The Walk

You still don’t know who's selling you out.  Building anxieties, past allegiances, and doubts about the mission give everyone a motive to betray and a reason to lie.  An unwanted visitor interrupts your inquisition and surprises you with a bit of news from the real world: you’re all wanted criminals.  Might as well finish the job before you go down.

It was only a matter of time until you fell right into The Burn’s lap, and now you’re face to barrel with an old ally turned nemesis. Or could the traitor be among your own ranks? You’d better find out before The Burn finds you again.

None of the “safe houses” Charlie keeps guiding you to seem to be that safe, and the paths in between them are even more perilous.  Could this latest house be haunted?  Everyone is trying keep a level head about a series of mysterious happenstances, but the challenges of uncertain terrain only magnify your constant state of dread.

While running an errand, you and Emma pick up a clueless American traveler running from a local gang.  It might’ve been the right thing to do, but now he’s asking way too many questions.  Lawrence has got some unanswered questions, too, and he doesn’t trust anyone but you to confide in.  Maybe he’s onto something.

The threat of those flyers catches up with you sooner than expected.  Your capture reunites you with some old friends, but one of them is in critical condition and your captors force you to keep moving.  With the likelihood death more palpable than ever, it’s hard to keep faith that you’ll make it through this journey together, or even at all.

On your solo walk, Charlie tells you about her sister, whom she suspects is a high-ranking member of The Burn.  After finding Lawrence and getting back on track, you come across some conspicuous messages urging you to turn yourselves in to government forces and warning that there’s a bounty on your capture.

As if evading The Burn isn’t enough stress, now blood-thirsty wolves are after you.  After so much running you need some rest, but just when you thought you could catch a break for a few days a surprise attack means you’ve got to get on the move again, and this time without your travel companions.  At least you’ve still got Charlie in your ear, but even she’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown. 

Charlie is doing her best to guide you to safe refuge on your dangerous journey, but the limitations of satellite technology make it harder and harder to communicate.  Somehow you find your way and some supplies, but The Burn is (literally) hot on your trail and willing to use any means necessary to stop you - even if it means sabotaging themselves.

Beware of good fortune - there are traitors at every turn eager to take you down.  Stanton was able to save you this time, but you can never be too careful.  Everyone you meet is a potential enemy.  Better to stay one step ahead.

The city limits are controlled by military officers and checkpoints.  While you and your found cohort of survivors work together to create a distraction and slip through the barrier, alliances begin to form and questions of true identity arise.  How long can you keep your secret, and who can you trust?

You have one mission: transport a mysterious package on a train from Inverness to Edinburgh.  But when The Burn intervenes and a bomb goes off at the station, the police are on the hunt for a terrorist and you’re the number one suspect.  The entire city is on lockdown but you have to get out before they find you - the survival of the human race depends on it.

A new immersive fiction podcast from Panoply created by award-winning author Naomi Alderman. Releases 18 January.