S1, E16 The Strangers

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Episode Transcript

(00:30):
This is Ed Falco on the air,reading The Strangers.
A novel in 19 episodes.
In episode 15, Severn attemptedto return Red to her family in
Millersville, only to find thather family wouldn't take her
back.
On the ride back to the farm,Severn learns more about Red and

(00:51):
her people, as she communicateswith him via an iPhone text to
speech feature.
As episode 16 begins, Severn andthe others have just returned to
the farm.
Vi was the first one out of thejeep and at Severn's side plying
him with questions.
What happened in the stranger'shouses?

(01:13):
Why wouldn't they take her back?
What were they going to do withher now?
Had he managed to communicatewith her at all on the drive?
What did he think she was like?
Did she understand what wasgoing on?
Severn held off the questionswith an arm around Vi's shoulder
and a disavowal of muchknowledge about anything.

(01:34):
The inside of the house wasluxurious, he told her.
And no, he still didn't knowmuch about her.
He sensed that she wasfrightened and could use their
help.
Really?
Vi said, as Severn opened thedoor for Red and helped her out.
She needs our help.
A'isha and Tommy gathered roundso that a huddle formed in the

(01:55):
garage.
Only Matthew kept his distance.
Beyond the open garage door, thewind had picked up and was
blowing a scattering of leavesalong the blacktop drive.
Let's go inside, Severn said.
I'm hungry.
I'm starving, Tommy said, andturned to A'isha, who laughed in
a way that said she was at leastslightly dismayed that the task

(02:18):
of feeding everyone had fallento her.
I'll help, Vi said, and she tookA'isha's hand.
Red can help too, Severn said.
He put a hand on her back,nudging her toward A'isha and
Vi.
Can she?
Vi asked Severn.
She understands us, Severnanswered.
Ask her.
Reluctantly, Vi turned to Red.

(02:40):
Can you help us?
Do you know how to cook and allthat?
Red nodded shyly.
She glanced back to the Ferrariand the iPhone, but made no move
to retrieve it.
You don't eat meat, A'isha saidto Red, right?
No, you don't eat meat?
A'isha asked again.

(03:00):
When Red nodded, she said toSevern, I'm sure we can whip up
something.
I'll help, Tommy said.
I don't mind.
Vi moved toward Tommy andcollapsed against his shoulder.
I'm tired, she said.
You're hungry, Severn said toVi.
He looked over her to Matthew,who was leaning against the
jeep.
You said we'd talk.

(03:21):
Matthew pushed off from the jeepand straightened out the rifle
strapped across his chest.
Now's a good time.
Come on.
A'isha extended her hand to Red.
Red hesitated, looked first toSevern and then back to A'isha.
I don't bite, A'isha said.
Red took A'isha's hand.

(03:42):
With Vi on one side of her,A'isha on the other, and Tommy
following, she walked off, outof the garage, into the porch,
and into the house.
When the door to the housesnapped closed, Matthew said,
What the hell are you doing,Severn?
What is she doing here with us?
What are you thinking?
Let's walk.
Severn took off his weapons andlaid them gently on top of the

(04:04):
Ferrari.
Are you crazy?
Matthew pointed to the discardedweapons.
I don't think so, Severn said.
Our weapons are next to useless.
They're not entirely useless.
So we've both managed to killone of them, Severn said.
In both cases, they could havekilled us anyway if they wanted.
Severn looked at the weapons andthen looked away, as if he

(04:26):
couldn't be bothered with them.
I want to take a walk withoutfeeling like I'm a damned
arsenal.
Fine, Matthew said.
And then he shrugged and added,Hell, I know what you mean.
He took off one of the assaultrifles and unstrapped the
holster at his side.
He laid the two weapons on thehood of the jeep.
I'll keep this one for asecurity blanket.

(04:48):
He patted the assault rifle,still strapped to his chest.
Once out of the garage, theystarted up the treeline drive
toward the road.
Severn thrust his hands into hispants pocket and leaned into the
breeze, enjoying the sensationof wind in his hair and on his
face.
Beside him, Matthew seemed torelax a little more with each

(05:09):
step.
He was watching the wind blowingthrough the treetops, his eyes
darting now and then to followthe movement of a bird or a
squirrel.
It was as if the two of them hadsimply willed themselves the
right to a peaceful moment, theright to take a walk without
being terrified of every shadowand sound.
Back at the stranger's house,Matthew asked.

(05:30):
When you said we'd talk, whatwas that about?
She's communicating with me,Severn said.
We're talking.
They don't talk, Matthew said.
As if Severn had to be mistaken.
This one does.
Really?
Matthew still looked skeptical.
She can speak?
Not speak, Severn said.

(05:52):
She found one of your iPhones inthe spider.
She types words and the iPhonespeaks in a GPS like voice.
Text to voice, Matthew said.
He straightened his glasses andsounded suddenly apologetic.
I should have figured that.
It makes sense.
A pair of yellow finches swoopedacross the drive and landed on a
nearby tree branch.

(06:14):
Severn and Matthew both watchedthem until they darted away.
So, Matthew asked.
What has she told you?
Not a whole lot that makessense.
They appear to believe thatthey've saved us.
They what?
Saved us.
Matthew looked like he hadmissed part of what Severn had
said and was waiting for aclarification.

(06:35):
Apparently, Severn said.
We reached some kind of tippingpoint with the environment.
Hell, we've been saying as muchourselves about increasing
temperatures.
So what, Matthew interrupted.
A tipping point?
Red believes we were on our wayto extinction and there was no
going back.
Matthew was quiet a while, as ifhe needed a moment to absorb

(06:58):
what Severn was telling him.
So, he said finally, they killedus to save the Earth?
Severn shook his head.
They believe they've become us.
They've saved us.
And the Earth.
Matthew's incredulity took theform of a loud laugh.

(07:18):
You want to say that again,please?
I know.
Severn touched his temples as ifhe too couldn't contain his
disbelief.
Best I can figure is that theytruly believe they've morphed
themselves into human beings.
They've learned everything aboutus, which is how they've slipped
so comfortably into our lives.
They look exactly like us.
They live like us.

(07:39):
They believe they've become us.
Matthew said, as if summing upSevern's explanation.
They believe that they've savedus by becoming us before we kill
ourselves off.
Severn nodded.
Did you tell her that wasinsane?
Tried to.
I think I might have made someprogress.

(08:00):
Matthew walked along in silence,his face screwed up in a mask of
concentrated attention.
Do you think it's possible, hesaid finally, that one species
can become another species?
No, Severn said.
Then, after thinking about it,added, I mean, I don't know.
Maybe it's possible to exactlyreplicate a species.

(08:20):
It's creepy to think about.
With you there, Matthew said.
But they haven't done it, Severnsaid.
They're us, if somehow we livedin a world with no disease, no
poverty, no war, and no enemies.
There doesn't appear to be anydissension or conflict anywhere
in their world.
So they're not us, Matthew said.

(08:41):
Exactly.
Whatever they are, they're notus.
Ahead of them on the longdriveway, a doe stuck her nose
out of the woods, saw them, andthen crossed the black top with
a pair of fawns following her.
The doe's coat was bright withyellow undertones and looked so
sleek it might have been brushedand groomed.
The fawns coats were stillfluffy.

(09:03):
Severn and Matthew stopped atthe sight of them and waited
until they were out of sight.
A breeze swept the driveway andrustled through the trees and
brush, and then it was just themen again, walking side by side.
Matthew said, They're not afraidof us anymore, meaning the deer
were not hunting them, Severnsaid.

(09:25):
What were they before theyturned themselves into us,
Matthew asked, back to thestrangers.
Where did they come from?
Great questions, Severn said.
She doesn't know.
How can she not know?
They had to be something.
They had to come from someplace.
Severn watched a patch ofsunlight spilling through a
break in the clouds.

(09:45):
He tried to pull his thoughtstogether.
I'm guessing your theory aboutthem being a race of mimics is
basically right, he said.
Except it's more than mimicry.
They actually, somehow, become,take on, our human form.
With some serious differences,Matthew said, like they sing
like birds and walk funny.

(10:07):
Granted, Severn said.
But other than that, still,Matthew said, again, they had to
be something before they wereus.
What if after they change intous, Severn said, they study us
for a long time, hundreds ofyears, maybe longer, living in a
prototype of Earth's environmentfor many generations until, by

(10:27):
the time they actually take overthe planet, they don't remember
what they were before us?
That's what you think?
I'm theorizing, Severn said.
I don't know what I think.
There would have to be at leastan institutional memory.
Someone, some hierarchy, wouldhave to know their history, who
they were before they changed.

(10:50):
When I ask red, Severn said, shesays they were always human.
When I press harder, she saysthey were many before they
became one.
Did you ask her what the hellthat means?
Seems to be the best she can do,Severn said.
They were almost to the road.
Near the end of the driveway,Severn stopped and put his hands

(11:11):
on his hips.
He looked at Matthew in a waythat said he was baffled.
Can I talk to her, Matthewasked.
We should wait, Severn said.
Give her at least a little timeto adjust before she has to
field questions from everyone.
Matthew considered that and thensaid, Okay, we'll give her a few
days.

(11:32):
Good.
Maybe she'll see that we're allnot monsters.
Let's head back, Matthew touchedSevern's arm as if to show that
he agreed and then was quiet andthey started back for the
farmhouse.
What if, he said after walking awhile, as a species they keep
mutating or mimicking orwhatever it is they do.

(11:54):
They start out as one thing,right?
Then they evolve through eonsuntil they were space travelers.
They find a planet that theythink needs taking over, and
then they do what you said, theymutate into them, they study
them, and then eventually aportion of these space
travelers, some numberappropriate to the planet,
becomes those people, thatspecies.

(12:17):
And they keep doing that overeons, until there are many
different forms, differentspecies.
They are many.
And when some portion of themmutates into the species they've
eliminated, then that portion isone.
The one they've become.
So all red noses are human form,because they've been in that

(12:39):
form for generations.
And of her history, she knows,they are many, because at this
point in their evolution, theyare, in fact, many different
forms, or species.
Severn said appreciatively, Thatsounds, incredible.
Well, it's another theory,Matthew said.

(13:02):
Still, Severn asked, they had tobe something originally.
They had to start somewhere.
That could be forgotten over themillennia, Matthew said, and
over all their travels.
So where do the packs fit intoall of this, Severn asked.
Did you ask her?
Yes.
She says, They are always withus.

(13:24):
Really?
Matthew said.
That's all she could give you?
There are very few of them,Severn said.
The dogs.
She says there are never verymany of them around.
Their numbers can't be thatsmall, Matthew said.
They managed to find us prettyquickly.
They found you.
Maybe the strangers led them tous, Severn said.

(13:46):
Maybe they worked together.
Matthew pointed ahead of them towhere the farmhouse was coming
into view and lights werevisible through the windows.
They've got the generatorrolling.
Severn said, Or what if thepacks can pick up smells over
hundreds of miles or more?
Could be the reason we went allwinter without being bothered by

(14:06):
the pack is that they were onthe other side of the country,
hunting you.
When they chased you east,that's when they found us.
If that's true, Matthew said, itwould mean there's at least some
limit to how far they can pickup smells, which is good to
know, if you say so.
I'm reaching, Matthew said.
Then he was quiet, and hisexpression changed, and he

(14:28):
added, They're going to kill us,aren't they?
Maybe.
Maybe.
They're just playing now, toyingwith us, Severn said.
That would be my guess.
Do you see us having any chanceagainst them?
No, Severn said.
Not really.
I don't see it.
Me neither, Matthew said.
And then the two of them walkedalongside each other in silence.

(14:54):
Severn and Matthew entered thefarmhouse to find A'isha and Red
side by side at the stove, withTommy and Vi behind them at the
kitchen table playing chess on ared and black fold up board with
cheap plastic pieces.
A'isha had just poured a box ofspaghetti into boiling water.
Beside her, Severn, Red stirreda pot of marinara sauce with a

(15:14):
wooden spoon.
Vi had been staring at thechessboard before Matthew pushed
through the door, breaking herconcentration.
When she looked up, her eyeswent first to Severn's chest and
then to his side, where theholster and pistol should have
been.
What's up, she said.
Where are your weapons?
Severn ignored her question andjoined Red and A'isha at the

(15:36):
stove where he peered into themarinara sauce and checked out
the spaghetti as A'isha stirredthe pot.
This looks delicious, he said toRed, who had glanced at him
quickly before returning hergaze to the bubbling sauce.
How's it going, he asked A'isha.
Good, A'isha said.
To Severn's surprise, shereached around Red, touched his
shoulder, and gave him a quickkiss on the cheek.

(15:59):
Red chopped up a couple ofonions and added some oregano to
the sauce, she said.
I'm looking forward to tastingit.
Matthew had stopped at the doorto put away his rifle.
She can cook, he said.
His voice was flat andaffectless.
He leaned against the counternext to A'isha, who moved back
from the boiling pot of waterand kissed him on the lips, a

(16:21):
loud, smacking kiss, partaffection and part comedy.
You're in a good mood, he said.
Carpe diem, A'isha said, right?
She leaned back against Matthewand gestured toward the kids at
the table and read in Severn atthe stove.
This is nice, she added.
She peeked over her shoulder toMatthew.
Weren't you getting bored, justthe two of us?

(16:42):
This Before Matthew couldanswer, Tommy said to Severn,
Red knows how to play chess.
We had the board the wrong wayand she showed us.
You play chess?
Severn asked Red.
Red nodded, her eyes on thesaucepan.
Red, A'isha said, would you getthe colander please, it's under
the sink.

(17:03):
I'll get it, Matthew said.
He found the colander and put itin the sink after clearing away
a few dishes.
We're ready.
A'isha found two bright yellowpotholders in a kitchen drawer,
lifted the pot from the stove,and poured spaghetti into the
colander as she backed away fromthe cloud of steam rushing
toward the ceiling.
Red pushed the pan of sauce offthe burner and, without being

(17:25):
asked, brought a white servingbowl from the kitchen table to
the counter.
She held it while A'isha pouredin the spaghetti.
When A'isha was done, Redcarried the bowl to the stove,
poured on the marinara sauce,and then mixed it using a wooden
fork and spoon.
When she saw that everyone waswatching her, she slowed down
and turned to Severn.

(17:45):
Severn motioned to Tommy and Viand said, Let's eat.
He led the way to the diningroom table, which was already
set with plates, napkins, andutensils.
Red carried the pasta bowl tothe table and took a seat next
to Severn, across from Tommy andVi.
This is cozy, Matthew said.
In that same effectless voicethat came across, this time, as

(18:08):
at least a little insincere.
He carried three beers to thetable, slid one to Tommy and one
to Severn, and sat across fromRed.
A'isha held a can of beer in onehand and a can of Pepsi in the
other.
Which, she asked Red.
When Red pointed to the Pepsi,she handed it to her.
I'll have a Pepsi too, Vi said.

(18:30):
I think I'll have a beer withthe boys tonight.
A'isha put the beer in front ofher plate, next to Red, and went
back to the fridge for a Pepsifor Vi.
When she finally took her seat,she folded her hands in front of
her and sighed.
You're not all waiting for me toserve you, are you?
Red jumped up at that, butSevern put his hand on her
shoulder and pulled the servingbowl close to him.

(18:51):
Hand me your plates, he said,and went about heaping the
steaming spaghetti and sauceonto everyone's dishes.
After he had filled the lastplate, he said, this smells
delicious.
When everyone seemed to bewaiting for someone else to
start, he added, shall we eat?
Red reached up to take Severn'shand on one side of her and
A'isha's on the other.

(19:12):
She seemed confused when no oneelse clasped hands.
Do you say grace before meals?
Matthew asked Red.
He leaned toward her, his elbowson the table.
Red let go of Severn and A'ishaand folded her hands in her lap.
Like a blessing, Tommy said, asif to clarify Matthew's
question.
Do you say a blessing before youeat a meal?

(19:33):
Red nodded and then looked fromTommy to Severn.
Who do you pray to?
Matthew asked.
What god do you pray to?
Matthew, Severn said.
Are you?
Matthew paused as if momentarilytoo flustered to speak.
I mean, are you Catholics,Protestants, Muslims?
When Red didn't respond, hesaid, Please answer me.

(19:55):
She can't speak, A'isha said.
She can nod, Matthew said,raising his voice.
Do you have Jews, Buddhists,Mormons?
When Red nodded, Matthew turnedto Severn.
They adopted our religions, hesaid.
They pray to our gods.
They give thanks, he added.
They exterminated us, and thenthey give thanks to our gods.

(20:18):
A'isha said, She's one person,Matthew.
She's not responsible foreverything her people did.
She's not, Matthew said.
I don't hear her expressingregret.
Tommy said, She's afraid of you,dude.
Matthew glared at Tommy andlooked like he might lash out at
him.
Instead, he finished his beerand went to the fridge for

(20:38):
another.
On the way, he said, Maybe shesenses I harbor ill will toward
her people.
Red's arms started to quiver andshake in little spasms.
She folded them under herbreasts to hold herself still.
Vi tossed her fork down on thetable and the sound of it
clattering made Red flinch.

(20:58):
Vi didn't notice.
She had already spun around toface Matthew in the kitchen.
I agree with A'isha, she said.
Red's just one person, she's notone of their leaders or
something like that.
Matthew downed the second beerin a few gulps, took a third
from the fridge, put a fourth inhis pocket, and walked out of
the house, grabbing his riflealong the way.

(21:21):
Once he was gone, the Down thefront porch steps and off toward
the pond.
A'isha said, Let's just eat,okay?
She offered Red a forced smile,and then picked up her fork and
twirled spaghetti around thetines.
Fi swallowed a mouthful of pastaand said, The onions were a
great idea, Red.
She took a sip of Pepsi and thenwatched Red waiting for her to

(21:43):
eat.
Red picked up her fork andtouched the spaghetti.
She appeared to be forcingherself to move.
She lifted a few noodles to hermouth and then returned them to
the bowl.
She put the fork down, foldedher arms under her breasts again
and looked to Severn.
She was shaking noticeably.
You know what I think, Severnsaid to the table.

(22:05):
I'm going to take Red back tothe cave early.
He spun around and looked outthe living room windows.
The day was continuing with thesame intermittent sunshine and
cloudiness.
At the moment, the sun wasshining, lighting up the porch
in its white railing.
I'll get her set up andcomfortable there, he added,
turning to face A'isha, and thenyou can meet up with us later.

(22:28):
She needs to eat something, Visaid.
So do you.
I'll make them sandwiches,A'isha said.
To Severn, she said, I thinkthat's probably a good idea.
It'll give me time to talk toMatthew.
She got up and pushed her chairback under the table.
Matthew's a good guy, she said,gesturing toward Red.
You'll see.

(22:50):
Severn followed A'isha into thekitchen, leaving Red with Tommy
and Vi, both of whom tried totalk to her at the same time.
Tommy said, Hell, Red, if I hadto be responsible for everything
my people ever did, I'd have nochoice but to hang myself.
Vi said to Tommy, Let's get offthat subject altogether, okay?
She took a bite of salad,swallowed quickly, and told Red

(23:12):
she reminded her of one of herolder sisters, Rose, who was the
shy one in the family.
She wasn't as pretty as you, shesaid, but she was still pretty
pretty.
She and Tommy both laughed atthe repetition of pretty.
As Red listened, her shakingslowed down and then stopped.
Tommy and Vi, seeing the effectthey were having on her, went on

(23:32):
chattering, which was somethingthey were good at.
In the kitchen, Severn andA'isha went about making
sandwiches.
They worked in silence as theylistened to Tommy and Vi go on
about their families, where theyhad both lived, how they had
first gotten to know each other,things that had happened to
them.
All their stories predated thelurchings.

(23:53):
They seemed to be enjoyingthemselves, and Red was
listening attentively.
When they were done makingsandwiches, A'isha found a brown
paper bag in a kitchen drawer.
She motioned for Severn to joinher in a far corner of the
kitchen out of sight of Red andthe kids.
I'm sorry, she whispered, butMatthew has serious problems
with Red.

(24:14):
I know, Severn said.
He's making that pretty clear.
I don't think it'll work for herto stay with us.
A'isha pushed a loose strand ofhair off her face and tucked it
behind her ear.
You seem to be getting attachedto her.
Severn gave himself a second tothink about that.
The plan is the same, he said.
We'll try to find strangers whowill take her in.

(24:37):
Why do you think they put herout in the first place?
This is the only behavior we'veseen from them that's not A'isha
touched her lips as if she mightmake them speak the word she was
searching for.
Ideal, she said finally.
Harmonious.
I don't know, Severn said.
And she doesn't seem to knoweither.

(24:57):
Vi called from the living room.
What are you guys whisperingabout?
If we wanted you to know, Severnsaid, we wouldn't be whispering.
Oh great, Vi said.
Now we have secrets.
Severn touched A'isha's arm,meaning to reassure her.
We'll figure it out, he said.
He picked up the bag with thesandwiches and joined the kids
in the living room.

(25:17):
He motioned to Red.
Are you ready to go?
Red got up from her seat, andA'isha joined Severn.
She said, We'll be there later.
Vi was wearing a yellow top anda pair of jade teardrop
earrings.
You have pierced ears, she said,first pointing to Red, and then
going about taking off herearrings.

(25:39):
Red nodded and leaned forwardslightly when Vi approached her,
seeing that Vi intended to putthe earrings on her.
They match your eyes, Vi said.
Whoa, Tommy said.
They look great on her.
Red seemed unsure of what to doat first, and then she bent to
Vi and kissed her on the cheek.
Vi grinned in response to thekiss.

(26:00):
You can keep them, she said.
Red nodded again, a thank you inthe gesture.
Time to go, Severn said.
And he took Red by the arm andled her to the door.
That was episode 16 of TheStrangers.

(26:22):
New episodes will be availabletwice a week on Mondays and
Fridays until the novel iscompleted.
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The Strangers is available fromAmazon, Barnes Noble, and other
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If you'd like to support it andmore like it in the future,

(26:44):
visit Please consider becoming asubscriber or supporter.
If enough listeners choose to doso, that will go a long way to
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In any event, I'm Ed Falco, Iwrote The Strangers, and I hope
you'll come back for the nextepisode.