“So here we are, Billy. Interior: beyond (The) Wall. Here we’ll find the information we need, I believe.”
“I… believe.”
—–
“Let’s pull in here and get some gas before going further. Don’t want to run out in the middle of the Badlands, ha.”
“Ha (or ho).”
—–
“Let’s now go to that Badlands Grocery Store we saw advertised beside the town welcome sign. We’ll stock up with supplies there, some proper food.”
“1/2 priced yogurt?”
“Perhaps, Billy.” But Fern didn’t think so. Billy would have to get use to more primitive life up here in the Real World, above and beyond the comforts of Our Second Lyfe.
—–
Fern parks the now filled up rental truck in front of the store 2 blocks west of the gas station, as the billboard she saw and memorized earlier indicated. “Keep in mind through all this that we’re looking for something *interior*… to Interior, even,” she said, walking up to the front door. “The town’s name is just a signifier, a pointer.”
Then in synchronicity, Billy points to something in the distance.
“Ball. Silver.”
“Good, Billy. Good.” Fern knew this was just a propane tank seen on edge but Billy was definitely on the right track. Change of perspective. They go inside.
But there was nothing within the grocery store but BLACK, which so happens to be the former name of Interior.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interior,_South_Dakota
In 1891, the former way-station was called Black with Mary Johnson as its first postmaster. In 1893, the town was renamed “Interior” by George Johnson because he did not think the name “Black” fit the description of the White River that surrounded the town.
By losing her vision, Fern had found what she was looking for here. They carefully make their way through the darkness to find the white light.
(to be continued?)
Sunklands 