0:01
hi
0:02
philip a mcleyman here
0:03
just wanted to thank you for listening
0:05
to my podcast
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it's a blast making it and an even
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bigger blast knowing you are enjoying it
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if you are enjoying the podcast please
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consider supporting it with a one-time
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donation of three dollars
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which is about the price of a cheap cup
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of coffee
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the link to do that is in the show notes
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right there at the top
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i am usually drinking coffee when i
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record the podcast so it kind of makes
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sense okay thanks again for listening on
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to the next episode and the next cup of
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coffee
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[Music]
0:44
[Music]
0:48
human
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extinction level
0:52
yes
0:59
prologue
1:01
beverly sanders knew he didn't resent
1:03
her
1:04
she knew that the anger that so quickly
1:07
flared to the surface of so many recent
1:10
conversations
1:11
and the meanness that resulted
1:14
lashing out like a tendril and tearing
1:16
into her soul
1:18
was not actually her fault
1:20
she knew that
1:22
mark knew it too
1:24
she was sure of it
1:26
it wasn't even that she took the job
1:28
neither she nor her husband was
1:30
possessed of dated sensibilities that
1:33
said a woman's place was in the home
1:36
they were partners and as such worked
1:38
together to raise a family
1:40
and make their way in the world
1:43
it took two
1:45
but now there was just the one
1:47
doing the work of two
1:49
she knew he didn't resent her
1:51
but her working two jobs and he working
1:54
none aided him like a cancer
1:57
for while their sensibilities were well
1:59
rooted in the 21st century
2:01
he was still a man
2:03
and a man worked to provide for his
2:05
family
2:06
and now he couldn't
2:09
it wasn't a physical injury that
2:10
disabled him
2:12
that could have been viewed as a badge
2:13
of honor a visible sign of his
2:16
indescribable bravery that compelled him
2:18
to step in harm's way and eliminate the
2:21
threat
2:23
though many had died
2:25
many more were alive because of what he
2:27
did
2:29
a desperate individual with planning and
2:31
forethought had laid waste to so many
2:34
but not to all
2:37
sunny island was a state park
2:39
it was an oasis of land in the center of
2:41
lake jeremy
2:43
a favorite gathering spot for campers
2:45
and families looking to create memories
2:49
the island could only be reached by
2:50
ferry
2:52
it was founders day and scott hammond
2:54
had been looking forward to it for weeks
2:57
he boarded the ferry with nothing in his
2:59
possession but the clothes he wore
3:02
he was invisible among the throngs of
3:04
people making their way to the island
3:08
had he survived it would have argued
3:10
against his case that he didn't know
3:12
what he was doing at the time
3:15
the authorities theorized upon seeing
3:18
the huge cachet of weapons and
3:19
ammunition
3:21
that he had stockpiled for a long time
3:24
security footage confirmed that he had
3:26
made several trips to the island in the
3:28
days and weeks leading up to the
3:30
clydesville founders day celebration
3:34
mark sanders was there with beverly and
3:36
their young son tommy
3:39
times being what they were
3:41
mark took the opportunity to work
3:42
security for the event
3:45
they could use the extra money and he
3:47
still got to enjoy the day with his
3:49
family a little
3:51
until the shooting started
3:54
hammond had dug in high on a hill
3:56
overlooking a wide expanse of beach on
3:58
the south side of the island
4:00
the beach was where everybody had
4:02
gathered for good food and good music
4:05
under a clear blue sky
4:07
when he started shooting it looked like
4:10
the beach at normandy
4:12
bodies just blew apart
4:14
people screamed and ran
4:16
fell and died
4:18
he was dug in and had an elevated
4:20
position with a clear line of sight
4:23
it would have been an hour maybe more
4:25
before the authorities could have
4:26
responded with anything that might have
4:28
been able to stop him
4:30
so while the few other cops working the
4:32
event hunkered down
4:34
mark sanders stormed the hill
4:36
in the face of the deadly onslaught
4:39
it took minutes that seemed to stretch
4:41
into hours in his mind
4:43
not being able to simply stroll up the
4:45
hiking trail to the summit
4:47
bobbing and weaving diving and hiding he
4:50
fought for every inch until he got to
4:52
the top
4:53
armed only with his service pistol he
4:55
charged the hill
4:57
and eliminated the threat
4:59
though no bullet had touched him it was
5:01
only later discovered that he was in
5:03
fact deeply wounded
5:05
he could no longer be around crowds
5:08
acute agoraphobia
5:10
resulting from post-traumatic stress
5:13
prevented him from being out in the open
5:15
and around people
5:17
he was getting help
5:19
but the process was slow
5:21
and it prevented him from being able to
5:23
do his job as a clydesville police
5:25
officer
5:26
or do any job at all
5:28
so beverly took a second job
5:31
on the night shift
5:33
just to make ends meet
5:36
chapter one
5:39
i'm sorry too i love you mark
5:42
we're going to get through this
5:44
beverly sanders stared out the
5:46
windshield and drove through the night
5:48
towards the clydesville power station
5:52
they had gotten into a fight
5:54
like they always did just before she had
5:56
to leave for the night shift
5:58
he had called to apologize
6:00
just like he always did
6:02
before she was even halfway there dr
6:06
foster says you're making progress but
6:08
that it's important to focus on
6:10
achievable goals
6:11
and not to get frustrated
6:14
she said
6:15
she could hear him sigh and knew that
6:18
those words wouldn't even make a dent
6:21
she listened as he recounted again how
6:23
sorry he was
6:24
how pissed off he was
6:27
what a failure he was
6:29
no
6:30
i won't accept that you're not a failure
6:32
mark
6:33
people are alive because of you that's
6:36
what you need to focus on
6:37
that and the next goal okay
6:40
she said
6:42
there was silence on the other end and
6:44
she knew he was processing
6:47
we'll get through this
6:49
until then we do what we have to do
6:51
right
6:52
what do you always say when faced with a
6:53
problem
6:54
ain't nothing to it but to do it
6:57
she heard him laugh just a little
7:00
but it was enough
7:01
and she knew they were good for the
7:03
night
7:04
having to work an entire shift without
7:07
having smoothed it all out was a
7:11
we're doing it and we're going to keep
7:12
doing it until it's done
7:14
she said
7:16
he told her he loved her and a tear
7:18
rolled down her cheek
7:20
i love you too
7:21
kiss tommy good night for me okay
7:24
see you in a bit
7:25
she said
7:27
then hung up
7:29
she tossed the phone on the passenger
7:31
seat
7:32
and stared at it for several long
7:34
seconds
7:35
when she looked up
7:37
it was too late
7:39
she screamed and whipped the wheel to
7:40
the left
7:42
but she still hit her there was a
7:44
sickening thump a distant look and a
7:46
blank stare of a wide-eyed female face
7:49
caught in her headlights
7:50
then the face was gone as the woman
7:53
tumbled into a ditch by the side of the
7:55
road
7:56
beverly slammed on the brakes and
7:57
brought the car to a stop across both
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lanes of traffic
8:01
panicked and shaking she fumbled for the
8:03
door handle and got out
8:05
she ran to the ditch to look for the
8:07
woman
8:08
when she got there the woman was
8:10
struggling to her feet her left leg was
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twisted at an unnatural angle but it
8:15
didn't stop her from trying to rise and
8:17
walk
8:18
beverly rushed into the ditch the woman
8:21
didn't turn or cry out or even shout
8:23
obscenities at her
8:25
beverly ran up to the woman and put her
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hand on her shoulder stopping her
8:30
oh my god oh my god are you all right i
8:32
the woman turned and looked at beverly
8:35
and the stare blank and empty brought
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her up short
8:39
beverly's voice caught in her throat as
8:41
she stumbled back her skin crawled and
8:43
her only thought was to get away
8:46
i'm going to call somebody okay stay
8:48
right here and i'll get help
8:50
beverly said
8:52
beverly ran to her car flung open the
8:54
passenger side door and grabbed for her
8:56
phone
8:57
it wasn't on the seat
8:59
beverly's eyes scanned the interior
9:02
finding the phone on the floor
9:04
she grabbed it and held it up in front
9:06
of her face
9:07
with shaking hands she tried to remember
9:09
the number for 9-1-1
9:12
when she finally got it dialed an
9:14
automated voice recording played in her
9:16
ear
9:18
we're sorry all circuits are busy
9:20
please try again later
9:23
beverly pulled the phone away from her
9:25
ear and stared in her at the display
9:28
no
9:29
she screamed
9:30
she hit redial as she ran back over to
9:33
the ditch to check on the woman
9:35
the same automated message played in her
9:37
ear
9:38
as beverly frantically scanned the ditch
9:41
for the woman who wasn't there
