much. But until next time, guys, stay creeped and we'll see you in the next one. Stay creeped. And, you know, moral of the story, maybe sometimes you got to eat an old man. I don't know when you'd find yourself in that situation, but you should try it sometime.

Bye.