S1: E02 - First Night

S01-E02: First Night

[Intro music - 5 sec]

Narrator: Wake Of Corrosion

Episode 2: First Night

[SFX:Radio Tuning]

[SFX: Muffled sounds can be heard as someone switches on a recording device and moves it into the correct position]

Prof Ryan: My name is Professor Ryan. Located: Bunker A:12. This is a public broadcast to any Survivors out there. I’m broadcasting this in the hope that others will hear the story and come forward with more information. I know that there are some among you who may find this content disturbing, therefore I advise listener discretion going forward.

[Speaker clears their throat and can be heard flicking some switches]

Let us begin

[SFX: Rustling paper]

Prof Ryan: We rejoin the brothers at the end of their first day away from home.

Entry Zero Five: Is from Elliot’s journal on their first night

[SFX: slow writing]

Elliot: Wow, what a day. I don’t even know how long we walked before we set up camp. It’s about 8pm now, but I can’t remember what time we ended up leaving the car.

No matter.

The walk was glorious. There’s something enchanting about this forest, I don’t know if its the separation from civilisation or the unbelievably fresh air, but its magical either way. Even that weird dead bird was interesting, in a morbid kind of way. 

It’s funny, but we’ve been carrying so much gear for hours but I still feel full of energy and that bag seriously weighs a ton! I’m sure it’ll get a bit lighter as the week goes on and we use up some of the supplies as no doubt, I’ll get more tired….Oh, wait no, actually I’m not going to think like that. I’m here to enjoy myself and I’m not letting anything get in the way of that. This week is going to be a breeze of relaxation and adventure. I can’t wait to get stuck in. And I think Roman feels it too. He’ll never admit it fully though, maybe a hint or two here and there but I think that’s about as much as I’ll get out of him. 

That uneasy feeling hasn’t come back. About the phone. Everything has been so full on and vibrant. I know it sounds cheesy but, well, I feel like a filter has been removed from my eyes and I’m seeing the world how it's supposed to be, for the first time in years. Okay, that sounded really cheesy. But it really has been eye-opening. And we’re not even a full day in. I’ve got a feeling I won’t be needing my phone fully ever again after this.

[SFX: The sound of birds singing/forest rustling can be heard quietly in the background before fading to more scribbling.]

It’s that weird in between time of day and dusk. The sun hasn’t got to setting fully yet and the sky is a beautiful pink colour. The few clouds that have appeared are lit up by an almighty glow. Like they’re on fire, it’s giving everything this sort of amber hue. I know it’s a bit sad, but as I was walking through the forest and there was this sort of red tinge to everything , I felt like I could’ve been on a different planet. Everything felt very otherworldly, it was pretty sweet actually. 

The forest is quiet now, I can only hear a few distant bird songs, nothing much. I’m sure it’ll be a different story once its fully night time. If it’s anything like the woodland near home….well I just hope it doesn’t wake me up too much. That’s all.

You know. It’s just dawning on me now, how dark its going to be here in an hour or so, I think its really easy to forget that in the city. When it’s night, the street lights come on and everyone’s lights at home are on. So it’s never really pitch black, just dark. And you get used to it, don’t you? You forget that, if all at that wasn’t there, you’d basically be able to see nothing at night. Especially if its cloudy. I suppose with the sky being clear tonight, there should be at least a little light out here. I musn’t forget to find time to look at the stars, maybe spot some constellations, see the ones the city lights hide.

Anyway,  I’d better go check if Roman wants to get a fire started. It’ll be getting cold soon, no doubt.

[SFX: The sound of the bunker returns. Speaker can be heard shuffling various papers]

[Throughout this scene another voice can be heard in the background, but its too muffled to make out what they’re saying]

Prof Ryan: Entry Zero Six:The follow….[sigh - 4 second pause] No [3 second pause]  [Irritated] yes, yes I’m fully aware. Look, I must continue with the broadcast [3 second pause] You know why.

Ahem,  apologies Survivors.

The following is from Roman’s recording device, just prior to the brothers sleeping for the night. 

Roman: Alright, here it goes. First day out in the wild, done and dusted. Tent is up, fire’s sorted. And Elliot is busy gazing at the stars or somethin’. Perfect time to get some recording in.

What a day, like what an absolutely mad day. This week is either gonna fly by or drag, I can’t decide which yet. 

Feels like an age since we set off though, and that’s just from the car. Packing this morning and driving may as well have been another lifetime. 

[pause]

Man, my legs are killing me. I think I’m going to spend some time this evening reorganising my bag. Like it was pulling me to one side. I didn’t say anything whilst we were walking cus I thought it was one of those things that would just go away on its own…that perhaps I wasn’t used to wearing the bag yet. Clearly it’s more than just that. Wow, I need to stop complaining. The good definitely outweighs the bad here. Man, I hope Claire and the kids are alright, it’s been weird to have a full day without them, you always say you won’t miss your kids nagging you but...well I do little. I’m sure you’ll listen back to this and think to yourself ‘You don’t know how lucky you are’ heh...bloody kids.

[SFX: Recording stops and starts again] 

So, on location. Being around this much natural beauty has really changed my perspective of the world. Kinda like how I imagine astronauts feel when they see Earth from space and realise how small and insignificant we are. [laughs] I feel like that now, surrounded by all this looming nature. 

We’re in their world now. 

Elliot: [In the distance]: Roman, I’m just going away from the fire so I can see a bit more, I won’t be far alright. Shout if you need me.

Roman: [Raised voice] Yeah, no probs bro. Don’t go getting yourself kidnapped now.

Elliot: [Laughing] I’ll try.

Roman: This is one of those times where I finish this recording and can’t find him, then he winds up mutilated in a ditch somewhere isn’t it? [Laugh] Classic horror movie.

Speaking of horror, I know it’s not really what I’ll want to be thinking about when I look back at these, but we saw something on our walk here which was, well it was a bit weird if I’m honest. 

Right, you know, here’s a breakdown. Elliot and I were trekking through this winding path that was barely a path at all, and I’m just daydreaming about having food or a drink or something like that. And then Elliot calls me over, all excited, like he’s seen something interesting. So, I pace over to him, he’s got this weird expression on his face like he’s trying to figure something out. I’m thinking, here we go. What’s he found now. And, well it was, [Hesitation] well a dead bird. And I’m going to sound so stupid here if there is an obvious explanation for this, but well I’ve never seen something like this before. I mean, it’s not like I’ve been completely sheltered, I’ll sometimes go hunting for game and that, so I’ve seen some odd and random stuff. And I’ve seen a dead bird before. But this, it just really stood out to me, Elliot as well.

Right, so it’s wing was outstretched, odd because they’re usually contracted when they’re dead. And I definitely said wing, not wings. The other one was missing. Now, I don’t know if it was cus of the way it was lying, or a trick of the eye, but the way it was severed seemed so clean. Like a perfect horizontal line leaving barely a centimetre of actual wing left jutting out of its body and the actual wing itself, was nowhere to be soon

Elliot says to me ‘What do you think happened?’ And I’m thinking, what, someone came along and sliced its wing off and….then I see it. I don’t know why I didn’t notice this sooner. The underside of its body, from what I can see. You know, the bit that isn’t pressed into the ground, has decomposed down to the bone. And yeah, I suppose that makes sense because that part is against the floor, but something is still off. The decomposition stops too abruptly. It’s like where the remnant of the wing and the front of its body meet it just stops. It’s not gradual, doesn’t slowly become some more of the rotting corpse, it just stops.

I get a shiver down my spine at this point, I don’t know why. It’s just one of those moments where you get a sort of unnatural fear shoot through you and then its gone. I think Elliot was too interested in the natural causes of something like that to consider any other explanation. Looking back now, I think I probably should’ve chilled out a bit about it. But, ah, I don’t know. It’s just unsettling is all.

We talk about it a little, Elliot reckons it got its wing stuck in something and the weird decomposition is just from the way it landed. Me, well, I don’t know, whatever. I’ll stick with Elliots idea. I’m thinking, let’s move on now, the more I speculate the weirder I’ll make the story in my head and that won’t do me any good tonight. Thankfully Elliot seems to be thinking sensibly as well and doesn’t ask me to pick it up or start interfering and poking it with sticks. He moves on. 

And I think I will too.

Let’s talk about tomorrow’s plan….

Elliot: [In the distance] Roman, Roman. Come out here, quickly or you’ll miss it!

Roman: Here we go….[Louder] What?

Elliot: Just, come out here quickly or you’ll miss it

Roman: [Sighing]  [SFX: Standing up and rustling, then unzipping of tent]  What’s up now Elliot? I’m just recording.

Elliot: Well then you’re gonna wanna record this!

[SFX: pause, footsteps]

Roman: And what exactly am I looking at?

Elliot: There, in the gap between the trees, can you see it?

Roman: Errr. Oh shit yeah...alright well that’s not what I expected.

Elliot: I was just hoping for a clear sky, but I’ll take a meteor shower any day. I’ve never seen one so clear before.

Roman: That’s exactly why we’re out here bro. The beauty of nature in all its glory.

Elliot: [sighs] Shame we don’t have a camera.

Roman: Pfft, you’re telling me you’d look back at a picture of that and feel the same way? A camera wouldn’t even capture it for a start. It’d be like when people take pictures of fireworks... they might and I stress that word, might look at them when they get home, maybe try and show someone. And then, well then they’re forgotten about. Whereas now, in this moment. We can enjoy it without any distractions.

Elliot: [laughs]  Yeah, you’re right. I s’pose

[A pause for a moment, SFX: forest sounds can be heard then footsteps and rustling in a bag]

Roman: Well brother, it’s been a solid first day. [Footsteps then sound of a pouring drink] Here’s to more just like it. With more of those beautiful sights.

[SFX: Mugs clink together]

Elliot: And less mutilated birds!

Roman: I’m cutting the recording before you said that, wanker.

Elliot: [Laughs] Nah, you’ll keep it.

Roman: [Laughs]

[SFX: Recording cuts]

Prof Ryan: At this point during the collection the brothers took neither any written or recorded notes for the following day until the evening. It is unlikely that anything vital to our investigation took place during this time and even more unlikely that they encountered any others who could vouch for this. 

Entry Zero Seven:  The following is from Roman’s recording device.

[SFX: Muffled sound. Movement of a recorder through fabric etc - Grabbed in a rush]

Roman: Okay okay, it’s on, it’s on.

Elliot: Still think we shouldn’t have a camera?

Roman: Shut up and just describe it.

Elliot: Okay, okay. So Roman and I have camped up on this bank tonight, you know cus….

Roman: Just cut out the bull.

Elliot: [sigh] Okay, so right now the night sky is..uh...its... this unbelievable swirl of dark purple and this like deep sunset red. And for the past, what 3?

Roman: 5

Elliot: 5 minutes, there has been a meteor shower….again. Same as last night...

Roman: Except,

Elliot: Except they’re falling in lots of different directions, they’re crisscrossing. They’re still falling like meteors, in straight lines and that but there are ones falling from the left, the right and all sorts. I’ve never seen or read anything like this happening, so I don’t know if it’s….well is it special?

Roman: Of course its special brother! If you’ve not seen something, let alone heard of it before then it’s freaking special. Can you believe it? I take back what I said before about not having a camera. This I’d take a picture of. We are so god damn lucky, like I knew seeing the sky without all the light pollution would be good, but Jesus, man….this is crazy

Elliot: [Pause] You know, Mum’d freak out if she saw this

Roman: [Laughs] She’d tell us it was a sign!

Elliot: And then somehow conjure a story about what it meant.

Roman: [Laughs] Nail on the head there bro.       Ahhh [Relaxing sigh]

Elliot: Ah dear...I wonder how long it’ll last.

Roman: Well, if it’s anything like the one last night, we’ve got a good while longer yet.

[SFX: Ambient Night forest sounds - Trees rustling etc]

Roman: [Slow, serious] Holy fucking shit.

Elliot: What th-

Roman: Did you see that?

Elliot: Did that meteor just change direction? 

What the actual fuck.

Roman: I’m getting that chill again!

Elliot: Look it up…..Oh,[Realising] oh, yeah….. Is that even natural?

Roman: [Smirking] Am I going to say it first or are you?

Elliot: Say what?

Roman: [sighs] Aliens bro!

Elliot: [Laughs] Are you havin’ a laugh?

Roman: [jokingly] Pssh, could be! 

Elliot: Don’t be daft. There will be a scientific name for whatever this is.

Roman: Urgh, you’re such a spoilsport man.

Elliot: [Laughs] Alright, alright. It can be aliens. We can go hunting for them tomorrow!

Roman: [laughs] Nice, nice.

[Pause - SFX: Ambient night forest]

Roman: This is still really weird though bro.

Elliot: Yyeeah

Roman: Yeah

[SFX: Ambient night forest]

[SFX: Mic]

Prof Ryan: There are those of us who believe this to be the brothers witnessing a possible cause or even effect of the events this year. However, there have been no other reported sightings of this astronomical phenomenon that have reached us here in Bunker A:12. Some have argued that by the time the brothers were in the forest, the event had already begun.

One thing is for certain though, if what they said in this recording is true, then the brothers witnessed a unique and unheard of astronomical occurrence. One which could be the foundation of evidence toward discovering a cause for our current and dire situation.

[pause]

We now move on, Survivors, to Entry Zero Seven: Which, from what I understand, takes place a few days after the previous recording. It would appear that the brothers enjoyed the last few days of peaceful hiking without much of note happening. Although there are some pages of Elliot’s journal missing, it doesn’t not appear to have affected this section.

[SOUND: Pen scribbling]

Elliot: Well I can certainly say that I am knackered! It’s not that I’m not enjoying myself, I really am. The sights, the sounds and the absolutely insane meteor shower we saw the other night, all of it has been so full on. At home, I’d go to work, repair someone’s tablet they’d messed up or fix a server that’d shut down then head home and play games. The most I’d do in between is maybe go bouldering or for a run. Even that was only really when I felt up to it. Out here though, well out here we’ve not stopped. 

Roman and I are….well I wouldn’t say we’re getting bored of each other’s company, but I’ve just definitely sensed a few moments of irritation, which isn’t great. But, it’s what we’re like when we’re worn out….thanks Dad. He’d always get like that too. Never meant anything by it, but you’d know when he’d had a hard day at work.

So we’re just over half way through our stay out here and as far as I can tell we’re on the path that leads back to where we parked. We’ve gone a sort of circular shape through the forest so we don’t cross over where we’ve been before until we get back to the car. It’s hard to read the map sometimes given how familiar everything looks, but I believe we’ll be coming up to Lurcher’s Drop at some point later this afternoon. It’s this deep chasm in the forest floor that if you follow the path properly you can walk down into and through. It’s supposed to be really ethereal there. As much as I don’t like to wish time away, I really can’t wait to get there.

I think we’re going to try and camp somewhere near the entrance, so hopefully, we can see it in all it’s glory in the morning. Apparently if you’re there at sunrise you can see the sun come up between the rocks at the entrance to the chasm and it floods it with light. I know I said I’m knackered, but there’s no way I’m missing that.

Professor: Entry Zero Nine Is from Roman’s personal recording device on the same evening…[Hesitant] I shall play the recording for you first, before discussing this in more detail.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Elliot: Urgh, why, why are you recording this?

Roman: Are you serious bro? Why wouldn’t I? This is interesting shit right here.

Elliot: Just..urgh….I thought you wanted to capture the wonders of this place, not….this.

Roman: Sometimes wonders don’t have to be all shiny and pretty y’know bro? Anyway...give me a second. [Footsteps] So, about 10 or so paces in front of us, there’s this clearing in the woods...but I don’t think it’s supposed to be that way. 

What are we now, Elliot, Mid to late summer?

Elliot: [Sigh] Yeah, why?

Roman: Why do you think? Look at this, actually look at it. It shouldn’t be like this. This whole area, I’d say at least 30 square foot is freaking dead.

Like, legit. Dead.

I’m going to go take a closer look. [SFX: Footsteps, slow, deliberate]

Elliot: Roman, c’mon. Otherwise we won’t make it to the Lurcher’s drop in time.

Roman: [Laughing] In time for what? Afternoon tea?

I’m just going to get a closer look, aside from rows upon rows of trees this has been the most interesting thing I’ve seen in the past few days. Okay?

[Sound of a branch snapping]

Ah man, they’re as dry as bone, just like husks of emptiness. I wonder how long they’ve been dead for.

[Rustling on the ground in leaves]

Even the plants on the floor are dried out, there’s not a drop of life in this place

Elliot: Have you even considered whether it’s safe to be near this area? Like, what if someone has been dumping chemicals or something?

Roman: Well if they have, it’s a good job I’m not a plant isn’t it? Otherwise I’d be all shrivelled like a prune.

Elliot: Do you have to make a joke out of everything?

Roman: Yes….Yes Elliot I do, because if I don’t life’d be a hell of a lot more boring now wouldn’t it? And we’d all be like you, worried about random stuff.

There obviously hasn’t been a chemical dump here. We’ve been walking for days, literally into the middle of nowhere….For days. No-one is going to be carrying barrels of chemical waste into the woods for days just to dump them here. They’d sooner find a drain down a back road of an industrial estate and dump it there, wouldn’t they?

Anyway, check that out.

Elliot: Woah

Roman: Yeah, I wonder why it’s so green up there still?

Elliot: Can’t say I’m a fan of this Roman.

Roman: Well, luckily for you I’ve got the attention span of a gnat….C’mon let’s move on!

Elliot: Finally!

[Rustling sound of recorder being put in a pocket. Footsteps, foliage, birds etc]

Roman: Oh, two secs Elliot! I just need to re-tie my shoes, I’ll catch you up.

[long pause, fading footsteps]

Roman: [In a lower, personal voice] Note to self for when I listen back to this. [cough] You didn’t want to tell Elliot this, but the trees and plants aren’t just dead. Remember this feeling Roman...As you stepped over the threshold into that area it was like stepping through thick, murky air and you felt a wave come over you. But the air there was cold…. like winter morning cold, you know?. Even the lower plants had some frost on them. It’s 20 damn degrees, man. Remember that. 

Roman: [In a whisper] You weren’t really bored. You were afraid. [Recording abruptly clicks off]

[Recording sounds]

Prof Ryan: This could well be the first instance of an area being afflicted with something such as this. I, [pause and a heavy sigh. This is difficult for him] personally, have experienced one such event which bears some similarities to this moment in their story. One which I feel is only right to share with you now:

[grave and serious] It was right in the beginning of all this, through a series of days I’m sure you all remember for all the wrong reasons.

I’d already fled from my office and raced home to my family. Abandoning my car like many others, realising the traffic wasn’t going anywhere. When I made it home, I burst through the gate and fumbled through my keys to unlock the door. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I found the key and burst through the front door. Almost immediately, the adrenaline was sucked out of my body.

Just like Roman, I felt a shift in the quality of air as I stepped through the threshold and into my house. A bitingly cold chill swept over me at once. It was summer and easily 16 degrees. My house may have well been a giant freezer. The air was heavy with a sweet chemical smell that burnt at my nostrils. I pulled my jacket up to my face and pressed forward. Panicking, I searched the downstairs rooms for my wife and child, yet I could not find them. I started breathing heavier and heavier, panic overcoming me, taking in big gulps of the heavy air. 

This is where the memory becomes foggy. I’d like to think I made it upstairs and they weren’t there. I’d like to think that they’d already fled. But I just….[Becoming distressed] I will not believe that. [Sigh, then regaining composure]

After that, I woke up in the back of a minibus with a group of people I’d never seen before, heading here...To Bunker A:12. Lord knows how I ended up in the middle of the road where they found me. But I know now, they’re the only reason I’m alive today. They’re good but people, but  very few have ever believed what I experienced, they were all just told to flee. I hope Roman’s experience will change their minds.

[Flicking switches/static]

Ah, [Sigh] I thought as much.

Survivors, I am afraid we’re reaching the limit of available power for the broadcast today.

Before I go, I know that there are those of you out there living and breathing the horrors of the world every day. I also know that for some of you, the experiences that the brothers are facing and the ones which will soon become part of their story are very real parts of your day-to-day lives. This is why I urge to seek us out, to find us. Share with us your knowledge. Together... someday, we may make it back to normality.

[Signal weakening/Fuzzy]

Here at Bunker A:12 we hope you're somewhere safe and warm. And remember, as always, don't wander in the dark. 

Narrator: Thank you for listening, if you enjoyed our show be sure to give us a rating and review to let others know. 

If you’d like to hear news and updates then please follow us on Instagram and Twitter @wakeofcorrosion

Wake Of Corrosion was written, directed and produced by Shaun Pellington

With voice acting from:

Kieran Walsh as Professor Ryan

Lee Pelington as Roman

Shaun Pellington as Elliot

With title and credits read by Adele Cliffe

Our introduction theme - Shadowlands 5 - Antechamber and the outro theme Phantasm were created by Kevin MacLeod. Sourced from incompetech.com. Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0. Both pieces have been reduced from their originals with fade out, added voice over and radio static effects.

Morse code SFX courtesy of Stephen C Phillips of morsecode.world

All other sound effects are self recorder or sourced from soundsnap.com.

For our full list of credits. Please visit our website in our show notes. 

Thank you so much for listening.