S1: E08 - Broken

S01-E08: Broken

Narrator: Wake Of Corrosion

Episode 8: Broken

[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.

[Radio Intro SFX etc]

Prof Ryan: Today we shall cover further entries from Elliot and Roman as they embark on the next leg of their journey. However, before we begin that I wish to share with you my most recent conversation with our courier, as there are close links to our upcoming entries.

In recent days she has drifted in and out of rest but has since recalled some of her memory regarding the outside world.

[Recorder clicks on]

Callie: Is, is it recording?

Prof Ryan: Aye it is….[hesitating, unsure about her name] I, I still don’t know what to call you.

Callie: [Sounding positive] I’ve been thinking, it’s like my name is on the tip of my tongue and I can’t quite piece it all together. It’s [hesitates] Ca-Cla….Cah-lee. [sighs] I don’t think that’s it, but it’s what I always come to. [resolved] If you want to call me Callie, then go ahead.

Prof Ryan: If that’s what you’re comfortable with, then I shall. So…[hesitating, trying the name for the first time] Callie, what is it you wanted to tell me?

Callie: Well, the doctor, Taylor is it? She said I should talk about the things I can remember, to help and, well I’ll be honest, when I’m awake...other than her, you’re the only person I really talk to around here.

Prof Ryan: I can ask some of the others to visit if you like?

Callie: [laughs] No, no it’s alright. I figured it’d be best to share what I know with you anyway. It seems fitting. [thinking] I remembered why your voice sounded so familiar when we spoke. I used to listen to you, on a radio, perhaps? Before I came here, I’m sure I did!

Prof Ryan: [laughs, feeling surprised someone actually heard him] Highly likely, I’ve been broadcasting from here for months. It wasn’t until you arrived, however, that I had something real to share. That’s good, that you remember. There is hope for the future.

Callie: When was the last time you went outside, Ryan?

Prof Ryan: [saddened] I haven’t Callie...Not since it started.

Callie: I fear your hope may be misplaced. It’s like another world out there Ryan. 

[throughout this section she is recalling things she vaguely remembers]  I remember that I was with a group of a few others before I came here. We would move from place to place, never settling. Never staying. For days, I couldn’t remember why. Couldn’t recall why we would always be on the move. But this morning, this morning it came to me. 

I remember the people I moved around with, a young couple, their daughter and someone else they knew, I get the sense it wasn’t a friend, but they trusted him. We stayed for a bit at first, in a building, maybe their house? I’m not sure. It was nice there, I thought we would be okay. [change of tone, dark] First it got cold, really cold. It was still the summer then, it was wrong. Then a ceiling or...something..collapsed. I think it killed the father. The rest of the house slowly went the same way and we fled.

In my head, I can see this happening over and over, each time in a different place. Different time. And I see the man again, the acquaintance with a blank expression running and me. And I don’t know why. I sometimes see his face in my sleep, even now. [becoming upset] I don’t know...I- [near crying]

Prof Ryan: It’s alright. You don’t have to say anymore.

Callie: [Recovering slightly, still sniffly] Ryan...I woke up to catch the end of your last broadcast. You should be careful who you invite here.

Prof Ryan: I know...I know

[Recording cuts off]

[SFX: Transition]

Prof Ryan: Ahem, as we dive further into the findings of all of those who have experienced the world outside, I must remind you survivors that there are many bunkers situated across the country and that any one of these could be your key to salvation. And if you, yourself are in possession of any sort of radio communication device, then you can use it to get in touch with us using the Emergency Bunker Radio Code - A:12.

We now return to the brothers, for Entry 31:

[SFX: Recorder clicks on]

Elliot: Are you really recording this?

Roman: Moment of truth here El, we have to get going! Far and fast is the plan.

[SFX: Car starting sounds]

Roman: [Trying to get it to start] C’mon, c’moon

[SFX: Car comes to life]

Elliot: Yes!

Roman: Fuck yes! Wooo! Let’s rock and roll! Everything in?

Elliot: Is indeed. Phew, I never thought I’d be so happy to hear a car start up!

Roman: Well buckle up, we’re moving out.

[SFX: Car on road cont.]

Elliot: Before we turn this off, should we add something onto it?

Roman: Like what man, didn’t you just write it all down in your journal?

Elliot: Not at all of it. Not what you saw with the binoculars.

Roman: Right well, I suppose you want me to do the honours do you?

Alright, you can just about see the house from where we are with the binoculars, we’re a tad bit higher than it here. And I think, what was it about half an hour ago now?

Elliot: Uhm, yeah?

Roman: The house we stayed at last night, had some ivy growing up the front, like on those old style cottages. They musn’t have started it long ago cus it was only up the door when we first arrived. [hesitates and sighs] But when I looked back, well it was up to the god damn roof, covering part of it.

Elliot: Yeah and it looked to me like part of the roof had caved in. It was hard to tell when I looked through.

Roman: [he means the binoculars here] What with you breaking them and all.

Elliot: Oi, that wasn’t my fault!

Roman: [ignoring Elliot] So yeah, something is well fucked up with that house basically!

Elliot: [a pause] Do you think the world is ending bro?

Roman: I mean, the world’s a big place Elliot…

Elliot: You know what I mean, I can’t keep making excuses for everything that we keep seeing.

Roman: [serious] Nah, sorry. You’re right. We really can’t. Shit’s fucked up, like I’m afraid this goes much further than what we’ve seen so far. But..[sighs] we’ve got to focus on what we can and cannot do right now. Yeah? We can head back home through the city and take a look at what's going on elsewhere. But we can’t figure this out alone, so we gotta find others. Alright?

[a pause]

Elliot: I’m sorry about convincing you to not take your phone.

Roman: It was our decision Elliot, not just yours alone.

Elliot: I know but...but if we had brought them you might have been able to get in touch with Cla-

Roman: [Interrupts, sharp] They’ll be there... [serious] Turn that off now.  [The voice recorder he means here]

[SFX: Muffled sounds. Click off]

Prof Ryan: It’s important here that we look collectively at the evidence presented to us. Combining the knowledge of the following: the brothers’ experiences, Callie’s recount of her life  outside and my experience prior to coming here, we can deduce the following:

There are certain areas that begin to turn cold, it would appear these have mainly been experienced in buildings from what we know so far. This unnatural cold seems to be a precursor to some sort of deterioration in building integrity as well as, in the brother’s most recent case, accelerated growth of plant life. These three occurrences seem synonymous with one another. However, we are yet to hear an account of someone witnessing this growth in real time. I do not know whether the brother’s records have any live recordings or personal encounters with this as I have only scanned through the later material. It’s impossible to say at this time what causes these three effects and whether they’re intrinsically connected. [Getting annoyed] Ah, we need more evidence here.

[sighs]

For our next entry, we rejoin the brother’s as they enter the nearest city.

Entry 32 follows: 

[SFX: Recorder clicks on]

[SFX: Slow car sound]

Elliot: [Recorder comes on mid speech] So, about those people we were going to find?

Roman: This must be what that house we were at looks like now, look at it El, that building on the corner. There’s stuff growing up into the window frame.

Elliot: Looks like it’s about to collapse to me, can you see the ceiling bowing on the inside?

Roman: What the hell happened here. [a pause] Look at all these cars...ah shit, I’m gonna have to stop here, [sighs] I can’t get past these.

[SFX: Window winding down]

Elliot: Air smells weird man, like...like a scrapyard, you know? That sort of rusty metal smell.

Roman: Metallic-y. [thinking] It’ll be all these cars sat here, check out how rusted some of them are. [a pause] [SFX: Gear stick moving] Well, looks like we’re taking the long way home. No way I can get onto the dual carriageway through here. We’ll try some other roads but I’m not gonna hold out hope!

Elliot: Part of me wants to try and find someone here, I mean we’re in the middle of the city. There’s gotta be someone, something here.

Roman: Two secs, I've got an idea. 

[SFX: Car door] 

Elliot: Woah now, hold up, hold up! Where’re you going? 

[SFX: Car door and footsteps] 

Roman: I'm checking these cars here, look at them mate, there's no way they were left like this voluntarily. 

Elliot: So, what's looking at them got to do with anything? 

[SFX: Car door] 

Roman: Ah shit, not this one

[SFX: Footsteps and door] 

Elliot: Are you gonna tell me or am I just gonna be left standing here like a lemon holding your recorder? 

Roman: Yes! I fucking knew it! 

Elliot: A phone? Holy shit a phone! Roman, you genius! Does it work still? 

Roman: Uhm, yes… Buuut-

Elliot: It's locked isn't it? 

Roman: Yup

Elliot: Fuck! 

Roman: One sec, you can still do emergency calls

[SFX: Call failing] 

Roman: Damn it! Damn it damn it damn it! What the fuck is going in Elliot!! 

Elliot: Shit man, this is everywhere isn't it? 

Roman: I fucking hope not. 

Elliot: Reckon there's any others? 

Roman: What, phones? Maybe, but what's the point?

Elliot: Well if we find one that doesn't have a lock on it, maybe we could find out something. 

Roman: See, I knew you had at least some brains up there! 

[SFX: Footsteps and car doors] 

Elliot: Here Roman, this one doesn't have a lock on it. Aah shit, no signal as well.

Roman: Check their messages or browser, maybe they had something up. 

Elliot: Good call…. [SFX: Button Press] Look at this here: EARLY WARNING SYSTEM: ALL CIVILIANS TO HEAD TO COUNTY BUNKERS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.  Roman, we should head to one of those. 

Roman: Nah mate, if I know Claire she wouldn't have just upped and gone to one of those. She never trusted that bunker crap! 

Elliot: But Roman, we could be safe there, then we can find her afterwards. If what we've seen so far is anything to go by, we shouldn't be out here any longer than we need to. 

Roman: What’s the point? If we’re out here already we... [suddenly stops after hearing noise]

[SFX: The noise of someone else around them]

Elliot: [a pause] Roman...You’re doing that thing where you stop part way through a sentence.

Roman: Shush, a sec. [listening] [SFX: Noise again]  There’s someone in that building there. [points]

Elliot: Seriously? You sure?

Roman: Didn’t you hear that?

Elliot: I heard, but it just sounded like rubble or something.

Roman: Nah mate, there’s someone in there. I’m sure I saw a shadow moving.

Elliot: Alright, well, shall we shout to them?

Roman: And say what? Help we’re confused out of our tiny little minds?

Elliot: [laughs] Yeah, basically.

Roman: Off you go then!

Elliot: [Shouting] Hello? Is there someone in there? We’re not sure what’s going on and wondered if you could help us?

Roman: Well, look who’s feeling confident.

[a pause]

Elliot: Shit Roman! There’s actually someone there. They’re waving to us, I think they want us to go to them.

[SFX: Car door opening (Roman)]

Roman: Alright, let’s go then. [quieter, as though saying it so the other person doesn’t see] Let’s be careful though, right?

Elliot: Roman, we’ve not seen anyone in over a week…

Roman: Exactly, I don’t think now's the time to be trusting strangers, do you?

Elliot: [sighs] Alright. Shall we leave the bags here?

Roman: Yeah, best not let them know we’ve got anything for now, just in case. 

Elliot: You taking the recorder though?

Roman: Good idea. [SFX: Muffled mic grab sounds then door closing] C’mon bro, let’s go. I’ll lead.

[SFX: Elliot door close]

[SFX: Car lock]

[SFX: Footsteps on concrete]

Roman: At least this building doesn’t look like it’s going to collapse...yet.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: [to the person] Do us a favour and step out into the light yeah? [SFX: Slow footsteps] My name is Roman, this is my brother Elliot. Who’re you?

Mia: [Abrupt] Mia.

Roman: [uncertain] Alright...Mia..Nice to meet you. And I actually mean that, we’ve...well…

Mia: [sharp] Come in, come in now. [a pause] You don’t want to be out there, trust me. In here, in here is better.

Roman: Before we step forward, Mia. Who else is with you? I don’t want any surprises.

Mia: Just me, just me.

Roman: Okay.

[SFX: Slow footsteps]

Mia: Sit, sit down.

Elliot: Mia, how long has this place been like this?

Mia: Too long, [thinking] don’t know days.

Roman: [suspicious] Right, listen Mia. I’m gonna be honest here, we’ve been away in the woods for a bit and we’ve not got a fucking clue what’s going on right now. We’ve seen some weird ass shit and, frankly I, we, just need to know what’s going on.

Mia: [laughs with desperation] I know nothing to tell you. This is my home now.

Roman: Seriously Mia, I guarantee you know far more than we do right now.

Elliot: Tell us something, please, just anything. Anything to give us a clue what the hell is going on.

Mia: Alright, I will tell you what I know. Just keep your voices quiet. [thinking] Days ago, I’m not sure how many. The night’s are…[sharp] nevermind.

There were warnings that went out, they told us to head to our county’s bunkers, as soon as possible. This is as far as we got.

Elliot: We?

Mia: [spoken with a twang of pain] My two housemates…[changing subject] Further down, the road had started to collapse. People ran out of their cars to try and help or, maybe look [laughs quietly] probably to look. [serious again] All the others just ran. [distracted] We didn’t look. Wendy wanted to look, we didn’t look.

We hid though. In here. In here is safe. The buildings around, some started to fall in on themselves. Some concrete cracked, some metal rusted. We sat in the shadows of this place. [distracted] A bank, I think. We sat in the shadows and watched the air fill with dust and the screams fall silent. Mark said he saw a man disappear, said he saw another’s legs. Just their legs. 

Then Mark went to look outside [in despair] Why outside? [serious again] You really shouldn’t go outside.

When he came back….[confused with self] Did he come back? There was an older man...He said he wasn’t sure of his name, said he might be Mark. We called after the real Mark but he never came...or was he Mark? Was he him? [distracted] We didn’t go outside after that. 

The older man Mark said it was dangerous, said there were things outside, that’s all he ever said...things. [distracted] He had food with him, a backpack full of tins.

But in the night, the first night, the shadows didn’t grow. The shadows were only red and the screams came back And in those screams I heard the old man…he screamed like a mind possessed. Wendy went to wake him from his nightmare [distracted] Was he asleep?

[a pause]

I heard a gargle. Have you ever heard a gargle like that? ….[a pause] I hadn’t. Now I know. 

The screaming stopped and Wendy was still knelt down, but in the fading red gloom, her head was down low, like she’d fallen asleep sat up. [distracted] Was she asleep? I could see the old man’s silhouette beside her. His chest heaving, breathing heavily.

So heavy. There was a wet metallic clang on the tiled floor. And Wendy was in his arms. The silence permeated by a soft weeping, he cradled Wendy. Cradled her so closely.

As I watched, still barely awake. I saw dust rising from them both. Was it dust? Was it their breath? I blinked hard to see again.

When my eyes reopened…[struggling] when my eyes reopened...they were gone.

The tiles are darker there. Darker and rough.

Are you the same people as when you left the building? Are you the same as when you came back inside? 

I don’t think you’d know. Mark didn’t know.

Roman: [She’s insane, and you’ve seen a rusted/stained knife sat beside her on the bench] Thank you Mia. Thank you for...sharing that with us.

Mia: [Serious] It’s safe here now. The screaming doesn’t come back anymore. You should stay. You should stay, there are still plenty of tins.

Roman: We..[trying to think of a way out of this] we really need to get back to our family.

Mia: You won’t make it back! Only here is safe. I’ve seen out there, sometimes it’s a wasteland. Sometimes it’s a wasteland with nothing but falling ashes and crumbled walls. I saw it when you came in. You can’t go back out there.

[a pause]

Elliot: We can stay a moment, can’t we Roman? We can help you out Mia.

Roman: [Having a realisation of a way out, but trying to hide it] Yeah, yeah you’re right Elliot we could. But listen, Mia, Elliot and I have a lot of important things in our car. So if we’re gonna stay, we’ll need to grab our stuff. We’ve even got more food in there, so we can stay here for longer.

Mia: Only here is safe!

Roman: I know, I know. But we’ll be less than 30 seconds. We’ve been out there for days already….[thinking of more reasons] We know exactly where it is. It’s all bags.

[SFX: Standing up out of chair and a single footstep]

Mia: I cannot stop you, but you might not be the same when you come back. [distracted, regretful] Mark didn’t know.

Roman: I know, I know. Elliot and I are strong, we are willing to take the risk. C’mon brother, let’s do this quickly.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Mia: If you hear the screams or see the ashes, you must come back!

Elliot: We will, Mia. I promise.

Roman: Ready El?

Elliot: Ready.

[SFX: Rapid footsteps, building up]

[SFX: Car door opening] 

Roman: [sense of urgency] Get the fuck in Elliot!

Elliot: What, why, our stuff is in the back.

Roman: Are you fucking kidding me? Get in!

Elliot: Roman, I don’t-

Roman: Get in! I’ll explain in a sec.

[SFX: Car door opening]

[SFX: Engine starting up and gear change to reverse]

Elliot: What’re you doing? We said we’d go back!

Roman: Mate, we’re not fucking going back.

Elliot: Why? She needs our help!

Roman: [serious] No, Elliot, she doesn’t!

[SFX: Driving sounds]

Roman: [calming down] Listen, I get it. She seemed distressed and like she’d lost her friends and needed help. But did you even stop for a second and look around at that place?

Elliot: Yes, obviously. She had those benches set up in the middle, a firepit. Her bed in the corner. 

Roman: [matter of fact] And the mound of clothes in the other with dark smudges around the edge? The rusted and stained knife she kept tapping by her leg. The fact that she was talking absolute bollocks about her friend becoming an old man. She’s lost it mate, and I think we were going to be the next ‘dark patch’ on the floor...fuck my heart is pounding.

[a pause] 

Elliot: I...I didn’t see all that. I...I’m sorry Roman. I should’ve noticed, I shouldn’t have trusted her so easily. I just….I wanted to see someone so badly, wanted someone to help us so much. Do you think...do you think she’ll be okay?

Roman: I think it’s better out of our minds mate. And you don’t need to apologise. She, she’s got herself this far. I….[hesitant, realising] I just hope I made the right decision. [a pause] Who knows…

Elliot: I trust your instincts.

Roman: Thanks mate, would you mind driving? I want to check our route back but I don’t fancy stopping long whilst we’re still round here.

Elliot: Sure. And we’re still going to yours right?

Roman: Mate, we have to. I can’t leave them out here. I have to know.

Elliot: Alright. Okay.

[SFX: Transition to Ryan]

Prof Ryan: Although I believe the brothers were right to flee in this situation if it is true what Roman saw, I fear that they disregarded some of the truth in what Mia had to say here. Whilst we here at Bunker A:12 have very limited experience of the things in outside that Mia warned about, we...well I know the reality of the situation, as do you, Survivors.

However, it is perhaps the brother’s ignorance to the truth that gets them through their next ordeal on the road home. [SFX: Radio crackle] We shall leave the broadcast there for today my friends.

Remember, sharing our knowledge is perhaps the only way out of this, Survivors.

Here at Bunker A:12, we hope you’re somewhere secure and warm and as always...Don’t wander in the dark.