Episode 16 - The Winter Solstice

Summary

Hymns for the Road

Episode 16: The Winter Solstice
Release Date: December 22, 2024
Host/Author: Hodgepodge Audio

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Overview

In Episode 16, titled "The Winter Solstice," of the post-apocalyptic fiction podcast Hymns for the Road, listeners are immersed in the harrowing journey of four survivors navigating a transformed America. As the team faces the challenges of a magical apocalypse, the winter solstice brings added dangers in the form of otherworldly creatures and treacherous landscapes. This episode delves deep into the characters' struggles, both external and internal, highlighting their resilience and the strains of survival in a world where beauty and peril coexist indistinguishably.

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Plot Summary

The episode unfolds with the survivors—Glass, Copper, Silver, and Amber—preparing for the winter solstice, a pivotal event in their journey through the fantasy wasteland. The group is tense, burdened by recent losses and the looming threats of malevolent creatures that prowl the night.

Initial Preparations and Tensions:

• Glass oversees the setup, expressing hope despite the encroaching darkness: “We'll be okay. We haven't fumbled the solstice yet, but we'll be fine.” (03:41)
• Copper reveals a desire to expedite their ordeal, stating, “I want to get this over with as fast as possible.” (03:37)
• Amber grapples with feelings of helplessness, “I wish there was more I could have done. I felt useless.” (05:58)

As they prepare, memories of winter from before the apocalypse surface, bringing both comfort and sorrow:

• Copper reminisces about enjoying the food and snow: “The food. Glass. It was the food. What else?” (04:15)
• Silver reflects on the diminishing snow and the darkness that now pervades, saying, “It's the dark that really gets to me.” (05:26)

Confronting the Present Dangers: The group confronts the harsh realities of their environment:

• Silver draws parallels between childhood fears and current threats: "It feels the way monsters did when I was a kid." (06:15)
• Glass describes ominous signs in the environment, hinting at unseen dangers: “There are footprints in the snow. Huge ones, with both clothes and claws at once.” (07:02)

Moral Dilemmas and Survival Ethics: A critical moment arises when the group must decide the fate of an injured goat, leading to intense moral deliberation:

• Amber suggests kindness: “Everything deserves a little kindness.” (07:10)
• Silver counters with nature's brutality: “Animals kill other animals. The world's always worked that way.” (07:57)
• The tension escalates as Copper advocates for practicality over sentiment: “Your too sweet for all this, darling.” (03:11)

The Ritual and Its Implications: The discovery of a ritual dagger becomes a focal point:

• Amber describes the dagger's eerie presence: “It was wrapped up in a bleach-stained towel... I could feel the rhythmic rush of pulses.” (09:38)
• The group debates its use, highlighting differing perspectives on faith and survival:
  • Silver emphasizes intellect over weaponry: “We got our brains. That's the most important weapon we'll ever need.” (09:31)
  • Glass hints at lost communication with higher powers: “Maybe Aster is angry at me for losing them.” (13:19)

Climactic Confrontation: As night deepens, the group faces imminent danger:

• Copper takes a proactive stance, urging action: “We could at least go find something. Because if something has to die tonight, it's not going to be one of us.” (14:20)
• The discovery of deeper wounds on the goat and traces of predators heightens the tension:
  • Amber observes the severity: “The goat didn't look like it was dead. But it wouldn't last much longer.” (11:40)

The episode crescendos with the group making critical decisions that test their unity and resolve, setting the stage for future challenges.

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Character Dynamics

The interplay between the characters reveals underlying tensions and differing philosophies on survival:

• Glass serves as the hopeful mediator, often trying to maintain morale. Her attempt to communicate beyond their immediate plight indicates a reliance on faith or higher powers, which others are skeptical of.

• Copper embodies pragmatism and a willingness to take decisive, sometimes ruthless actions. His frustration is evident as he pushes the group towards action, even at the expense of compassion.

• Silver juxtaposes experience with skepticism. Having dealt with loss before, Silver recognizes the futility in certain actions but still values intellect over brute force.

• Amber represents empathy and the moral compass of the group. Her discomfort with the group's decisions and her internal struggle highlight the emotional toll of their journey.

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Key Themes and Insights

1. Survival vs. Morality: The episode explores the conflict between the necessity of survival and maintaining one's moral compass. Decisions about the injured goat symbolize broader ethical dilemmas faced in a post-apocalyptic world.

2. Isolation and Loneliness: The winter solstice amplifies the sense of isolation, both physically in the desolate landscape and emotionally among the group members.

3. Faith and Despair: Glass's attempts to reach out to higher powers contrast with Silver's doubt, illustrating the tension between holding onto faith and confronting despair.

4. Nature's Duality: The world is portrayed as both beautiful and lethal, with stunning landscapes harboring hidden dangers, reflecting the unpredictable nature of their environment.

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Notable Quotes

• Glass: “We'll be okay. We haven't fumbled the solstice yet, but we'll be fine.” (03:41)

• Copper: “I want to get this over with as fast as possible.” (03:37)

• Amber: “Everything deserves a little kindness.” (07:10)

• Silver: “Animals kill other animals. The world's always worked that way.” (07:57)

• Amber: “I just feel bad. I felt useless.” (05:58)

• Glass: “There are footprints in the snow. Huge ones, with both clothes and claws at once.” (07:02)

• Silver: “We got our brains. That's the most important weapon we'll ever need.” (09:31)

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Conclusion

Episode 16 of Hymns for the Road intensifies the narrative by placing the survivors in the crucible of the winter solstice, a time embodying both darkness and potential rebirth. Through their interactions and the challenges they face, the characters' depths are revealed, and the precarious balance between hope and despair is deftly portrayed. As the season progresses, listeners are left pondering the true cost of survival and the essence of humanity amidst chaos.

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For more episodes and updates, visit Hodgepodge Audio or support the podcast on Patreon.

Transcript

[Glass]

Las tradiciones unescencia de las fiestas comien so na nueva tradicionas. Macy's, Sephora, Best Buy, Imazica, sos ibe o tete a in Google Play or App Store. Yo seldico la musica.

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[Copper]

Hymns for the Road is a fiction podcast that often takes place inside a moving vehicle. Listener discretion is advised while driving. General content warnings are listed in the show notes.

[Glass]

It it.

[Silver]

Last. Would you mind clearing that bit I missed?

[Glass]

I've got it.

[Copper]

I can't wait until this is over.

[Silver]

Don't get attached to it, Copper.

[Amber]

I'm not. I know what's going to happen. I just. I want to be kind. It's the least we could do.

[Silver]

You're too sweet for all this, darling.

[Copper]

Besides, it doesn't deserve kindness after what it put us through to catch it.

[Amber]

Everything deserves a little kindness.

[Copper]

And Amber, I'm just trying to lighten the mood.

[Glass]

Do we have enough space at Silver?

[Silver]

Almost. My gloves ain't thick enough for all this.

[Copper]

I want to get this over with as fast as possible.

[Glass]

We'll be okay. We'll be okay. We haven't fumbled the solstice yet, but we'll be fine.

[Amber]

I wish there was more I could have done. I felt useless.

[Glass]

So, Amber, do you remember anything about winter from before?

[Copper]

Yeah, actually. I feel like it made enough of an impact.

[Glass]

Hmm. What was your favorite part?

[Copper]

What do you mean, what was my favorite part?

[Glass]

It's not a difficult question.

[Copper]

The food. Glass. It was the food. What else?

[Glass]

The lights, the decorations. The music.

[Copper]

Eh, the music was okay.

[Glass]

You think the music was just okay? You.

[Copper]

It just wasn't my kind of music. Sue me. And it always got played too much.

[Glass]

That I can agree with.

[Copper]

The snow, of course. Loved that.

[Glass]

Didn't really snow much where I came from. No, it rained a lot, though.

[Silver]

I'm surprised you could drive so well in it then.

[Glass]

What can I say? I'm a driving prodigy.

[Copper]

And there are never any other cars on the road.

[Glass]

They're intimidated by me.

[Copper]

What about you, Sylph? You get snow when you were a kid?

[Silver]

Yeah. You got less and less of it every year.

[Amber]

Well, now you've got plenty.

[Silver]

It's the dark that really gets to me.

[Copper]

Yeah.

[Amber]

I wish it stayed brighter, longer.

[Glass]

I kinda like it. My mom used to let me run around the city with a flashlight after it got dark. It made 4:30 feel like an adventure.

[Silver]

I guess where I lived, things started coming out after dark.

[Glass]

How much more do we need to do on the setup? Can I help clear off the circle?

[Silver]

It's almost done. Be easier if it stop snowing. It feels the way monsters did when I was a kid. The ones you can't see unless you're looking away. Like the creatures in the woods my family told me about. Except this time I didn't have a front door to lock and hide behind.

[Copper]

How are we supposed to keep from staring at something that big? It's just standing there. Right at the edge of the forest. Waiting. Every so often, I think I can feel it. Breathe.

[Glass]

I keep my eyes down, but sometimes I can still catch glimpses of it. A frostbitten, spindly limb here, twisted upside down. Antler there. There are footprints in the snow. Huge ones, with both clothes and claws at once.

[Amber]

The air was too cold to smell anything but the rot on its breath.

[Silver]

I think we could make it look a little nicer.

[Glass]

It'll probably be okay, Silver.

[Silver]

I don't work well on probably.

[Amber]

Do you think we should have fed the goat?

[Copper]

What, again?

[Amber]

Yeah.

[Glass]

I'm sure it's eating whatever dead grass it can find back there. Copper.

[Amber]

I just feel bad.

[Silver]

Don't feel bad, Copper. Animals kill other animals. The world's always worked that way.

[Amber]

Animals kill other animals to eat them.

[Copper]

Yeah, and somebody's going to eat this one.

[Glass]

Or they're gonna eat us.

[Silver]

Glad.

[Copper]

I feel like this would be easier if we were alone.

[Silver]

Careful.

[Copper]

I'm being careful.

[Silver]

You got the knife, Copper?

[Amber]

It's still under the seat. I can go get it.

[Silver]

If you would, please, sweetheart.

[Copper]

Do you guys ever think about how weird it is that we don't have any weapons?

[Silver]

What do we need weapons for? They don't work against certain parties.

[Copper]

Other humans? I don't know. Maybe we could use stuff for hunting.

[Silver]

We can't hunt. We don't own any of the animals. Except whatever the winners give us for the solstice.

[Glass]

We have a couple really small knives, like the one in Copper's multitool.

[Copper]

That doesn't count.

[Glass]

Oh, what about that laundry bag? It could work as a. You know, A net or something.

[Copper]

I maybe. Should we count it? If it wasn't made to be a.

[Silver]

Weapon, we got our brains. That's the most important weapon we'll ever need.

[Copper]

And our teeth.

[Glass]

And a ritual dagger.

[Amber]

And a ritual dagger. It was wrapped up in a bleach stained towel tucked into the space beneath the left backseat. For a moment I unwrapped it. I felt it hum under my palm. I could feel the rhythmic rush of pulses. Creatures around me with beating hearts. My friends, the goat. Whatever animals were hiding in the forest. I let my fingers trace the markings in the stone handle. They weren't words, but they weren't symbols either. Or if they were, I couldn't understand any of it. To me it just looked like scratches. Like something had clawed at the blade and the handle. Like something had tried to get inside. Okay, I've got it.

[Silver]

Thank you, copper. Give it here.

[Glass]

Do you want me to do it this year, Silver?

[Silver]

No, darling. It's all right.

[Glass]

That's a relief.

[Silver]

Animal death ain't new to me. I've cleaned a deer or two or a dozen. Haven't managed to get used to this though. It never gets any easier.

[Glass]

Don't worry, Squeaker. It'll be over soon.

[Copper]

What? Get away from it. Get away.

[Glass]

Silver, drop it. I got it.

[Silver]

Get it.

[Copper]

Get the goat.

[Glass]

Glass.

[Silver]

Oh, you're all right. Let me see. Let me see it.

[Glass]

It's fine, Silver. It's fine. It only got me a little bit.

[Amber]

Is the goat still alive?

[Silver]

The mountain lion didn't break its neck.

[Glass]

It's got its throat red sprayed all over the white snow.

[Copper]

It's too dark to see if it's still in the forest.

[Amber]

The goat didn't look like it was dead. But it wouldn't last much longer. Not with its neck ripped open like that.

[Glass]

What do we do? Can we save it?

[Silver]

Shit.

[Amber]

Shit. Silver, stop.

[Copper]

Hurry up and get it into the circle. We still have time.

[Silver]

Dead Amber. It's gone.

[Copper]

No, we still have it. We can still give it to.

[Glass]

They've gotten closer, but they don't even move.

[Silver]

I could feel them watching us.

[Amber]

They were hungry and it was very cold.

[Glass]

They're not going to take a dead goat.

[Copper]

I'll check the car, but we might have some.

[Glass]

Where's the rest of the arts paper?

[Amber]

I haven't gotten much back since we lost my component crate. I can think of something.

[Copper]

What if we just go? What if we all get in the car and we just drive until morning?

[Glass]

I can ask for help. We can still get out of this. Nobody panic. Nobody panic. We can fix this.

[Silver]

They're not gonna answer you, Glass.

[Glass]

They've answered me before.

[Silver]

It's the winter solstice. Nobody else is even around.

[Glass]

It's worth a try. I've ridden to Aster before. Stories to pay for my clairvoyance. But this one doesn't get anywhere. It doesn't vanish at all. Maybe it's because I don't have my cards anymore. Maybe Aster is angry at me for losing them. Or maybe Aster can't hear me at all.

[Silver]

I told you.

[Amber]

I looked through everything I managed to salvage after we escaped the Heaven Underground. It wasn't much. It wasn't anything. I kept digging, hoping I'd find something, but. But what? I had barely could have gotten us past a toll road. I didn't have enough for this. Silver. I don't have anything, boss.

[Copper]

Give me the keys.

[Glass]

Mind telling me the plan first?

[Copper]

We're running.

[Amber]

Uh, no, we're not.

[Copper]

I don't see another option.

[Glass]

Amber, I don't think running is a great idea, considering how close certain folks are to our car.

[Copper]

Do you want to stick around and fight something? We could at least go find something. Because if something has to die tonight, it's not going to be one of us.

[Silver]

We don't need the car to go find something. There's at least one more animal in the woods.

[Glass]

It's injured.

[Copper]

Mesh Laundry bag.

[Glass]

Tire iron.

[Silver]

Dead goat.

[Copper]

Ritual dagger in the snow.

[Glass]

Footprints and blood.

[Amber]

The dagger could feel it. Follow me.

[Glass]

It. Look at its leg.

[Copper]

Silver the goat.

[Amber]

Let's do.

[Silver]

Wait. Now. Amber.

[Amber]

Move.

[Glass]

Amber.

[Silver]

Copper. It's.

[Glass]

It.

[Silver]

It. It.

[Amber]

It.

[Copper]

Hymns for the Road is a podcast written and Produced by Anna McGuire. Starring Maurice Thomas as Silver, Pau Panganibon as Glass, Grizz Siebenek as Amber and Tabitha Bardal as Copper. Original music by Joshua David Mitchell. Sign up for our [e-mail] or support our work on Patreon.com Hodgepodgeaudio thank you for listening.

[Glass]

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[Copper]

1.

[Glass]

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