Welcome to Meet as pod episode three. I'm your host D Mitas. We're back with another fantastic tale for you this week. This is gonna be another one story episode and it's a good one. Sybil was one of the first stories I received from the meatus pod Submissions page. It comes to us from Deborah Walker. Deborah Walker grew up in the most English town in the country. But she soon hightailed it down to London, where she now
lives with her partner Chris and her two young children. Find Deborah in the British Museum trawling the past for future inspirations on her blog, which is linked in the show notes. Or you can follow her on Twitter at Debow re DVORE E. diverse stories have appeared and nature's futures Cosmos Bailey science fiction, and the years best SF a teen narrating Sybil for us is Sam MC Lich. Sam is an aspiring voiceover actor and is incredibly excited to be featured on metus pod podcast.
If you like her work, why not check out her SoundCloud page, which is linked in the show notes or not? She'd like you to know that choice is entirely up to you. No pressure. I think the story for the podcast is it brought up all sorts of great questions in my mind. But what I would do in this situation, how I would handle it. Would I even be doing what the characters doing? The story really stuck with me. I think that's what the best sci fi and fantasy story should do. Should twist your
mind. We'd love to hear what you think about all of our stories. Stop by me despod.com sometime and check out the discussion forums. Without any further ado, here's our story. Sybil by Deborah Walker, the ghost of my future smells of ash. I thought that you were going to stop smoking. I say it's been a tough year. She rummages inside her bag and produces a packet of Marlboro lights. Life doesn't always go according to plan does it simple. She lights a cigarette
and blows the smoke towards me. Go smoke. A multiplication of the insubstantial. I think I'll join you. I take a cigarette from my own pocket while taking a critical look at my future self. She looks much older than she looked a year ago. She's not doing herself any favors by not wearing makeup. Her hair looks dry and brittle and the roots need doing. I see that you haven't lost any weight. she shrugs diet. It's a waste of time. I'm nearly 40 I am what I am. She's in one of those moods.
So what's new? I ask? Not much. I say that's not very helpful. This right is not without sacrifice, you know? I point to the iron knife balancing on top of the dish of blood water. Don't I know and she rolls up her sleeve and shows me her right arm. She is seven years older than me. Seven more scars. This is how it works. Once a year I can see seven years into the future. Shall we do the diary? I ask? Yes, that diary. She takes the leather diary out of her bag. I'd bought it in
Venice on my honeymoon. I'm supposed to ride in it every day. The Diary of my life. The ghost flicks through the pages. The trouble with this diary is that it gets a little sketchy in places. You're drinking a lot at the moment, aren't you? I shrug. I like a glass of wine or two in the evening. It takes the edge off. But who is she to judge me? Shall we get on with the markets? Sure. My future self recites share prices while I take notes. I play the market, although playing implies that I
have possibility of losing. That's not the case. Not with the information I'm receiving. I'm the ultimate insider dealer. When she's finished, she says All right, then I'll be off. Don't go yet. What is it? She asks impatiently. You don't look great. Thanks a lot. I mean, what's happened to you in the last year? I feel sorry for her. But more importantly, I feel anxious. I need to know. It's best not to talk about personal stuff. Sippel. You know that? How's Alex? Are you sure you
want to know? It is Alex, isn't it? What's happened? He's not dead, is he? She likes another cigarette. I do the same. Alex left me. But last year, you seem so happy ignorance is bliss. He's been having an affair for the last three years. Alex gave him an ultimatum. And I lost out. Ellis my best friend Ellis. That's right. He's talking me through the courts now trying to get his fair share, as he puts it. I don't believe it. Would I lie to you? Would I lie to myself? She looks at me. What
are you going to do? Now that you know? I walk to the fridge and pour myself a glass of cold crisp Chardonnay? I drained the glass. She watches me with half smile. I refilled the glass. You shouldn't have told me. At least I gave you a warning. That's more than I got. She didn't tell you. Timelines are divergent. Each future me is slightly different. No, she didn't. But I thought you'd want to know. That's our trouble. We always want to know. She blows a plume of go smoke towards me. You
could divorce him. You had nine good years of marriage? No, I didn't. For three of those years Alex was having an affair. She lets her cigarette fall to the ground. What are you going to do Sybil? She has a hungry look on her face. She wants me to say that I'm going to divorce Alex before he had a chance to betray me. When did I get so bitter? I don't know what I'm going to do. It's your decision. She says they won't change anything for
me. I'll just carry on in this timeline where he betrayed me. You can't change the past only the future. And you I say are you going to look ahead this year? I always do, don't I? she rubs her arm. Find out how I can improve my perfect life. You don't need to you must have plenty of money stashed away. No. I don't need to look into the future. But then again, neither do you. It's a hard habit to break. She nods. I see the shadows in her eyes. I know the fear. The same fear that
shrouds me every time I start the ritual. There will come a day when I reach into the future and my future self will be dead. What will I see on that night? Well, I see nothingness. Or something worse. Something unbearably worse. I'm young. She says I'm only 38 It will be okay to look. Yes. It'll be okay. Thanks for your help. It's nothing. Be well, Sybil. Be happy with a word I end the ritual. In my future self dissipates. I tidy up throwing the blood water down the sink
and washing the bowl. Alex would be home soon. Could I change make our marriage stronger? Did I want to a key rattles in the lock Alex's home. What could I say to him? definition is a drug I reached for the packet of cigarettes. Tomorrow I'll quit thanks for listening. If you'd like to help support me this pod and the production of these wonderful stories, you can visit me despod.com/donation For a myriad of donation options. Be
sure and spread the word if you enjoy the show. Me this pod is produced under a Creative Commons Attribution non commercial no derivatives license. Share it all you want, but don't change it or sell it. We'll see you next time folks.