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Fred Meyer
New year, same great savings. All in the Fred meyer app. Get 10 for $10 on select varieties of Kroger pasta, Starkist tuna pouches or Powerade. Then get Tender Fresh Heritage Farm boneless chicken breasts for $2.49 a pound, all with your card. Shop these deals at your local Oregon Fred Meyer today or click the screen now to download the Fred Meyer app to save big today. Fred Meyer Fresh for everyone. Prices and product availability subject to change restrictions apply. See site for details.
Podcast Announcer
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.
Copper
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen and down the mountainside the summer's gone and all the flowers dying Tis you, tis you must go and I must bide but come ye back when summer's in the meadow or when the valley's hush and whitest snow For I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow O Danny boy oh, Danny boy I love you so.
Amber
We're almost empty.
Glass
I don't think we're going to make it much further.
Amber
No, I know.
Copper
We can't just stop in the middle of the canyon.
Silver
We're not supposed to stop in the middle of the canyon.
Amber
What else is Aster got?
Silver
I want to know if there's somewhere nearby where we can get gas. Hmm. Is this Bendon Road?
Aster
They trust in you.
Copper
I guess we'll just keep our eyes peeled for a bend in the road, then.
Aster
Perhaps that's their mistake.
Glass
I'll keep my eye out for you, Silver.
Amber
I swear, if you say anything about it being a trap or a trick or.
Glass
We have to be on our guard. Always, Amber.
Amber
Yeah, and if we run out of gas this far from a station, we're dead for sure. So if you have any better ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Silver
I trust Aster enough to not be totally screwing us over.
Glass
Silver, you should be careful with that glass.
Amber
I'm not stopping in this canyon. Can't you just call them out here and ask where to go?
Silver
I already tried. They're busy.
Copper
Amber. Amber, slow down.
Amber
What's that over there?
Copper
The cave in the rock.
Silver
Oh, there's a statue in there.
Amber
Where?
Glass
Looks like some kind of temp.
Narrator
Move.
Amber
I can't see. Oh, hell. That does look like a temple.
Aster
Perhaps if you were paying attention. Perhaps if you had arrived sooner.
Copper
Could we?
Glass
No.
Copper
Why not?
Glass
That's no ordinary altar, copper. That belongs to one of the big ones, the Arch folk.
Silver
I'm with silver on this one.
Amber
I'm not asking a God for anything.
Copper
It's beautiful.
Glass
It sure is.
Silver
Who knows what they do to you in there.
Amber
I'm going to keep driving. I feel like it's watching me.
Silver
It probably is.
Aster
It is.
Amber
They are all right. Let's go.
Aster
You are not clairvoyant. You cannot see the future. You can tap into a source, but the power has no color till someone else channels it. You're not giving them divination. The power does not become the future until it reaches their hands. You only see the future the moment they do.
Silver
The next thing I'm getting is just the word pump.
Amber
A pump? Do you mean a gas station?
Aster
Maybe because you have little else to give. You have nothing that can properly pay for what you want. What they have. The love. The pain.
Glass
Up ahead, I see a turn.
Copper
Whoa.
Aster
The road hugs the cliffside until the wall splits into a sheer crevice in the mountain. The turn becomes a fork. One way stays on the road. Simple. Right? The other leads straight into the chasm. The bottom is level with the road. But even one step past the entrance would throw them into darkness. And they wouldn't be alone.
Amber
Oh, like hell. Am I going in there.
Copper
What are those things?
Glass
They look like some kind of structure.
Silver
Glass.
Amber
How it moved.
Glass
Or a creature, I suppose.
Copper
Glass.
Silver
Tell me if this is the spot. It says yes.
Aster
It isn't the only one of its kind. Not the only place. Humans left their machines in twisted piles in hopes the elements will eventually return the metals to the earth. But they aren't piles of scrap anymore. They remember how it felt to be alive. But they don't remember the shape they were supposed to be.
Amber
We're going into that scrap metal boneyard.
Silver
Look way over on the other side. There's the pump. Just one by itself. Just like the Magic 8 Ball said.
Glass
Copper. Can you reach the gas can?
Copper
I'll try.
Amber
Glass. Some of those things are like 15ft tall. And are you sure that pump will even work?
Silver
Of course I'm not Amber, but what other choice do we have? We're empty.
Amber
We keep limping along until we find something else. It's. It's not moving. This is so great. I love this so much. Can't wait to go in there. Well, are the rest of you waiting for written permission?
Silver
Oh, right.
Aster
This is where it happens. This is where you should have been watching.
Copper
Do we have stuff to pay for the gas?
Silver
I've got a backpack full of stuff. We'll have to cross that bridge. After we cross this crack.
Amber
Why is it so dark in there? It's like the sun doesn't even make it to the bottom.
Copper
I can only imagine what it looks like from all the way at the top.
Glass
If we're going in there, we're going together. No splitting up.
Silver
At least it's wide enough to walk in.
Amber
Yeah, and wide enough for those things. Those metal creatures.
Silver
They're reactive to noise.
Glass
That's good.
Silver
No, but I think that if we aren't too loud, it won't bother us. And I don't know if they can get past the skate either.
Amber
Come on. Sooner we get this over with, sooner we can leave.
Copper
Do we knock?
Glass
Gig's cracked open already.
Aster
Look.
Copper
An invitation.
Glass
They're not keeping us out, that's for sure.
Silver
Here goes.
Amber
Let's go.
Aster
A gash in the earth. The ghost of an earthquake. The sun does not reach there. The flowers do not spray as liberally over the rocks. It is a blind spot to you. Not because you can't see. Only because you don't.
Amber
We only need enough gas to go a few more miles. Just a few more miles. Oh, they're really touchy.
Silver
Quietly as you can, everybody.
Amber
We're almost there.
Silver
I see the pump.
Glass
It belongs to the summers. Look. It's all burnt up on the back.
Amber
It's ancient. How are we supposed to pay for this?
Glass
Pumps like this. People used to go into the station to pay.
Copper
But there's no station.
Silver
Amber, start the pump. I'll write down a memory. And we'll hope the summer's taken.
Aster
The Summers like to delay consequences. Usually until their own season. They store up transgressions. They hold grudges. They think it's more fun that way.
Glass
Think of something good.
Silver
Hurry. Almost done.
Copper
Guys.
Silver
Done. All filled up.
Glass
Put the nozzle back. Careful.
Aster
You should have been watching over them.
Copper
That one got closer to us.
Silver
How many are there close to us?
Copper
4. They're all so sharp.
Aster
You could have been there. After all. It's what you wanted.
Silver
Where. Where do I put the payment? Look.
Copper
Look on the back. There's a little slot.
Silver
Perfect.
Aster
You wanted to know the pain. And the world gave it to you.
Glass
As long as we get back quiet, we can.
Silver
Oh. Run. Run.
Amber
Time to go.
Copper
Let's go.
Amber
I've got you. Come on. No time. Run.
Silver
We're almost there. Hurry. Help. Come on. We're almost there. Silver, get the gate.
Glass
I'm ready.
Silver
Hurry. Close it. Close it.
Glass
They can't get through.
Silver
Copper.
Glass
Oh, hell. Oh, hell. Copper.
Copper
Is it bad? I don't. I don't want to look, everything's gonna.
Glass
Be all right, sweetheart. Amber's filling up the car, and we'll be on the way to getting you help. Don't move around too much, all right?
Copper
Okay.
Amber
Done.
Silver
Tried engine. Go. Where? Where to go? Where do we go? What do we do?
Glass
Glass, you and I were sitting back with Copper. Try to stop the bleeding. Amber, take shotgun.
Silver
Where are we going?
Glass
Temple in the mountain.
Silver
What?
Glass
I thought you said don't have another choice. Glass, get in the car.
Copper
Go.
Amber
Get them on the blanket so we can carry them.
Silver
Does anything feel wrong to you? You guys.
Amber
No, boss. Everything is fine.
Glass
Hold on, baby. We just have to carry you in.
Copper
It hurts.
Glass
I know, sweetheart. I know. We're going to pick you up. Ready? 1, 2, 3. I know. I know. It hurts. I'm sorry. We got to get you inside.
Amber
Offerings?
Silver
Yep.
Amber
What kind of stuff do we have?
Silver
What's the most most valuable thing we have?
Amber
Drinking water.
Silver
The whole tank?
Amber
Absolutely.
Silver
What about food? All of it.
Podcast Announcer
Take.
Amber
Take all of it.
Silver
You got it?
Amber
I got it. Grab the food. Let's go.
Glass
We've got something to offer. Just hold on. Just hold on.
Amber
We got all our drinking water and all our food on the altar.
Glass
Amber heard.
Silver
Here, let me help. I think somebody heard us.
Copper
Scared?
Glass
Don't be scared. You're gonna be all right, you hear?
Amber
They took the offering.
Copper
Yeah.
Glass
Copper. Oh, Copper, come on.
Silver
Hold on, Copper. You can do this.
Amber
Didn't do anything.
Silver
No, no, no.
Glass
Copper, please. Stay with us.
Amber
But they took the offering.
Silver
No. No.
Amber
They took the offering. Why didn't we get anything back?
Silver
No, it's not over yet. They're not gone yet.
Glass
They're gone, Glass.
Silver
No, they're. They're not. We can fix this.
Amber
We gave you the most valuable thing we have, and you gave us nothing.
Glass
There's nothing we can do.
Silver
There has to be something we can do.
Glass
Over. They're gone.
Silver
No. Not yet.
Glass
Where are you going?
Silver
I'm asking for help. I. I need help. I need your help. I don't know what to do, Esther.
Aster
You know I can't go in there.
Silver
I don't care. We. We have to think of something else to do. There. There has to be something we can do. If the world isn't magic now, there. There has to be a way to.
Aster
You're appealing to things much higher than me, Glass.
Silver
What? Tell me what that means.
Aster
You're asking for the return of a human life.
Silver
Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking for. That big statue in the temple. Do you. I want to know if you Know who it is? Is there any? I mean, I want you to try talking to them.
Aster
I can't speak to them, but I can tell you that they'll trade if you offer something in exchange that's of equal value.
Silver
We don't have anything left. We already gave them the most valuable stuff we can give them. We don't have anything equal to human life. I. Oh.
Aster
The only fair trade for a life is.
Silver
I get it. So we lose either way.
Aster
I wish I could do more, but.
Silver
What? You just. You just reacted to something.
Aster
You should go back in there.
Silver
I don't want to. I can't play at Copper like that.
Aster
Something happened, Glass. You need to be with them.
Silver
I can't. It's too much.
Aster
A life for a life. Glass.
Glass
I don't know how long you'll have before.
Aster
The world tilts upon its axis. They will not feel the shift. They will not feel the vacuum, the space in the world where something was. But you'll feel it. The void. The emptiness. And more. You will feel the House of Summers compromise. It will not hurt them. They will not feel it.
Silver
Aster. What? I. Bless.
Aster
I'm so sorry.
Silver
What? Why? I. I don't understand.
Aster
They said they would stop it from hurting.
Silver
Stop what? I want you to tell me what they could stop from hurting.
Amber
Glad.
Silver
Copper. You're alive. What happened? Is everyone okay?
Amber
Yeah.
Silver
What's wrong? What happened?
Glass
We got Copper back.
Silver
Copper? What happened?
Copper
I. I don't remember.
Silver
I. I can't stop crying. That's fine, Squeaker. Let's just get you back to the car. We can figure it out later.
Aster
They will seem happy to see one another and confused over the relief. Human emotions from human states of being. You are too far from that. You'll never be close enough to understand. And they will be so lost in their disorientation and what they do not yet comprehend as grief that they will not notice when you disappear. What a burden to carry. What cruelty from the House of Summer. That you must shoulder that secret. That only by dishonesty can you protect your beloved. Maybe they were punishing you for the sin of your carelessness. For the sin of not arriving soon enough. It hurts in exactly the way the frost doesn't.
Silver
You've got them?
Glass
Yeah, I got them.
Amber
I'll drive.
Copper
Can I put my head on your leg?
Glass
Of course, sweetheart.
Silver
Aster disappeared before I said goodbye.
Glass
They do a lot of that, darling. Don't you worry about it too much.
Silver
But I didn't say I. I should have.
Glass
It's all right. We're we're all safe. Everything's okay.
Amber
Enjoy it while it lasts. First thing we're picking up is another water cooler.
Glass
Is that why there's so much space back here?
Silver
Must be.
Copper
But when you come and all the flowers are dying if I am dead as dead I will maybe you'll come and find the place where I am lying and kneel and say an oath there for me and I shall hear the soft eu tremble above me and all my grave shall warmer, sweeter be for you will bend and tell me that you love me and I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.
Podcast Announcer
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, Tabitha Bardal as Copper, and featuring Justice Washington as Astor. Original music by Joshua David Mitchell this episode's him is Danny Boy by Frederick Weatherly Sign up for our newsletter@hodgepodgeaudio.com or support our work on Patreon.com Hodgepodgeaudio thank you for listening.
Narrator
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Fred Meyer
Great savings all in the Fred meyer app. Get 10 for $10 on select varieties of Kroger pasta, Starkist tuna pouches or Powerade. Then get Tender Fresh Heritage Farm boneless chicken breasts for $2.49 a pound, all with your card. Shop these deals at your local Oregon Fred Meyer Today or click the screen now to download the Fred Meyer app to save Big Today. Fred Meyer Fresh for Everyone. Prices and product availability subject to change restrictions apply. See site for details.
Hymns for the Road: Episode 19 - "Clay"
Release Date: January 10, 2025 | Host/Author: Hodgepodge Audio
In Episode 19, titled "Clay," the survivors navigating the post-apocalyptic fantasy wasteland face critical challenges that test their trust, resilience, and moral boundaries. As their journey through the deadly yet beautiful remnants of America continues, the group confronts supernatural forces, scarcity of resources, and the profound costs of survival.
The episode opens with Copper reciting the poignant hymn "Danny Boy," setting an emotional tone that underscores the themes of loss and longing (01:03). This lyrical introduction foreshadows the imminent sacrifices the group will face.
By 02:11, Amber announces, "We're almost empty," signaling a dire shortage of gas that propels the group into urgent action. The scarcity of resources heightens tensions among the survivors:
Their conversation reveals the precarious balance between necessity and survival rules in this treacherous landscape.
As their fuel dwindles, the group spots an ancient temple nestled within a cave (04:03). The temple, associated with the enigmatic Arch Folk, presents both a potential salvation and a looming threat:
The decision to proceed towards the gas pump amidst ominous surroundings underscores their desperation and the ever-present danger of the wasteland.
Upon reaching the old gas pump (10:04), the group realizes that conventional transactions are impossible. Silver proposes an exchange based on superstition: "Amber, start the pump. I'll write down a memory. And we'll hope the Summer's taken."
This act of offering personal memories as currency to the supernatural beings reveals the depth of their desperation and willingness to trade invaluable aspects of themselves for survival.
The exchange leads to unforeseen repercussions. After making their offering, Copper suffers a fatal incident, leaving the group in despair:
In a miraculous yet unsettling turn, Copper is resurrected, but the resurrection comes with emotional and ethical ramifications. Her return is marred by confusion and disorientation, highlighting the complexities of interacting with otherworldly forces.
Aster, the mystical member of the group, provides cryptic insights into the nature of their predicament:
Faced with no other options, Aster orchestrates Silver's sacrifice to restore balance, embodying the theme that survival often demands unimaginable sacrifices.
With Silver's departure, the remaining members grapple with their loss and the weight of their choices:
Despite the sorrow, the group presses on, their bond strengthened yet forever altered by the events that transpired.
"Clay" masterfully intertwines themes of sacrifice, trust, and the moral dilemmas inherent in a world where magic and danger coexist. The episode delves deep into the characters' psyches, revealing how far they are willing to go to survive and the personal costs that come with it. As the survivors continue their journey through the fantastical yet perilous landscape, the lingering questions about the nature of their world and the beings that inhabit it set the stage for future episodes.
Hymns for the Road continues to explore the complexities of human emotion and supernatural influence in a world reborn through magic and destruction. Episode 19, "Clay," stands as a testament to the lengths individuals will go to preserve life and the inevitable losses that accompany such endeavors.