Desert Skies – Chapter 27: The Inter State (Part 2)

Podcast: Desert Skies
Host: Jared Carter
Release Date: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This atmospheric and witty episode plunges deeper into the mysterious "Inter State," the liminal astral realm connecting life and the afterlife. Mac, Tendi (the Attendant), and Cash find themselves interacting with a peculiar group of supernatural kids, led by Cassandra Capernauva ("Mother"), as they wrestle with existential concepts of good, evil, punishment, and redemption. At the heart of the episode are questions of identity, atonement, and the consequences of being labeled "bad."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Fractured Reunion: Mac, Tendi, and the Badass Kids

• Opening Scenario: The group is separated in the astral plane. Tendi tries to return to Mac but is intercepted by Apple, a seemingly intimidating, childlike entity.
• Apple and the "bad kids": Apple insists Tendi stay put until "Mother" (Cassandra) is finished talking to Mac. Humorous, awkward banter about candy (“Whoppers”) and bad language ensues.
  • ("I swear." – Apple at 05:10)
  • ("Abso shitly lutely." – Apple at 05:17)

2. Cassandra’s Philosophy – Are We All ‘Bad’?

• Mac confronts Cassandra: Mac is wary—she previously lied and manipulated.
• Cassandra claims that both she and Mac are "bad," but in a way that denotes non-conformity, alienation, and authenticity, rather than outright evil. She uses the story of "Lambert the Sheepish Lion" (07:33–08:27) as a metaphor for Mac's true nature.
  • "You're a lion, Mac. I've seen it... you're a lion, but you think you're a sheep." – Cassandra (08:29–08:36)
• Cassandra explains that being "bad" is about embracing one's inherent flaws; denial only causes suffering and disconnection.
  • “When we pretend we're not bad, something inside us is always telling us different.” – Cassandra (08:50)

3. The Seed of Doubt—and Recruitment

• Cassandra reveals she 'planted a seed' in Mac, meant to sprout doubt and self-examination.
• She invites Mac to join “the interstate”—a state of suffering and service, under an enigmatic leader who values “badness” as truth.
  • “All you have to do is accept that you’re bad. Really bad. And you can join us.” – Cassandra (22:29)

4. The Nature of the ‘Inter State’

• Detailed metaphysics: The interstate binds realities—physical and astral—allowing certain “finders” to extract, interact with, and even traverse between existential planes (16:36–21:28).
  • "The interstate is like the glue that binds realities together... a soup both orderly and disorderly." – Cassandra (16:36)
• Cassandra describes herself as a "Level Six Finder", relishing her increasing power and mastery. The more facts a finder understands, the more they can interact with or alter reality (20:10–21:28).

5. Astral Consequences – Aging and Suffering

• Cash and Nani (another friend) experience physical changes (aging, losing eyelashes, chipped nails do not heal instantly), suggesting that time moves differently and the astral plane is not free from consequence.
  • "Are you saying the reason you’re surprised about your eyelash is... people don’t lose eyelashes here? Not unintentionally. Nonnie, I think you’re aging." – Mac & Cash (18:11–18:30)

6. Cassandra’s Backstory—and the Badass Kids of Corsicana

• Big reveal: Cassandra and her followers are the spirits of troubled children who died together in a gas explosion at a disciplinary school ("the Corsicana Opry incident").
• Their “badness” comes from trauma, rebellion, and society’s labels.
  • "We were trouble. Rabble rousers, ne'er do goods. They tried to punish it out of us, but good God, they lost. Didn’t they, boys?" – Cassandra (33:55)
  • "I sold pot to third graders." – Cassandra (34:57)

7. Metaphysical Temptation: The Proposal for Mac

• Cassandra claims her leader can help Mac and his friends return to the physical plane—at a price: acceptance of Mac's “bad” self.
  • "He can help you to step out of place. He can help you to step out of time." – Cassandra (22:58–23:05)
• Mac is tormented by visions of past wrongdoing, but questions if true change is possible.
  • "Maybe I was [bad]. But this… it was so long ago. I’m different." – Mac (30:11)
  • "Oh, people don't change, Mac. Not really." – Cassandra (30:18)

8. Ending: Reunited, Unnerved

• The group is reunited. Cash exposes the "kids" as actual children, warped by the interstate; Cassandra bristles at being dismissed as “just children.”
• The kids’ backstories are revealed, blending elements of tragedy and dark humor (including their rebellious acts and resulting punishments).
• The protagonists escape, but the temptation and philosophical tension lingers.

Timestamps for Memorable Segments

• 03:02 – Tendi (Jared Carter) meets Apple and is detained.
• 06:44–08:36 – Cassandra’s lion/sheep parable & comparison to Mac.
• 09:41–10:54 – Philosophical debate: Can others know us? What does it mean to be “bad”?
• 13:24 & 17:04 – Banter about aging and the astral plane’s rules.
• 16:36–21:28 – Cassandra explains finding, "facts," and the mechanics of the interstate.
• 22:10–22:58 – The leader's ultimate goal: traversing planes and time.
• 29:42–31:51 – Cassandra shows Mac a vision of his past, challenging his sense of change and identity.
• 33:16–36:23 – The origin of the badass kids of Corsicana.
• 36:27–37:20 – Comic “bear” puns as the group escapes to safer ground, echoing the uncertainty and camaraderie.

Notable Quotes

• Cassandra:
  • “You're a lion, Mac. I've seen it... you're a lion, but you think you're a sheep.” (08:29)
  • “When we pretend we're not bad, something inside us is always telling us different.” (08:50)
  • “True freedom is found in knowing just how awful you are. True healing is found in punishment.” (30:52)
• Apple (Badass Kid):
  • “Abso shitly lutely.” (05:17)
  • “Mother says the man is damn bad. Like us.” (05:00)
• Mac:
  • “Maybe I was [bad]. But this… it was so long ago. I’m different.” (30:11)
• Cash:
  • “They're kids, Mac. Just kids. Some weird little cult of normal kids who've been led to believe they're nothing but bad. They're just children.” (32:45)
• Cassandra:
  • “We were trouble. Rabble rousers, ne'er do goods. They tried to punish it out of us, but good God, they lost. Didn't they, boys?” (33:55)

Tone & Style

The episode blends dark humor, surreal metaphysics, and poignant existentialism. Cassandra’s dialogue is both seductive and faintly menacing, while Apple’s malapropisms and Tendi’s comic banter provide levity. The emotional core concerns shame, identity, and the possibility of redemption, rendered through a prism of cosmic whimsy.

Conclusion

Chapter 27 of Desert Skies teases out the tensions between self-perception, shame, and the lure of belonging—even at the cost of one's soul. The episode offers answers, but even deeper mysteries emerge about the true nature and motives of “Mother,” the interstate, and the collector they serve. Mac and his friends are left wondering if escape from their pasts—or from the astral temptations of this liminal world—is possible.

To hear the promise and peril of the interstate, and discover whether these lost children can find peace, keep listening.