Chapter 3 The Signal Beneath. From the Book Rat Gang Crew: Synthia’s Not Normal

 🎧 Rat Gang Crew: Synthia’s Not Normal – Kids' Sci-Fi Podcast Adventure

Autism & ADHD Friendly
Join the Rat Gang Crew in this exciting audio adventure for kids aged 6–9!

🐭🌟 Meet Synthia—a clever, curious rat who hears strange sounds under the city. She’s autistic, full of brilliant ideas, and definitely not normal. But that’s exactly what makes her the hero!

Together with her funny, fearless friends, the Rat Gang Crew must solve a mechanical mystery beneath the Overground. With glowing memory cubes, friendly robots, and a secret that could change the city forever—this is a thrilling tale of teamwork, inclusion, and bravery.

🧠 Great for families, schools, and homeschoolers🎧
Perfect for neurodivergent children
🎨 Featuring imaginative storytelling and sound-rich scenes
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 #KidsPodcast #Neurodiversity #SynthiaNotNormal #RatGangCrew #AutismAcceptance #ADHDkids #SciFiForKids #AudioAdventure #TaleTellerKids

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter three The signal beneath from the book Rat Gang
Crew Cynthia's Not Normal by Sarnia de la Maree. The
relay room was suddenly quiet, like the inside of a
music box that hadn't been wound up in years. The
hums and thrums were hushed. The machine in the chair
blinked slowly, its sorrow partly lifted by the crew. Cynthia

(00:20):
stood very still, her paws tingling. The strange machine's voice
was soft and wobbly, like a song trying to remember
its tune. Welcome, it said, you have reached the relay
Are you Rat Gang Scarlet gave a slow nod. Yeah,
that's us. Are you hurt? We heard your call for help,
said Cynthia. I have been calling for so long. I
am missing parts of myself. I am repeater. The machine said.

(00:43):
I used to share messages of love, songs, stories, laughter,
but then everything changed changed how asked Ivy, her glasses
slipping down her nose. Ivy liked facts and details, the
robot answered. The city grew louder. Busier made more money,
but it became less kind. The quiet things were shut down.
People were too busy to share the wonderful things rats

(01:04):
and mice can do. Creative things were forgotten and not appreciated.
Things were thrown away. Repeater paused, I was one of them.
Cynthia's heart ached. She knew that feeling. What happened to
your parts? Atlas asked, looking worried, Are they like missing?
Repeater gave a soft beap. Yes, my memory cubes lost,

(01:25):
taken by the scrap bugs. I need them to remember
who I am and why I matter. There was a pause,
then Cynthia stepped forward. You matter, Repeater blinked. Why do
you think so? Cynthia looked around, because you listen, and
because you're different like me. With a tiny click, a
hatch opened on Repeater's chest. Inside was a glowing cube,

(01:46):
pulsing like a baby firefly. For you, Repeater said, you
heard me, when no one else did. Cynthia reached out
and took the cube. It buzzed gently. In her pause,
a tune played inside her mind, soft, sweet, and somehow familiar.
I know this song, she whispered. I played it for you,
said Repeater, when you were very small. The gang gasped.

(02:07):
You knew, Cynthia said, scarlet, I still do. Repeater replied,
we were both unusual. That's why we understood each other.
The lights around the room flickered. My power is low,
Repeter said, Please find the rest of my memories, not
just for me, but for the city it's forgotten. How
to be fair? The city forgot, Ivy asked, Yes, said Repeater.

(02:29):
It stopped listening, It stopped including every one. It only
wanted things that looked the same, sounded the same, acted
the same. That's boring, said Atlas. That's unfair, said Emily.
That's real, said Cynthia. Then, with a soft sigh, Repeater's
lights dimmed. The room grew still. The only sound was
the gentle hum of the cube. In Cynthia's pause, Scarlet

(02:50):
turned to the gang. Well what now we find the memories,
said Cynthia. We help Repeater. We helped the city remember
what it forgot. What's that? Asked Ivy. That being different
isn't wrong, Cynthia said, it's wonderful, whispered Omily. Atlas nodded,
And sometimes it glows like a cube. Cynthia looked down
at the glowing cube in her paws. Its soft light

(03:12):
warmed her fur like it knew her already, like it
had been waiting. We help repeat her. She said, we
help the city remember how to listen. Scarlet gave a
firm nod. Then it's time. The Ratgang crew huddled up,
forming a circle in the dusty tunnel. Scarlet stuck out
her right paw first, fast and fearless. Atlas followed his paw,

(03:33):
still a little sticky from his emergency snack. Ivy added hers,
carefully aligning her claws just so. Emily plunked hers down
with a wink. Let's sparkle this mission. Cynthia hesitated just
a second, then placed her paw on top. It trembled
for a moment, then stilled all together. Now, Scarlet grinned ready.
Crew on three. They all leaned in one, two, three

(03:56):
brains tails courage Go Ratgang Crew. The lung their paws high,
determined tails, twirling paws, touching the ceiling of possibility behind them.
In the quiet room, Repeater's lights pulsed once more, just
a flicker, as if he had heard them.