Notes from the Future: Supplemental Audio Journal

[The following is an excerpt from an audio journal of voice memos made some days after the quake. It was made while driving around to every known road out of Livermore, including those leading into Trevarno, to see which would be the best route.]

[Sound: driving in car, both windows down, Alison Krauss singing 'Now That I've Found You.' Veronica is mid-sentence]

Veronica: ... and that's all you have to say? "Oh"?

Edward: Oh can mean a lot. (singing) Oh, Canada! Tra-la-la-la-la-la!

Veronica: She was calling me from Tahoe.

Edward: (singing) O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, Do you come from Canada?

Veronica: Her brother practically dragged their mom to the car, she was refusing to go. She said she had the wrong shoes. 

Edward: (singing) Ooooooooo-klahoma, where the shit comes creeping down my leg!

Veronica: Listen to me: she said you told them to go.

[Silence from Edward; sound of wind through car windows, driving in car]

Veronica (cont.): What, is that your silent "Oh"?

Edward: I think you have more experience with those.

Veronica: (laughing) Don't distract me, bastard, did you call them or not?

Edward: Veronica, I have no way of knowing. Our neighbors as much as accused me of spying on them. Someone seems to have been following us since we left Uncle [Credit Union], there was a note with my preferred escape route pinned to the lemon tree --

Veronica: It was a thorn, if you'll remember. 

Edward: THORNED to the lemon three -- Jesus Christ, woman -- my point is that I have the very distinct feeling that someone is following us -- A -- and B, that someone is also impersonating me. And something tells me (but I don't know what, do don't annoy me with that line of questioning), something tells me that the person following us and the person impersonating me are one and the same. 

Veronica: One and the same?

Edward: One and the same.

Veronica: One and the same.

Edward: What are we, in clown school now? The. Same. Person.

Veronica: You can't blame me for mocking you just a little bit, honey. You are, after all, the only person I know who would develop that theory.

Edward: Can you think of a better theory?

[Brief silence]

Veronica: I --
                 No.

Edward: What?

Veronica: It's not necessarily a better theory.

Edward: I want to hear it.

Veronica: It's what I would want it to be if we were characters in some awesome HBO series.

Edward: Would we be HBO?

Veronica: AMC? Showtime? Netflix?

Edward: All excellent choices. But I wonder if we wouldn't Be More ... PBS.

Veronica: PBS ...

Edward: We'd have to be having more sex for it to be HBO.

Veronica: (laughing) I might earn us some HBO time at the cabin, you wait and see. 

Edward: (after a silence) What if we just headed there now?

[Veronica says nothing for a few moments. We hear Max shifting in the back seat, yawning.]

Veronica: You're like an American Dr. Who to begin with ...

Edward: Sacrilege! And don't think I didn't notice that, just now, with the abrupt subject change.

Veronica: Seriously, though, if there's one American who could pull off the Doctor, it would be you.

Edward: Are you suggesting I would give David Tennant or Matt Smith a handy?

Veronica: (laughing) No!

Edward: Because now that you mention it, I probably would.

Veronica: Wow. Huh. Actually, I can't say I blame you.

Edward: Would you really cast me as Dr. Who?

Veronica: Totally. But you'd have to be the accidentally-American-Doctor. Like it was all a big mistake. 

Edward: One episode, tops.

Veronica: I'd give you a season. And multiple cameos in future seasons.

Edward: Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, Davison, other Baker, McCoy, McGann, Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, Hightower!

Veronica: What about what's-his-name, the new one?

Edward: John Hurt?

Veronica: No, no, the other new one. 
               Oooh, ooh, they would do those super-frustrating and tantalizing BBC seasons, where you have to wait until Christmas for the next one, and I'd be like, where is my sweetie going to show up next?

Edward: So what was your theory?

Veronica: My -- oh. Eh. Well ... nah.

Edward: Tell me.

Veronica: I'm not so sure anymore. If it was PBS, I'd want more of a period piece. Set in Scotland in the 1700's.

Edward: I'll Diana your Gabaldon.

Veronica: But you know what I mean. 

Edward: Would you tell me?

Veronica: Okay. It's stupid, really. But if this was a series on HBO, I would want the person following us to be played ... by you.

Edward: What?

Veronica: Is it a bad idea?

Edward: I thought you were talking about a whole other angle, like plot or arc or something. You're thinking about casting. I like that.

Veronica: I don't know, my mind just kind of went there. I was thinking about how it would look, opening credits ...
    (singing:) Little Earthquakes, in the Hayward,
                   Little Earthquakes, then valley floods,
                   Little Earthquakes and the cabin and a note stuck to a tree ...

Edward: Wow, you're actually singing ... I love it. This is nice. We should choose the wrong route more often.

Veronica: Then I thought, well of course Marissa Tomei would play me --

Edward: Or Mira Sorvino. Or, if Marissa and Mira had a daughter ...

Veronica: I knew you loved me.
               And they'd have to get someone totally awesome to play you.

Edward: Chaplin and Welles are dead.

Veronica: So sad, they'd be just the right age.

[Car braking, sound of other cars in vicinity.]

Edward: Whoa, nelly! I'm not that old.

Veronica: (laughing) Ha-ha! And then -- ? I was thinking -- ? That it would be totally awesome if you played you in the car behind us.

Edward: We're at a stoplight, let's just see. 

[Sound: creaking of rearview mirror as Edward angles it to see directly into the eyes of the driver behind them.]

Edward: Je-sus -- 

[Sound: Edward floors it through the red light; we hear squealing brakes and cars honking and people yelling as:]

Veronica: (sim.) Whatareyoudoingwhatareyoudoingwhatareyoudoing?!
Edward: (sim) Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa -- !

[Sound: a jumble of screaming, shouts, squealing tires, acceleration with Edward occasionally muttering or yelling:]

Edward: Right! ... Left! ... Right! ... Left! ... Left! ... U-turn! ... Right! ... We were just here! Shit! U-turn!

[Sound: the above continues until we hear an abrupt squeal of tires and brakes and then the car sits, idling.]

Veronica: What. The fuck, Edward Hightower? Whose house is this?

Edward: I have no idea. Shut up, we're being followed. 

[Sound: Veronica shifting in her seat, rolling her window down farther.]

Veronica: No. We're not. And don't tell me to shut up --

Edward: Yes we are. Look. There. 

Veronica. That's ... wait. They're slowing.
               They've stopped.

Edward: I'm getting out.

Veronica: No --

[Sound: brake lever, seatbelt unbuckling, jingling of keys as Edward's knee hits them where they stay in the ignition -- the car remains idling -- car door opening and Edward standing outside car, closing door. Veronica gets out, closing her door and standing next to car, saying:]

Veronica (cont.): Max, stay.

[Sound: Max whines.]

Edward: I'm going over there.

Veronica: Honey -- ? Oh, you are definitely not ... Jesus. Okay.

[Sound: we go with Edward as he walks toward the other car. Its engine revs. We hear Edward's footsteps speed up, then the other car shifts into reverse. Simultaneous, we hear Veronica cross around to driver's door of Edward's car and get in, closing the door.]

Edward: Fucker's backing up -- ! Three point turn, point one!

[Sound: Edward begins to sprint toward the other car.]

Edward: (cont.) Point two!

[Sound: Edward is much closer to the other car. We hear its gears grind as it shifts.]

Edward: (cont.) Almost there -- point three!

[Sound: Edward reaches the other car, stops, gasping for breath.]

Edward: (cont.) Holy ... shit ...

[Sound: Metallic burning noise mixed with human speech.]

Edward: (cont.) Oh God, I think I'm gonna puke ...

[Sound: More metallic burning speech, simultaneous with Veronica's backing the Honda out of the driveway and approaching with Max barking frantically from within. Sound of card stock unfolding as Veronica arrives.]

Veronica: What the ... 
(reading) "Don't touch me. Ever.
                    And Fuck Off!"
               Hey, who -- 
               Oh my God.

[Sound: Other car speeds off. We hear Veronica get out of the Honda: brake set, seatbelt, ignition turned off, keys jingling, car door opening and closing.]

Veronica: (cont.) That was -- that was -- that was you ... ! Who the fuck!? How -- ?!

Edward: ... head's buzzing ...

Veronica: Honey -- oh --

Edward: Fucking don't touch me. Ever. NOT while my head is buzzing.

Veronica: Wow, okay. Is there anything you need. Are you walking to Hayward?

[Brief silence. We hear distant sirens, helicopters.
Edward laughs. Veronica sighs.]

Edward: Water, please.

[Sound: We hear Veronica walk around to trunk of car. As she does, we hear the engine of a large pickup truck as it pulls up nearby.]

Voice in Truck (Bracken): Now, are you folks okay?

Edward: We're ... fine. I just got a little dizzy, is all.

Voice (Bracken): In trying times like these, faith ... can be its own reward.

Edward: Thank you. 
              I'm Edward. Edward --

Veronica: (interrupting) Water.
                                   Who's this?

Voice (Bracken): Bracken. Thomas Bracken, Reverend, Unitarian Universalist Church, Doctor of Divinity.

Veronica: Like the candy?

Bracken: Oh, my, I certainly wish. So, are you alright? Do you need any help?

Edward: I ... there was something I was trying to remember ... but -- nah, it's gone. Our main concern is the best road West. We're trying to get to family in Hayward and Oakland.

Bracken: Son, if I were you all, I would not head West. It is a mess over there, and I have a feeling it's only going to get worse. My brother-in-law has a police scanner and he says there's already rioting in Oakland. The situation as it stands is ... uncomfortable. Angles don't work.

Edward: We can't reach our family, we --

Bracken: Son? I'm gonna tell you something and you need to listen to me, listen real close: sometimes we have to ignore the people we love and listen to the inner. Sometimes we have to pay attention to the angles.  Do you understand that you've arrived at the Quincunx?

Edward: Quincunx? That's an astrological term --

Bracken: Can you listen to an old man talk, or must you rattle on so?

[Sound: cars passing in the distance.]

Edward: Sorry.

Bracken: I reckon I've said about as much as I need to. Head East, if you know what's good for you.

Edward: Reverend Bracken, I'm really sorry that I interrupted you.

Bracken: It's not that you interrupted; it's that you didn't answer my question. Do you need me to repeat the question?

Edward: Yes, please.

Bracken: Do you understand that you've arrived at the Quincunx?

Edward: No, I don't think I do understand.

Bracken: Ask me a question, now, if you please.

Edward: How can I know if I've arrived at a Quincunx?

Bracken: Not a Quincunx. The Quincunx, Mr. Hightower. The Quincunx. You are in it right now, and you don't even know.

Edward: What should I do -- how can I find out more?

Bracken: If I were you, I would find out the exact definition of Quincunx. Before you go anywhere else. Your lives may depend upon it.

Veronica: Why?

Bracken: Because you will find yourselves here again. And what happens after we part will shape everything that occurs when you return. If you follow my advice, you will be victorious. If you don't, there's no way to know.

Edward: Thank you. May I ask --

Bracken: Whup, my time's up. Gotta run. Gotta ske-daddle, as they say. Nice talkin' to y'all, hope you heed my advice, don't expect you will.

[Sound: Pickup truck revs, Bracken drives away.
We hear Edward and Veronica getting back into the Honda. Edward in driver's seat. Honda starts, pulls forward to stop sign, brakes, left turn signal clicking.]

Veronica: Huh.

Edward: Quincunx. Man. I keep feeling like there's something really important I'm supposed to remember.

Veronica: What do you think it is?

Edward: We should go to the library, if it's open. I should do some research. Maybe I'll remember what's evading me ...

Veronica: We'll talk about it. In the meantime, we need gas. Let's see what the lines are like at Safeway. I'm hungry, are you hungry?

Edward: Always.

[Sound: Alison Krauss, 'I Will'. Veronica hums along.]

Edward: Oh, wow. Forgot --

[Sound: Fingers scrabbling on iPhone, click and recording ends.]