A dear media original podcast. A note before we get started. We are using AI generated voices in this

podcast and a warning. This episode includes mention of sexual violence against children,

of rape, suicide and

and disordered eating.

Listen with care.

When our composer Pete Redmond first sent us this particular piece of music, I was on a train between Stuttgart and Hanover.

It's the same trip that Coco Birthman says she took on November 2nd 2009 when she was just 15,

and in her version of the story running away from home for the first time.

As I sat on the train, listening to the score in my earbuds and looking out over the German countryside,

I wondered what it must have been like for and looking out over the German countryside,

I wondered what it must have been like

for Coco to take this journey all on her own.

Here's how she told the story on the Skinny Confidential Podcast.

During the night, I think it was like three or four in the morning, I woke up and it felt like somebody was

literally behind my bag saying you got to go and you got to go now. Coco really did run away that night.

Her mother, Renata Ruf, confirms it.

Or at least she confirms a lot of it.

While I'm talking, it's just like being there again,

my heart beating so fast. my door quietly tipped down the

spiral staircase did you even have a spiral staircase I know this sounds

silly but just want to know okay Kershine Silum is translating for me as I talked to Renata over video chat.

So no, they had straight stairs, no spiral staircase.

...