WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.560 The Intangible is a limited literary audio anthology 00:00:03.560 --> 00:00:06.580 that explores that corpulent call which we must 00:00:06.580 --> 00:00:10.480 all one day pierce. We're happy to have you here, 00:00:10.580 --> 00:00:17.000 and even happier to keep you. Care for a chilled 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:22.219 beverage? Please enjoy cracking open a couple 00:00:22.219 --> 00:00:32.909 cold ones. The crowd screaming began when we 00:00:32.909 --> 00:00:36.689 saw the hands, one from each side, thrice the 00:00:36.689 --> 00:00:40.130 dimensions of the colliding bodies. One hand 00:00:40.130 --> 00:00:43.070 yanked the moon to the west, the comet was snatched 00:00:43.070 --> 00:00:46.689 to the east. Both tipped asunder, and molten 00:00:46.689 --> 00:00:50.030 cores poured into unfathomably large, toothy 00:00:50.030 --> 00:00:54.409 mars which had appeared. Deep rumbles ensued 00:00:54.409 --> 00:00:58.369 like monstrous guffaws, flattening trees, sweeping 00:00:58.369 --> 00:01:01.659 people away in its wake. lifting them hundreds 00:01:01.659 --> 00:01:05.420 of feet high, then abandoning fleshy bodies to 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:09.500 crash to the earth. Weeks later, they're still 00:01:09.500 --> 00:01:14.540 here. At night, the sky is dark now. It's only 00:01:14.540 --> 00:01:39.680 a matter of time before they drink us, too. Oh, 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:43.420 no, no, no, no. See, I was just... I wasn't... 00:01:43.420 --> 00:01:48.719 All right, fine. You caught me. But listen, there's 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:51.540 infinite universes out there. Nobody's going 00:01:51.540 --> 00:02:27.780 to miss just one. It was never Thanksgiving. 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:33.199 Never Christmas that got me. I think because 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.900 I could see them coming well ahead of time. Years 00:02:35.900 --> 00:02:39.180 ahead if I wanted. They're like an orbiting comet. 00:02:39.900 --> 00:02:43.060 You know when to expect them. If you get hit 00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:47.520 by one, sure, it'll vaporize you. But they aren't 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:49.139 scary because you always know where they are. 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:55.520 It wasn't the holidays that got me. It's always 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.960 those days that come out of nowhere, like an 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:03.400 extinction -level asteroid. One minute, I'm sleeping 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:06.460 like my bed is in a hypergolic chamber. And the 00:03:06.460 --> 00:03:09.479 next, I feel like I'm watching what looks like 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:13.300 a comet in the sky grow and grow until its light 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:16.520 is all I see. And I can hear it ripping the air 00:03:16.520 --> 00:03:20.520 apart in front of it as it closes in. Then, wham, 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:28.400 I'm extinct. Not extinct. Not really. But I've 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:34.159 watched the world go around for 1 ,128 days. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.800 Staring out through this small window, mostly 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:43.020 alone. I have next to no contact with the world 00:03:43.020 --> 00:03:47.060 outside. Most days, I don't think too much about 00:03:47.060 --> 00:03:51.840 it. This is my life. Love it or hate it. And 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.060 my own choices led me here. No sense in driving 00:03:55.060 --> 00:03:57.340 myself crazy over some imagined life I could 00:03:57.340 --> 00:04:05.400 be living instead. I haven't seen or talked to 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:07.879 a member of my family since I went away either. 00:04:08.979 --> 00:04:18.800 1 ,128 days since I have heard any of their voices. 00:04:19.699 --> 00:04:24.040 Felt their arms around me. Heard the words, I 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:30.939 love you. The holidays I can see coming. It's 00:04:30.939 --> 00:04:34.879 days like today that are hard. Taken by surprise. 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.980 Days when the view from this window looks much 00:04:39.980 --> 00:04:43.879 less beautiful. Today is the hardest so far. 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:47.540 This is the smallest my window has felt since 00:04:47.540 --> 00:04:50.319 I've been aboard the Scout Class Kestrel Fury. 00:04:51.180 --> 00:04:54.240 The most alone. I've felt since I left the surface 00:04:54.240 --> 00:05:00.620 1 ,128 days ago. There are daily check -ins, 00:05:00.620 --> 00:05:04.060 of course. Weekly discussions with the psych. 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:07.740 Regular meetings with a doctor, a dietician. 00:05:08.220 --> 00:05:11.779 The cheerleader. He's a pastor and a life coach, 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:15.399 but I like my name for him. He laughs and refers 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.959 to himself that way now, too. And various other 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:25.560 members of the team. business. I've never heard 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:29.699 I love you in a meeting with any of them. No. 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:36.879 Not a comet. We see those coming. It's the asteroids. 00:05:37.819 --> 00:05:41.639 Those colossal titans that crash through the 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:45.000 great black vacuum, mistling down at you with 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:49.300 extinction event speed. So fast you never had 00:05:49.300 --> 00:05:54.009 a chance to even brace yourself. So fast that 00:05:54.009 --> 00:05:57.750 when you heard the call come over the comm, you 00:05:57.750 --> 00:06:01.149 barely reached your space window in time to see 00:06:01.149 --> 00:06:05.589 the fiery celeste. Just a speck of white -orange 00:06:05.589 --> 00:06:10.829 sparkle, the flash of a trace around, but aiming 00:06:10.829 --> 00:06:15.810 straight for home. Barely fast enough to bear 00:06:15.810 --> 00:06:20.209 witness. Barely fast enough to look away in time 00:06:20.209 --> 00:06:26.680 and... Not get yourself blinded. That fast. In 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:31.000 the blink of an eye. In the most literal sense 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:36.560 of that breeze. And there were no more holidays. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:45.519 We are in extinct. There are still few of us 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.500 floating around here. It might last another 7 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:56.339 ,300 days. Who knows? Holidays are like comets. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:02.600 They're just like Earth. Gone. They're all gone 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:04.839 and none of them are ever coming back around. 00:07:31.659 --> 00:07:35.759 I sit, crouched and hidden among the black shadows, 00:07:36.019 --> 00:07:39.879 peering around the corner. So far, the two of 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:42.660 us have remained peaceful with each other, and 00:07:42.660 --> 00:07:45.660 I'm comfortable watching him come and go. without 00:07:45.660 --> 00:07:49.579 being fully out of sight. He is much bigger than 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:53.540 I, but not nearly as quick. I've had several 00:07:53.540 --> 00:07:56.579 run -ins with his type before, and he doesn't 00:07:56.579 --> 00:08:01.180 scare me. They're all the same. Big and powerful, 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:06.439 but clumsy, lumbering and thin -skinned. Also, 00:08:06.660 --> 00:08:10.000 he doesn't seem to possess a particularly luminous 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:13.899 level of intelligence. Not stupid, but not bright. 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:18.100 Any one of our kind could easily outclass him 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:22.500 in that department. Every day I watch, and his 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:26.279 routine is the same. He fills his bowl, then 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:30.500 becomes distracted. He wanders off, occupied 00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:34.740 by these other matters, and, get this, forgets 00:08:34.740 --> 00:08:38.639 to eat. He just leaves his rations lying about, 00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:42.679 unguarded and gone to waste. He doesn't come 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:46.070 back for it. nor does he notice when I sneak 00:08:46.070 --> 00:08:50.950 in and steal some. I've been here several weeks 00:08:50.950 --> 00:08:54.450 now, and it's a wonder how he can survive with 00:08:54.450 --> 00:08:58.809 such a degree of complacency. I'm amazed by the 00:08:58.809 --> 00:09:02.450 blatant insensibility he displays. Frankly, it 00:09:02.450 --> 00:09:09.049 disgusts me. But I do enjoy the perks. So far, 00:09:09.190 --> 00:09:13.250 I don't consider him a serious threat. Based 00:09:13.250 --> 00:09:16.590 on my observations, he could be dangerous, I 00:09:16.590 --> 00:09:21.230 suppose. But he appears unlikely to choose violence. 00:09:22.110 --> 00:09:27.190 If he tries, I'll punish him for it. Still, I 00:09:27.190 --> 00:09:31.750 remain cautious. I wait for him to leave so I 00:09:31.750 --> 00:09:34.370 can steal his food again, but with so little 00:09:34.370 --> 00:09:37.409 available cover, I'm nervous about walking into 00:09:37.409 --> 00:09:41.519 the wide open. I'd be too exposed. After the 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:44.779 close call yesterday, he almost had me, I confess. 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:49.639 I feel a bit skittish. I suppose, in a way, he 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:52.840 has me trapped here at the moment, but I can 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:57.600 escape at my will. His foolishness has afforded 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:00.399 me numerous opportunities to go without alert. 00:10:01.019 --> 00:10:03.960 Once, he leaned himself against the main door 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:07.750 without realizing it was ajar. He stared at his 00:10:07.750 --> 00:10:10.350 feet for several moments, unaware of his own 00:10:10.350 --> 00:10:14.549 self -induced security breach. Pathetic. Yes, 00:10:14.590 --> 00:10:19.169 I miss my old streets, but my curiosity here 00:10:19.169 --> 00:10:24.289 has caught hold and kept me. Besides, he's done 00:10:24.289 --> 00:10:28.690 nothing to threaten my safety. Except for yesterday. 00:10:29.190 --> 00:10:32.970 There was a minor attack, from which I escaped 00:10:32.970 --> 00:10:39.230 unharmed. Over his choice of oppression and conflict, 00:10:39.509 --> 00:10:44.169 he snuck in as I pilfered the rations he'd left 00:10:44.169 --> 00:10:49.809 lying about. He was stealthy, and I didn't notice 00:10:49.809 --> 00:10:54.870 him before he was upon me. I usually fight back. 00:10:55.070 --> 00:10:59.850 I was prepared to fight back. I always fight 00:10:59.850 --> 00:11:04.889 back, but this time was different. I'm disturbed. 00:11:05.529 --> 00:11:08.750 and ashamed that I was caught so unprepared, 00:11:08.870 --> 00:11:14.250 and I'm ashamed his sorcery worked on me. His 00:11:14.250 --> 00:11:18.529 paws are enormous, large enough to wrap all the 00:11:18.529 --> 00:11:22.309 way around me, and when he got hold of me, I 00:11:22.309 --> 00:11:26.509 froze. The situation worked out, but a life could 00:11:26.509 --> 00:11:29.029 have been lost if things had gone differently. 00:11:29.669 --> 00:11:33.429 Even today, I struggle to understand what happened. 00:11:34.110 --> 00:11:39.850 What went wrong? Once he had me, though, he didn't 00:11:39.850 --> 00:11:43.929 attack. Not at first. He held me there for a 00:11:43.929 --> 00:11:48.149 moment. It gave me time to think. He's so much 00:11:48.149 --> 00:11:51.470 bigger than me, I figured it was best not to 00:11:51.470 --> 00:11:55.470 struggle in case it would agitate him. What he 00:11:55.470 --> 00:11:59.350 did wasn't violent, but it was surely torture. 00:12:00.529 --> 00:12:04.899 He held me down with one hand. and put his other 00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:08.740 hand on my neck. Then, when he touched my back, 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:13.340 I was inexplicably paralyzed, unexpectedly captured, 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.100 and entirely in repose. I had never been confronted 00:12:18.100 --> 00:12:21.000 with such a maneuver, and I cannot accurately 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:25.840 convey the effect it had on me. Everyone knows 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:30.799 how much I sleep. Dare say too much. I love to 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:38.070 sleep. This. was not sleep. It was as if my body 00:12:38.070 --> 00:12:41.610 slept, while I remained helpless to its will. 00:12:41.929 --> 00:12:45.470 I could hear him speaking in his bizarre language 00:12:45.470 --> 00:12:49.269 while he manipulated my neck and back with repeated 00:12:49.269 --> 00:12:53.990 motions. I admit this next part not for posterity, 00:12:54.070 --> 00:12:58.570 but because I am incapable of anything besides 00:12:58.570 --> 00:13:03.039 total upfront honesty. The whole truth. or none 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:07.940 at all, I always say. So yes, I confess, I enjoyed 00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:11.700 the sensation, especially when his hand moved 00:13:11.700 --> 00:13:17.480 from my neck down my back. I stayed vigilant, 00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:20.399 though, watching for the inevitable opportunity, 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:23.960 for my chance to shimmy loose and escape his 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:27.539 clutches with a trick the very instant I could. 00:13:28.299 --> 00:13:31.659 I'm still chuckling over how well my deception 00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:36.200 worked. As I said, his bizarre trap rendered 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:40.580 me nearly helpless, but after some time, my mobility 00:13:40.580 --> 00:13:44.759 began to return and I could move again. Not much 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:49.379 at first, but some. The technique he used must 00:13:49.379 --> 00:13:52.960 lose some of its potency after a certain volume 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:56.840 of continued exposure. Although I was yet hindered 00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:00.629 to a degree, I mustered my strength, rolled over, 00:14:00.789 --> 00:14:04.309 and feigned absolute submission. Presented with 00:14:04.309 --> 00:14:07.649 my underbelly, the attacker did not cease inflicting 00:14:07.649 --> 00:14:11.070 his torture, but instead ignored my back and 00:14:11.070 --> 00:14:14.129 refocused his efforts on the tender front of 00:14:14.129 --> 00:14:18.129 my torso. I experienced those effects differently 00:14:18.129 --> 00:14:21.830 due to his new angle of attack. It wasn't as 00:14:21.830 --> 00:14:25.970 pleasure - unbearable as the first technique. 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:32.019 I felt no need to eliminate this foe, but I needed 00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:35.759 to escape. I needed to rest and to ponder how 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:40.220 he shirked my defenses. So, I lulled him into 00:14:40.220 --> 00:14:43.419 further complacency with a brief maneuver of 00:14:43.419 --> 00:14:47.940 my own. I tolerated this new torment while pretending 00:14:47.940 --> 00:14:51.980 I was feeble to convince him I had finally surrendered. 00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:58.570 I would never. Then, when I was certain he'd 00:14:58.570 --> 00:15:02.509 fallen for my ruse, I planned I would astonish 00:15:02.509 --> 00:15:08.409 him. My plan was immaculate, of course. When 00:15:08.409 --> 00:15:12.490 his defenses dipped, I saw my opening and snapped 00:15:12.490 --> 00:15:16.409 into action. I pounced like one of those feral 00:15:16.409 --> 00:15:19.629 calicos from the back alleys, a glorious attack. 00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:24.059 I snared his enormous paw and delivered a ferocious 00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:27.480 bite to make sure he knew I had got the better 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:31.220 of him. He howled in his native tongue. More 00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:35.139 on that in a moment. And my nasty surprise triggered 00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:38.379 his nervous system, forcing his knuckles to straighten 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:42.580 and lock just like any other simple rodents would. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.399 Finally, his grip relaxed and he released. I 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:50.590 was quick and seized the moment. slipped free 00:15:50.590 --> 00:15:56.330 and retreated to safety. There, I sat and allowed 00:15:56.330 --> 00:15:59.909 him to amuse me with his grumbling whimpers and 00:15:59.909 --> 00:16:03.929 owls. He won't be trying that maneuver again. 00:16:05.070 --> 00:16:09.250 Later, I groomed myself before napping. A last 00:16:09.250 --> 00:16:12.629 note, it seems I have learned a word of his language. 00:16:13.250 --> 00:16:17.450 As I launched my devious attack yesterday, he 00:16:17.450 --> 00:16:21.549 yelled out, Ow, Henry, you stinker! Which I am 00:16:21.549 --> 00:16:25.149 now quite certain means, please spare my life. 00:16:25.370 --> 00:16:39.090 In his dialect. Pathetic. Yes, hi. I mean, I 00:16:39.090 --> 00:16:42.110 apologize for my momentary outburst earlier. 00:16:43.750 --> 00:16:48.690 As John Donne once wrote, Any man's death diminishes 00:16:48.690 --> 00:16:53.149 me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore 00:16:53.149 --> 00:16:57.549 never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It 00:16:57.549 --> 00:17:02.269 tolls for thee. Speaking of bells, I believe 00:17:02.269 --> 00:17:15.799 I hear one right now. Karen tuned out the second 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:19.119 grade girls on the playground. It only took three 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.579 weeks as an elementary school teacher to learn 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:24.400 that ability, and she was going on six years 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:28.140 now as Miss Karen. Instead, she focused on her 00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:32.880 conversation with Melissa, the new TA. I know, 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:35.640 can you believe it? She was only 23. We were 00:17:35.640 --> 00:17:37.660 supposed to go for happy hour this Wednesday. 00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:42.220 It was a teacher's work day and a half day, so 00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:45.079 they planned to leave a little early. Betsy had 00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:48.519 invited Karen to show the fellas down at Charlie's 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:50.859 place what a couple of working gals could do 00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:53.099 with a stick and some balls on a pool table. 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:56.180 After which they both caught the giggles and 00:17:56.180 --> 00:17:59.180 ended up laughing so hard, both their 7th period 00:17:59.180 --> 00:18:01.819 classes asked them what was wrong when they saw 00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:06.839 the smudged makeup on their faces. Melissa nodded 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:09.579 sympathetically. She knew Karen and Betsy had 00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:14.660 been work besties. So kind and sunny. Her parents 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:17.940 must be devastated. The brass bell gave three 00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:20.720 quick rings to alert the teacher as recess was 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:23.819 nearly over. Melissa clapped as she walked the 00:18:23.819 --> 00:18:26.279 perimeter of the play yard, calling the class 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:30.799 to line up. Single file! Single file! Ladies 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:35.059 first! Last one in line has desk duty! Most of 00:18:35.059 --> 00:18:37.559 the class lined up at their designated post, 00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:41.500 but not the group of girls. They continued their 00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:44.880 dance, hands clasped, spinning a large circle, 00:18:45.099 --> 00:18:48.819 six of them all together. They collapsed in a 00:18:48.819 --> 00:18:52.380 giggling heap. Melissa smiled to herself, but 00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:54.980 she knew if she gave the girls an inch, then... 00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:58.680 Well, she was a little girl once, too. She knew 00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:01.859 how bad it could get. Clapping louder, she shouted 00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:05.559 to them, Let's go, girls! Line up, line up, line 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:09.839 up! One of the girls, Aubrey, ran over. One more 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:13.480 time, Miss Melissa. Please. You can play it with 00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:17.059 us. We wanted to do one for Miss Betsy. Melissa 00:19:17.059 --> 00:19:19.319 looked down, and even though she knew Aubrey 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:22.720 was putting on her best sad puppy face, it still 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:27.519 worked. If we do one dance together, one, for 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:30.240 Miss Betsy, will you tell the others to follow 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.380 directions so we can line up without any fuss? 00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:37.250 Yes, Miss Melissa. So, can we? Go ahead, she 00:19:37.250 --> 00:19:41.329 nodded. I'll be right over. Aubrey dashed back 00:19:41.329 --> 00:19:44.430 to the group, and they all joined hands, leaving 00:19:44.430 --> 00:19:47.630 a space right next to Aubrey for Miss Melissa. 00:19:48.450 --> 00:19:51.890 As Melissa took her place between Cindy and Aubrey, 00:19:52.069 --> 00:19:56.710 Aubrey smiled up at her, beaming. Miss Melissa 00:19:56.710 --> 00:19:59.150 and the group of second grade girls collapsed 00:19:59.150 --> 00:20:02.670 to the dense autumn grass, all of them giggling. 00:20:03.529 --> 00:20:06.289 True to her word, Aubrey had told the others, 00:20:06.470 --> 00:20:09.150 and they obediently lined up and returned to 00:20:09.150 --> 00:20:14.970 class. Several weeks later, Miss Karen stood 00:20:14.970 --> 00:20:17.910 at recess with her arms crossed, chatting with 00:20:17.910 --> 00:20:22.529 the new TA, Annabelle. It's just so weird, first 00:20:22.529 --> 00:20:26.430 Betsy, then Melissa, Karen shivered. I just don't 00:20:26.430 --> 00:20:29.470 understand. You look like you aren't sleeping 00:20:29.470 --> 00:20:32.950 well. Karen meant it sympathetically, but... 00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:36.519 Thanks. Karen gave Annabelle a deadpan look, 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:39.359 then realized how sharp the word had come out. 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:43.839 I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. It's okay. It's 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:46.700 not. I'm not, you know. I'm not sleeping well. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:50.359 The group of second grade girls played nearby 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:53.380 when the brass bell rang out three quick chirps. 00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:57.819 Karen began calling the class to line. Let's 00:20:57.819 --> 00:21:02.190 go, line up, single file, ladies first. Aubrey 00:21:02.190 --> 00:21:04.430 skipped over and motioned for Annabelle to lean 00:21:04.430 --> 00:21:08.089 in, then whispered in her ear. Annabelle glanced 00:21:08.089 --> 00:21:10.950 over at Karen and mouthed, I'll be right back. 00:21:11.970 --> 00:21:15.630 Okay, she said to Aubrey. One time, then we line 00:21:15.630 --> 00:21:18.690 up, okay? Yes, Miss Anna. Thank you. Come on. 00:21:19.630 --> 00:21:22.329 Aubrey grabbed Miss Anna's hand and skipped back 00:21:22.329 --> 00:21:26.049 to the circle. Annabelle didn't know why, but 00:21:26.049 --> 00:21:28.130 the hair on her neck stood at attention when 00:21:28.130 --> 00:21:31.269 she grasped Cindy's hand next to Aubrey. and 00:21:31.269 --> 00:21:44.009 began turning a big circle with the girls. Don't 00:21:44.009 --> 00:21:49.450 you just love children? I prefer mine medium 00:21:49.450 --> 00:21:53.849 rare. What's one thing you wish you could say 00:21:53.849 --> 00:21:55.990 to someone, but you can't because they're gone? 00:21:56.410 --> 00:21:59.329 Could be a question, apology, and I love you. 00:21:59.970 --> 00:22:01.589 Anything at all, as long as it's for somebody 00:22:01.589 --> 00:22:09.769 you knew in life who's gone now. That I had so 00:22:09.769 --> 00:22:16.910 much to say. Maybe that mostly that they took 00:22:16.910 --> 00:22:21.829 that for granted, I suppose, or assumed they'd 00:22:21.829 --> 00:22:25.009 always be there. I assumed they'd always be there, 00:22:25.069 --> 00:22:28.849 so I didn't say what I could have said when... 00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:58.200 I should have said it. Not only is Angels Alive 00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:00.880 extraordinary elixir, a robust and rotund elixir, 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:02.880 it is an excellent, exceptional, efficacious, 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:05.240 effectual, potent, powerful, marvelous, magnificent 00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:08.960 one, and is, as always, an utterly edible, enjoyable, 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:11.119 potent, potable, pleasantly piquant and palatable, 00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:13.319 desirable, delicious, delectable, mouth -watering, 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:16.279 and yet... morally respectable elixir of the 00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:18.480 finest quality of the most refined purity developed 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:20.640 under the sharpest eye of scrutiny safely and 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:22.799 scientifically circulated carefully crafted and 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:24.680 combined by the bright and the brilliant the 00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:27.720 astute and acute the clever and keen shaman of 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:30.799 the sheik a mystifying medicine man from a mysterious 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.480 perplexing peculiar part of pa wang located deep 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:38.799 deep down in the far southwest of the east for 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:41.740 an elixir so unusually useful angel's alive extraordinary 00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:46.960 elixir is for a time too temporary to tell uncommonly 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:50.319 priced every extraordinary bottle of angel's 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:53.279 alive extraordinary elixir must go and remember 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:56.299 folks a bottle bought is always a bottle sold 00:23:56.299 --> 00:24:00.160 blaze peeked his helmet out to see if he could 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:03.319 spot the sinister scientist but he only saw endless 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:07.220 rows of empty drums Max Ratchet, you're under 00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:09.500 arrest in the name of the Republic of the New 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:13.480 Milky Way. Give up now, and no one gets hurt. 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:17.599 The tables have turned, Blaze. You'll never escape 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:20.900 the Tinkerbots. I've programmed them all so they 00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:27.759 only have one goal. Your demise. Max tried to 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:29.859 laugh like an evil villain, but ended up choking 00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:33.369 and coughing on his own spit instead. Max pushed 00:24:33.369 --> 00:24:35.869 the thick lenses of his glasses back up to the 00:24:35.869 --> 00:24:40.430 bridge of his nose. Tinkerbots, attack! Blaze 00:24:40.430 --> 00:24:43.390 saw hundreds of small silver bots with insect 00:24:43.390 --> 00:24:46.589 -like wings rise up in a swarm from behind a 00:24:46.589 --> 00:24:49.710 large boxy machine with an opening that looked 00:24:49.710 --> 00:24:52.970 like a mechanical mouth. He could hear the buzzing 00:24:52.970 --> 00:24:55.950 sound getting louder and he knew he had to think 00:24:55.950 --> 00:24:58.990 fast. The space hero looked around the facility 00:24:58.990 --> 00:25:01.990 for something, something that might help. To 00:25:01.990 --> 00:25:04.549 his left, there was only a wall with windows 00:25:04.549 --> 00:25:06.470 that looked out into the blackness of space. 00:25:07.170 --> 00:25:10.390 No help there. To the right, there was a conveyor 00:25:10.390 --> 00:25:12.769 belt that fed the mechanical mouth and some assorted 00:25:12.769 --> 00:25:14.970 crates and drums for shipping space materials. 00:25:15.769 --> 00:25:18.950 Still, no help. The buzzing sound got louder, 00:25:19.049 --> 00:25:22.109 and Blaze knew he needed an escape plan, but 00:25:22.109 --> 00:25:26.529 he felt so sleepy. He looked up at the ceiling 00:25:26.529 --> 00:25:29.890 and suddenly had an idea. I'll rest my eyes. 00:25:30.889 --> 00:25:35.049 Just, just for a minute. His mom kissed his forehead 00:25:35.049 --> 00:25:38.869 and tucked him in. Good night, Nathan. Have sweet 00:25:38.869 --> 00:25:43.450 space dreams. Nathan gave a quiet snore as he 00:25:43.450 --> 00:25:46.289 rolled to his side and clutched his favorite 00:25:46.289 --> 00:25:52.029 action figure a little tighter. You've been listening 00:25:52.029 --> 00:25:54.549 to The Intangible, an audio literature program 00:25:54.549 --> 00:25:57.930 of weird fiction. This was not a fever dream. 00:25:59.049 --> 00:26:01.890 Nor was this the seething sea that ceased to 00:26:01.890 --> 00:26:30.369 sea, then thus sufficeth us. it keeps getting 00:26:30.369 --> 00:26:32.730 worse till one day you die. Does it get worse 00:26:32.730 --> 00:26:35.690 after that? I don't know, kid. I sure hope so.