Speaker 1: You are listening to table story.
Speaker 2: Deathless is an improvised cinematic narrative with live production, including
music and dialog.
Speaker 3: There is no script.
Speaker 2: This story contains violence, disturbing imagery, adult themes, and a
darkness which may lead you doubting for more. Proceed at
your own risk.
Speaker 4: A logit of fight from shade ho loget of fact
from me.
Speaker 5: That you say, stand up for the thing which you
can't stand alud.
Speaker 6: Got around, got around. There are plenty of places to
sit around the fire. Where where doing? Where am I
supposed to sit?
Speaker 3: Just sit here? Sit here next to me?
Speaker 6: Right spot doesn't flow? I want to sit there? I
don't know.
Speaker 5: Oh cut this steady. You're going to be married momentarily,
but I.
Speaker 7: Don't want to.
Speaker 6: I don't want to.
Speaker 8: Intruly, you'll have this thing that like you get to
retreat to. I don't want to like intrude or anything.
Speaker 5: Oh bunny, don't tell him about the thing.
Speaker 6: I'm plushing. I think A big hand class on your
shoulder and go just relax. You already did the part
to get nervous about. Don't have to worry no more.
Just sit down next to your lady. Oh okay, all right,
that's fine, and I I do that. I sit down
and I lean in so our shoulders are touching.
Speaker 5: Oh my good lord, I don't know.
Speaker 6: I don't want to.
Speaker 5: Ever before did I think this day would come?
Speaker 3: And soon it's gonna be your turn? And then I
got or I was made in your wedding.
Speaker 5: Oh funny, don't speak to me like that, you know me.
I'm gonna die alone in the library and it'll be
great and fine and wonderful.
Speaker 3: But then, how can we how can we raise our
kids together? We talked about this our whole lives.
Speaker 5: Right, the kids?
Speaker 3: Huh?
Speaker 5: Well, well sure we didn't talk about this.
Speaker 8: Well, I mean yeah, but like now we're it seems
so close. And I just made out all your folks.
I mean like I've known some of them, but like
not all of them. And it's hold on.
Speaker 6: I just need to take a a breath and a
drink and everything will be fine. Okay, you've got to
have a whole lot of kids. We're gonna run out
of employees. You gotta refresh. You gotta have refresh every
couple of generations.
Speaker 5: But like goodness, as.
Speaker 6: A butcher, how many kids to your staff? Usually? Well,
we've got the butcher's shop. We've got the general store,
we've got the flower shop, we've got the funeral home. Uh,
you know, there's all kinds of things. But what if they.
Speaker 3: Want to, like leave, Oh, they can leave. It's okay.
Speaker 7: It's it's so nice to live in a big family
because you always have people around you and there's always
something going on. And I mean, you've been here for
what a little over a year now you've seen my family.
Speaker 9: You like them, right, Yeah, they're they're great.
Speaker 6: They're they're you know, they're wonderful.
Speaker 5: But like now you're part of them now.
Speaker 6: Yeah, yeah, that's what makes it a little scary, if
I'm being honest.
Speaker 5: Oh yes, of course, it's a big deal marry into
such a large family. But don't worry. I wasn't married
in and I'm still part of it. And it's a
grand time.
Speaker 6: Do you does anyone hear anything?
Speaker 5: Did?
Speaker 6: I should probably go check to see if there's there's
no like, I don't know animals or anything.
Speaker 3: They just no, you're fine. Just sit here.
Speaker 7: I can only I can hear the music distantly. But
they're having a good time. We're not getting messed.
Speaker 6: Okay, all right, yes, stay around the fire where it's
safe with us.
Speaker 5: Don't worry. I'll keep out in an eye for any
wary fish approaching your back.
Speaker 6: Wait the fish. No, you're messing with me.
Speaker 5: The fish here have legs.
Speaker 6: No they don't. No, they'll not tell you. They definitely
do they be fish.
Speaker 3: Yes, they have fish.
Speaker 7: They have legs, and they come up on the beach
at night and they dance in the moonlight.
Speaker 6: I would have definitely heard of this sooner.
Speaker 3: It's a local attraction. You really don't know about this.
Speaker 6: Now. I can't tell if you're lying to me. No,
they got some great wisdom too. Did you bring we
got any instruments? We could go bring some of it.
Maybe they'll come up and dance for us. No, was
I supposed to bring instruments? You didn't say all you said?
Was there supposed to just bring myself?
Speaker 3: Okay, I think I think we've teased him enough.
Speaker 6: You gotta loosen bad. It's just overwhelming.
Speaker 8: I've known everyone for like a year and a half,
but it's just different now.
Speaker 3: Well it's different with Danny. What about your the family?
Speaker 6: I don't I've never I never knew my folks, not
at all.
Speaker 3: Over and take his hands and squeeze it.
Speaker 6: I squeeze back.
Speaker 5: No, I'm sorry. Here, I am putting my own fish
foot in my mouth.
Speaker 6: They don't really have feet here, do they?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 3: No, they don't.
Speaker 6: I was just gonna because I feel like I would
have at least seen one of those by now. Surely,
don't worry about it. They just got arms. They don't dance,
but they can clap a beat like you wouldn't believe.
I look unamused.
Speaker 5: Oh well, come on, then, are we?
Speaker 9: Are?
Speaker 5: We gonna do a toaster? I think I.
Speaker 6: Hit him now off in the distance, be celebrating tonight. Enough,
I'm sorry about that. Make fun of a guy who's
peeing his pants.
Speaker 8: I get it now, ha very open this for us?
Speaker 6: All right?
Speaker 8: Then?
Speaker 6: Now I'm gonna open this. But someone else is gonna
have to make the toast. That's not my strong point.
Speaker 5: Well, I suppose it's gotta be me, you know, the
pride to be. You can't make her own toast, all right?
Speaker 6: H oh wow, I'm just gonna pour a bit for everybody.
Speaker 5: Oh lovely, thank.
Speaker 6: You, and there you go, and there you go. Rennie
saved the best for last.
Speaker 5: Yeah, indeed, all right, So a toast yeah, oh goodness,
putting me on the spot. You sure you can't say anything.
Speaker 6: Both, I'd probably say too much. But ladies first, well,
see here's the problem.
Speaker 5: I'm gonna get all emotional, Renny my, Oh, here we go.
It was just only yesterday that we were running with
those pants through the streets, and here you are giving
your hand to some man who I hardly know. I
hope he'll be good enough to you, but I'm sure
he will. I like him well enough already. And you
deserve all the happiness in the world. And I'll be
there all along the way, raising your kids, not mine.
I love you very much, you too, Danny, I love
you too.
Speaker 6: Thank you. I love you as well.
Speaker 5: Oh sweetheart. Cheers to you both.
Speaker 3: Thank you, flow.
Speaker 10: Cheers down a hat, cheers.
Speaker 6: It's very good. Thank you. So this is the infamous
fire pit. This is this is this is it.
Speaker 5: This is it, This is it.
Speaker 7: This is where we have all of our most intense
and fun conversations. We've been coming here for years, I think,
I think, Oh, isn't this also where you got the
biggest splinter we've ever seen. You were limping for a
week after we took it out there.
Speaker 6: It was you know, di shi of a tubah for
practically really, you were.
Speaker 3: Really brave about it.
Speaker 5: I don't know about that brave.
Speaker 6: I don't remember being brave. I remember well being afraid
that I was going to get in trouble for getting
a splinter.
Speaker 5: Then don't worry. Remember when I yanked it out and
you yelped like a little girl.
Speaker 6: I don't quite remember yelping like a little girl, but
maybe maybe maybe a manly cry of thanks or something
like that manly cry thanks, grunt, like.
Speaker 5: I think it went more like.
Speaker 6: No, I've heard that one before that. I don't know
like that, it would at least be on key whatever,
you know.
Speaker 8: And then it's like sometimes there's there's squirt, you know, squirters,
and like then you're surprised with the blood.
Speaker 6: I didn't squirt, not you, the pig ould pig.
Speaker 5: Oh good lord, I'm gonna need to be one blessed
for this conversation.
Speaker 6: There's something you should know about our family that were
just not squirters, bar recard. Well, I mean, our blood
doesn't just out all over the place. We you know,
we kept control of our bodies. Man, Okay, I believe it.
Speaker 8: I was talking about the pigs, and like the cows,
and like when it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter anymore.
Speaker 6: I have another drink. That's good.
Speaker 5: Oh, Denny, do you think you'll join the family business?
Speaker 11: Oh?
Speaker 6: I don't know. Maybe.
Speaker 8: I mean, I've been having such a fun time at
the butcher shop, and I've been learning so much, and
I feel at ease there, and i've been I haven't
really felt at ease anywhere.
Speaker 6: But you're doing a real good job. And knowing this
boy showed up there the first day. He didn't know
the difference between the side of beef and the side
of a bond. But right now he sliced it up
like a surgeon. I have a fifty to fifty shot
of getting it right.
Speaker 3: Oh that's well, I'm looking at him and looking proud.
Speaker 6: Anywhere it's going to be a big loss.
Speaker 3: What's going to be a good loss.
Speaker 6: When he goes away? Right, Well, at the butcher shop,
you know, maybe other places too.
Speaker 5: Oh, don't worry. He won't be away for long.
Speaker 7: Hopefully it's not that long this time. No one knows
how long the war's going to be. But Danny, I
didn't tell you this, but father spoke to me and
said that with you joining the family at all, he
might be interested in leaving us.
Speaker 3: One of the businesses. So if you.
Speaker 7: Like the butcher shop, I don't think Uncle Ivan really
has anyone to take over it. So if you'd like,
I think we could or you could.
Speaker 8: But that I mean, I'm not gonna say no. But
that seemed like a lot of pressure. Like what if
we mess it up?
Speaker 3: Well, you might make some mistakes.
Speaker 7: I mean, everyone makes mistakes, but that's the nice thing
about having everyone around. There's always someone to step in
and help, and it'll give us something for the future.
But like, won't won't get mad, get mad about what.
Speaker 6: Like if we mess things up too bad and then
just like pasted us away or something.
Speaker 3: Oh no, that would never happen.
Speaker 6: The things that I've done growing up, and I'm still
stuck with this family. You ain't getting cast out from
missing up a little meat here and there. Don't worry
about it, okay, right, all right? Yeah?
Speaker 11: Sure?
Speaker 6: Why not? You know, there was one time I loved
this bonfire here so much that I tried to set
it in other places that wasn't here, and I got
I did a lot of damage, and I got in
a lot of trouble. So if we can get past
that and I'm still around, I think you don't go
nothing to worry about there at the store.
Speaker 8: Yeah, okay, Yeah, I mean, I don't know why I
am so worried all of a sudden. It's just everything.
It just suddenly felt like it was all just you know,
just like at least like I'm shaking, like an invisible
ball or something like.
Speaker 6: Ah, that's all.
Speaker 7: I uh, lift up his hand where our fingers are intertwined,
and I kissed the back of his hand. It's okay, love,
everything will be okay. As long as we're together, we'll
figure it out.
Speaker 6: Yeah, and we'll figure it out. We'll figure it out
right here, except when I'm over there.
Speaker 5: Hey, listen, I hear. It's not so bad. It's a
you don't think of it as a European vacation.
Speaker 3: That's right. You can see the sights and then come
back and tell me all about it. Maybe we can
go back once you're once the more's done and we
can see it together.
Speaker 5: They say it's going to end by Christmas.
Speaker 6: Yeah, vacation before Christmas with just lots of guns and
bullets and yelling. I'm going to be over there at
some point too, you know, maybe soon enough, I'll be
over there. We'd be together look out for each other then.
Speaker 5: And I hear it mostly just you know, placements and
lovely Paris, lovely places like France. You burn all kinds
of treats down for your your lovely girl here. Probably
won't even see any any combat, no fighting at all.
Speaker 6: No, you get to walk around who knows, maybe maybe
Paris or I don't.
Speaker 5: Know, But think about it now, Danny, you go to
Paris and you find the most beautiful places, and then
when you're back your honeymoon, the two of you can
go back and you can show her all the best
places you've been.
Speaker 3: Oh yes, I'd like that.
Speaker 8: My face is as if I hadn't even considered such
a thing.
Speaker 6: Yeah. Yeah, And then they'll know.
Speaker 8: Me by then, and then they'll walk in and then
they'll say, Danny, good to see you, and they'll give me,
I don't know, like firm handshakes or something.
Speaker 5: There's that American handsome soldier. Yeah her along back exactly.
Speaker 6: Yeah yeah, hero.
Speaker 5: So, Bunny, you plan on taking over the business eventually
when Danny comes back. Is that your your plan?
Speaker 7: Well, I'm not really sure, because see Grandma has been
talking to me about possibly taking.
Speaker 3: Over her her midwife business. I mean, she's getting old
and there isn't really want to take over for her.
But honestly, I like kids.
Speaker 7: I want kids of my own. Honestly, I want a
lot of them if we can, if it works out
that way.
Speaker 3: But I don't know.
Speaker 7: I've always really enjoyed hearing about your time working with books,
and I was thinking, what if we opened a bookstore together?
Speaker 5: What like, what are you talking about right now? You're
talking about that right now?
Speaker 7: I imagine it aisles and aisles of books and those
funny little ladders that slide along the walls, and we
can stay there all day and read books and recommend
them and talk to people who come in looking for
gifts and a story that they love.
Speaker 3: And I just I think it would be really nice.
Speaker 7: You could use all of your all the things you
learned at your current job at the library to, you know,
show me how to do it the right way, and
we could we could have it together.
Speaker 5: By uh pat Danny on the hand, her girls break
in my heart and the best way yet again, Yeah.
Speaker 6: She does that. I mean, what are you talking about?
Speaker 5: Just the dream. Yeah, this most wonderful idea. I'm I'm
definitely in. If that's something you want to do. You know,
I'll always support you and if you change your mind,
of course. But you know I love nothing more than
to have a bookshop with you and your little ones
can run around. We can have a whole section just
for kids' stories.
Speaker 3: That would be so nice. We could have readings.
Speaker 8: Yes, I could read to them. I'll be covered in blood, though,
what are you talking about. Well, I'd be working at
the butcher shop and I would take my lunch breaks
and then I would go read to the kids. But
then I would be covered in blood.
Speaker 5: I mean I assume you know, change your shirder to
take a shower or something in between.
Speaker 8: Well, no, it would be my lunch break. That would
just be dirty, and twice the amount of shirts, and
then that would be twice the amount of laundry.
Speaker 5: Well, don't worry, this one's great at laundry.
Speaker 6: And if you're in charge, you could just pay other
people to get dirty for you.
Speaker 3: That's right.
Speaker 6: Our our uncle hasn't been bloody in like two three years.
Speaker 3: That's what happens when you're the boss.
Speaker 6: Well, bow would be the boss.
Speaker 5: Oh WITHO be the boss of the butcher shop.
Speaker 6: Sure, no, you two would be running the butcher shop. No, no,
you've been there longer. No, I mean, what do you
think she just said? I can go do something else,
like what a couple of friends of mine were talking
about getting a boat together and then starting to you know,
doing a little fishing kind of almost butchering, but just
this part before it.
Speaker 5: Then, I'm sure you make a lot in crawfish.
Speaker 6: Yeah, all kinds of stuff we catch out there. You know,
we were talking about our little slogan. Then you know,
if it's in the water, we'll put it on your plate.
There needs to be a lot catchy than that. But
I like the sentiment that might like to workshop that one.
If it's in the water, it'll be on your plate. Yeah, No,
I don't.
Speaker 5: Know, No, no, I don't think so.
Speaker 6: If it swims in the sea in your stomach.
Speaker 3: It will be that's better.
Speaker 6: I don't know. It sounds a little fancy in your stomach.
It will be.
Speaker 3: In your belly.
Speaker 5: Perhaps in your belly it'll be.
Speaker 9: It's almost like an old English Sorry didn't mean to interrupt.
Oh hi, what's what's happening? Here. I see there's like
a big party. You know, you're locked down here by
a bonfire? Is there something more celebrating?
Speaker 7: Yes, In fact, myself and Danny here we're engaged. It
was an engagement party.
Speaker 9: An engagement party. That's exciting. On which one of you is, Danny?
Speaker 6: That's me.
Speaker 9: Nice to meet you, Doyle. I hold out my hand
for you.
Speaker 8: That's an interesting name. I shake it hand. I how
do you how do you spell? How do you spell that?
If you don't mind me asking?
Speaker 9: M O N sometimes E A M O N.
Speaker 6: Which one is it?
Speaker 9: Mm hmm, Well, I mean it depends on I guess
who you ask. But for me, it's are you.
Speaker 6: Going to write a letter? What do you? What does
it matter to you? Well? It just helps me.
Speaker 8: When I meet someone new and they have an interesting name,
it helps me to spell it so I can visualize
the spelling, and then I usually don't forget them. No,
it's just a technique I've picked up over many cities
and towns and such.
Speaker 5: Poor poor drink for a good friend. You're all the
way from.
Speaker 9: Oh no, no, no, I don't mean to intrude. I
just you know, there was a party.
Speaker 6: It's a little too late for that.
Speaker 9: I will just just one, just one, though, I don't
want to be true.
Speaker 6: Before I gave you this drink. My name's BeO God.
Speaker 9: And me too, And I absolutely shake it.
Speaker 5: I'm Florence Ritchette. Lovely to meet you.
Speaker 6: I squeeze it. I squeeze it a little bit, just
to let this guy know. I'm pretty big and I'm
pretty strong, and I don't know who you are.
Speaker 9: Right, it's a very gentle, gentle shake as non threatened
as I could possibly make it.
Speaker 3: Yes, and no, I'm I'm Rina d VOI. Nice to
meet to you.
Speaker 9: Nice to meet you too. That's great. And so how
long have you two known each other?
Speaker 3: Oh? I look at him. About a year and a
half now, maybe a year.
Speaker 9: Oh, that's nice. And how how did you meet?
Speaker 3: Do you tell the story?
Speaker 6: You tell it? You tell it? Tell you.
Speaker 9: What if you tell it?
Speaker 8: Okay, all right, well Rinna will tell you something different.
But I first saw her when she was walking away
from the butcher shop. I had already been working there
for maybe like a month or two, and I had
just walked in, and she had just walked out, and
she she walked out the door. And the way that
the sunlight just hit her hair, and then she kind
of just like flicked back to look at to look
at bow over here, and I just I knew right
then and there that she was gonna I was gonna
marry her. But she didn't meet me for another couple
of months, really, because every time she would walk in,
I would get flustered and I would just I would
go find something to do, like mop up what Beauregard
doesn't like to mop or cut something, or learn something
new about the meats lean and all that stuff.
Speaker 9: That's magic too. They say, you know, love at first sight.
Speaker 12: Its I believe, do you? Yeah, I mean it was
the case for us. Nice squeeze his hand again and
look at him smiling.
Speaker 9: And what about you? What's the different story on your end?
Was not love it first sight?
Speaker 6: For you?
Speaker 7: Well? It it was, or at least I realized later
it was because you know, as he said, every time
I would come to the shop, which I did pretty oftens,
I you know, run errands for my family and everything.
Every time I came to the shop, he would see
me it looked like he saw a ghost, and then
duck into the back or busy himself with something and
I thought it was peculiar but endearing, And finally I
marched up to him one day and said, hello, my
name is Rena, and nice to meet you. What's your name?
And he told me Danny and we talked about I
forget what it was. It was a silly conversation, but
I just liked the way that he talked and the
way his face moved and the way he smiled kind
of lopsidedly, and so every time I stopped by, we
just talked a little more and a little more, until
it just turned into this.
Speaker 9: That's beautiful. Cheers to that.
Speaker 3: Hey, cheers, cheers, cheers?
Speaker 9: And what about you too? How long have you two
been together?
Speaker 5: Sorry? What are you the champagne?
Speaker 9: Did I just put my foot on?
Speaker 5: Friends?
Speaker 10: Oh?
Speaker 9: So sorry, so sorry, so sorry.
Speaker 5: Good friends. You know what, Shan, he's her brother and
you know I'm the best friend, so.
Speaker 9: Just around right right?
Speaker 5: Why did something make you think that.
Speaker 6: Renny, my sister here make tracks all the best people
around her.
Speaker 7: That's right, Florence is the best friend I've ever I've
ever had and ever could have.
Speaker 5: Oh goodness, gonna make me blush.
Speaker 9: It seems like you're already are miss.
Speaker 5: You can tell even with the fire.
Speaker 9: Hard miss?
Speaker 6: What brings you around here? What do you wander in
the beach at night? You lost? No, no, no, not
at all.
Speaker 9: I just I heard the music and I saw the fire,
and I thought i'd walk down and see what what
all the fuss was about?
Speaker 6: You got. You've gotta be careful at that. They say.
There's all kinds of scary things out there in the night.
Speaker 9: Oh like what like a fish with legs and arms
who dance and sing? Selky, They seduce you and bring
you into the water.
Speaker 5: I'm sorry, now.
Speaker 9: That's that's what they say.
Speaker 6: You know.
Speaker 9: They call them selki.
Speaker 5: They look like a fairy story.
Speaker 9: A fairy story is that's a strong word where I'm from.
Don't don't, don't be thrown around that word. But it
is a story. No, it's all right. It's just they
they they're real, don't.
Speaker 6: You should talk to our grandmother and Grandma would say
the same kind of things as you talk about the
and de Luton and de.
Speaker 3: Well, that's right, you were raised on those stories.
Speaker 9: Well, selki or like seal like women. They are like sirens,
you know, out in the in the water. And I'll
call to you and talk to you and and then
they seduce you and drown you. Crazy stuff.
Speaker 6: I think I met her last summer.
Speaker 9: Well, anyway, I just wanted to I just wanted to
say hello and pop my head in and see what
all of us was about. And I don't want to
interrupt your celebration, but sincereus, congratulations to you both.
Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you so much, thank you.
Speaker 9: And thanks for bring I stand up and I set
the glass down on a log and I walk up.
Speaker 3: Good well, goodness me.
Speaker 6: You set him up.
Speaker 8: You all set him up for that, right with the
silky and like the singing and the had What are.
Speaker 5: You talking about, Danny though?
Speaker 6: This thing?
Speaker 5: Ever met that man before in my life?
Speaker 6: Very sure?
Speaker 8: This is a classic set on earth?
Speaker 5: Was he talking about you and me?
Speaker 12: Bo?
Speaker 5: Wasn't that ridiculous? Wasn't that absolutely the craziest thing you've
ever heard.
Speaker 6: I don't think it's crazy. Things have happened, but yeah,
pretty funny.
Speaker 8: Pretty funny, he means, it's not really funny at all.
Speaker 6: And what do you think somebody who sounded like that
doing around here? Maybe they're lost, But he didn't act
like somebody who was lost, didn't ask to know how
he didn't have to say which way do I go?
Can you tell me the quickest way to island from here?
Speaker 3: Maybe you ever was, oh, go ahead, go ahead for me.
I just I don't know. Did he seem like a fisherman.
Maybe he came in on on a ship.
Speaker 6: Sometimes fishy, but I don't think that means he's a fisherman.
I don't know.
Speaker 5: Flap a bow on the arm? Is that our fish
with legs?
Speaker 6: It's so solid.
Speaker 3: With your arms?
Speaker 6: Yeah, yes, he's a big he's a big, strong country
butcher boy?
Speaker 5: Is that fish?
Speaker 6: Let me roll play my fantasy. Okay, fantasy, Okay.
Speaker 8: I'm looking at the glass that he set down. How
much did he drink?
Speaker 9: Not a drop?
Speaker 8: I don't think he's a fisherman. All of the fishermen
that I've met along the way, they finish their drinks
at I point.
Speaker 6: Oh, maybe I get it.
Speaker 8: Maybe he's then they usually drink yours and then mine,
and then hers and then hers, and then you just
have a sleeping fisherman.
Speaker 6: I think he's a priest or something. Then you don't drink.
He's got an Irish accent, probably just a Catholic priest,
although he didn't even he didn't bless you or try
to get us to go to church or nothing, So
maybe he ain't. Well, it's off hours.
Speaker 5: All of you are too paranoid.
Speaker 6: Did they have a clock out the Catholic prieste? Surely
they must.
Speaker 5: Well, I hope not. What if I need to give
confession late at night?
Speaker 8: I'm looking very intently at the fire, trying to figure
this out.
Speaker 9: I imagine that as she took that sip, she was
staring directly at bow, like what if he do fast.
Speaker 5: Late at night?
Speaker 6: Is looking up the beach to see where this guy went?
Speaker 5: Absolutely crazy that you just caught my actual performance.
Speaker 6: Just so thank you for noticing what I'm actually doing.
Speaker 5: Yeah, thank you? Or you know me so well?
Speaker 9: Sorry you said you were looking up the beach to
see if where this guy.
Speaker 6: Just to see like in the direction where he went.
Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah, he went kind of up the hill where
the beach kind of like crests to where the road
would meet and there's kind of a tree line there,
and he went up kind of in that direction.
Speaker 6: Question, does he just walk until I can't see him anymore?
Does he stop and turn around? It he's standing like silhouett.
Speaker 9: I don't know if you can see because it's dark,
you can see a silhouette. So it's possible he's waiting
at the road for somebody, or maybe he's hitchhiking, maybe
something like that. But but he is there up on
the tree line. You know, he's not like again, I
don't think you'd be able to tell if he was
looking in your direction.
Speaker 6: But I would think I would assume he's just waiting
for a ride, or he's like he's probably summing his
way around him.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I do say this.
Speaker 5: The champagne. Really there's something different? Is it the bubbles?
Speaker 3: I think it's quite tasty. But you're right, you're you're
you're pretty flush flow. Are you feeling all right?
Speaker 5: Oh? Swarm you know the fire and lovely night and no,
just me great.
Speaker 3: I think it's quite breezy personally, Yeah.
Speaker 6: Nice breeze out here, always been the bubbles though. You
can definitely feel them when they go down. It goes
in your nose and tickles up to your brain.
Speaker 5: You know what, I think I have to take a
little lady's room break. Excuse me, gentlemen. I get up
from the fire and I kind of like stumble off
towards a tree line to you know, take a good
old ladies pee in the nineteen twenties in the middle
of nowhere.
Speaker 7: We happen away for a bit. Are we ready to
head back? I look at Danny.
Speaker 3: Do you feel like you got a bit of a
breather ready to face the family again?
Speaker 8: I mean, I don't know if I'll ever be fully ready,
but I feel a bit charged. I guess sure, Yeah.
Speaker 6: Well, why do not do this? Why don't I go
back there and see how many people are missing you?
Because you're going to go back there and then the
time you leave, there's going to be people all around.
So you've got to enjoy a little bit of time
to get it right. Yeah, thank you, sure did. Just
remember and I look at Danny. I said, you don't
get to have the honeymoon until you get married. And
it doesn't matter that a priest just came by and
said he was happy for you. You have to go
through roll seah.
Speaker 8: Oh, come on, that's like close enough, And then we
could just do that stone face like I'm just staring
at him.
Speaker 6: Then when he jokes about about that, oh.
Speaker 8: Right, yeah, I guess that's not funny. It's you're right,
You're right, absolutely, Ghost go see and then I'll have
a couple minutes.
Speaker 6: I guess you can get a lot of damage done
in a couple of minutes, trust me, now, good man.
I pat him on the shoulder, and then I said,
we'll see you back there soon, Rennie, you still owe
me a dance. And then I just go back to
the party.
Speaker 5: Oh so not the direction that I just went in,
just double checking. Oh you're me, can't hear you?
Speaker 9: We all need to know what you okay.
Speaker 6: Though, yes, you know what I was. I already walked away.
It's a mystery. I said, I'm not going to go
follow you when you said you were going to pee. Yah.
All right, I'm into this strange thing flow. Maybe in
eighty years people will be more open, but right now
I keep it a sec. Okay, I'm going to and
now walk back to the party.
Speaker 3: How are you doing with all this?
Speaker 7: I'm I know, I know, I have a big family
and it's probably a bit overwhelming, But honestly, they like you,
and I'm really happy for us, and I hope you're
happy too.
Speaker 6: I of course I'm happy. I'm very happy. It's just.
Speaker 8: You don't realize certain things until they're happening. And then
all of a sudden and a smile forms on my face.
I have this big family, and I don't have any
experience with much of any family. Had some good friends
along the way, and I couldn't even tell you their
names anymore or where they lived. But I don't know
if I've ever told you this, but this is the
longest I've ever stayed in one place.
Speaker 7: I don't think you did. I mean, I know you've
moved around a lot in your life.
Speaker 10: But.
Speaker 8: Yeah, it's just every every place just gets so overwhelming
and it it's just so many expectations and so many people,
and they get to know you, and then they have
an idea of you, and then it's just if you
fail that idea, you don't live up to it, then
you're letting all of them down.
Speaker 6: And it's just easier to just go start new. But
I want you to know.
Speaker 8: And I grab her hand with both of my hands,
and I look her right in the eyes, tears forming.
I don't feel that scene fear fear. I feel anxious
and nervous, but in a different way. I don't want
to let your family down, and with them if I leave,
that's exactly what I'll be doing.
Speaker 6: And that's what makes.
Speaker 8: Going to war so scary. We joke like, yeah, sure,
what if you know you're coming back? And then we'll
have seventeen children, and then they'll man all of the
shops and and and you know, I'll read in butcher
stained clothings to the kids. But there's a very real
risk that I I don't come back.
Speaker 3: But you will. I can feel it.
Speaker 7: You'll come back, and we'll finally be married, and we'll
settle into this life filled with love and family, and.
Speaker 3: We can move into a home together and turn it into.
Speaker 7: What we wants, a place where we'll grow old and wrinkly,
and we'll fight about the color of to paint the.
Speaker 3: Walls, and.
Speaker 7: What kind of mailbox we should get, and what we
do on our sundays. And I'll read to you at night,
and we'll sit on the porch together and watch the rain.
Speaker 8: And you'll play with my hair or if I have hair.
Speaker 3: Yes, I'll play with whatever hair you have on your head.
Speaker 8: That sounds great, And and I'll go and oh, jeez,
what would I do. I will make sure that we
always have the best cuts of meat on the dinner table,
and and and and and our kids will know us
and our stories, and I'll read to them every night,
right before you read to me. And I'll also we'll
get ice cream and we'll go to we'll go to
I don't know the park and go to the beach,
and then we'll sit by the beach and we'll dig
our our toes in the sand and we'll watch them play,
and we will listen to them laugh and then scream
at each other, and they'll probably push each other and
pull each other's hair, and it'll look them crying. It'll
be worth it.
Speaker 3: But when I did growing up exactly.
Speaker 6: Yeah.
Speaker 7: But then he'll grow up. And then soon enough they'll
be sitting here around the fire because one of them
is engaged and the other one is hopping a champagne
bottle to help celebrate, and we'll be up there with
the music, surrounded by family, excited to see their story,
their story and their journey start.
Speaker 6: Yeah.
Speaker 8: And I take my hand and I start twisting your
hair in my finger, and then I once it's completely covered,
I'm playing with it a little bit and their hair
will whiten as mine. And then I let it go
and I take your head in my hand, and that
will be the rest of our lives, in their lives,
and a smile forms across my face. I can see
it so clearly. My running is over. You. You're my anchor,
my rock, and every day I want you to know.
I look at the stars and I thank them for bringing.
Speaker 6: My trail.
Speaker 11: To your city.
Speaker 7: I left up a hand and cradle his cheek, and
I look at him my tears, my eyes a little teary,
and a smile, a smile so full of love and happiness.
Speaker 3: You'll always have a home with me.
Speaker 6: A home. Yes, I almost forgot.
Speaker 8: I'm very excited all of a sudden, and like I'm
taking like a little bit. I put down a deposit.
I've been saving for a while. I put down a
deposit for a place over over by.
Speaker 6: By a water.
Speaker 3: Ah, you did.
Speaker 6: I did.
Speaker 11: Yeah.
Speaker 6: Oh, I wasn't supposed to tell you.
Speaker 3: You told me. Tell me more. What do you mean?
Speaker 8: Well, it's it's not much, but it'll it'll get us situated,
you know it. It has a pretty good view, I think,
but it'll it'll be like where we start, and then
if we feel the need, we can go somewhere else.
We can expand we can stay in the city.
Speaker 6: For sure. We can say here, But.
Speaker 8: I just want a place that we can call our own,
even if it's just for a year or two.
Speaker 3: I would love that.
Speaker 7: I also, I don't think I would want to move
from the city, because I mean, sure, it's where I
grew up and where my family is, but it's also
where I met you. I don't think I would ever
want to leave that.
Speaker 8: I can't imagine a world where we don't live here.
Speaker 9: Good.
Speaker 3: I squeeze his hand because I can't either.
Speaker 6: I'm smiling from a year to year. It's just.
Speaker 8: I I look at her. I used to dream of
having conversations like this, and I would read them in books,
but watch others have them sometimes not like.
Speaker 6: Weird, like wasn't like being nosy. I just walked past them.
Speaker 3: But I know what you mean, K.
Speaker 8: I never thought I would be the one having these
conversations one day, and I just I love it, and
I love you.
Speaker 3: I love you too. I can't wait to marry you
when you get back.
Speaker 8: I can't wait to marry you and I get back
as well. And then I look up to the stars
and I shout see that she said she loves me too.
I told you, and and we have our whole world
of us. And I spin around a little bit and twirl,
and I stop and I look.
Speaker 6: At you.
Speaker 3: I'm grinning and laughing.
Speaker 8: And I'm looking at you through the gentle flames of
the bonfire, and the light hits your face in just
such a way that nearly mimics the first time I
saw you. I can almost hear the butcher's bell as
the door closed behind you, coming with you.
Speaker 7: That just.
Speaker 8: You, everything that is you right now in this moment.
I wish more than anything that you could see you
how I'm seeing you right now. Oh, I shouldn't have
said that out loud. That sounds horrible.
Speaker 3: I stand up and take his hand and I'm laughing.
Speaker 7: Well, don't get sick of looking at me, because you're
going to be looking at this face for the next
sixty years of your life.
Speaker 13: Okay.
Speaker 8: I could never get sick of looking at your face.
And you can notice my eyes just scanning every inch
of your face, and it stops for a moment right
at your mouth. How could I get sick of your
face when the way you sleep is just truly a
sight to behold? How could I get sick of your
face when you look at me like that right now
you better get not get sick of my face, and
I childishly cross my arms.
Speaker 7: I face him and look up at him.
Speaker 3: Well, sounds to me like we're making a promise, then, yes.
Speaker 8: One right now in front of the weird priest guy,
and also your friend who's peeing in a bush, and
also your brother who I'm pretty sure is just listening
in right now, and I'm looking around yea.
Speaker 6: Mm hmm.
Speaker 8: Anyway, you always know how to calm me down.
Speaker 6: And I'm sorry.
Speaker 8: I'm sorry that I get all worked up sometimes, and
I know that's not the easiest to deal with. But
and I can't promise that that's going to change anytime
soon or at all. But what I can promise you
is that I will love you until the day I die,
and I know I will never meet anyone we'll.
Speaker 6: Be able to get me to this.
Speaker 8: My eyes glance around looking for the word is comfortable.
Speaker 3: I know I've looked, and that my love is two promises.
Speaker 6: As you are counting.
Speaker 3: Of course I'm counting.
Speaker 7: If I'm going to spend the rest of my life
with you, i'd have to stay on top of our
agreements and promises.
Speaker 8: Oh no, but I haven't been counting your promises or agreements?
Speaker 6: Oh the jew.
Speaker 8: I start now. I might need a notebook or pen
and paper or.
Speaker 3: N Danny, Danny, Oh you're kidding. I don't see anything else.
Speaker 7: But I just look at him smiling, and I lift
up on my lift up on my tiptoes and lean
in and softly kiss him.
Speaker 6: I kiss her back.
Speaker 3: As he back.
Speaker 8: Okay, I think I'm ready. Does it really take bow
only two minutes?
Speaker 3: Two minutes to do?
Speaker 5: What?
Speaker 12: Wait?
Speaker 6: The hell of Rinne?
Speaker 5: Go?
Speaker 6: Oh there you are?
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, I'm here? Sorry, all right?
Speaker 6: So I mean then there's a lot to do here.
What do you want to do? Do you want to
see the freaks? You know I'm no good at the games.
I already lost a few of them. I don't feel
like embarrassing myself in front of the you two again.
Speaker 5: Well, there's plenty to eat if you're still hungry.
Speaker 6: I'm always hungry.
Speaker 5: Hmmm, I give, I give for anny a look.
Speaker 3: Well there's.
Speaker 7: I've heard really good things the Carnival's been here for
a couple of days, and I've heard really good things
about the funnel case. So maybe we can have some
of that oh that ride, that one looks scary, but.
Speaker 6: I mean the thing that just throws you around in
a circle as hard as it can, over and over again.
Speaker 5: Oh, twist my arm. I guess we'll go. Come on.
I can't believe you'r made. You know, I hate them neither.
Speaker 6: You want to go see this freak show over here?
They said they got a snake a snake lady.
Speaker 5: Sneak lady, what do you mean like with scales and stuff?
We can't hear you speak up right, darling?
Speaker 6: Now I might sorry about that. My clean feet shut
off like three times so far. Sorry, no, yeah, but
it back now I just have to refresh. Yeah, and
other creepy things the free show.
Speaker 5: So lady that the snake lady does she have like
a weird skin or something.
Speaker 6: I don't know the drawn on the wall. It looks
like she's got the body of a lady and the
end of the body of a snake.
Speaker 5: Wait, that's really weird, because you both remember when we
were at the bonfire that man came up and told
us about selkies swell in the water. Well, I'm not weirdest.
Speaker 7: Thing that was that was strange last year, that's right. Uh,
what did he say about it?
Speaker 3: It was.
Speaker 7: It was not women who turned into snakes. It was
a different kind of animal.
Speaker 6: They slippery, and that they drown you.
Speaker 3: That's right. No, it was a seal. It was a seal.
Speaker 5: Oh right, you think.
Speaker 6: I don't know that sounds. Daddy used to say that
Mammy was the same way with him anyway, that mamma
was the same way. You gotta be careful. She seduced
me in the one day, she's gonna kill me.
Speaker 5: Well, really, what?
Speaker 6: What a lot of people here tonight? Good to see it.
There's still some people around the business been a little
slow lately, with a lot of the boys gone.
Speaker 3: Yes, I I got a letter from Danny today. Actually today.
Speaker 5: I grab your hands and I hold them tightly.
Speaker 6: That's good news, Dan.
Speaker 3: Well, I don't know if it is good news or not.
Speaker 7: I I've been I've been having bad dreams recently, and
I'm just really worried that he's not going to come back.
And I actually, I like reach into my pocket and
I pull out the letter unopened.
Speaker 3: And I don't know if I can bring myself to
read this. Well, can you read it?
Speaker 10: Please?
Speaker 3: Please?
Speaker 6: Oh?
Speaker 5: Of course? But are you are you sure?
Speaker 12: Well?
Speaker 7: I mean, stop if it gets, you know, intimate or whatever.
Speaker 5: But I just started darling.
Speaker 6: I'm please, but keep it to yourself then, but tell
me to go on to Ferris sometime. All right, all right,
I go and I put my arm around Rinnie while
we listen to this. I wrong my arm around real sigh.
Speaker 3: Yeah, lean my head against his arm, very.
Speaker 6: Solid, big arm. Thank you. There's plenty of room for
at least two more people.
Speaker 5: I'm I open up the letter. I'm very gentle with
opening it up, you know, like I don't tear through
the envelope or anything.
Speaker 3: I try to.
Speaker 5: Keep it nice. Unfold it. My dearest Rinnie. Remember that
time I told you about the stars. Well, they're real
different here. I look up at them every night, and
I hope they're still the ones you're looking at. Doesn't
feel like the same world, to be honest. Things are
a little bit different here than we all thought they'd be.
I wish I could tell you more about it, but
I wouldn't be there to hold you after. It's hard
to talk about, and you deserve good things. Then you're
one letter from me every couple of months. The fightin's hard,
but I'm doin all right. Lost a couple friends. They
are good ones. I I wish you would have known them.
I told them all about you, so in a way
they knew you. That gives me comfort. Oh what am
I doin put my head in my hands telling my
love about all these dark sort of things. They must
be the same stars. I pray to them every night.
Think about your beautiful face, your beautiful mouth. I'll starting again, Saucy.
Maybe I'll hold on, beautiful man. Okay, no, it's fine.
Speaker 3: Soon I'll hopefully be there.
Speaker 5: I do so hope you haven't forgot about me, But
I haven't forgotten a second of you. Please keep writing
your letters. They take a while to get back to me,
but I keep them in my breast pocket. I think
they're giving me strength and protection. Somehow I'm ramblin'. It's
just so many things I wish I could tell you
that I can't talk about. But hopefully one day soon
I'll be able to hold you and say it all
in Earnest, don't worry about me too much, and love
to the family.
Speaker 3: Ever. Your's your Danny. I bury my head in a
bow's chest for a second.
Speaker 6: Give her a big squeeze. He's doing all right.
Speaker 7: Yes, I'm relieved to hear that it's this is just
a lot harder than I thought it was going to begin.
I think I'm trying. I'm starting to go mad with waiting.
But he sounds like he's doing all right.
Speaker 3: Right.
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's been over there for a while too. He
figured out how to keep himself alive. Yeah, of course
he's You know, a lot of a lot of boys
around here didn't come back, or they did come back
a little early, and that wasn't a good thing. But
he's still there, he's still writing.
Speaker 3: He's a hero, darling, He's a hero.
Speaker 6: He's good because you know, I got to go over
there soon too, and he's gonna, you know, show me
the ropes. Make sure I know how to too.
Speaker 3: You're right, You're right, You're right. Uh, it'll all work out.
Speaker 7: He'll come home and it'll be just like it was before,
and we'll finally get married and and we can just
live the rest of our days happy together and with
you you both in our life.
Speaker 6: Dan, A few of them nieces and nephews too. What
would I mind, damn like to teach him to fish?
Speaker 5: I'm casting like painful glances at Oh.
Speaker 6: I'm uh. At this point, I'm actually noticing them.
Speaker 7: I look between them and get kind of like a
you knowing expression and go.
Speaker 3: You know what? You you both go ahead, I will,
I'll catch up.
Speaker 6: She's gonna be.
Speaker 3: I just I just want to I'll go get a drink.
Speaker 6: And how about this? How about this? Why don't you
go over to it? In funnel cakes? At you get
enough for all of us? I never had one. I mean,
I don't know. You don't really need how many cakes
you need for three people? But and uh flow and
I are gonna get on that, Ferrice. We we'll go
around one or two times and come back and check
up on you.
Speaker 3: Okay, that sounds like a plan.
Speaker 5: I hand the letter back to you, and I give
you a kiss on the cheek and the squeeze on
the shoulder. Love you very much, my brave girl.
Speaker 7: I take her hand and pull her in and whisper
in her ear. You know you can be brave too, right,
Sometimes he needs to be told.
Speaker 3: How you feel.
Speaker 5: I clear my throat and I tried to swallow a smile,
and then I look to bow. Well how about them, Ferris?
Real wheels? And then I sling my arm through your arm.
Speaker 6: I was going to say, oh, I actually hold my arm.
I come on this flow, Let's do a little loop
de loop I give.
Speaker 5: I give, like a little quick glance back over my shoulder.
Speaker 6: And then as we're walking away, I said, did you
skip anything in that letter?
Speaker 5: Of course I did, also focus.
Speaker 6: I don't want to know. I don't want to know. Yeah,
she needs to be left alone with that. I almost
covered her ears, and I think we walk off towards
the ferris Wheel.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 7: I wander over to the funnel cake stall and I'm
looking at the menu and the person probably making them
behind the counter, and just.
Speaker 9: Excuse me, miss sorry, Yes, oh, this is really really odd.
But there's a fella that asked me to come and
tell you that he's waiting for you over there by
the tree line. And I know that's weird, but he
said the name Danny would mean something to you.
Speaker 7: My mouth drops open and my brows pulled together, and
I look confused and stunned. And I'm sorry, you said,
what Danny is here?
Speaker 9: Okay, because I was a little concerned at first. You know,
a fella asked me to lure a woman away, but
he said Danny would mean something to you. But if
it's all the same to you, I'd like to escort
you over there.
Speaker 6: All right?
Speaker 7: Just uh and I look over my shoulder in the
direction that Bow and Flow went.
Speaker 3: I am uh no, no, yes, of course.
Speaker 7: Oh my, if Danny's here, then oh, he must not
have been able to fit into the letter.
Speaker 9: Maybe he did say he wanted to surprise you, but
I you know, I I didn't really feel comfortable just
dragging you over there all alone. You have other people here.
Speaker 7: Maybe I should, oh I do, but no, no, it's fine, uh,
very very kind of you.
Speaker 3: Yes. Where where did he say?
Speaker 6: He was?
Speaker 9: Right over there? Bye bye by the tree line there.
And if it's all the same to you, miss, I'll
let's goort you over there first. And once I know
that it's okay, i'll uh, I'll go and get who
is it that you need?
Speaker 12: Uh?
Speaker 3: My my brother Bow and my my best friend Flow?
Speaker 9: All right?
Speaker 3: And and where are they? They went in that direction?
I think they said something about the Ferris wheel.
Speaker 9: All right, okay, I can do that. What do they
look like?
Speaker 3: Let's see Bo is wearing a cap and Flow is
wearing a mint green top.
Speaker 9: Right, okay, I'll ask for Bow and Flow. That's adorable.
Speaker 3: Really, yes, I really think they could be.
Speaker 6: Right.
Speaker 9: So who's this Danny fellah.
Speaker 7: My my fiance actually, And what's really strange? As we
were just reading a letter from him? You see, he
went away to war and I've been eagerly waiting for
his return.
Speaker 6: Wow.
Speaker 9: That is quite the surprising, isn't it.
Speaker 7: Yes, it's a bit unexpected too, if this are well, oh,
how did how did he look? By the way, what
did he look like?
Speaker 9: Very much in love and very nervous?
Speaker 7: Any kind of like concern that may have been creeping
into my face eased with that comment.
Speaker 3: Oh that's Oh, that's a relief. That's that's great to hear.
Speaker 9: Stumbling through his words A little bit nervous, fella, I see.
Speaker 7: That's that's him. That's my Danny well shallowy uh sure.
And I don't take his arm or anything, but I
do go in that same direction.
Speaker 9: And I lead you off.
Speaker 7: There's murmuring in the distance throughout the building. As I
walk through it, I slip by the nurses station where
a woman in scrubs is pouring over a computer and charts.
She doesn't see me, but then why would she, because
I can slip by unnoticed when I really want to.
I go down the hallway and I look at the
numbers next to each room until I find the one
that I'm looking for.
Speaker 3: I hesitate at the doorway, and I hear.
Speaker 7: A rustling coming from inside. After a few moments, I
take a step through the door and I look at
the bed.
Speaker 11: I don't need I don't I don't need anything, nurse.
I'm okay. An old man lays in his bed.
Speaker 6: It's dark.
Speaker 11: He might get a sense. This is how he likes it.
A single lamp on the lowest possible setting. Usually it's
three clicks for bright. The first click is the dimmest.
It's only there because the nurses make me keep it
that way.
Speaker 6: A journal.
Speaker 11: On the table to the side of the bed. A
cup filled with some sort of thick liquid meant to
keep meat on my bones remains untouched.
Speaker 6: The straw.
Speaker 11: Still new, smells stale.
Speaker 6: There's a chair for.
Speaker 11: Guests that remains in the same exact spot before I
moved in. The nurses have kept extra pillows there. Now
I said, leave me alone, God damn it.
Speaker 7: I drift closer to the bed until I can see
his face, and what I see makes me stop. But
after a moment of staring, I seem to recognize something,
and so I come closer and ignore the chair and
instead sit down on the bed next to him.
Speaker 11: I said that.
Speaker 6: You don't understand English, Danny. That voice smile forms Danny.
Speaker 3: It's it's me.
Speaker 6: Rennie.
Speaker 11: I turn around. I haven't seen you in in days.
Speaker 6: Where have you been.
Speaker 3: Waiting for you?
Speaker 7: I got you your letter, by the way, I got
all of them, but I really liked the one about
the stars and how you said that you hoped that
I was seeing the same ones that you.
Speaker 6: Were, And you did, and they brought you back here.
Speaker 7: It was really hard to find you, I am.
Speaker 3: I tried once before and I couldn't find you anywhere,
but here.
Speaker 6: You are good at running and night I told you.
Speaker 3: Why did you run?
Speaker 11: Why did I run? Why did I run? Why would
I run? I I don't I don't remember.
Speaker 6: I don't know. I don't. Oh, look at you, I am.
Speaker 7: If his arm is under the covers, I gently peeled
them back and take his hand in mine, kind of
rest it on my leg, my two hands cradling his.
Speaker 11: I take my other hand and I hold it. You're
so cold, that's it's because it's Christmas. That's right, that's right.
Speaker 6: I knew that.
Speaker 3: Exactly.
Speaker 6: It's cold, it's very cold.
Speaker 7: H it seems like.
Speaker 3: They I like the decorations they put up here.
Speaker 6: They have to. They don't like it. I don't think.
Tell me.
Speaker 11: How how are the kids? If you're looking at if
you look in my eyes, they look like they're saying
things that he knows to say, like almost a rehearsal.
Speaker 7: Instead of answering. I pat his hand and say, tell
me about the kids.
Speaker 6: Well, there's.
Speaker 11: And my eyes search the room, scanning, then the darkest
corners and the pillow chair, and.
Speaker 6: You know them.
Speaker 11: There's there's our Bobo, named after your brother. He's a
morality one. Many say they can't believe that he's my son,
but once they remember you, they believe it. And then
we have a daughter. She's beautiful. She looks just like you,
hair tire, her red, the step, her eyes always know
what's coming around the corner, and her laugh.
Speaker 6: It's contagious.
Speaker 3: Remind me how we picked her name.
Speaker 6: It was.
Speaker 11: In one of your favorite books, don't you remember. We
couldn't think of a name for her. She's our youngest,
and so we said, let's leave it to chance, and
I didn't like that, but you talked me into it,
and I'm glad you did. And we flipped the page,
and the first name we saw, the very first name,
is what we named her most beautiful hair, no, the
second most beautiful hair, almost like it's yours before it
turned Why And I look at your hair and it's
not white, and my eyes return to reality and I
look at you and I'm holding you just like I
did at the bonfire.
Speaker 3: Danny, it's so good to see you again.
Speaker 6: Terrified, Danny, I don't understand. Who are you? Why? Why
are you? Look?
Speaker 3: It's it's me, Danny, It's it's it's Renny.
Speaker 14: No, no, no, no, no, Rennie died. I was at
war and Renney died. I got the letter.
Speaker 3: Oh no, Danny, I'm right here. I came back. No, no,
it's okay, it's okay.
Speaker 14: No, I got I got the letter, and then I ran,
I left, I ran away from.
Speaker 11: All the other soldiers.
Speaker 6: And then and I hid it and I took a
new name.
Speaker 7: And yes, that's that's why it was so hard to
find you. And I finally did, and I'm finally here.
Speaker 14: And no, no, no, no, no, no no no. Because
if you're alive, I would have married you instead of
Wendy obligated always putting me in a different room because
I would get worked up. And in that room I
thought of you.
Speaker 6: No, not you. Her and my children, Robert.
Speaker 11: And Cynthia. They hate me. I look at my hand
and I noticed the spots and the lines on them
now and then it look at your face. It looks
almost exactly the same. Because when I said goodbye, you
are not.
Speaker 3: Real, but I am Danny. I'm real. I'm real, and
I'm here and I came back and we're together again.
Speaker 6: Oh no, because it's impossible. You can't look like that.
You can't be her. She must have had no, she
wouldn't have a secret child. That's I'm struggling. No, I
don't Why are you doing this to me?
Speaker 7: I I've seen like at a loss for words.
Speaker 3: I've just missed you. Every day since you left.
Speaker 7: There hasn't been a day that's gone by where I
haven't thought about you and.
Speaker 3: Our life that we're supposed to have together. Just think
of it this way.
Speaker 7: You're just seeing me the way I was in your memories,
and that's okay, It's really.
Speaker 11: Me in my eyes. Shift softer and kinder. That's my trembling.
Hand goes for the side of your head.
Speaker 13: And correct desperately, and then my finger finds a lock
of hair and twirls.
Speaker 11: And my thumb caresses it. I love you, really no,
and my other hand takes the other side of your head.
I love you, Corina, and I never stopped. And then
my eyes shift again, similarly to when you first entered.
Speaker 6: But you're not.
Speaker 3: Her, Danny, I am.
Speaker 6: You're not You're an abomination.
Speaker 3: Oh, Daniel, it's it's me.
Speaker 5: Please, I love you.
Speaker 6: No no, no, no, you're a monster. You'll you're not her.
You are been sent to destroy me because I know
what you really are. It all nos.
Speaker 15: Sense, Daniel, Please, no, it's it's okay. It's okay, I'm here.
It's we can be together again. And oh, it's it's
it's me, it's Karina.
Speaker 3: It's please.
Speaker 6: Oh no, no, nurse, Daddy, no.
Speaker 5: Hell.
Speaker 3: I put my hand over his mouth. Go mh daddy.
Speaker 15: Please, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, just be quiet, quay.
Speaker 6: It's me.
Speaker 15: I promise, I promise, and I love you, and it's
it's okay, Danny, Danny, Danny.
Speaker 16: You've been listening to Deathless, an actual play produced live
by Pumpkinberry That's me on YouTube and Twitch at table story.
If you like what you hear, please consider rating and
reviewing this podcast and visiting tablestory dot tv, where you
can find merch or become a story in and gain
access to our green room, behind the scenes and more,
or simply drop us a line. Once again, thanks for listening,
and we'll see you next week.
Speaker 6: Significant about to understood my PI