Cover photo: LOC Photo Dept., photographer; Library of Congress, Public Domain Worldwide Theme Song: Poor Places by Wilco
Cover photo: LOC Photo Dept., photographer; Library of Congress, Public Domain Worldwide
Theme Song: Poor Places by Wilco
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Once the car was back on the highway, it looked in the rearview to see the sunrise filling the dark sky with happy colors that meant nothing to him.
Once the car was back on the highway, it looked in the rearview to see the sunrise filling the dark sky with happy colors that meant nothing to him.
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Moments later, “The Package” was back in the trunk and Horace’s plastic-looking face showed itself in the rearview mirror with blood not yet wiped off.
Moments later, “The Package” was back in the trunk and Horace’s plastic-looking face showed itself in the rearview mirror with blood not yet wiped off.
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Horace stopped and faced him with the gun at his side.
He flicked off the safety.
Horace stopped and faced him with the gun at his side. He flicked off the safety.
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The humanoid, still wearing Horace’s face, came out and stood at the ready blocking the station door.
The humanoid, still wearing Horace’s face, came out and stood at the ready blocking the station door.
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Only a pistol was found, but it was enough.
He moved toward the station ready for his life’s defining moment.
Only a pistol was found, but it was enough. He moved toward the station ready for his life’s defining moment.
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Horace moved to the car’s broken trunk and searched “The Package” for another weapon.
Horace moved to the car’s broken trunk and searched “The Package” for another weapon.
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“I’m not a machine.
I won’t have my fate dictated to me,” he spoke into the world, moving to action.
“I’m not a machine. I won’t have my fate dictated to me,” he spoke into the world, moving to action.
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Just like the humanoid, didn’t Horace already know what he was going to do?
Just like the humanoid, didn’t Horace already know what he was going to do?
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Horace had reached his moment—but wasn’t it already decided?
Horace had reached his moment—but wasn’t it already decided?
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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵.
𝘉𝘶𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.
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It took him a second to realize what was happening.
It took him a second to realize what was happening.
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Horace woke in his car soon after the radio went silent.
Horace woke in his car soon after the radio went silent.
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The g*nshots were heard on-air, interspersed with the coded message continuing underneath before the broadcast shorted out and went dead.
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The kids had no chance.
The kids had no chance.
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He was moving in the direction of the station door when he saw the dead-eyed plastic man enter, armed.
Bez was the first to hear a noise. He was moving in the direction of the station door when he saw the dead-eyed plastic man enter, armed.
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Bez was the first to hear a noise.
Bez was the first to hear a noise.
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Inside, Zuck and Bez had begun talking up the bizarre broadcast, but instead of their usual silly banter, the comments were forced and guarded.
Inside, Zuck and Bez had begun talking up the bizarre broadcast, but instead of their usual silly banter, the comments were forced and guarded.
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It walked toward the station, following through on its orders—not for money, duty, or honor, but because that’s what it was programmed to do.
It walked toward the station, following through on its orders—not for money, duty, or honor, but because that’s what it was programmed to do.
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It went to the destroyed trunk and opened “The Package”, pulling a semi-automatic out and scattering the other items.
It went to the destroyed trunk and opened “The Package”, pulling a semi-automatic out and scattering the other items.
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The humanoid stood back up, reached into the car, and kn*cked Horace out.
The humanoid stood back up, reached into the car, and kn*cked Horace out.
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He wheeled around and kicked hard against the door.
It was enough to knock the humanoid down, but it was a momentary delay.
He wheeled around and kicked hard against the door. It was enough to knock the humanoid down, but it was a momentary delay.
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Horace leaned hard on the door with Superman results.
The blow broke the humanoid’s grip around his throat.
Horace leaned hard on the door with Superman results. The blow broke the humanoid’s grip around his th roat.
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Desperate fear filled his veins.
Desperate fear filled his veins.
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The humanoid grabbed him around the throat, squeezing the life out of him.
The humanoid grabbed him around the throat, squeezing the l*fe out of him.
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his mind trying to reconcile what his eyes told him as the humanoid drove its steel-core elbow through the window.
his mind trying to reconcile what his eyes told him as the humanoid drove its steel-core elbow through the window.
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In the next moment, Horace saw his own face outside the car, looking in on him,
In the next moment, Horace saw his own face outside the car, looking in on him,
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He felt the car lurch and bump, then a loud metal-on-metal ripping sound as the back of the car seemed to drop into a ditch and lock up.
He felt the car lurch and bump, then a loud metal-on-metal ripping sound as the back of the car seemed to drop into a ditch and lock up.
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He put the car in reverse and backed to the side of the road to turn around.
He put the car in reverse and backed to the side of the road to turn around.
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No way Horace was letting that thing out now.
No way Horace was letting that thing out now.
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