NARRATOR
Hi, it’s Haven! Before we get into the final season of Apocalypse Radio, I wanted to let you know about another show I’m making called Wanderlust: The Musical. If you’re at all interested in a musical written and composed and voice acted by some familiar faces, the trailer will play at the end of the episode. That’s all from me! Enjoy Season 3.

(Apocalypse Radio Theme Song)

(phone recording starts)

WILL
(quietly) …Mason?

MASON
(quietly) I’m here. Can’t risk turning my flashlight on right now.

WILL
Are you sure about this?

MASON
It has to be done. We have to figure out who was sending the commands to poison you, and why the moon colonies are breaking down.

(silence)

MASON
You’re looking better now. Healthier, less zombified.

WILL
Good. …I didn’t want to leave you.

MASON
You won’t have to.

(scuffling sound)

MASON
We’ll have to sneak around the crew on this ship, at least until we’re far enough away that it would be a waste of resources to bring us back.

WILL
We’ll be fine. Hen and Tairam got us enough rations to feed the entire crew, not that the crew needs our help.

MASON
Good. One less thing to worry about.

(pause)

WILL
I hope Hen doesn’t get in trouble for ‘losing’ us.

MASON
She’ll be okay. A lot of people appreciate her radio show, even if she doesn’t make many two-way friendships. They’ll stand up for her. Plus, she has Tairam to defend her.

WILL
And Esme and Wyncyn.

MASON
And Aja.

WILL
Heh. Yeah, and Aja.

(rumbling)

MASON
The ship is taking off!

WILL
We did it.

MASON
We started it. We have a lot more to go.

(phone recording stops, radio starts)

MASON
Is this thing working?

WILL
I think so? I mean… the light’s on.

MASON
I’m not hearing anything back…

WILL
That’s probably for the best, actually. We don’t want to alert anyone- well…

MASON
Yeah, now’s probably the best time to alert them. They’re unloading, we should get out now.

WILL
I am not looking forward to their reactions.

MASON
It won’t be pretty, but I don’t think they’ll hurt or detain us, what with the apocalypse going on.

WILL
Here goes nothing.

(walking sounds , crew unloading)

MILITARY ESCORT #1
Wha- Who are-!? We’ve got stowaways!

MILITARY ESCORT #2
Aw, hell. Hands up!

MASON
Hey hey hey, we don’t mean any trouble! We just wanted to leave the moon colony, it’s- we’re friends of Daethie, do you know her?

MILITARY ESCORT #1
You’re lucky I do. And I’m sorry to say this, but there’s no going back–we don’t have the resources to waste a trip taking you back to the moon. You’re stuck here now.

MASON
That’s fine, that’s what we wanted!

MILITARY ESCORT #2
You wanted to get yourself stuck in the zombie apocalypse again?

WILL
We just wanted to get back to earth.

MILITARY ESCORT #2
[scoffs] You’ll be lucky if you make it a day.

RATHIN
Hey, you’re not the only ones with apocalypse experience. These two must have survived long enough to be evacuated in the first place, that’s worth something.

MASON
You’re the messenger, you’re delivering a package aren’t you?

RATHIN
I was, but I’m not anymore. The moon colony didn’t deliver. Anyhow, now I’m headed for my survivor camp, if you want to come along.

WILL
Where is it?

RATHIN
Just outside of Shayn county–my escorts will drive us there.

MASON
Will?

WILL
I mean, he’s kind of our only lead…

MASON
Alright. We’ll go with you.

RATHIN
Glad to hear it! I’m Rathin, by the way. And you are?

WILL
I’m Will, they’re Mason.

RATHIN
Nice to meet you! Why don’t you help us get our spare supplies loaded onto the car, and then we’ll get going.

MILITARY ESCORT #1
Hey, are you recording?

MASON
Oh, uh- it’s a, a broadcast, actually.

MILITARY ESCORT #1
Hmph. Once you get to the camp, it can be Rathin’s problem, but for now, turn that shit off.

MASON
Oh, yeah, no problem!

(static, scene change)

RATHIN
Open the gates, it’s me!

(gates opening)

SILVER
Rathin, you’re back! We were just talking about you.

RATHIN
All good things, I hope.

SILVER
[joking] More or less. And who are your friends?

RATHIN
Ah, right. Silver, meet Will and Mason. They stowed away on my trip back from the moon colony.

SILVER
Ugh, you’re from the moon colony?

WILL
Yes? Is that a problem?

SILVER
I guess not, but some of the people here might be a bit short with you. They find it real interesting that an entire county gets to be evacuated to the moon just because some rich guy said so, while the rest of us are stuck down here in the zombie apocalypse.

MASON
We were told everyone was getting evacuated to the moon.

SILVER
How many colonies do you think they have up there? From what we’ve heard, barely enough for your county, let alone the country.

WILL
Huh. Do you know why we were evacuated?

SILVER
As far as I can tell, all because Mr. Rich wanted to keep his community together. Talk about favoritism.

MASON
But we don’t know the guy who founded the moon colonies, or paid for them, or whatever. We’ve never even heard his name.

SILVER
I’ll admit, that’s strange. Then again, I won’t even try to understand the way the top one percent think.

MASON
Speaking of top one percent, you might be it, as far as the zombie apocalypse goes. An entire gated neighborhood repurposed into a survival camp? Don’t you have trouble keeping the zombies out?

SILVER
No? Oh, right, you’re from Shayn county–it’s not as bad out here as it is over there. Sure, civilization is collapsing and all, but we’re not seeing zombies at every turn. The fence mostly keeps them out, and we’re all armed, anyway. You’re welcome to stay the night here.

WILL
That’d be great, but- why’s it worse in Shayn county?

MASON
Maybe because of the Kitmouth hospital? A lot of people went there when the virus first started up.

SILVER
Who knows. All our information comes from the brief radio transmissions from the military and government and word of mouth from other survivor camps.

MASON
That’s why we’re broadcasting this to the moon colonies, to make sure everyone has the most information possible. Oh, is that okay?

SILVER
Sure, why not.

MASON
Thanks! And we’ll definitely stay the night, if that’s okay.

SILVER
Absolutely, make yourself at home. Rathin, can you take them to a house for the night?

RATHIN
Sure, follow me!

(walking)

WILL
So all the houses in this neighborhood are safe?

RATHIN
There are a few we haven’t cleared yet.

MASON
Uh, what? You mean some of these houses could have zombies in them?

RATHIN
Yes, but we’ve blocked the doors and windows until we’re ready to bust in, guns blazing. Trust me, you’re safe here. And you’re leaving tomorrow, anyway; let this be our problem.

WILL
If you say so.

MASON
How are you… you know, doing? With the apocalypse as a whole? This place looks pretty nice.

RATHIN
It is! We have a few gardens going, we have scavenging teams, so we’re good on food. Plenty of able-bodied fighters around. The only problem is that it seems like a new survivor shows up on our doorstep every day.

WILL
Why’d you take us in if you knew you were already housing too many people?

RATHIN
Well, what else was I supposed to do? Turn you away? No, no. That’s not how it works around here.

MASON
That’s… really nice of you, thank you. We’ll try to be out of your hair tomorrow morning anyway, though.

WILL
We’re on a mission.

(door opening)

RATHIN
I’m sure you are, if you left the moon colony on purpose. Now then, here’s where you can stay for the night. I’ll see you both tomorrow morning!

MASON
Bye, thanks again for letting us stay!

(door closes)

MASON
[a bit quieter] Now then, let’s see if we can get this thing to go two ways…

(click)

HEN
Mason, Will!

WILL
Hen! How’s it going up there?

HEN
Worse since you left. Tairam’s here too!

TAIRAM
Hi, Will. Hi, Mason. How’s it going down on Earth?

MASON
Fine, we found a survivor camp that’s letting us stay the night, and- no, wait, what do you mean ‘worse since we left?’

HEN
[sighs] The council’s been on edge, which is putting everyone else on edge, but… other than that, it’s really not that bad. I don’t think they’re sending anyone after you, despite your, uh… ‘violent’ get-away.

MASON
Riight. Sorry about ‘tackling’ you.

WILL
Truly a sight to behold.

MASON
You were in the quarantine room, you couldn’t behold it.

WILL
I beheld it spiritually.

MASON
Uh-huh. Well, we just wanted to check in and make sure everything is okay up there before we turn in for the night. Tomorrow we’ll start our search for… something.

TAIRAM
We’re doing just fine up here. Focus on your search.

WILL
Will do, Tairam. Goodnight.

MASON
Goodnight!

HEN
Goodnight!

TAIRAM
Goodnight, everyone.

(Outro music plays)

(Wanderlust: The Musical trailer starts)

FINNY
My life flashed before my eyes, and it started young.

EREVAN
Do you get it now, Faen? Can you do as you’re told, make our family proud?

FAEN
…No thank you!

(Faen runs off)

EREVAN
Damn it, Faen!

FINNAELA
I’m going by Finnaela, starting today
I’m ready to take on the pressure and the change

As an adult elf of Ilymsera, I hereby Declare-

FINNY
For 18 years, I ventured the world. Passed through the Romdiac Heights, crossed the Red River, braved the Crystal Bog. And I didn’t regret leaving, not for a second.

FINNY
It needs to fly free
It cannot be held in place
Here, do you see?
To flourish, it needs space

FINNY
(sigh) What happened to saying no, Fin?

NARRATOR
Wanderlust is a 3-Act podcast musical featuring a fully voice acted cast and over 30 original songs. It follows Finny, an elven wizard, as she ventures the world, redefining “family” with platonic relationships and learning to love herself. We’re crowdfunding now at fnd.us/wanderlust.

FINNY and VEBEKA and FLUX
The clouds are only temporary
Don’t go chasing permanence
Despite it all, despite it all, despite it all
Live, live, live