S1: E06 - Flickering Hope

S01-E06: Flickering Hope

Narrator: Wake Of Corrosion

Episode 6: Flickering Hope

[Radio Tuning]

[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 this 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.

Let us begin.

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

Prof Ryan: Before we begin with today’s broadcast of the brother’s tale. I feel it is only right that I share with you how I came into possession of these documents and recordings. In recent broadcasts I was hasty and too caught up in getting what I knew of their story known in the hopes of...well that you already know.

[pause]

Some of you may not know this, but this is the first time anybody has come forward and made it safely to us at Bunker A:12 and once I realised the wealth of information that this survivor had about their person, I knew it needed to be shared. However, once again we find ourselves in the position of limited knowledge. Whilst this survivor carried with them all of the documents and recordings you’ve heard and shall hear, she barely made it inside of our doors before she fell unconscious. Even before we could learn so much as her name. It saddens me to say that she has since been in a coma. Whilst her condition appears stable, she has sustained many grievous injuries and it is difficult to give her the care she requires with such limited resources at our disposal.

I am, however, hopeful that she will recover one day soon and share with us so many missing pieces that will help bolster our knowledge and therefore the hopes of finding a way back from this. And for those of you out there who are sceptical of the validity of their story, she can hopefully add the legitimacy you seek.

It is to her we owe thanks for the hope of a tomorrow.

Settle in survivors and let us hear more of Roman and Elliot.

Entry Twenty Three: Appears to take place in the hours following the brother’s leaving their makeshift camp. I have looked over this section and ones around it repeatedly and can find no mention of Roman telling Elliot about the unusual tracks or Elliot sharing with Roman his thoughts on the night sky. It would appear the brothers are both fearful of making matters worse for one another.

[SFX: Tape click]

Roman: I still don’t like the idea of keeping a record of this Elliot.

Elliot: I know, me either but if…

Roman: I know, I know. There will be people though. I mean, I was thinking last night and it could have just been an earthquake you know?

Elliot: Oh...maybe? [a pause] wouldn’t we have felt it though?

Roman: Not necessarily, we could’ve slept through it if we were quite far away.

Elliot: Roman, I just don’t feel like that justifies much of what we’ve seen, ...at all.

Roman: [sighs, defeated] Fuck. I know. Urgh, I just wish we could find someone.

Elliot: Well, this is the first house we’ve come across since leaving the forest, so…

Roman: Who’s going in first?

[a pause, Elliot clears his throat]

Yeah I thought as much. Alright, hold the recorder

[SFX: Mic grabbing sounds] 

Elliot: We going front or back?

Roman: Mate, I’m knocking on the door, dunno what you're on about?

[SFX: Knocking and a pause, then knocking again]

[tentative] Hello? My name is Roman - I’m with my brother Elliot - We’re just looking for some help.

[SFX: Knocking]

[still talking to the door] Look, we’ve got no idea what’s happened out here, we just want some help.

[SFX: Knocking]

Elliot: Do you reckon they’ve left?

Roman: Maybe, I’m not sure.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Elliot: Oi, Roman! What are you doing?

Roman: Ssh, I’m just seeing if anyone is in.

Elliot: Give them a chance to answer!

Roman: [sighs] [long pause] ….That a long enough chance?

Elliot: [sighs] Fine, but you’re apologising if someone sees you.

Roman: [laughs, fed up of Elliot’s nerves] Honestly.

[a pause]

Roman: Alright, I can’t see anyone in the front room, and from what I can tell there doesn’t look to be anyone in the kitchen, it looks pretty open plan in there.

[SFX: Knocking on door]

Elliot: [shouting] Hello? I’m sorry but we really need your help. Please?

Roman: [a pause] Elliot, you’ve somehow mastered sounding desperate and apologetic at the same time.

Elliot: [sarcastic] Haha, very funny.

Roman: [a pause] Look mate, I don’t think anyone is in there. Are you gonna lose your mind if I go take a look round the back, just in case?

Elliot: [sighs] If we must.

Roman: Wait here then.

Elliot: No, not a chance! I might not agree with it, but I’m not letting you go off on your own.

Roman: Awh, so romantic! 

Elliot: You know what I mean

Roman: Love you too cupcake.

Elliot: [sighs heavily] For God’s sake!

[SFX: Footsteps. Creaky gate]

Elliot: Well their car is still here, so…

Roman: True. Could have two cars though. ….Wait, hold up. Look, the back door is open. And there’s gardening stuff out. Can you see the hosepipe across the garden? 

Elliot: Yeah, yeah and the shovel ‘n’ that. 

Roman: Looks like they were doing some gardening.

Elliot: What do you mean, were?

Roman: Well, they’re obviously not here now are they?

Elliot: Yeah but...they could just be getting a cup of tea or something?

Roman: In which case “they” would’ve heard us knocking and shouting by now wouldn’t they? [a pause] Look, let’s go round, properly and see if anyone is actually here.

Elliot: Urgh, I don’t like this.

[SFX: Footsteps on gravel, faint sound of hose pipe, then Roman knocking on door, door creak]

Elliot: Roman, can you hear that?

Roman: Ssh, ssh

Elliot: I think I agree with you now Ro, there’s no-one here. That hosepipe is still running.

Roman: Elliot, just...Oh, you’re right, it is. [louder] Hello? Is there anybody in there? We’re here to help you. Look, if you don’t want us to come in, just say.

Elliot: [hushed] Wait, we’re what?

Roman: [hushed but rushed] Mate, this is beyond a normal situation right now. Who leaves all their hose pipe running into the grass like that and their door wide open. Then doesn’t respond when someone knocks and shouts at the door. Either, they’re in need of some serious medical help or they left in a massive rush.

[shouting] Okay, we’re coming in.

Elliot: [quietly] Fuck, fuck.

[SFX: Footsteps on floorboards]

Roman: Hello?  Heellooo?

[SFX: More footsteps, creaky doors]

[SFX: Something dropping]

Roman: [gasps]

Elliot: Shit, sorry!

Roman: [sighs] Mate, this isn’t looking hopeful.

Elliot: [hesitant] Do we, go up?

Roman: Reckon we’ll have to.

[SFX: Slow footsteps upstairs]

Roman: [less hopeful] Anyone there? 

[SFX: Footsteps and door creaks]

Elliot: Roman, where is everyone?

Roman: By everyone, I’m assuming you mean the people who live here?

Elliot: No, I mean like, everyone.

Roman: It’s not exactly like we’re in the hustle and bustle of the city here Elliot, this is the first house we’ve come across for miles.

Elliot: When was the last time you saw a car? Saw a plane trail in the sky? Heard a distant road? When was the last time we freaking saw someone Roman? When?

Roman: Alright, chill. Here, look, I admit there’s clearly no-one here and whoever was here left in a massive fucking rush. Obviously. But there could be so many reasons for that. So many! [sighs] Let’s go try that TV downstairs and see if there’s anything on the news channel or something.

Elliot: Fuck…Alright then.

[SFX: Footsteps downstairs]

[SFX: Record switches off]

[SFX: Radio intro]

Professor Ryan: I have been looking over some of the documents surrounding this section and it seems as though Elliot later wrote some journal entries regarding their experiences here. Whilst I’m not sure when he wrote these, they do help fill some gaps. For entries twenty four through twenty nine, I will swap between the journal and recorder so as to keep the narrative consistent.

[SFX: Writing]

Elliot: Welcome back to civilisation! Oh...wait. It doesn’t fucking exist anymore does it? [sighs] 

You easily forget the things that matter most to you when you’re away from it all for a bit. I mean, we broke into a god damn house. Like, some random person’s house. We could’ve just walked on past. Roman kept telling me afterwards that it was necessary and realistic, you know, someone could've actually needed our help. And in a way he’s right. But that’s not really what bothers me the most. What bothers me is that I don’t really feel guilty about it. Like, I know I should and I know me in any other situation would be so anxious right now but I just don’t feel that way. See what I mean, you easily forget the things that matter. 

Am I a criminal now? I think I’ve already answered that question for myself given what we’ve decided to do now.

[SFX: Tape recorder clicking]

[SFX: Rustling sounds as the recorder comes on]

Elliot: [frustrated] Just, let me do this!

Roman: Alright, keep your boots on! Why does it matter so much?

Elliot: I already said! If they listen to this, they’ll know we didn’t do it maliciously!

Roman: We’re not stealing it though brother, we’re borrowing it for a good cause.

Elliot: And we’ll bring it back as soon as we find out what’s going on?

Roman: Exactly! I’ll even leave them a little petrol money if it’ll make you feel slightly better.

Elliot: It’s not about me!

Roman: Yes Elliot, it clearly is.   Now, grab your bag, we’re getting out of here! [SFX: Key jingling]

[SFX: Footsteps and car door closing. Footsteps.]

Elliot: Can’t believe I’m a bit to do this.

Roman: I can. You absolute rebel.

Elliot: [heavy sigh]

[SFX: Pencil Scribbling, Entry Twenty Six]

Elliot: I didn’t want anything to do with it, I could justify the house situation, given that the door was open and like I said, someone could’ve genuinely needed our help. But this...this feels like some shit I’d expect someone to be doing in an apocalypse movie, thinking the law didn’t matter any more. Urgh, I just hope, seriously fucking hope, it’s worth it. If we get to the city and it turns out there was some sort of disaster, that people had fled, then I think I can console myself, you know? Know that doing this wasn’t all that bad. 

But if we get there and there’s actually nothing up. That we were just overreacting based on the little context we actually have...man I just. I don’t know. I don’t want to get arrested for stealing, but I know that if we don’t do something to speed up finding out, what could have happened, well we could end up in worse trouble and struggling for food or, I dread to think

Catch 22 as used to say. ‘This is a real catch 22 lad’ [laughs]…I think I finally know what he was on about now. 

[SFX: Tape start up]

[SFX: Car door. Engine starting, car on gravel]

Roman: Oh man, it feels good to be actually getting somewhere!

Elliot: I should definitely feel more guilty than I do right now.

Roman: Are you...are you trying to make yourself feel guilty? Elliot, just, listen. For a second. You keep going on about how there’s no-one here about how bad everything is and then when I suggest something that will actually help us out, help us find more, you complain about it. You try and find a way out of it. And look, I get it. The TV didn’t work and the radio couldn’t pick up a signal, but still that could be for absolutely any reason whatsoever. There are so many plausible things that could’ve happened! Power cuts off. Happen all the time, especially since those attacks. [quickly] NOT that I think it’s one of those again...before you go off on one! 

Look bro, all I’m trying to say is either accept what you think has happened and do your best to help us both to get home or assume it’s not as bad as it seems and keep a level head. But please, for both of our sake, choose one and stick to it.

Elliot: [dejected] Okay. Okay

[SFX: Car on road sounds]

[SFX: Tape fast forward]

Elliot: [solemn] How far off are we?

Roman: We’ve only been going a few miles, so still a bit a yet.

[SFX: Car breaks down]

Roman: Shit, fuck!

[SFX: Recording ends]

[SFX: Pen writing]

Elliot: And I couldn’t believe it, like, seriously. We’d be travelling for a few god damn miles and we break their car! Absolute joke. Didn’t help that Roman decided to have a freaking go at me about, my feelings or whatever. I don’t know how he’s keeping it together like he is or if he’s just so hell bent on getting back to his family that he’s ignoring the increasingly obvious signs that shit is hugely fucked up.

Anyway, documenting what happened. Right? 

So, we check the map and it’s going to be hours of walking before we make it to the town and it’s alright pretty late by this time so it’s gonna be dark before we make it there. Realistically, we probably could’ve made it. But…[sighs] well to be honest hours of walking then camping on a roadside vs about a 45 minute return back and a roof over our heads for the first time in over a week, I didn’t take much convincing at that point. Roman also said that he reckons a place like this has plenty of tools that we could bring back with us to try and get to the car up and running again. I mean, that sounds pretty good.

[SFX: Writing]

 Surprise, surprise, he was right! He reckons it’s an electrical issue or something, so we might...might be able to fix it. If not, at least we can walk again after a good rest. I’d say I’m against sleeping in a stranger’s house, but at this point, after everything else. Well, I just want to sleep on a bed where I can’t feel the stones beneath me for once.

[SFX: Writing]

 And it turns out their cooker is gas rather than electric, thank god for retro country houses! I can’t believe how much I’m craving a meal that wasn’t warmed up by a camp stove. Oh man...I’m sorry whoever lived...lives here, but Roman’s right, we need this right now. I will repay the debt that we owe to whoever owns this house. 

[SFX: Writing]

God damn, I’m so conflicted. I’m sat here in this beautiful front room. I mean, it’s a bit outdated, but it’s comfortable and homely, kind of reminds me of my grandparent’s house when we were little. Except, well it’s not is it? And I don’t know this place, don’t know the pictures on the walls and cabinets, got no idea who that is smiling with a baby in their arms at the seaside. Don’t know who these people are so proud of up on the wall there smiling away after graduating. And all I can do is assume that these two black and white pictures on the mantelpiece of a man in a military uniform and a woman with a big beaming smiling and curled hair are the residents. But like I said...It’s an assumption. And here I am, sat in their house. Smelling their food, thinking about going to sleep in one of their rooms.

I mean, yeah, we’ll change the sheets and that before we use them and I think, from what I can tell the room we chose is a guest room given the lack of personal items in there, but...urgh, I don’t know. Conflicted. I just….I need to rest and I feel an odd sense of comfort here. It’s not, sort of that grandparenty feel but...it’s wrong.

[SFX: Writing]

I keep half imagining them arriving back at home and freaking the hell out at seeing us. Me trying to explain myself, Roman trying to crack a joke about it. The guilt. The police? ….Urgh, I need to stop. I’m going to go find a book to read or something...just need to think about something, anything else.

[SFX: Recording clicks on]

Voice: [played with static/heavy distortion] Me. Can you….

Roman: [accusingly, Elliot has done something silly] ELLIOT!

Elliot: [distant] No.

Roman: What do you mean no?

Elliot: [closer] Well, you’re doing that voice you do when I’ve done something...Oh. I forgot about that.

Roman: [in a mock Elliot voice] We’re ever so sorry but we’ve had to borrow your car for a little bit, blah blah blah. We’ll look after it for you and make sure it smells like a pretty pretty daisies

Love Elliot.

Elliot: Hey! ...I didn’t write that last bit

Roman: You may as well of done! I can’t believe you left a freaking note man.

Elliot: Well, they could’ve come back whilst we were gone.

Roman: Oh yeah, I can see it now. [mock female posh voice] Oh, Reginald what a delightful evening walk that was. Do you think the hose has done watering the garden yet dearest husband? By jove Reggie, the automobile has been absconded!

Elliot: [laughs] Oh my God, you’re such a dick.

Roman: I know. Buuut you love me for it...Guess that makes you a weirdo!

Elliot: Ooh, Roman, the food!

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: Yeah, yeah. I got it. 10 more mins and this bad boy’s gonna be done.

[SFX: Chair moving, paper scrunching]

Roman: [accusatory] Elliot...the note still exists even if you throw it away.

Elliot: [laughs quietly]

[long pause]

Elliot: Uhm, Roman. why is your voice recorder flashing?

Roman: What?

[SFX: Chair moving]

Elliot: Wait, it’s recording. Why are you recording?

Roman: I wasn’t, I just left it on the table. I was gonna see if there were any other batteries here I could nab for it. Lemme see.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: What the fuck man? You sure you didn’t turn it on when you picked it up?

Elliot: It was flashing before that, I’m not thick.

Roman: Weird. Turn it off anyway, food’s nearly done now.

[SFX: Recorder off with muffled effects]

Prof Ryan: At first it would appear as though one of the brother’s inadvertently activated the recording device here, however, as I’m sure you well heard there is an unsettling sound at the beginning of this recording which sounds like another person, perhaps even a woman calling out to the brothers. I can find no record here of the brothers acknowledging this sound, therefore I am inclined to believe it was a sort of phantom recording picked up either from external interference or a previous recording device. I am yet to listen-[sighs at being disturbed]

[SFX: Door opening]

Taylor: Ryan. She’s awake.

Prof Ryan: [flustered, excited] Oh, I...So soon? Is...is she speaking, alert? I must see her!

[SFX: Chair/Desk movement]

I...Survivors, I….I shall return another day. This could completely change our understanding of these records.

I wish you all well in the coming days and hope that you are able to keep safe and warm. I shall return soon Survivors, but in the meantime...Remember: Don’t wander in the dark.

[Outro music]

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.

[SFX: Outro music fade]