Episode 5 - Grangeville

Thomas walks into Empire territory for the first time since Ramona, limping on a freshly tweaked ankle and surrounded by flags, scanner chatter, and talk of ICE in a town nowhere near the border. A routine wildlife check station, a rumor about federal plate-tagging, and a worn plaque on a diner wall become the ground where he has to decide who, if anyone, can be trusted with a quiet line of communication that doesn’t belong to Empire.Credits & CopyrightWritten and Directed by Stephen BrewerSeries Bible, worldbuilding, and episode structure by Stephen BrewerMusic created with SunoVoices created with Elevenlabs.ioArtwork by CiceroProduced by Stephen Brewer for the Columbia podcast on SubstackStatement on the Ethical Use of AIThis is a work of fiction rooted in themes of conscience, mercy, and civic responsibility. It does not depict real institutions or endorse political action. The moral and spiritual themes in Columbia are presented for storytelling only. They do not speak for any real religious body, denomination, or church.This episode includes depictions of economic precarity. No violence is depicted, and the tone emphasizes peace, restraint, and civic dignity.© 2026 Stephen Brewer. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the author. Get full access to Drawing the Line at percival84.substack.com/subscribe