Episode 62 - Provisions

## Provisions

A strawberry is drawn in red with a worm drawn in white below it on a black background, a white stippled line borders the image.

### Author

William A. Wellman

Rick Rounds packs for the road, Moth has breakfast, and Barb makes a deposit. The theme of tonight's episode is Provisions.

***Content Warnings:** Needle mention, Animal death (the Pike), Death + Injury, Blood, Gun Mention, Bugs, Worms, Maggots, Body horror, Alcohol Use*

## Intro - The Old Well

Nikignik narrates Booker Martin to the Dreamers as he discovers that their clean water supply had been corrupted by the Black water. He thinks to himself that the mathematics of survival were cruel, and he tries to decide on the best interpretation to share with his wife (see Zora Martin), as there was no easy way to say that most of their clean water was not with them and it will run dry long before they'd planned. A new equation dawns on him as he glances across the property—on the far side, past the doghouse, there was a well, and peering over the edge he sees the dark water glistens deep bellow. What clean water they had would last one small person so much longer. He looks down to find his daughter (see Clara Martin) tugging at his hand, asking where he was, and he tells her to say hello to her new home.

Nikignik sits in the great of an unlight furnace in the Overdue Cabin, what Nikignik describes as a "house of death", ash and singed feathers blanket the floor (see Episode 9 - Birds), abandoned books and empty cans of food litter the shelves, the air reeking of sweat and dead fish (see Episode 53 - Rivers). Its last resident (see Rick Rounds) scavenges what remains, watched by the hulking shape (see Big Mikey) outside.

## Story One - Vehement

Rick Rounds, having recovered enough from his fever (see Episode 56 - Thorns) to make an assessment of his situation. He takes his hand (see Episode 53 - Rivers) as the obvious issues, blaming it on Polly. He finishes packing to leave and complete the task that Tiff had set for him in Episode 56 - Thorns, when Big Mikey asks him what "veement" meant from outside the cabin, sticking his book "*Of the powers*" through the door. Rick takes the page and tells Mikey that vehement mean forceful, or angry, and Mikey ask him if he was vehement, which Rick tells him he was. Rick thanks Mikey for reading to him (see Episode 53 - Rivers), and Mikey beams at him, asking if he'd liked [the reading], Rick tells him that he did, that Mikey could probably read better then he could (see Episode 17 - Bogs), and Mikey tells him that if he [Rick] kept practicing, he could be a good reader as well, handing him "Of the Powers", Rick tucks it into his bag with intent of using the pages for tinder.

Mikey asks Rick where he was planning on going now, Rick tells him that "T*he Devil [was] out there ... In human form. He’s been tormenting [Rick]. [Rick] took something from [Polly] once—[Polly's] weapon, though [Polly] made it look like an umbrella*." Mikey asks him if Polly was scared of the rain, and Rick tells him that he had no idea, but he hated Polly, he'd taken his hand (see Episode 21 - Mornings) and gotten him kicked out from Fort Freedom (see Episode 30 - Stones), part of the latter had been Mrs. Wicker, but he'd kill her next. Mikey asks him where one went to find the devil, and Rick points in the direction of The Resting Place Hotel, telling Mikey that he'd met an angle while he was sleeping (see Episode 56 - Thorns), and he'd given him the ability to "see the devil" (see Cane), he was like a "little cigarette light, a hundred miles away. I got some catching up to do." Mikey asks him if he was going to push him in the water (see Episode 17 - Bogs), causing Rick to hesitate for a moment, and a flash of pain runs through his right shoulder (see Rick Rounds). Rick tells Mikey that it was different, that Polly was the devil and thus pure evil. Maybe killing him might even 'end the end times' (see The night of Black Rains), Rick had lost everything due to Polly, and he was going to make sure that he regretted it. Mikey tells Rick that he should be a lawyer, that it'd worked for Daniel Webster, Rick tells him that he had no idea who that was, but he'd keep it in mind. He wishes Mikey a fair well, Mikey tells him that he should come and visit him (see Find a Friend Animal Shelter), as he had lots of dogs, and Rick tells him that if he made it back, he would.

### Interlude - Shopping Day

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that to go shopping the U.S had become more difficult than it'd used to be. The Botulus Corporation kept all of its supply lines internal, their swarm of targeted marketing drones only advertising Dreaming Box subscriptions. Few refineries still remained, technicians and engineers charging a premium for the fuel that still burns in car and motorcycle and generator. Food can yet be scavenged, but after twenty years the greatest stores are gone. Instead, it is a gift given by the resilient and the resourceful, who can keep a farm to grow in these wastes (see Glass City Farms). Occasional gatherings, such as the Dry Market, provide a place for salvagers and crafters alike to sell and trade. For those who roam the landscape, though, sometimes desperation sets in, and they take by force what they need to survive.

## Story Two - America's Best Donuts

Moth Scarberry experiences a flashback in which a younger moth explores a garden, eating strawberries, while Bill and Gale Scarberry sit out the front and talk. Gale expresses to Bill how travel had become more difficult, people on the roads who didn't know where they were going, so he was going to get a radio set up for them while he was there so that they could stay in touch better once he left. Moth asks Gale how his job at the factory was, and he tells moth that the factory had closed down as had the supply lines and their customers kept moving into Dreaming Boxes. The flashback takes a turn when Bill and Gale start speaking like they're in a Botco advertisement, and Moth spots an earth worm in the soil of one of the pots, which writhes for a bit before bursting into small white maggots that had burrowed beneath its skin, Moth screams and looks up to see Bill and Gale staring directly at moth, and Moth begins to run, Gale and Bill following moth still talking as if in an advert and with smiles wider then would naturally been able to fit on their faces, able to catch moth at moth's running pace despite them only walking.

Moth wakes up, looking around to see that moth had been sleeping in Ray's automobile. Ray speaks up, joking to moth about moth having decided to 'join the land of the living', Moth asks Ray if moth was awake, and Ray tells moth that moth was. Moth thanks Ray for having come back for moth (see Episode 58 - Enemies), and Ray tells moth that he couldn't bring himself to leave (see Episode 54 - Roads), that he'd had the sneaking suspicion that moth would get in to trouble. Moth asks if Ray had hurt Gale, and Ray tells moth that he had, but not enough that it should be fatal. Moth asks where they were now, looking outside of Ray's automobile to see that they were parked outside of Lee's Donuts, seeing the RV Gang from inside. Ray tells moth that they had some new friends and gives moth a brief summary of what happened in Episode 60 - Flies, about Moth being attacked by the Botco drone, having stuck moth with several needles that Ray had no idea what they did. Moth tells Ray about moth's nightmares, and he tells moth to keep him updated on that as he wanted to know if it got worse. Telling moth that moth should get some food and meet the people inside, and moth does just that, leaving Ray's automobile and walking into the diner.

### Marketing - Scrumptious Experience

Lady Ethel Mallory interrupts Nikignik's broadcast with her marketing segment. She tells the listeners that an important part of Botco's corporate promise was allowing those with a Dreaming Box subscription to dream without interruption, meaning no waking up for mundane activities of bodily functions, so Botco's Dreaming Pods were supplied with intake ingredients by a local Dreaming Box—filtered and purified water (this is a lie), produce from the box’s Dreaming Garden, and supplements supplied by Botulus Industries. Botco's automatic health regulators kept a record on users' vital signs and provide needed medications as well as vitamins or mineral supplements whenever a deficiency is detected; and because each Dreaming Pod was hermetically sealed, there was very little risk of infection from outside sources. With replenishment out of the way, users were free to keep on dreaming. In-dream food is based entirely on memory of flavour.

### Story Two, Continued

Upon entering the diner, Moth finds it to be quant, and Riot Maidstone, having noticed Moth's entrance, exclaims about moth being awake. Monty Lee offers Moth a coffee from behind the counter, which moth accepts and sits down with the others per Riots request, before she goes through and introduces each of the members of the RV Gang, and Moth introduces mothself, briefly talking to Olivier Song about her cloak and moth's coat. Diggory Graves tells moth that Percy Reed was sitting at the end of the table, but he was feeling shy. When moth turns to greet Perc, moth finds no one there (see Ghosts). Monty drops off Moth's coffee order, and moth asks him if moth was dreaming, Monty tells moth that moth wasn't, explaining to moth how he was able to keep his shop running (see Lee's Donuts and Monty Lee). and he offers moth a menu, which moth accepts.

Riot tells moth about how they had just been discussing their plan (see Episode 50 - Radios), explaining to moth about how Riot's mum (see Valerie Maidstone) was in a Dreaming Box (see Episode 22 - Mountains) and that they were going to bust her out. Telling moth that Ray had told them that moth and he were going to be heading south to avoid the Flies, which was going to take their trip a long one, but they were supposed to be taking care of moth. Diggory also tells moth that moth had been asleep all morning. Riot asks moth what moth's story was, and Moth explains to them the occurrences of Episode 32 - Automobiles and Episode 54 - Roads, the group able to conclude from this information that Gale had been the one who attacked moth (see Episode 58 - Enemies). Moth spots Riot working on Walt's Almanac, and the conversation turns to discussing that and Ray, Olivier asking if moth had 'any weird powers' (see Covenants), which moth says that moth didn't, commenting on the oddity of the question. Riot asks how moth was feeling, and moth tells her that moth was feeling uneasy, but the coffee was helping, Riot gives moth the heads up that they were not the most medically proficient people, Diggory commenting that they could sew their limbs back on, and Olivier saying that she could heal herself, and Riot continues, telling moth that she knew it was probably strange to be there, but if moth ever needed anything moth only needed to ask, also handing moth moth's glasses which she took the time to pick up in Episode 60 - Flies, telling moth that they'd just have to see where the road would bring them, and moth agrees, commenting that moth hoped it to be better than the past.

### Interlude - Starving Gods

Nikignik talks to the Dreamers about gods and if they could starve, telling them that it depended on the god. Nikignik themself required nothing to sustain them, though they did like to be heard. Others were more ambitious, there were certainly indescribable things across the cosmos who fed on flesh like animals, or dissolve or absorb their food in other peculiar fashions. Some required more expansive meals, Great Destroyers loved to dine on suns, and parasites and scavengers were drawn to the fire of souls, spinning elaborate webs to snare bright spirits (see Demons/Devils), few being more guilty of this then Syrensyr reclaimer of fire and The Industry that burned in his belly. creating a monopoly on that particular source of sustenance over countless centuries. He was countless, lost to time and eternity, a colony dedicated to furthering his swollen hoard.

## Story Three - Here's To You, Kid

Barb greets The Diamond Rider as they pass him during the dinner service at The Resting Place Hotel, and they greet him back, asking if he was just going to be having his usual order, but Barb tells them that he actually needed a favour, they needed to talk somewhere that no one would hear. Dimes suggests the walk-in stock fridge. Barb describes this idea as a "Bingo" and the two walk off through the back of the bar and past the heavy steel doors into the fridge, fining a scattering of bottles and kegs, as well as a large portion of food, which includes the hanging corpses of The Countess's leftover meals. Barb tells Dimes that he needed them to run an errand for him, Dimes comments that they'd retrieved soul fire for him only a week ago, but Barb tells them that it wasn't a withdrawal but a deposit, showing them the fire which he'd taken from Polly in Episode 54 - Roads. Dimes asks him where he'd gotten it, and he tells them that it had been a 'little business transaction', that taking the souls of tourists wasn't going to keep the lights on and the drinks cold. He tells them to put half of the fire with the rest of his, but put the other half separate, as for now it belonged to Polly, and he needed some long-term storage. Dimes asks him if they would need to visit Polly at all for him to make his withdrawals, but Barb tells them that they wouldn't, that he'd tell them if the stock needed to be touched.

Dimes asks him if there was a reason for their conversation to be so secretive, and Barb tells them that they had a treasure trove, they didn't count their cash in front of customers. Asking for Dimes to keep this on the 'down low' as some of their friend group had odd attitudes about business. Dimes concludes that Barb was worried that people might think he'd stolen that new fire. Barb tells Dimes to get the fire into a dimensional hidey-hole quickly, as "*every idiot with soul sight in a hundred miles can see where we’re at right now*" (see Rick Rounds). Dimes tells Barb that they'd be back shortly, pausing to tell Barb that they were also out of mint, and Barb gets exasperated, exclaiming that they were talking about the salvation for the Resing place and Dimes was worried about mint, telling Dimes that when they got back, they could take the rest of the night off and he and them could get drinks. Dimes reminds Barb that they were the bartender and thus would be the person making those drinks, but Barb tells them that he'd be the bartender for the rest of the night. Dimes leaves and Barb walks back into the parlour, stepping behind the bar and pouring himself a drink, which he raises in honour of Polly, saying "*Here’s to you, kid. Here’s to you.*"

## Outro - Provisions

Nikignik waxes poetics about Provisions, telling the Dreamers that he felt some concern with the prospect of future endeavours, asking questions like "Do I have what I require?", "Am I good enough yet to try?", "What if it does not work?". He says that be thought fear to be born of perception more than stock. One can prepare for a journey—gather skills and supplies, the tools they will need to survive. But it will not make stepping through the door for the first time any less frightening, and they will never feel ready. There was no one around to tell one that they were prepared enough, or worthy enough, to live the life the sought, life itself was not formed of rules, and neither was it fair in its rewards. The world waited with curiosity to see what they would do, and as they walk, they will learn, and they will only ever be prepared for the journey by the time that it is over.