Background

Maddie was born in Bastrop to a big, loud family as a middle child. Growing up an active, cheerful girl, she would dive into whatever activities or hobbies caught her interest. She freely explored her own passions and let herself have fun wherever she ended up. One thing that would never change is her curiosity about little crawly creatures. Insects, reptiles, and other creatures would always have Maddie interested. Her siblings weren't fans of her sudden new "pets": roaches, spiders, ants...but Maddie's fondness for them never faded. In high school years, with her kind, giving nature, Maddie volunteered at a special needs school. There she learned ASL and helped look after young kids. After graduation she took a part-time job at the local diner where her mom worked. While figuring out what she wanted next, a customer mentioned a hippie-themed gathering. Maddie decided to check it out. The people, the vibes, the activities—she realized that lifestyle was what her heart desired. A freedom of choice in the slow flow of the universe. She made friends, joined them at their hangouts, and began to find herself a part of their philosophy. In 1991 Maddie moved to Austin for better pay, dreaming of saving up for a cheap old RV and joining a wave of hermit trips. She worked at an exotic animal mini-zoo, teaching kids fun facts about insects and reptiles. There she met Anthony, a guy roughly her age. He would come to sell small animals he'd hunted for the mini-zoo to feed its snakes. Maddie always started the small talk first. Anthony wasn't much of a talker initially, but eventually he gave in. He'd tell her how life sucks, and Maddie would just say some nonsense about "universe flow." Somehow it led to a weird but close friendship. In 1992 Maddie got an offer to join a traveling circus caravan as an exotic animal handler. It was perfect for her. She poured all her savings into a cheap, beat-up old RV so she could join them and keep all her animals safely inside. Anthony came with her. From there, they made it to Dallas, then a trip to Louisville. The last stop ended with chaos unveiled around them. The trip ended without reaching the final destination. Rifts were terrifying, but Maddie would just say it's the negative vibrations of the universe that people can fix by bringing more kindness and love to the world. Yet she still kept her distance, not being stupid enough to test her theories by herself. Some left the caravan, some made an attempt to turn back. Maddie didn't leave and Anthony stayed beside her. Her RV, full of her crawly friends, became their home and shelter. But it got cold, supplies got low. And they had to move, find people, and a safe place to stay.