The Little Bits
Bite-sized audio experiments and exercises
Created by Nikko Goldstein
Episode Information and Transcripts
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Jump Log
Mali's mission is abruptly changed when their equipment malfunctions and sends them into the deep end.
credits
written, recorded, edited, and produced by Nikko Goldstein for My RØDE Cast 2020Transcript
SFX: small beep
"This is Mali Theta, jump log. Personal time 1020 hours, local time 2143 hours. Outgoing jump 13-7, from Alpha HQ to-"SFX: Pages flipping"-Spain Iota. Jump in 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1."
SFX: a suction/popping sound.
SFX: audio cuts, and picks up again with a beep
"This is Mali Theta, jump log. Tagalongs Rich Iota and my personal favorite Leticia."SFX: Mali is elbowed"Leticia Iota. Personal times 1445, 1550, and 0600 hours, respectively. Local time 1445 hours. Returning internal Jump 13-7, from Spain Iota to HQ Iota.
Jump in 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1."SFX: a suction/popping sound.
SFX: audio cuts, and picks up again with a beep"This is Mali Theta, personal time around 2000 hours, local time... nearly sunset. Beginning a series of emergency jumps from Unknown Lambda. Target locations undetermined. Gathering Mali Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Epsilon. If you get this in time, please call any available Ben’s to intercept before everyone is gathered.
And notify Rich Iota of Leticia Iota’s passing.
Jump in 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1."SFX: a suction/popping sound.
SFX: audio cuts, and picks up again with a beep
SFX: A medium crowd, quietly speaking amongst themselves"This is Mali Theta, jump log. Tagalongs- Mali Alpha, Mali Beta, Mali Delta, Mali Epsilon, Ben Alpha, Ben Beta, Ben Gamma, Ben Zeta, and Ben Theta. Personal time, 2350 hours. Local time 1200 hours. Outgoing jump 13-20 from Epsilon HQ to unknown Lambda. Final destination, Pacific Lambda.
Jump in 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1."SFX: a suction/popping sound.
SFX: audio glitches out.
Text
Just Three More Stops
Traveling via the GSTR (The Great Subterranean Train Route) is not what it used to be... The trains don't stop for anyone.
My RØDE Cast 2021 Highly Commended Winner!credits
written, recorded, edited, and produced by Nikko Goldstein for My RØDE Cast 2021Transcript
distant rumbeling, an empty room"Train due in 30 seconds. Or is it 40? No, 25. I think my watch might be going out."SFX: hoist bag up"Come on, train… I have places to be. Colt will be waiting.
If they have to refuel without me I will riot.
God, I miss them. Three stops used to be nothing. Less than half a day’s travel. Now it’s taking a week. I’ll make under 10 days if I’m lucky. Come on, come on, come on… I’ve got a date!"loud train passes in mid-distance
steps on brick, jump downwindy tunnel"Here we go again…"fading steps on gravel
_____
slow steps fading in
sad beep"Oh goddamn- well, fuck you too, watch. It’s not like I have trains to watch out for. Okay, when was it… 3 oclock at the station? No seconds display but I can work with that.
I’m about 2 hours from the station… so the train should be here in about five minutes. If I keep moving, I’ll meet it in 3. I can work with that."steps, slightly hurried"Alright, cover, cover, cover…"banging on wooden panels"Shit."distant train approaching"Shit."a train passes close in a loud rocus.
audio cuts
Under Your House
Marlie, a door-to-door "salesperson", tries to get a stranger to hear ver pitch, for their own good.
credits
written, recorded, edited, and produced by Nikko GoldsteinTranscript
SFX: Steps transitioning from gravel to a wooden deck. Knock on door. Beat. Door opens."Have you ever wondered what’s under your house?
A few minutes and I’m out of your hair, ma’am. Promise. So. House. Under. What is. Thought about it? Before you waste a breath- yeah, folks love to look at me all weird and say (in a funny voice) “uh, dirt?” or “rocks?” and then there’s “dinosaurs.” Oh, and then there’s the real smartass who says (dudebro voice) “ja, my basement”, but no one likes them, so we’re gonna go back to dirt-rocks-dinosaurs.Sure, that’s the majority of what’s under your house, but it’s the most boring stuff. Also, the likelihood of a dinosaur being under your house is hilariously small. You do know where you live, right? No dinos here, ma’am. I checked. So- the interesting things that are under your house among the dirt and the rocks and the dinosaurs you don’t have in this area. Leftovers.Lots of leftovers. Of all kinds! The poor animal that died here a couple hundred years ago, some very-decomposed dead plants, cigarette buds from when the construction workers dug the foundations of your house… All kinds of leftovers. You know what else is down there? Adumbrations. (explaining) Adumbrations- A-D-U-M-B-Rations. They feed on those leftovers. Sometimes literally, but usually they just take the energy from them. Cool, right? But why do you care! I’ll tell you why- when those leftovers are all used up, they need a new thing to munch on. So they just keep climbing up and up and up, and eventually they get to what can no longer be considered under your house."SFX: Awkward pause."In your house. They-they get in your house. And feed on your leftovers. Yeah, I know, rude, but that’s what they do. And when they get in your space, they can affect it in all kinds of ways. That’s what you’d usually call a… Haunted House!"SFX: Thunder strikes not far away.(giggles) "I love that part. Yeah- sorry- so, when your house gets haunted--"SFX: The door shuts loudly.(voice rising) "ugh come on! I’m just trying to help! (mumbling) Have it your way… get your house haunted, see if I care…"SFX: Footsteps pick back up, leaving the deck and back into the gravel. Odd whispers and wisps of wind pick up all around."Yeah, you can take this one, boys. Have at it."SFX: The whispers and winds get louder and swoosh away, towards the house.
Layman's
Layman's Nodes are available to all Residents and Visitors at multiple, easily-accessible spots around your Neighborhood!
credits
written, recorded, edited, and produced by Nikko GoldsteinTranscript
Hello! This is Layman’s Public Node number 70467. This node requires user identification. Please enter your identification number, and we will answer any questions you might have!
(scanning a card, then a small beep)
(over speaking, grumbling, plugging something in, clunky keyboard typing.)
Hello there, youngin’! This Node can only be used by residents over the age of 17, and visitors over the age of 20. If you have a question, we recommend that you ask an adult-
(a small beep. someone softly exclaims as the Node continues)
Good morning, resident! Please submit your question. You may type or write it on the screen, or use the mechanical keyboard behind the central hatch.
(soft, more refined keyboard clicking.)
Processing. Thank you for using Layman’s! Layman’s; Question No More.
(ding!)
Processing complete. Your question, “Where is Aellis Lora” has yielded no results. Public Layman’s Nodes cannot answer questions about the whereabouts of residents or visitors. Please ask a resident of higher authority to use their personal or work Node in the case of a missing person.
(more clicking, frustrated)
Processing. Thank you for using Layman’s! Layman’s; Question No More.
(ding!)
Processing complete. Your question, “Where do people disappear to” has yielded several results. Please select a level of information for your answer.
(one click)
You have selected level Nine; Extensive.
(soft error sound)
Dear resident, level of information for this user is limited to Four; Concise. Proceeding at highest appropriate level. Residents and Visitors have two main reasons for seemingly vanishing. The first, they have moved to a new neighborhood, returned back to their original neighborhood, or begun a standard 1-year Visiting Agreement. You may check for their specific whereabouts using a Layman’s node at your local government building or asking a resident of higher authority to use their personal or work node to locate their current contact information.
(pause. thinking. then, more clicking)
Processing. Thank you for using Layman’s! Layman’s; Question No More.
(very far away sirens in the distance, getting closer.)
(ding!)
Processing complete. Your question, “Where do they take everyone” has yielded no results. Please try again.
(glitch)
Dear resident, your recent Layman’s inquiries have flagged some worry among residents of higher authority. Please remain in place, and a resident will come by soon to help you.
(sirens are loud now, less than a street away)
Thank you for using Layman’s! Layman’s; Question No More.
Afterlife
A reflective micro-series about what may lie beyond, and a triumph of Done over Perfect.
credits
written, recorded, edited, and produced by Nikko Goldstein
music by Komiku
with special thanks to the berry patchTranscript
The transcripts following are for the whole series, beware of spoilers!1.1- Did You Know
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains mention of asphyxiation and pain.Did you know that dying really hurts? For starters, whatever it was that killed you never really heals. Second, you don’t breathe anymore. And even if you did, no more blood to carry that oxygen around. So you're basically asphyxiating all the time. Which won't kill you, as you're already dead, but it's not pleasant either.You get used to it, but man are your first few weeks gonna suck.Eventually it’s like wearing a really tight bracelet- if you try to focus a bit, you’ll feel it, but it stops bothering you for the most part.The "spirits", if you will, of the dead are… call it “Shifted” from the world we know, allowing for just as vast a civilization as that of the living. Everyone begins in the Entrance Hall, which is at the heart of the newest community built. Every so and so years, a new community is built to grant the newly dead the ability to reside around people with similar experiences to their own. The residents of a community are people who all died at around the same time- usually about 3 decades between newest and oldest- and are expected to turn apathetic at around the same time. That’s what they call it when you stop being like this. Alive but not. It’s basically exactly what it sounds like.I'm one of the first in this community. Got a neighbor, lovely guy, keeps to himself, but other than that... Just me and the folks working at the Entrance Hall. Who live Pete-knows-where. And I'm not allowed back in there. So it's basically just me.
What better time to catch up on some reading!#
1.2- Count Your Lucky Stars
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains mention of decapitation, loss of organs and limbs, and discussion of pain.It’s been about a week. Only got home last night- they kept me in the Entrance Hall for a bit longer than they say they usually do. There was a bedroom for me there, which was nice, the fact that I was too sick to see any of it, a little less so.I can’t complain, some people have it way worse from what I’ve heard. It’s not like I was decapitated. Didn’t part ways with any vital organ. Just have this awful stomach ache. Granted, worst stomach ache I ever had, but once I get used to it it’s pretty much back to normal. Took 4 days for me to be able to move anything connected to my torso, but I can walk from my bed to the armchair now, if no one’s in a hurry.My armchair looks right out the window, nicely enough, so I’ve been technically hanging out with my neighbor a lot. He just sits out in his garden and we talk through the window a bit. Mostly about birds. Well. The lack of birds. He really misses birds, apparently.
I do feel sorry for him, poor fella practically lost a limb getting here. Well, half his head. Didn’t ask how, he doesn’t seem keen on talking about it, which is entirely fair. He’s an odd guy, though. He acts like he’s 30, talks like he’s 70, but doesn’t look either. Suppose death will do that to you.Reckon I’ll go exploring a bit tomorrow. Brand new neighborhood, bound to find something to pass the time.
We might have a library!#
1.3- Death’s Good Book
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains mild language and depictions of pain.Right, found our library. Well, first I got lost five times trying to find the main street. I did, though, and it’s a really sweet place! Lots of places for little shops, a pool… there’s a pretty big communal garden right at the center. No flowers yet, though. Just rows of neat fresh dirt. Maybe I’ll plant a couple, make it a little more colorful for newcomers. Anyhow- main street. So I was walking around all those shops, all of which were empty. Like, we have a cafe, fully furnished and bright and lovely, but there’s no trace of food anywhere. No water coming out the tap, let alone coffee. No— ahhhh, shit. Blasted stomach. Ugh. Okay, focus up.The coffee is not what we’re here for! Library! It’s right between the cafe and what I guess is a picture gallery? It is comically tiny in comparison to both. The sign by the door, the only indicator that this is in fact a library, goes from the top down, at the left side of the door. The word ‘library’ won’t even fit across the top.I was preparing for disappointment, a place that size won’t have more than a handful of books. Half of them old map books. Trust me, I know libraries. But I swear the room grew tenfold as I stepped in. Like the walls tried to get as far away from me as they could, revealing endless more bookshelves in their wake. I’ve been here over a day, I think. There is just so much. Everywhere you look… so much. Some of these books are not from the world of the living, I just know it.I could spend my eternity here.#
1.4- What A Day Will It Has Been
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains allusions to dissociation.I honestly don’t know why they don’t have all these books at the Entrance Hall. There is so much information about re-living here. Like time! This place breaks time, and they don’t tell you that! Go find that out for yourself, it’s not like you have something better to do.Right, sorry. Explanation. Things don’t happen here. They just are. And they don’t-happen out of order, sometimes. It’s a bit like how I know, rationally speaking, that I arrived here less than 10 days ago. But I don’t remember any other way of… well, not living. My point stands- it feels like I’ve been here since I was a kid. It’s like I’ve settled so deep into a routine without ever having to make it a habit. I don’t even know what the routine is, just that everything I do feels so… right and natural. It’s like every choice I’m about to make was decided a few moments before I was even aware I had to make it.Which is a bit distressing. Is it just my linear perception that’s messed up, or do people actually not have free will here? I’ve been trying to ignore this- philosophy always did give me a right headache- but the fact that I can’t find an answer to this in any book isn’t making me feel any better. I’ll keep looking, I’ll be damned if I give up on this, but… I wonder if this feeling of stifling routine is what makes people apathetic in the end? Is there a way to prevent it?Put this down as Top 5 Things They Don’t Tell You About The Afterlife, I guess.#
1.5- Strong in The Real Way
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains mild language, discussion of the afterlife, religion, and existentialism.So I’m dead. We’re all on board with that by now, yeah?It still baffles me that this is what happens when you die.
I don’t think I knew anyone who properly believed in an afterlife. Everyone used the idea of Heaven as Hell in day-to-day conversations but those words didn’t carry much weight. I was an atheist myself, and most of my friends and family weren’t religious either. I just thought that once you’re dead, that’s it. You stop. Even though your body is still somewhere, you aren’t, right? …and then that line of thinking would start breaking my brain and I’d stop and move on.I haven’t heard or read mention of anything separating groups of people here, aside from their time of death and state of emotional clarity. It seems that communities are selected very carefully so that everyone will get apathetic at around the same time, but I don’t think there’s a personality or morality vetting process.
The only thing the Entrance Hall people only seem to care about “strength”. And from what I’m seeing here, not physical strength. More like… how much shit your brain can take before you break it. Should have guessed it by now- they’re not really concerned with your body at all. They don’t have any reason to, your body’s long gone when you get here. All that’s left is your… brain? Not brain brain, but I don’t wanna call it the “Soul”. So yeah, brain. That’s all we are here.I wonder if they keep records of… oh. Oh no.#
1.6- Always and Forever
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains discussion of mental health issues.I need to test something out. A hunch. I left the library, and went back home.That book in the library- it had all our scores. Projections of how long we will last until we become Apathetic. It’s kind of a morbid thing, seeing your not-lifetime and mental fortitude displayed as a number. But you know, time wasted worrying is time wasted, and apparently no one here has much of that to spare. My neighbor was near the bottom of the list. Meaning whoever made that list thinks he’ll be one of the first to go. But if I get to him fast enough, maybe I can prevent it.
The cause for Apathy basically boils down to your brain deciding to quit. Being overwhelmed, not managing to get used to this new existence. The brain gets overworked, and eventually gives. For the living, that might cause mental health issues, or just an annoyingly slow couple days where you can barely feed yourself for no apparent reason. It sucks, but with some work and time you can pull yourself out.
But here, you just get stuck like that forever. Since time doesn’t really happen, eventually this is your routine. You have always been like that.Again, that’s incredibly morbid. I kinda understand why they keep that from us. But if there’s nothing we can do after the fact, there’s got to be a preventative measure! Something we can do to help ourselves last longer. Which is what I’m going to try to do. Help my neighbor last for as long as he can. I have a couple ideas, we’ll toss a noodle at them and see what sticks. Which reminds me, I should check if we can actually cook here somehow. Cooking is good.Keeping his mind engaged with simple, calm tasks. Easy.
How did no one think of this beforehand?#
1.7- Hush A Bye
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof.This isn’t going exactly how I expected.My neighbor is still engaged, which is great, though not as much as I’d hoped. It’s hard to think of so many things to do… I know that time is fake and all that but it really does feel like trying to fill up 24 hours over and over and over again. We’ve done pretty much everything I can think of. Several times. We’ve walked past every corner in the Community at least three times. We found the edge! It’s mostly circular, going from behind one of the houses, to the pond and the tree hill, and back ‘round right through the middle of this building that looks alright enough, but feels like it exploded at least twice.After all that action I thought it’d be easier to engage just mentally. There are so many more things to talk about than things to do. We spent a while playing trivia, we recounted obscure movies to one another… he speaks some Russian, been trying to teach me. I’m pretty terrible, but it worked alright. A good time, if nothing else. He’s a great guy. I hate that I now know what’s gonna happen to him if this doesn’t work.I can usually keep him for what feels like an hour or two, but then he just… spaces out for a couple minutes and when he’s back and responsive he’s just wiped. Honestly, this would be much easier if he slept. Sleep is great. Takes up nearly half your day. A solid couple hours when you don’t have to worry about anything. I miss sleep.
And eating. Such a time sink! You need to go shopping, then to cook, then to stop doing things until you’re done eating! And sometimes the eating makes you just so tired, and you nap! Two time-wasting birds with one stone!
…I have too much time on my hands.#
1.8- Dead and Gone
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains discussions of dissociation, child death, grieving, and existentialism.I think we have a new neighbor, haven’t gone around to see them yet, but I noticed someone walking around.Shit, I haven’t been back to the library yet. There are a few books there I probably should have hidden better before leaving… I just hope the new person won’t find them.
Or maybe it’s better if they do, I don’t know. I don’t care. He hasn’t lifted a finger in what must have been a few days. He hasn’t said anything in- ugh! He’s just sitting on the floor, legs crossed, his back against the sofa.This is so wrong. He’s a kid. He’s a fucking 15-year-old kid.[Deep breath] Okay, relax. Nothing we can do. Just let him be, and go home. God, I’m already dead! That was supposed to be the easy way out! When you’re dead nothing’s supposed to matter anymore because you’re DEAD! Why do we have to keep losing people? I- Would I want to stop existing like this, no. Obviously not. But I wouldn’t care that I didn’t exist like this if I were dead, because, again, I’d be dead!This is ludicrous. This isn’t death, it’s doing life all over again but without any of the people that make it worthwhile. It’s sitting down with a stranger whose life is flaking away before your eyes, unable to do anything about it but wait until it’s over. Why even bother if we’re all going to end up like this? Why not let us die, or just wander on our own until we just don’t anymore?Those folks at the Entrance Hall have some things to answer for.#
1.9- Run for Your Life
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains memory loss.[All while briskly walking] Once you leave the Entrance Hall, you’re not supposed to come back. But there’s a way in. I know there is. It says so in the book. “Employees of the Entrance Hall are only required to be in attendance when a new member arrives at the Community.” That means they probably leave. Which means they need a way to get back.I’m gonna find that way, go in, and make them tell me the rules. If they don’t, I’ll refuse to leave until I can find answers on my own. They must have some way to keep information. Another library, or a guide, or a big computer. Huh, there’s no advanced tech anywhere in the Community. How did I not notice that? Nothing here looks like it was created after the 1960’s. At most. How… how did I miss that?And why did I realize now? What else am I missing?Oh… oh, my sweet baby dragon. I have no idea how I died. Where did I live? …What’s my name?
That’s impossible, that’s not the type of thing you forget. My second grade teacher, fine, can live without remembering that. But… I don’t think I remember anything about my life? My life. Specifically. I know general things, but nothing about myself. If they took that away from me, they’d better watch out.And they’re surprised our brains give out! They have nothing to hold onto, no normal to retreat into when all this gets too much.
I can see the Hall now, just a bit further. If it’s supposedly in the center of the community, why is it so far away from everything? It’s like we’re all arranged in a little doughnut around it. Are they trying to keep us far away? Why would they— boat! Oh, of course! I was on a boat when I died. International waters. I didn’t live anywhere, I was just… floating around.Is it my proximity to the Hall? Are they keeping us out because here we remember?I better be wrong about this.
Alright, here we go.#
**1.10- Billow Your Sails **
Warning: this series contains many mentions and discussions of death, injury, and the aftermath thereof. Additionally, this episode contains recollection of past physical trauma, mention of child death, and memory loss.Time makes so much more sense when you have a way to measure it. And, no offense to brains, they suck at that. I got a watch. Much more reliable.
I can confidently say I died just under a year ago today. But that’s highly sub