title E2 - Scavenger

description Surviving the Oregon Disaster: Cielo's Journey Through Chaos and Isolation After the Earthquake” 
What happens when the ground beneath you literally shakes your world to its core? In this gripping episode of American Afterlife, we explore the harrowing aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake that leaves the West Coast in ruins and its inhabitants grappling with survival in a new and unforgiving reality.
As the dust settles, the characters of American Afterlife emerge from the chaos, revealing their vulnerabilities and the stark truths of life in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Cielo, portrayed by the talented Scarlett Estevez, offers a poignant glimpse into her isolation and the relentless struggle for resources amidst the devastation. Her journey is not just one of survival; it is a profound exploration of the human spirit tested against insurmountable odds.
Meanwhile, Lucas, played by Joshua Mesnick, attempts to carve out his identity in a world turned upside down. He finds himself at odds with authority figures like Charles, voiced by Ted Evans, as he navigates the treacherous waters of power dynamics in a fractured society. The tension between characters paints a vivid picture of the moral dilemmas faced in extreme circumstances, forcing them to confront their pasts and the consequences of their actions.
Set against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, this episode of American Afterlife delves into themes of survival, human connection, and the haunting questions of guilt and redemption. As the characters grapple with their fates, the narrative invites listeners to ponder the nature of humanity in times of crisis. What does it mean to be alive after the end of the world as we knew it?
Through rich, immersive dialogue, the episode captures the emotional depth of each character’s journey, offering a haunting reflection on the fragility of life. Join us as we traverse this dystopian fiction, exploring the complexities of a world reshaped by disaster. The Oregon disaster serves as a backdrop for a story that weaves together the threads of a Mexican immigrant experience, the rise of militia groups, and the haunting specter of unidentified remains.
As we navigate this journey into the afterlife, we invite you to reflect on your own humanity and the connections that bind us in the face of adversity. Tune in to this riveting episode of American Afterlife, where every moment echoes with the weight of survival and the quest for meaning in a world forever changed. 
Presented by Pair of Thieves — and they’ve got something for you.
Want a pair of exclusive American Afterlife x Pair of Thieves limited-edition socks? Head to americanafterlife.com/pot to claim yours while supplies last.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

pubDate Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:01:00 GMT

author Gamut Podcast Network

duration 1334000

transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:00] Hey, it's Scarlett Estevez. In American Afterlife, my character Cielo is forced to survive alone after an earthquake destroys her city. Luckily, creating this audio drama wasn't a solo mission. I'm grateful I had a wonderful team with me. If you enjoy the story, it would mean a lot to us if you share and leave a review. Please enjoy this full uninterrupted episode after this short ad break.

Speaker 2:
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Speaker 3:
[01:15] Welcome to the podcast, American Afterlife. This audio drama unfolds episode by episode. So to get the full experience, we recommend starting from the beginning. If you haven't caught up yet, now's the perfect time to go back and listen from the start. Previously on American Afterlife.

Speaker 4:
[01:55] 9.1 magnitude that has devastated Mendocino County up into British Columbia.

Speaker 1:
[02:02] It wasn't as bad as you might think. Not at first. When I was alone. Or when I guess I thought I was.

Speaker 4:
[02:12] I need you Lucas. And I need you to push. But, sir. I have the bloody bodies of 10 guys inside a warehouse that was supposedly fully evacuated. And a teenage girl who can tell us what happened. Alright?

Speaker 5:
[02:26] Alright. Will you tell me about where we found you? How you wound up at that warehouse?

Speaker 1:
[02:33] I don't want to talk about that.

Speaker 5:
[02:35] Do you know who killed them? Did you kill them Cielo? Cielo?

Speaker 3:
[02:42] You're listening to American Afterlife. A podcast series based on the best selling book by Pedro Hoffmeister. Episode 2. Scavenger.

Speaker 4:
[03:11] Third sweep, and it's a full-on Charlie Fox drive down there.

Speaker 6:
[03:20] Any sign of movement, Rotorhead?

Speaker 4:
[03:22] Negative. It's a dead zone.

Speaker 6:
[03:24] Tango Mac, Rotorhead. Pop smoke and pull back to the wire.

Speaker 4:
[03:28] Received. On the rebound.

Speaker 1:
[03:48] Dumbasses.

Speaker 4:
[03:57] We don't have the luxury or need to spend this much time on some child. Find out what she knows.

Speaker 5:
[04:03] I'm working on it, Charles, sir. She was just telling me about the helicopter sweeps. Did you know they didn't even land and search on foot? They could have missed tons of survivors, not just her.

Speaker 4:
[04:12] This week, Lucas, I'm giving you till the end of this week. Understood?

Speaker 5:
[04:18] Yeah, understood. Good morning, Cielo, come on in.

Speaker 1:
[04:30] It's a little early.

Speaker 5:
[04:32] Sorry, wanted to get a jump on it today. Have a seat. Brought you something today. Supplies are limited, obviously, but I snuck into Charles' office and got us some good stuff, straight from his stash.

Speaker 1:
[04:47] Wow. Thanks. Who's Charles?

Speaker 5:
[04:56] My boss, the big guy, the big kahuna.

Speaker 1:
[04:59] He's the guy who's always calling you? What, are you like in love with him?

Speaker 5:
[05:04] Funny, Cielo.

Speaker 1:
[05:05] I know. Black cherry, huh? Exotic. What am I a snack, though?

Speaker 5:
[05:14] I got you.

Speaker 1:
[05:17] Grapes? Not bad.

Speaker 5:
[05:22] Like I said, the good stuff. Now, where were we? Cielo.

Speaker 1:
[05:29] Was that some kind of bribe? Fuck that.

Speaker 5:
[05:32] No. No. Sorry. We figured you needed fiber. Keep eating.

Speaker 1:
[05:38] Fine. What I really need is some air. Maybe you could let me take a walk?

Speaker 5:
[05:47] We'll have to see about that, Cielo. Or we can just chill? This is going to be a very boring few hours, Cielo, if you don't, you know, tell us a bit more about what you saw out there.

Speaker 1:
[06:04] Boredom sounds real nice.

Speaker 5:
[06:06] A luxury for some now, right?

Speaker 1:
[06:09] Yeah. After the thing with Mr. Francois, I got my period. Is that what you wanted to hear? I'm joking. God. But also, that didn't just magically disappear because the apocalypse began. Thankfully, the people in my neighborhood were all big box shoppers. Costco's, BJ's, you know. So finding tampons wasn't a huge issue. My mom would say Americans were used to buying too much. Lucky me.

Speaker 5:
[06:45] Your mom. What happened to her?

Speaker 1:
[06:49] That's what I wanted to find out. When the earthquake hit, it was like the calendar ended. I hadn't kept track of how many days it had been. Some days were so lonely. There was no reason to keep my phone on ever. I knew I should be saving my battery. But when I needed it, really needed it, I had powered it on, make sure it was on airplane mode, and go to my song catalog. There was this one song that a friend sent me once.

Speaker 5:
[07:46] Who's the friend? Was he in the quake?

Speaker 1:
[07:49] Her. Her family got out in time. Lucky, right? Anyway, it was something I turned on when I really needed it. That night, I really needed it. They never cry. During those days, I would. But not for long. I would tell myself just one hour. Then you need to get up off your butt and do something. But that night... God damn it!

Speaker 5:
[08:37] Ow! Fuck! Ow!

Speaker 1:
[08:42] Come on, I thought I had just a few more in the bottle. I needed to find some way to kill the pain. Felt like someone was scraping my insides of tiny spoons.

Speaker 5:
[08:58] Oh, God.

Speaker 1:
[09:01] Sorry, but, yeah. Nighttime was always the best anyways, because there was less of a chance of being seen.

Speaker 5:
[09:11] What were you scared of?

Speaker 1:
[09:14] The dogs. You'd be surprised how fast pets get hungry when their owners aren't around to feed them. I had to go through house after house. You have no idea how much shit people kept in their medicine cabinets next to their bed. I found so much porn, so much gross porn. The kind that I always knew those guys looked at. Every pill you could dream of, except a couple basic ibuprofen for my cramps. I picked up some cash, some jewelry. I just didn't know what would help me next. So I took it all, even the gun. It was just rattling around in someone's bedside drawer. Not even a holster or anything. Just dumped in the drawer next to some loose change. There were three loose bullets rolling around next to it. Freeze! Pow, pow, pow! I got you, son of a bitch! You're coming with me.

Speaker 5:
[10:38] So, this gun, is it, uh, is it the same gun that you, uh... Is this the same gun that you, uh, used with the men?

Speaker 1:
[10:49] I said I don't want to talk about that.

Speaker 3:
[10:51] Oh, right.

Speaker 5:
[10:53] I know.

Speaker 1:
[10:55] I didn't kill anybody.

Speaker 5:
[10:57] Sorry, I didn't mean...

Speaker 1:
[10:58] I mean, not where you found me. Not there, not there.

Speaker 5:
[11:04] Then who did, Cielo? Who killed all the men in that warehouse?

Speaker 1:
[11:12] Any more soda?

Speaker 5:
[11:15] I... I'll check.

Speaker 1:
[11:27] I never pee in my own place. Outside, sure. Usually though, I just make sure I never use the same toilet twice.

Speaker 2:
[11:45] Thank you, thank you, G.

Speaker 1:
[11:50] After that day, I ventured out more.

Speaker 6:
[11:53] The West Coast quake is just the beginning, the beginning of a new unknown. I would say the government knows the real details, but at this point, I hate to say it. I hate to say it, but you know me. I am strong enough to admit when I am wrong. I think they actually do not know. There is no plan, no master scheme. I know what you are saying out there. This is a new one to me, too.

Speaker 4:
[12:22] We have to gather now. We have to come together. We have to do as Noah did.

Speaker 2:
[12:30] We know the Bible has an end.

Speaker 6:
[12:46] In the devastation of the old, there is the new. There is the new new.

Speaker 1:
[12:53] Shut up. Don't ask me why I tuned in. I may have missed my TV. Anything that would usually fill the quiet days of before. Just a little bit. Here's to the new new. I had picked every house on my little hill clean. My days there were limited. I needed to venture further. So I began to search for something to get me across the floodwater. That nasty, oily lake. The white folks in my neighborhood were those outdoorsy types. I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd find like a kayak or something. Not even take one of those stupid paddle boards. What the? It was a horse, just strolling down the street. Black, shining, with twins of rainbow oil, kind of like the lake. He was beautiful, completely unaware of the mess. I followed him, not getting too close, trying to stay out of sight. I didn't know for sure if this was a strange wild horse or if he had a home. A good 20 minutes went by. I thought about maybe going up to him, saying hi, feeling his black mane, until... It happened so fast. He bolted and I did too. A crazy peon ran deep into my leg. As I rolled down, I glided against a chunk of concrete where some piece of metal dug itself right in. That's when I heard him.

Speaker 6:
[15:20] Where the fuck did you come from? Don't move. How'd we miss you?

Speaker 1:
[15:27] At first, I thought he was with the helicopters, FEMA or the National Guard guys or whatever. But then I saw him.

Speaker 6:
[15:39] How many more are out here? Do you know?

Speaker 1:
[15:42] He had this gross red patchy beard and a bit of a belly. He was wearing a coat covered in that camo that looks like twigs and fall leaves. Even though this is Oregon and it's all pine trees. I'd probably roast him for it if it wasn't for the rifle he was aiming at me.

Speaker 6:
[16:05] You speak English?

Speaker 1:
[16:06] Who are you?

Speaker 6:
[16:08] Great. That's something. I'm with the repo. You've heard of the repo, right little girl? We're a mile or so just up this lake here. It's safe. There's food and shelter, blankets, warm beds, hot water. We even have satellite TV. You like TV, don't you?

Speaker 1:
[16:30] No.

Speaker 6:
[16:31] Well, there's Internet too. You miss that, right? All you kids love your Internet.

Speaker 1:
[16:36] I fucking hate the Internet.

Speaker 6:
[16:38] You're spunky. I like that. What are you, Mexican? You sound pretty normal to me. You're gonna fit right in.

Speaker 1:
[16:48] I'm good.

Speaker 6:
[16:49] That wasn't an offer. Get on up. Great. Now walk ahead of me, down to the water. I got a boat down there.

Speaker 1:
[17:01] My leg was bleeding pretty bad from the fall. I could barely walk, so I knew I couldn't run. But it wasn't over yet.

Speaker 6:
[17:13] What are you doing up there?

Speaker 1:
[17:15] I'm just sipping up my backpack, God.

Speaker 6:
[17:17] Whatever. Keep moving. Adam said, no one darker than a paper bag. But I think he'll like you anyway. You climb in first.

Speaker 1:
[17:33] There was no way I was getting into that boat. I just needed a second for him to...

Speaker 6:
[17:41] Is that a fucking...

Speaker 1:
[17:42] I had a chance, so I took it.

Speaker 2:
[17:49] You bitch!

Speaker 6:
[17:51] You...

Speaker 4:
[18:01] So that's two she's admitted to killing, then.

Speaker 5:
[18:03] It's not like that. The first was a mercy, the second was clearly self-defense.

Speaker 4:
[18:08] She said it was one of the repo guys, too?

Speaker 5:
[18:11] Yes, sir.

Speaker 4:
[18:12] There we go. If she can shoot one of them, she can shoot them all. Not like anyone's gonna miss a warehouse full of those alt-right fucks. Someone's gotta answer for it.

Speaker 5:
[18:22] I really think there's more to the story.

Speaker 4:
[18:25] You're killing me here, Lucas. She did it. Case closed.

Speaker 5:
[18:29] Just a couple more days, sir. That's all I need.

Speaker 4:
[18:36] Just a couple more.

Speaker 3:
[18:43] You've been listening to American Afterlife, an audio drama by Benstown-McVay Podcast Network Production, in association with Aurora Productions, and in partnership with Gamet Podcast Network, based on the best-selling book by Pedro Hoffmeister, presented by Pair of Thieves. Be sure to stick around after the credits for a post-podcast interview with a member of the cast and crew, produced by Dave Chachi Dennis, Mike McVeigh, and William Stewart. Directed by William Stewart. Podcast Adaptation. Written by Allison Dwyer. Based on the best-selling book series American Afterlife by Pedro Hoffmeister. Published by Crooked Lane Books. Featuring Scarlett Estevez as Cielo, Joshua Mesnick as Lucas, and Ted Evans as Charles. Additional voices by Phil Levitt, Susan Aksu-Migarion, Robert Gessel. Narration by Sean Andre. Sound design by Jacob Urbanek. Studio engineers, Darren Silva and Megan Vasquez. Production manager and marketing, Susan Aksu-Migarion. Additional marketing, Robbie Gessel. If you enjoyed American Afterlife, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and following us on Spotify.

Speaker 5:
[20:12] Hi, I'm Joshua Mesnick and I play Lucas on American Afterlife. There are stereotypes that I've seen in TV shows, this guy who's really uptight, people pleaser, neurotic, but I wanted to sink deeper than that and really feel into who is this character? How do I relate to Lucas? Really, I think deep down, Lucas knows that something's off about the situation, and he wants to help, and he doesn't know how. And authority terrifies Lucas, and I also relate to that. You know, if I'm in a room with somebody who, you know, has that dominating personality, or they're in a position I want to be in, like I'm intimidated by who they are in the world, like Lucas is with his boss, Charles, going through that journey with Lucas' character, where in the beginning, he's just following orders, he's like a lemming, a cog in the wheel, to then realizing and discovering that Lucas actually can play a role in doing something good and meaningful. If he just can get past his fear and anxiety and people-pleasing, he actually might be able to do something significant and to help somebody. Lucas really risks everything, even potentially his life. In Lucas' head, this was him committing the highest of felonies, and I've never had to make one of those choices before. So really, this was me as Lucas having a new experience, making a choice that was life or death, and feeling that thrill and feeling that fear. I don't want the audience to feel bad for Lucas. I don't want the audience to hate Lucas either. I don't want the audience to have pity. So I'm saying all the things I don't want the audience to think about Lucas, which is kind of how Lucas would be like, here are the things I don't want to happen. What I do want the audience to experience with Lucas is connecting with somebody who has found a sense of purpose and has actually gone through the layers of lies in himself to realize he's actually been pretending the whole time. He actually does have agency, he does have power and he can do something good. I would love the audience to think of Lucas as a hero.