S1, E15 The Strangers

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Episode Transcript

(00:31):
This is Ed Falco on the air,reading The Strangers, a novel
in 19 episodes.
In episode 14.
Severn saved Red, a youngstranger woman, from the pack.
At the end of the episode, Red,who hasn't spoken, acknowledged
with a nod of her head that sheunderstands Severn.

(00:52):
He is in the process ofescorting her back to the
farmhouse to tend to her woundswhen we pick up episode 15.
When they reached the farmhouse,Severn led her to the porch and
had her sit in one of therocking chairs while he went to
the kitchen for the first aidkit.
Once back out on the porch, hefound her examining her wound.

(01:13):
Her face was pale.
Come here.
Severn pulled off his rifle andleaned it against the house
before he took her hand and ledher to the porch steps.
The clouds were lifting and theday growing lighter, promising
sun.
They sat on the steps, andSevern lifted her top clear of
the cut, which was long but notdeep.

(01:35):
He wet a gauze pad with alcohol.
Before he began to clean thewound, he warned Red that it
would sting.
She looked away in gritterteeth, and still when he touched
the jagged cut she stiffened,and a high trill of bird like
notes, pained but nonethelessmusical, issued from someplace
beyond her, like a ventriloquistthrowing her voice.

(01:58):
It startled Severn, and herealized that, for a moment, he
had stopped thinking of her asan alien.
That she sounded so exactly likea bird came as a vivid reminder.
Sorry if this hurts, he said,and he continued washing the
dried blood away from the wound.
If there was any differencebetween her skin and her body,

(02:19):
and a human girl's skin andbody, he couldn't feel it.
He concentrated on cleaning outthe cut, ignoring Red's
occasional trills and marbles.
Do you have a name?
He asked, without looking upfrom his work.
The thought of asking coming tohim suddenly.
When he glanced at her inresponse to the silence, she
looked away.

(02:40):
I have an idea, he said, andthen didn't go on to explain.
He finished cleaning the wound,smeared an antibiotic ointment
over it, and then covered itwith a gauze bandage and taped
it in place.
When he was done, he said, Heput the alcohol and ointment and
bandages back in the plasticblue and white first aid kit,
put it back in place over thekitchen sink, and returned

(03:03):
carrying a yellow pad andpencil.
He sat beside Red on the stoop,where she was waiting for him
with her hands folded in herlap.
She had a solemn look about heras she watched the thinning
clouds tumble past, pushed bythe same wind that gusted now
and then and stirred up dust anddirt and leaves.

(03:24):
Severn placed the pad and pencilin her lap.
There are so many things I wantto know, he said.
I'm hoping you can help me.
Red looked to the pad andpencil, then back to Severn.
She shook her head.
No, you can't help me.
Red stiffened, and that blankgaze she had worn through much

(03:45):
of the walk from the cavereturned.
Do you not know how to write, heasked.
That doesn't seem possible.
Red glanced at him, herexpression suddenly taciturn.
She said nothing.
Let's try this, Severn said.
He took the pad and pencil fromher, went back to the house, and
returned with one of thelaptops.

(04:06):
He handed it to her.
Perhaps you can type, he said,if you can't write.
Red put the laptop down on theporch behind her and looked back
out to the fields.
When a spurt of anger shotthrough Severn, Red slid away
from him until she was pushed upagainst the railing.
He reached out to touch her leg,meaning to reassure her, but she

(04:26):
issued a high, tight trill ofnotes and leaned away from his
touch.
Severn picked up the laptop andcarried it back to the table.
Inside, in the quiet of thehouse, protected from the
gusting wind, he leaned backagainst a chair and watched Red
through the screen door.
A gust of wind ruffled her hair,and she patted it down with both

(04:48):
hands.
She leaned forward over herknees, clasped her hands
together, and pulled them backover her head, holding her hair
in place.
He saw her face in profile, hereyes cast down to the dirt as if
she were looking through it andbeyond it, seeing things only
she could see.
He felt the urge to sit besideher and comfort her, and so he

(05:12):
turned away and stared at thepolished wood at the tabletop
until the feeling passed.
When a low, worried warblefloated up through the closed
screen door, Severn turned tosee the others approaching the
porch.
Matthew and Tommy were in thelead, walking side by side.
Well, Vi and A'isha followedseveral feet behind.

(05:35):
They were all armed with assaultrifles and pistols.
When they neared the porch, Redstood and looked at Severn
through the screen door.
A hint of panic in her eyes.
Severn went out to the porch andstood at Red's side.
Matthew stopped short of thesteps.
Let's get this over with, hesaid, his eyes fixed on Red a

(05:55):
moment and then moving toSevern.
We can caravan to Millersville.
You can take her and the spiderand we'll follow in the jeep.
What jeep, Tommy said.
In the garage, Matthew said.
Tommy followed Matthew as heheaded toward the garage.
Vi and A'isha waited, waiting tosee what Severn would do.
Severn strapped on his rifle.

(06:16):
When he took Red's arm andfollowed Tommy, they joined him.
How's she been?
Vi asked Severn, talking aboutRed as if she weren't there.
Severn glanced at Red before heanswered, as if hoping she might
suddenly speak.
She's been fine.
She's scared.
Guess she would be, Vi said.
If it weren't for us, she'd havebeen the pack's breakfast.

(06:40):
I think it's us she's scared of.
Vi glanced past Severn, lookingat Red directly for the first
time.
Why would you be scared of us?
she asked.
Didn't we just save you from thedogs?
She's young, A'isha said.
Probably younger than us.
She's not younger than me, Visaid, drawing a laugh from

(07:01):
Severn I met me and Matthew,A'isha said.
She gestured toward Red.
I think our weapons scare her.
She's not used to being aroundguns.
Vi touched the big bowie knifestrapped to Severn's side.
It looked like Davy Crockett orsomething.
Severn had forgotten that he waswearing the knife.

(07:21):
He looked down at it and thenback to Red, wondering if Vi
might not be right.
If they all might not lookespecially dangerous to Red,
given the weapons they werecarrying.
Vi said to Red, If it weren'tfor these weapons, you'd be
dead.
At that, Red tensed up again.
The bowie knife made Severnthink of Sage.
I meant to bury Sage thismorning.

(07:44):
Vi said, We can do that when weget back.
A'isha put her arm round Vi'swaist.
She looks like she's lying instate there in the cave.
She's got a regal look about herup on that ledge.
In front of them, Matthew threwopen the garage door.
The red spider was parkedalongside a silver jeep with the
word BOYER painted in blackalong the side of its hood in

(08:07):
bold black letters.
The Jeep looked like it shouldbe able to drive over mountains
and through rivers.
It was tricked out with brushguards, frame covers, rocker
panels, a light bar with anarray of six spotlights, and a
deep water exhaust kit.
The accessories were set off inblack against the metallic
silver of the body.
Matthew said, keys are in theignition.

(08:30):
Vi hovered nearby as Severnopened the Ferrari's passenger
door for Red.
Be careful, she said to Severn,after Red was in the car and the
door closed behind her.
She wrapped up Severn in a tighthug.
I don't trust strangers, shesaid.
They look harmonious enough,but, still, Severn glanced at
Red as she sat in the passengerseat with her hands in her lap.

(08:51):
She's scared to death of us, hesaid to Vi.
The biggest danger is thatshe'll jump out of the car to
get away from me.
Please, Vi said and rolled hereyes.
She's like, obviously so intoyou.
Severn gave her a look as if shemight have temporarily lost her
mind and then kissed her on theforehead.
Go, he said, and he pointed tothe jeep where the others were

(09:12):
waiting.
Once on the road, Red appearedto relax a bit.
The interior of the Ferrari wasclose and intimate and
surprisingly quiet.
Severn touched the yellow circlein the center of the steering
wheel, running his finger overthe body of the rearing stallion
pictured there, as it was on thered enamel key grip.

(09:34):
In the rearview mirror, he sawMatthew at the wheel of the
Jeep, and A'isha turned aroundin the passenger seat talking to
Tommy and Vi in the back.
As he watched, the three of thembroke into laughter, while
Matthew remained grim faced atthe wheel.
The blacktop highway was in goodshape.
It looked like it had beenpatched and repaved in places.

(09:56):
Severn was tempted to open upthe Ferrari.
He guessed it was capable of 200miles per hour.
He drove at a steady 50, though,taking his sweet time.
Beside him, Red noticed aniPhone between the seat and the
console.
She picked it up, turned it on,and began navigating through its
programs.
You know how to use one ofthose, Severn asked.

(10:18):
Red nodded without looking athim.
The sound of his voice seemed tomake her anxious.
She leaned against thepassenger's door and held the
iPhone in front of her like ashield as she continued doing
whatever she was doing, herfingers poking at and sliding
over the screen.
Severn slowed down at the sightof a black bear on the side of
the road.

(10:38):
She was lying in a patch ofsunlight nursing a litter of
young who were squirming andpushing at her belly.
One tiny cub was stretched outon her back and gazing dreamily
at the road.
Look at this.
He touched Red's arm to get herattention.
Red put the iPhone down and gotup on her knees to see out the
side window.
Severn drove past the bearslowly.

(11:01):
She looked up at him but didn'tmove.
Behind him, he saw A'isha andthe kids pushed up excitedly
against the side window.
When one of the cubs started toapproach the car, he drove off
and Matthew followed.
Leaving the sow and her young totheir sun warmed spot off the
highway, Red settled back in herseat and picked up the iPhone

(11:22):
again.
A moment later, a woman'scomputerized voice issued from
the phone's speakers.
It said, Thank you, with a crispBritish accent.
Severn was too surprised torespond immediately.
He glanced at Red and thenturned back to the road.
His heart was beating fast andhis thoughts were jumping around

(11:43):
chaotically.
He wasn't sure why he was beingthanked.
For what, he asked.
Red's fingers moved over theiPhone's screen and the British
voice said, For saving me.
You're welcome, Severn answered.
The politeness of his responsestruck him as absurd.
It occurred to him that he mightbe the only human being ever to

(12:05):
talk to an alien.
And his first words were, Forwhat?
And, You're welcome.
Red, he asked, What's your name?
When she didn't answer, helooked over at her and saw that
she was tense.
She looked as though she wasdoing something she knew she
wasn't supposed to be doing.
What is it?
he asked.

(12:25):
You're almost shaking.
Why?
You frighten me, the phone said.
You frighten us.
Severn glanced at the iPhone asif it was the gadget itself that
was talking to him.
He thought of Hal from the movie2001.
How can it be that we frightenyou, he asked.

(12:45):
You, your people, youexterminated our species as if
we were bugs.
How can it be that a fewstragglers, how can it be that
we frighten you?
Red's eyes fell to the knife atSevern's hips.
You are killers, the Britishvoice said.
You are dangerous.
And you are not, Severnanswered, his voice rising.

(13:09):
Your people, he said, morecalmly.
You're not killers?
We are not killers, the voicecame back.
Severn had no idea what to makeof her response.
Part of him wanted to tell herabout Sarah and his family and
Vi and her sisters.
And another part of him wantedto reassure her.
To tell her she had nothing tofear from him.

(13:30):
He said, You killed billions ofhuman beings.
Your people did that.
You destroyed us, ourcivilization.
You Red's fingers flew to thescreen.
No, the voice said, we becomeyou.
Severn drove on in silence,letting Red's words sink in.

(13:52):
You become us?
he asked.
Red nodded.
She seemed to take a moment tothink and then her fingers went
to work tapping out words.
All you were, the polite Britishvoice said, we are.
Through us, your culture is notlost.
Your art is not lost.
Your achievements are not lost.
Through us, you continue.

(14:15):
Severn waited.
It was as if he had to replayher sentences several times
before he could begin tounderstand them.
You think you replace us, hesaid?
You think you can pick acivilization, eliminate its
people, and then become them?
That's okay?
That's not killing?
Red shook her head infrustration, as if she knew she

(14:37):
wasn't getting her meaningacross.
You were doomed, the iPhonesaid.
Why were we doomed, Severnasked.
You were doomed.
He heard his own voice as if hewere someone else listening in
on a conversation.
He sounded shocked.
You were destroyers, the voicesaid.
Your future was starvation,disease, disaster.

(15:00):
Again, Severn asked why.
You were destroyers, the voicerepeated.
Your world.
You destroyed.
We didn't, Severn said.
And now he sounded like adefendant responding weakly to a
prosecutor's questions.
He understood what she meant.
Hadn't Sarah made thesearguments to him a thousand
times?
And We would have figured itout.

(15:21):
Severn stopped speaking when awave of fury threatened to
overwhelm him.
His breathing got shallow as hetried to control himself.
He saw that Red was frightened,and he worked at speaking
calmly, though his words cameout rough and choked by the
immensity of his anger.
We would have figured out whatto do, he said.
In time, we would have changedwhat had to be changed.

(15:43):
We would have found ways.
We would have survived andprospered.
At first, Red seemed toofrightened to respond.
Then he saw her swallow hard, asif stealing herself.
Her fingers poked at the screen.
Too late, the voice said.
Natural disasters, wars,disease.

(16:04):
This could no longer be averted.
I don't believe you.
Severn spit out the words andthen returned to concentrating
on his breathing, forcinghimself toward calm.
Outside, the road flew by and herealized he was speeding.
When he checked the rear view,he didn't see the jeep.
He slowed down to fifty andwaited until a jeep reappeared

(16:25):
on the road behind him.
His eyes were wet with tears offrustration.
He wiped the wetness away, tooka deep breath, and turned to
glance at Red, in whose greeneyes he saw a look of concern
mixed with fear.
Even if what you say is true,Severn said, still, you didn't
save us.

(16:46):
You exterminated us.
Red shook her head, and againthe voice said, we become you.
We are you.
No, Severn said.
And now his voice was filledwith a sadness that seemed to
have no end.
You are not us.
Red's fingers moved toward theiPhone's screen and then

(17:07):
stopped.
Her face reflected confusionrather than fear or concern.
Are you mimics?
Severn asked.
Do you take on our form too?
Our bodily form?
Not mimic.
Red typed out the words withhardly a glance at the screen.
Become.
Become.

(17:28):
Severn repeated.
What were you before?
Become.
Become.
What were you before you becamehuman in form?
Red looked as if she didn'tunderstand the question.
The iPhone said, We aren't manyforms.
We have always been like you.
I have no idea what that means,Severn said.

(17:49):
Where are you from?
What do you call the place youcome from?
Earth, the British voice said.
Earth?
This is Earth?
Red tapped and typed at thescreen, as if turning a page.
We come from Earth.
This is Earth, Severn repeated.
You come from here?

(18:11):
Not here, the phone said.
There's one Earth, Severn said.
This is it.
No, the iPhone answered.
Ahead of him, the exit sign fromMillersville gleamed green and
white in sunlight.
You come from another planet,also called Earth?
Colony.

(18:31):
Space station.
Severn glanced at the iPhone andsaw that there were sometimes
gaps and spaces between thewords read typed, as if she
sometimes had to search for theright word.
There were several blank linesbetween the words colony and
space station.
350 million of you on a spacestation?

(18:51):
He asked.
400 million.
A space station called Earth?
Red nodded.
How long were you on this spacestation?
When she didn't answer rightaway, he added, Where were you
before?
Before you were on the spacestation.
Red appeared to be confused.

(19:12):
Her fingers hovered over theiPhone, as if she couldn't
decide how to respond.
Finally, the voice said, Always.
Our people.
Severn exited the highway andmade a right turn.
Where there used to be a gasstation and a strip mall, there
was only brush and saplings andwild grass.

(19:33):
Is this where you were living?
Severn asked.
Are you from Millersville?
Red nodded, and the iPhone said,Yes.
Can you direct me to your home?
Yes, the British voice answered.
Keep going straight into town.
A moment later it added, Theywon't take me back.

(19:54):
Why not?
Severn asked.
Why won't they take you back?
Red put the iPhone between theseat and the console and looked
straight ahead, that blank,distant gaze returning.
Severn picked up the phone andslipped it into his pants
pocket.
They were nearing the center oftown, driving along a tree lined
road bracketed by Victoriangingerbread houses, each set

(20:17):
back on plots of an acre ormore, with manicured lawns and
elaborate landscaping.
A brass American eagle hoveredover the portico of one of the
bigger homes.
In a corner park, a dozenstranger kids were playing
baseball on a carefully drawndiamond, with a chain link fence
behind home plate.

(20:38):
Do you have baseball?
Severn asked Red.
The possibility suddenlyoccurring to him.
Do you have professional teams?
he added, which was the questionhe meant to ask in the first
place.
The Dodgers, the Yankees, theRed Sox?
When Red nodded in response, animage came to Severn of crowds
of strangers lining up at thegates of Yankee Stadium to watch

(20:59):
a ball game.
He turned to look at Red.
His stomach was queasy.
Something about the notion ofstrangers rooting for the
Yankees or the Dodgers or theRed Sox left him breathless.
You can't, he said, and hedidn't know how to continue.
He was thinking that theycouldn't do that, that it was
unspeakable after what they haddone.

(21:21):
But he couldn't find the wordsand he wound up gawking at Red
with his mouth open.
Red pointed to anothergingerbread Victorian on the
left side of the road, an offwhite clapboard house with blue
shutters and a bluish shingledroof.
It was big enough for a dozenpeople to live in comfortably.
Severn pulled up in front of thehouse.

(21:41):
And Matthew parked behind him.
A young stranger couple walkingalongside the sidewalk saw the
vehicles and watched as firstMatthew and the others exited
the jeep and then Severn and Redgot out of the spider.
The couple stopped at the sightof the six of them gathering on
the sidewalk.
They hesitated and then changeddirection and walked off
hurriedly toward the park wherethe kids were playing baseball.

(22:05):
While Severn watched, thecouples gathered the children
together.
They know we're here, Matthewsaid.
He put his foot on the jeep'sblack brush guard and tied his
shoelace.
Hard to miss us, A'isha said,and she tugged at the assault
rifle strapped to her chest.
Have you been here before, Viasked?
She was watching the strangersas the couple and the kids

(22:26):
disappeared into the houseslining the street.
One by one the doors closeduntil the street was empty.
Many times, Matthew answered Vi,we come here and take what we
want.
When they see us, they leave.
He gestured toward the emptystreet.
No one ever tries to stop you,Tom, he asked.
From taking whatever you want?
Nope, Matthew said.

(22:48):
He turned to Red.
This is where you live?
This is it, Severn said when Reddidn't answer.
What now?
Matthew asked Severn.
Do you want to walk her to thedoor?
Severn was about to say yes hedid when the front door of the
house opened and a middle agedman stepped out onto the porch
under a portico.
He was tall and physicallyimpressive with a powerful chest

(23:10):
and arms dressed in army greenslacks with cargo pockets and a
soft blue knit shirt.
After a moment a woman joinedhim.
She looked to be a littleyounger than the man but not
much.
She had on a yellow t shirt thatpictured a red heart shape over
the words, Virginia is forlovers.
Tommy said, They don't lookespecially happy to see her.

(23:32):
Probably because she's with us,Vi said.
Matthew looked to Severn, andhis look said something was off
and be careful.
Severn said, I'll go with her.
He took Red by the arm and ledher along a brick path to the
portico, where the couple waswaiting.
The man with his arms crossed,the woman with her hands clasped
together at her waist.

(23:53):
Red kept her eyes on her feet.
Severn could feel a slightresistance with every step, as
if he was pulling her as much aswalking alongside her.
At the portico, Severn stood infront of the man and said, I
think you lost someone.
The man looked first to Severnand then to Red.
He was handsome, with a boyishface that made his age hard to

(24:14):
guess.
He opened his mouth and issued acomplex music of whistles and
clicks.
Red remained silent but Severnfelt the muscles in her arms
tense.
Severn said firmly, We have togo.
She belongs here, right?
The man ignored him and thewoman stepped forward to embrace
Red.
Red returned the embrace with anenthusiasm that Severn read as

(24:37):
close to desperation.
The woman kissed Red on thecheek and Red kissed her in
return and when they pulledapart their faces were wet with
tears.
The woman wiped her tears away,and then the man took her by the
arm and they both went back intothe house and closed the door.
Matthew's voice called from thesidewalk, What's going on?

(24:58):
Red, Severn asked, Is this yourhome?
Red nodded without looking athim.
She wiped away her tears andgazed at the door directly in
front of her as if it were amillion miles away.
When Matthew started up thepath, Severn waved him off.
Wait out here, he said.
And he asked Red again.
This is your home.

(25:18):
And when she nodded again, heopened the front door and walked
into the house, pulling Redalong behind him.
The luxury of the housesurprised him, and he hesitated
a second as he took it all in.
He had stepped through the frontdoor into a large foyer with
limestone floors and a pair ofsoft white stuffed chairs on
either side of a round polishedwood table with a glass top.

(25:42):
Beyond the foyer, a floatingstaircase with what looked like
a hand forged wrought ironrailing bisected a back wall of
wood and glass that led out to acourtyard.
The walls were decorated withwatercolors of nature paintings.
Men in boats on secluded rivers,seabirds flying over waves.
Before Severn could speak, twolittle girls in matching blue

(26:04):
dresses started down thestaircase.
They descended the stairscasually at first, then, as if
unable to control themselves,charged down the final steps and
across the stone floor to Red,who had knelt and opened her
arms to them.
The older of the two girlslooked like she couldn't be more
than seven or eight, and theother looked maybe a year or two
younger.
They were clearly sisters.

(26:26):
They shared the woman's blondehair and the man's brown eyes.
Neither of them looked anythinglike Red, or their crimson hair
and green eyes.
Both girls were chirping andsinging their voices like
birdsong in the morning untilthe man whistled a low pitched
warning sound.
The girls backed away from Redin silence.
The mother took them by the handand led them up the stairs and

(26:48):
out of sight.
Severn asked Red, Are these yourparents?
Is this your family?
Red didn't answer.
The man took a seat in one ofthe white chairs and folded his
hands in his lap.
He gazed straight ahead atnothing.
He appeared to be waiting forSevern to leave.
Beyond the foyer, a pair ofwatercolors hanging on a wall

(27:11):
caught Severn's attention.
He went into the living room toexamine them.
One of them, a picture of a girlcarrying a wicker basket and
descending a sand dune towardthe sea, was familiar to him.
He realized that he had seen itbefore in one of Sarah's art
books.
It was a Winslow Homer.
He was sure of it.

(27:31):
He turned to the man to ask ifit was an original because at
closer inspection it didn'tappear to be a reproduction.
But he didn't bother asking.
He knew he'd get no answer.
Instead, he leaned in closer tothe painting, examining the
colors and the canvas and theframe.
When he found Homer's childishhand printed signature in the

(27:52):
bottom left hand corner of thepainting, he decided it was an
original.
He took it down from the wall,approached the man, stood in
front of him and showed him thepainting.
This isn't yours, he said.
I'm taking it.
He pointed to Red.
She's yours.
I'm leaving her with you.
Before he walked out the door,he turned to Red.
I'll need to talk to you more,he said.

(28:14):
I'll be back to talk to you.
He let his gaze linger on theman, who turned to him and met
his eyes with an absence ofemotion, as if he were looking
at a brick wall.
Outside, Matthew waited on thewalkway while the others leaned
against the jeep and talkedamong each other.
The street behind them deserted.
Severn pulled the front doorclosed and started toward the

(28:36):
sidewalk.
He realized that he was walkingfast and that he was angry,
though his thoughts and feelingswere too chaotic to pin down.
What's that?
Matthew asked.
A painting.
Severn brushed by Matthew andwent to the Jeep and stood the
painting in the cargo space.
Vi, Tommy and A'isha were allstaring at him.
Vi said, You took one of theirpaintings?

(28:58):
It's not their painting, Severnsaid.
It doesn't belong to them.
They stole it, like they stoleeverything else.
His face was red and his wordswere clipped.
He looked back to the housebriefly and then walked past the
kids without a word and got intothe Ferrari.
Severn caught A'isha and Matthewexchanging a look on the
sidewalk before they got intothe Jeep with the kids.

(29:19):
He knew that he was acting likea jerk.
Throwing off waves ofuncontrolled anger, but he
didn't know what to do about it.
He thought he might calm down onthe ride back to the farmhouse.
He glanced at the rearingstallion on the red ignition key
and then back to the house onemore time.
He was resisting starting thecar.
And then the front door openedand Red stepped out onto the

(29:40):
portico.
She found Severn and fixed hereyes on him.
Severn was out of the car andbeside her on the portico in an
instant.
He tried the front door andfound it locked.
Is that your father?
And there he asked.
Umrad nodded.
He said, Why?
Why won't they take you back?
Red looked at them with eyesthat, so unlike her father's,

(30:01):
were full of emotion.
They seemed to be pleading withhim.
From the sidewalk, Severn heardthe jeep doors open and then
Matthew joined him on theportico.
Severn, he said, his tone ofvoice announcing that he was
trying to be reasonable.
What are we doing?
They won't take her back.
This is the right place?
This is her family?

(30:22):
This is the right place?
Severn said.
Matthew looked at the lockeddoors as if he might be able to
see what was happening on theother side.
He seemed both surprised andconfused.
Finally, he said, well, leaveher.
What's it to us?
Can't do that.
Why not?
We'll talk later.
He said to Matthew and his toneof voice said there was a reason

(30:42):
they couldn't leave her.
He took red by the arm and ledher back to the car, leaving
Matthew on the portico, staringafter him once in the Ferrari
with red.
Seven waited for Matthew to makehis way back to the others.
When he heard the Jeep enginestart up, his hands dropped to
the ignition key and they wereback on the road again and
headed to Millersville.

(31:04):
Red sat rigidly in her seat.
Her back straight and her handsclasped in her lap.
She was looking straight aheadwith that million mile stare.
Severn settled back into hisseat for the ride.
Why?
He asked Red again.
Why won't they take you back?
When Red didn't answer, heretrieved the iPhone from his

(31:25):
pocket, tossed it into her lapand asked again.
Red took her time working thephone.
Finally, the British woman'svoice returned and said, I don't
know.
Really?
You have no idea why they won'ttake you back?
Did they put you out in thefirst place or did you leave?
Red's hand jumped to the phone.

(31:45):
My family put me out.
When?
Last night.
And you don't know why?
Severn said.
Then quickly he asked, Where didthey put you out?
Did they just shove you out thedoor?
Beyond our homes.
The iPhone said.
In the woods.
They took you to the woodsoutside of town and left you
there?

(32:06):
At night.
The voice added.
Late.
How did you get to us then?
Severn asked.
How did you get all the way tothe caves?
Ran hesitated.
Then typed.
Beasts.
The beasts?
Severn asked.
You mean the pack?
The dogs?
Yes.
Beasts.

(32:28):
What did they do?
Severn asked.
Put you in a car and drive youto the caves?
Red turned to Severn, and he sawan unmistakable flash of anger
in her eyes.
They carried me, the phone said,with its even, polite, British
voice.
They ran.
That doesn't add up, Severnsaid.
The pack found her inMillersville, carried her to the
caves, let her go in the woods,and then came after her again,

(32:51):
only to be turned away when heshowed up to save her.
He was beginning to wonder ifthe pack was more interested in
playing with their victims thanthey were in killing them.
Your people, Severn asked.
Does this happen often?
Do they put others in the woodsfor the beasts to carry away?
Red shook her head.
Did you do something, Severnasked?

(33:12):
Did they have a reason?
The iPhone said no.
Then after a moment, it said, Idon't know.
You don't know why they put youout in the woods for the pack to
carry away?
You become us, Severn went on.
But you don't know who you werebefore you became us.
Am I getting all this right?
Red held the phone in front ofher a moment before hesitantly

(33:33):
tapping out the words.
We are many, the voice said,before we become one.
You are many before you becomeone, Severn said, his voice
rising.
And I'm supposed to make somesense out of that.
When Red didn't respond, hesaid, let me try to be more
specific.
What did you and your peoplelook like before you looked like

(33:55):
us?
Our people, the iPhone said.
We always looked like you.
And you came from a place calledEarth.
Red nodded.
Tell me this, Severn said.
Did you have wars on your Earth?
Red shook her head.
Did you have poverty?
No.
Did you have disease?

(34:16):
No.
Severn took a second to thinkback over all the strangers he
had seen so far.
Do your people grow old andinfirm?
Do you have old people?
Red answered quickly, No.
What happens to you, Severnasked.
Why don't you grow old?
We cease to be at the end of oursixth decade, the iPhone said.

(34:40):
Severn took his eyes off theroad and turned to Red.
You all die when you turn sixty?
Red nodded.
The iPhone said, How old are younow?
Severn asked.
Twenty four.
Approaching middle age, Severnsaid.

(35:01):
Red gave him an uncomprehendinglook.
She pointed the iPhone atSevern, and the British woman
asked, Are you angry at mebecause I have no one?
Severn was taken aback by thequestion.
The Kambir voice spoke the wordspolitely, without emotion.
But Red, in the way she held thephone in her expression,

(35:21):
appeared hurt.
Severn heard in the question anote of pleading.
I am not angry with you, hesaid.
The end.
I'm angry at your people.
I'm angry at what they've done.
Red stared at the phone a longmoment, then hesitantly typed,
We saved him.

(35:42):
Severn tried hard not to soundangry.
He didn't save us, he said.
You have not become us, nomatter what you think.
You are not us, not nearly.
What you did, what your peopledid, was a monstrous wrong.
It was evil.
Now Red's hands moved quickly.
No, the phone said.

(36:03):
You would have suffered anddied.
Without us, all would have beenlost.
I already told you, Severn said.
I don't believe that.
But even if it's true, youdidn't prevent it.
You took everything that we,that humans, had made and
accomplished.
You took it all for yourselves.
You may look like us, but youare not us.

(36:23):
You are nothing like us.
Red said nothing after that,though she looked stricken.
She fell back in her seat andwatched the road in silence, her
eyes no longer glazed anddistant.
She looked instead like she wasbusy working out a problem.
Occasionally she touched herhands to her forehead, as if she
might have a headache.

(36:45):
Severn tried to concentrate onthe road and the surrounding
hillside.
The redbuds were blooming, andtheir gorgeous bursts of purple
against the lush greenery wereas stunning and beautiful as
they ever were.
Even now, without thousands ofhumans locally to appreciate
them, the sky roiled with cloudsin every shade of white and
grey.

(37:05):
They were thick in places andthin in others so that sunlight
and shade were intermittent.
The clouds tumbled overhead asthe lighting moved from sunny to
dark and everything in between.
A blustery wind shook the tallgrass and swayed the treetops.
Severn tried hard to concentrateon the beauty around him but
found it impossible.

(37:27):
His thoughts kept coming back toRed sitting quietly beside him
looking troubled.
He could see that she was upsetand he couldn't help wanting to
comfort her.
I noticed, he said, when theywere nearing the farm, that no
one else in your family has redhair and green eyes.
Red shook her head and tapped atthe iPhone.

(37:48):
Brown eyes, the voice said.
Severn didn't know what shemeant.
What about brown eyes?
I have brown eyes, the iPhonesaid.
Severn pulled down herwindshield visor and flipped
open the mirror.
Red glanced at her reflectionand then leaned in close.
She leaned back, flipped themirror closed, and put up the

(38:08):
visor.
She appeared to be moving inspurts, as if she had to think
about a reaction.
She tapped at the phone'sscreen.
Always brown, the voice said.
Changed.
When?
You didn't know your eyes hadchanged color?
Red shook her head.
Didn't know, the voice said.

(38:29):
Do you think there could be aconnection between your eyes
changing color and your familyputting you out?
I don't know, the phone said.
A second later added, Sorry.
What about the dogs?
The packs?
Severn asked.
What can you tell me about them?
Red thought a while, then typed,They are always with us.

(38:52):
Always?
How many packs are there?
Are they everywhere?
They are everywhere, the voicesaid.
Their numbers are very small.
Very few.
How small?
Very small.
Very few.
Really?
Severn was amazed at that andshowed her in his voice.
Why haven't you gotten rid ofthem?

(39:14):
Red looked like she didn't quitecomprehend the question.
It took her a while before shecould answer.
We are not killers, she typed.
They do not harm us.
They harmed you, Severn said.
Red responded quickly this time.
I don't understand that.
Then repeated.
I don't understand.

(39:36):
Severn slowed down and checkedthe rearview mirror.
Matthew and A'isha were grimfaced side by side in the front
of the jeep.
In the back seat, Vi was asleepon Tommy's shoulder.
Tommy looked like he might besleeping too.
Severn glanced at Red.
When he found that her eyes wereclosed, he allowed himself a
moment to observe her closely.

(39:57):
She appeared young to him,younger than her 24 years.
He found it hard to comprehendthat she was nearing the halfway
mark in her preordainedlifespan.
Her complexion was clear, thekind of skin Severn associated
with the rich, with people whocould afford to spend great
deals of money and time oncaring for their appearance.

(40:17):
He wondered if this was anatural gift, or if she spent
hours applying creams andlotions.
It was a fleeting thought, andmostly he allowed himself to
look closely at her.
With her lustrous red hair andred lips and pinkish white skin,
there was a touch of idealizedbeauty about her.
When he went back to watchingthe road, his thoughts turned to

(40:38):
Sarah.
She had never been an especiallybeautiful woman, but that had
ceased mattering as soon as hegot to know her.
Sarah was smart and funny andcapable.
He could always turn to her, andshe would usually be there with
exactly what he needed.
He missed that so deeply.
Having a partner, someone hecould turn to for help and

(40:58):
comfort, that the missing was aconstant ache.
He reached into his pocket andheld his own iPhone, the one
with the last remaining picturesof Sarah.
He held it as if he were holdingSarah, and in his mind he pulled
up some of the pictures andlooked at them again.
When he saw the entrance to thefarm approaching, he turned to

(41:21):
Red again and found that she hadbeen watching him.
Mysteries, he said.
Endless mysteries.
He was thinking back to Red andthe pack and why her family had
abandoned her.
Red seemed not to hear him.
She worked the phone and itsaid, I am frightened of the
others.
She added, What will they do tome now?

(41:43):
Severn put his hand over Red's,where it was resting on her
knee.
They won't hurt you, he said.
We are not so terrible, wehumans.
Red looked like she wanted tospeak but said nothing.
Severn slowed down as heapproached the drive to the
farmhouse.
We're here, he said.
He pulled his hand away fromRed's and parked the Ferrari in

(42:04):
the garage.
That was episode 15 of TheStrangers.
New episodes will be availabletwice a week on Mondays and
Fridays until the novel iscompleted.
If you want to read ahead, aninexpensive digital edition of

(42:25):
The Strangers is available fromAmazon, Barnes Noble, and other
online bookstores.
This podcast is an experiment inalternatives to traditional
publishing.
If you'd like to support it, andmore like it in the future,
please consider becoming asubscriber or supporter.
If enough listeners choose to doso, that will go a long way to

(42:46):
help ensuring the podcast'ssuccess and continuation.
In any event, I'm Ed Falco, Iwrote The Strangers, and I hope
you'll come back for the nextepisode.