Ryan Reynolds (0:00)

Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. You know, one of the perks about having four kids that you know about is actually getting a direct line to the big man up north. And this year he wants you to know the best gift that you can give someone is the gift of Mint Mobile's unlimited wireless for $15 a month. Now, you don't even need to wrap it. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch $45 upfront payment required. Equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first 3 month plan only. Taxes and fees. Extra special speed slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited. See mintmobile.com for details. This episode is brought to you by United Airlines. When you want to make the most of your vacation, book with United. They're an airline that cares about your travels as much as you do. United is transforming the flying experience with Bluetooth connectivity, screens, power at every seat, and bigger overhead bins to help fit everyone's bag. And with their app, you can skip the bag check line, get live updates and more. Change the way you fly. Book your next trip today@united.com Red Valley is intended for mature audiences and contains scenes some listeners may find distressing. Please go to RedValleyPod.com for full content warnings on every episode. Do you want to continue? Gentlemen, to bed. For at dawn we rise to crimson skies across the fields of destiny I think the lady of Valuant trumpet tongue to the heralds call our battle cry to strive, to seek, to fight and not to yield. Witness me, Witness me I am awaited Unfunderous rules I'll charge into the valley of death. I hope you're paying Gordon residuals for all this. I think he'd be very moved to learn how his music has affected people so many years later. Are you going to carry that utterance everywhere? Yes, Grace. Yes I am. Will rise again. So no one requests Stairway to Heaven or My Way. We don't have a lot of music here that we don't make ourselves. Why not? Rights reasons. Rights reasons. All copyright media went behind enormous paywalls years ago. And then the Bastion banned it all anyway. What's the Bastion? They are in charge. A fanatical religious militia. The Bastion Sounds fun. Who let that happen? In desperate times, people turn to desperate solutions. Like a euthanasia clinic in the highlands. You think we are a crazy deaf cult, don't you? I wouldn't say that. Moriari Invictus Death with volunteers. You suppose I can understand? You said it, not me. Thank you. Thank you. I won't keep you all Long. I just wanted to say. Well, thank you to all of you. I came here six weeks ago. So afraid, so angry, so alone. I didn't believe I'd find anything. I'd have to haul myself to the top of ball bag and jump off. I know for some visitors that has been suggested as a form of completion. And to those I say, good luck. But do you really want to spend your last hours on earth being shat on a hundred times by pink footed geese? Red Valley has been a fortress for me at the end of my life. On my good days, you've been a source of joy. On the bad days, well, you've kept me in one piece. I'm afraid I don't have much for you in the way of wisdom. Aubrey? Where are you? Aubrey? You try and hide on days like this, don't you? You and I talked about legacy not long ago. You told me legacy is nothing more than asking others to worship at the altar of your own ego. No graves, no monuments. We return to dust. And you put that dust to use. Strange idea. Legacy. Particularly in these times. I feel. I feel like for the first 30 years of my life, everyone told me to stop worrying about what other people thought of me. Could never quite do that. Of course then. Well, I don't know, something must have sunk in because for the next 30 years of my life, I really didn't give two shits what anyone thought. I had too much to do. Apparently. Then I got old and I got this disease that makes me forget where I am, that makes me call one of you by the name of my son. Then become furious when you kindly correct me. That makes me forget the suit my husband wore on our wedding day. This rotten illness takes the ground out from under your feet. And I said to people, I said, what's the point of all this if I end up losing it all? If I'm Jade Turner in nothing more than name, they would commiserate with me at first. Then they'd say, but you live on, Jade. You live on in all those you leave behind, in the changes you made to their lives. Oh, shit. I thought maybe it really does matter what people think of you. No. No, I think I got it right, Aubrey. Even if your ashes join mine, gritting the path up to this station, with all that you've built here, all that you've done, you might not be able to escape your legacy. This place will live on long after me. And I hope long after you. Those who follow will know your name and the world is a smidgen Brighter for it. But for me, fuck it. Fuck legacy. I can write a thank you that would touch the floor, but I'll find each and every one about her. Ashes gritting the path? Exactly that. Everyone who completes is cremated. The ashes are used to grit the path. You know how slippery you can get. How practical. There's a certain poetry to it as well, I think. Well, then, I wish you all an extremely fond farewell. My husband is waiting for me, and I'm keen to get back to him. So without further ado, morior invictus, which I'm fairly certain translates to let's get fucked up. I'm as bad at parties in the future as I was in the past. What do you mean? Well, no one's really talking to me. Is it waffles? Do people not like her? Everyone likes waffles. So it's me. Do I. Do I smell? Can you smell me? I can't smell you. Aubrey's asked everyone to give you some space. She doesn't want you overstimulated. Yeah, well, maybe a death day party after telling me the earth is doomed wasn't the best plan for day one out of quarantine. It's been very hard for Aubrey deciding what course of action would be best in regards to your reintegration. In the end, she felt you might have FOMO if you found out there'd been a party going on while you were stuck downstairs. People don't still say FOMO in the future, do they? No, but I've been trying to utilize parlance relative to your time period. Safe fam. Holly Bobs. Oh, my God. Stop. Stop that immediately. Weird flex, but okay. I cannot. I am immediately gonna have a cringe stroke and die. Shut up. Stay mad. You're the reason no one's talking to me. Grace. Grace. Warren. Are you enjoying yourself? Is that future alcohol? Yes. It's not very different from past alcohol. Hold the tortoise. Past alcohol? That was made in a shed. Marco's been making this out of berries and bad intentions for your ears. Dad jokes. Robocop is embarrassing me. People are. People are looking. Cease. Cease. I'm begging you. Of course people are looking. You are from a distant past, and you're carrying a tortoise around at a party. And you just choked on your first drink in 40 years. There is a lot to look at. Did Aubrey really tell people to give me space? Of course. You need time after you continue. We all do, no matter how long we are in the bottom. What am I saying? Who knows that better than you? We. Have you. Have you been in hypersleep? Five years. Sentence 20, 31 to 36. Damn. Like a prison sentence? Oh, yes. My experience at Red Valley made me have a change of heart about what I had helped to create. If I even did that much. I followed Aubrey in her attempts to get rid of the continued technology. It had spread so fast, it was in every major prison in the world within years. And then coveted by every major government, every corporation. We tried to do it nicely and kind of legally at first. That did not work. We got a lot done before they caught us. Some of us anyway. Aubrey led the other cells across the world for a few more years. But they got her too, in the end. The irony of punishing us with the very thing we were trying to destroy was not lost. How long was Aubrey in Hypersleep? For? Nearly 20 years before we broke her out. You may have wondered why she looks so young when she should be nearly 90. A lot of us here have continued at one point or another. The bastion's laws are as strict as they come and they're committed to wiping out any cry tech they find. But that's only in Britain. In other parts of the world, it's still used as a punishment. That guy over there got six months in cryo for throwing a frozen pizza during a protest in Budapest a few years back. Are you alright? The mu sound was not that bad, was it? No. The future just feels like a Matrix sequel made by Monty Python. Like more I hear, the more absurd all of this is. I feel like you're daring me to laugh. There's no easy way to tell it. If you want a more straightforward version of events, maybe ask God. Yolo. Oh, Jesus. I didn't know he was still there. Warren, I owe you more than an apology. It has been many, many years for me. But it must still seem very recent for you. My behavior. I was young and ambitious back then, but that does not excuse the choices I made. I hope you can believe I've spent my life trying to make up for those choices. Honestly, Grace, at the risk of sounding rude, I didn't pay you or anyone else that much attention. I kind of saw all overhead people as just extensions of Briony. Bryony. Of course. You know, that's the first time I've said her name since I woke up. I don't suppose Aubrey has. Good gracious. Jade. Jade. How do you like your party? It's wonderful. What can I do for you, Jade? It's time, Grace. Are you sure the party is still in Full suit. That's exactly how I want it to be. Of course. God. Can you call Aubrey? We'll meet her in the house. You excuse me? Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure. Thanks for coming, Maury. No problem. Morri Invictus. Thank you. Thank you. We are daughters of the tortoise. We're going to be playing for you all night, so let's keep the party going. Gord, I'd like to go and visit Gordon, please. Okay. Let's go. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay down there with your friend. Oh, hi. Yeah, I will leave you to enjoy the party. With any luck, the mountain will bury you both again. Wow. I'm. I'm sorry. Look, I do not know what I have done to. Hey. You don't know what you've done. Perhaps it's best we called for one. You're the bloody start of it all, King. Without you, it might never have come to this. Malcolm, why don't I. Oh, fuck off with your voice changed. Change it. Back off. I'm sorry. Please don't get upset. You're a golem. Brought to life to do what? Huh? To stagger around mindless? You're clay. You're just fucking clay. Hey, Malcolm, what's wrong? Leave me alone. Speaking my mind. I thought we were all free to speak our minds. We are. But this is Jade's night and we all agreed there are no crosswords on a complete night. Why, you. You fill everyone's mind with your free love liberal decaf dog shit. But you and her, you run this place like a goddamn Gulag. Now, don't forget where you came from. Hester. Malcolm. Oh, jog on, the lot of you. God, I'm gonna get more moonshine. Are you sure that I bloody made it? Hester. I'll do what I like. No. Pass me a glass. Yeah, you get me a glass. And he's gone. Thank you for that. No worries. Bit less charming than the last time you met, isn't he? Well, not really. He called me a fucker. Not this afternoon. Last time, 2020. What do you mean? Bloody hell. Malcolm Landry, Former vice chairman of Overhead Industries. He bought you a steak dinner 44 years ago. The pub, that. The Boat and Bridger on Argyle Street. What's really going to fry your mind is that you only pooed that steak dinner out a few days ago. Right? It's now been composted and will be used to grow potatoes. That's actually a weirder and much worse thing to know. Yeah. God, you made it Weird. Just trying to be in the conversation. Holy crap. Hester. Yes? You were there. In the pub. You were. You were Malcolm's assistant. I was. A very long time ago. Except it wasn't. It was only the other day. Yes, it was also only the other day. Esther, it's time. Okay. I think I'm gonna go and be somewhere quiet for a bit. Warren, are you sure you're okay? I'm good. I've got waffles and I'll take my gourd. I think I just need to be away for a bit. Of course, of course. Just ask Gord for anything you need. He can take care of it. Right. Thanks. Thanks again. Good night, Warren. Where would you like to go? Let's go and see Gordon. Shall I close the window, Jade? Is the draft too much? No, no, I like it. The air, the music. Everyone getting on? How we doing? We're all set. Just need to pop a drip in the back of your hand. Oh, yes, and squeezy and squeezy. Get those veins up. You have excellent veins, Jade. Did anyone tell you that? Oh, yes. The boys often remarked on the size of my veins. Sharp scratch, that's it. So when you're ready, you just press this button here. That'll start the medicine. How long does it take? I know. You told me. More than once. I'd just like to hear you say it. A minute or two. I'm scared, Aubrey. You know you don't have to go through with it, Jade. Not now, not ever, if you decide. No, not that. Scared. More wedding day scared. It's a big day. It is. What should we do now? Tell us. A happy memory, Judy. A happy memory. You see this scar on my chin? I do. My family and I, we were in the Isle of Wight. Went there a few times. I loved it. We would go crabbing each day, collect all these greedy little crabs in a bucket, then pull them back into the sea. My parents took us once, just. Just down the way from the cottage we rented down to the jetty. There were these huge concrete steps that the boats would slide down into the sea. Oh, this Must have been 1986. 87. The tide was halfway in. Good chance for crabs. And before we could even get started, I slipped on the seaweed and tumbled down two or three of these great big steps, landing on my chin. And I opened up this scar. You see it? I can see it. So there I was, chin covered in blood, but not crying. Just a bit stunned. And my mother looked at me in surprise. Not at the blood. But at my reaction, I think, no histrionics, no drama. She took my hand and we walked quietly back to the cottage. We went to the bathroom. She pulled out a chair for me to stand on. We looked at each other in the bathroom mirror, now the same height. This little girl with a blood stained shirt, seaweed in her hair, and her mother waiting to clean her up. We looked at each other for a long time. That's it. That's a memory. Thank you, Jade. Thank you for this. Thank you. It sa all right. Hello. May I pass, please? Do you have clearance to see the prisoner? Excuse me? Clearance. It means permission. Can you show me your identification? Is that clearance enough for you? Oh, my apologies. Please proceed, sir. Yeah, why don't you jog on down to the Greggs on Tottenham Court Road and get me a sausage roll? What is the Greggs? Oh, don't tell me I've outlived Greggs. There's nothing sacred. I'm sorry. Forget it. You can go now, Lurch. No one is to be left alone with the prisoner. Sir, do you want me to bring Rebecca Landry down here and try this conversation again? Oh, I will have to note this change of protocol in the log, sir. Yeah, you do that. Oh, I guess there's got to be some advantages to having an increasingly psychotic boss. For you, maybe. No, I'll speak to the guards. I don't want anyone calling you. Are you not a prisoner? Oh, good to know. How are you, Pam? Are you. Are they. I'm peachy. Thanks for making the time. Yeah, of course. I. I want to make sure you're okay. Is there anything I can do for you? Is there anything. Is there anything you can do? Is there anything you can do for me? All right. All right. How much longer am I going to be kept in here, Clive? Yeah, I don't. Look, hopefully. I am imprisoned in a stationary storeroom. I sleep on three office chairs lashed together with zip ties. Men I don't know. Walk me to the bathroom. Hopefully isn't goddamn good enough. Pam, you know how dangerous it is out there for someone like you right now, for anyone with cryotech history, you're too valuable to be walking the streets. Of course you're protecting me. That's why I only have one change of clothes and live in solitary confinement. Pam, you know what the bastion is like. Oh, the bastion. The bastion. Actually, I don't know what the bastion is like because I live in a windowless box. For all I know, you and Becky made them up. Pam, I mean it. Right These people, they will kill you in the street. For once, I am not exaggerating. Do I have cryotech scientists tattooed on my goddamn face? Pam, we're overhead, for God's sake. And we're running scared from these little freaks. They're in charge. They're the police. They're what passes for a government. They're the church. They're everywhere. What has that got to do with me? Why the fuck aren't you locked in here? They blame hypersleep for everything. Ugh. Everything that's wrong. It's all because the boss of this or the king of that ran off, hid in a cryopod, and abandoned them. The only reason we're even back in this building is because we've managed to convince them, for now, that we want to help them destroy anything to do with. Continue. Which wasn't very fucking easy when we're the actual people who created it. We don't know how smart they are. Is it so hard to think that they might be able to work out who you are and what you've done? This is bullshit. Becky Landry promised us her resources. Everything overhead could provide. Well, shit. What have I got here? Whiteboard markers. I've got toner. They still need hole punchers in the year 2060. Whatever the fuck, Pam. Do you think this is what I want? The both of us marooned in this shitty time in this shitty place after everything we did, after all the work we did. This is not what I want. It's not what any of us want, is it? No. You just want to go back to sleep, don't you? Of course I do. And so do you. And so does Rebecca. Look, if she's behaving a little more scary, it's because we're in a scary place, right? We need her. While you're out there and I'm in here. There is no we, Pam. I've heard this new intel. I haven't been briefed yet, but it might be something real, something big, something we can work with. Clive, you fucking infant. We did the best we could. Everything we could think of, and it still fell apart. We managed to sleep for barely 20 years out of a thousand. If you think letting her lock me in a closet as punishment until you stumble on enough spare parts for me to magic you up another cryopod, that we're just gonna dig a hole in the ground and sleep for a millennium. If that's how you think this is going to end, you are truly as crazy as Becky Landry is. I'm going to go. I'll see you tomorrow. Run back to the boss, tell her I said hi. Did she let you keep the CEO penthouse? Or you gotta find your own digs these days? What's the rent like in 2064, huh? You little. She'll come round. This won't last forever. I'm sorry. Everything you have is because of me. Continue. The Aloha, Connecticut. You only got this far because of me. That works both ways. Pam Clive and Pam Clive and Pam. Red Valley is written by Jonathan Williams, directed by Alan Mandel and associate directed by Carol Pestridge with music editing and sound design by Richard Orpheus Campbell, additional sound effects editing by Luke Elliott, original podcast artwork by Claire Hoopes and promotional artwork by Noah Dow. Transcripts by Karen Butler Performances by Jonathan Williams as Warren Godby, Dionne Brony as Degratius Melee, Sarah Shelton as Jade Turner Ala Mandel as Gord David Charles as Malcolm, Susan Hingley as Hester Hiashi, Tash Reeves Banks as Aubrey Wood, Alexander Broad as Clive Shill and Rachel Fowler as Pamela Jennings. Additional voices by Richard Orpheus Campbell, Kelsey Griffin, Blair Anderson, Tomek Clark, Emily Inkpen, Nick Lamont, Alex Hened, Shueli, Ali Balut and Carol Pestridge. The Puss Crank choir were Kelsey Griffin, Jan and Constance Elster, Carol Pestridge, Helano Weeks, Sabrina Adele, Richard Orpheus Campbell, Blair Anderson and Alan Mandel. Thanks as always to the Overhead Board of directors Jack Reese, Marguerite Kenner, Dev Patel, Paul James and Hayley Daniel. Red Valley is recorded at Orpheus Studio London and brought to you by Continued Productions. Thanks so much for listening. The Fable and Folly Network where fiction producers flourish. It happened in the quiet town of Podok. An ages old family mystery. What happened with Great Grandpa? Why won't you talk about it? Because there's nothing to say. Ninten begets an unprecedented paranormal event. Oh, brother. Poltergeists. My lamp attacked me. It was hovering. The air. It unplugged itself. It came at me. Mind control. Why is that crow smoking a cigarette? Okay, we're playing inside today. Zombies. I could have gotten out of here on my own. You were hiding in a coffin. It was a good disguise. Extraterrestrials. You've seen them too? I've been observing them for days. I beat up aliens with my baseball bat. Children with psychokinetic powers. I let that little light of mine shine. Mama. And it melted the darkness away. And that's just the beginning. Introducing Mother. She wrote a travelogue diary through the biggest cult phenomena in video game history. The Mother series as it's called in Japan, and Earthbound, as it's called called everywhere else. Each episode we recount the story through immersive audio drama as it's lived by the characters, unpacking the surreal adventures, tear jerking moments, and what it all means. If you're new to the series, we'll take you beyond the controller and into the story. And if you're a longtime fan, relive these tales like never before and learn fascinating new facts about your favorite games. Find Mother She Wrote on your favorite podcast player. Edit Mother she wrote Dot Earth.