S1: E10 - Where We Should Have Been

S01-E10: Where We Should Have Been

Narrator: Wake Of Corrosion

Episode 10: Where We Should Have Been

[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.

Prof Ryan: Today, survivors, we are joined by Callie. One of the only survivors who has been able to make it to us here and the reason for the wealth of knowledge we have about Elliot and Roman. It is my hope that today holds the key to our next steps as we near the end of what we currently know of the brothers.

Between now and our last broadcast, Callie and I discussed at length the extent of her knowledge regarding the events currently afflicting us. Whilst it’s clear that she knows more than she is currently able to recall and we were unable to recover any further memories as of yet, the mention of another world is…Well it’s a path that we should no doubt consider.

Callie: Like I said before though Ryan, I don’t even know if it holds any truth or it’s just something I came up with.

Prof Ryan: No matter Callie, any knowledge is better than nothing. [clears throat] We shall begin today’s broadcast with Entry 34: A voice recording of the brothers as they make their way back to Roman’s family home. 

[SFX: Recorder on]

(At the start of this scene Roman activates his voice recorder because they’re close to his house, but also because he has suddenly started to feel very ill)

Roman: [weakened] Elliot, I… 

Elliot: Ah shit Roman. Why did you start this… Ah damn it. 

Roman: *coughs* What's happening? 

Elliot: I...I don’t know. It might just be what happened yesterday.

Roman: My arm, it aches so much. Gah, it feels like someone is squeezing it so hard.

Elliot: Let me see it.

[SFX: Coat sounds]

Roman: Oh fuck, when did those bruises get there?

Elliot: I think that’s from me dragging you yesterday...One sec...Yeah, that’s about where I held you.

Roman: [coughs] Did you have to grip me so hard? [a pause] There’s no way that’s making me feel like this though. It’s not just my arm Elliot, I feel like shit.

Elliot: It could just be all the stress of what we’ve been through. I remember whenever I used to get really anxious I’d end up giving myself a stomach ache and not even realise. And look, we’re so close to your house now. It’s probably just building up, but we’re nearly there. [a pause] Can you still walk alright?

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: Well put it this way, [pained] I’m not letting this stop me after everything else that’s tried!

Elliot: We’ll be there soon. Pass me your bag.

[SFX: Bag sounds]

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: Elliot, look. I need to be honest with you. Whatever happened yesterday..I just…I’m sorry.

Elliot: What for? It’s not like you willingly went into the forest is it?

Roman: No, I know, but…[with sincerity] Thank you, again. Thank you for whatever the hell you did to save me. I know you’re not telling me the full story. I can tell whenever we talk about it, I can see it in your eyes that there’s something you’re holding back. If you want to talk about it, you can share it, alright?

Elliot: I know...maybe one day Roman. I could really do with a rest to process all of it to be honest, my head is fried.

Roman: Well, whatever happens mate. We’re in it together, as always.

[SFX: Footsteps]

[SFX: Fast forward]

[SFX: Footsteps] 

Roman: Doesn’t look like Claire’s car is in the drive

Elliot: Alright, possibly a good thing, she could be at a bunker. Your house keys in the bag?

Roman: [ignoring the bunker comment] Nah, I’ve got them here. [SFX: Key jingle] [pained] Wanted to be ready.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Elliot: Feels like a lifetime since we were last here man. I’m gonna be honest, I doubted whether we’d make it. Especially when the car broke down again…

Roman: [still in pain in this bit, but don’t overplay it] I know. I’m just hoping they’re there or at least there’s something about where they’ve gone if they’re not. I mean, we’ve not seen a single person since we’ve been walking and some of the houses around here looked wrecked, not as bad as what we’ve seen elsewhere, but even that nosy old lady’s house on the corner was crumbling and she was obsessed with upkeep! [groan of pain] I just still don’t understand how this could’ve even happened. It’s so sporadic, there’s no pattern to it.

Elliot: Me either Roman, me either. [a pause] You ready?

[SFX: Keys unlock/door opening]

Roman: [loud] Claire? …[louder] Kids? Imogen, Theo? ….[quieter] Fuck.

Elliot: Rory? Rooorryy!

Roman: [annoyed] Shit, fuck! They’re not here.

[SFX: Door closing/Footsteps]

Elliot: Do you think they left in a rush?

Roman: ...Oh man, [upset] Imogen’s duck is still here.

Elliot: Let me see..Hey, it’s alright. That could mean anything!

Roman: Exactly! Anything Elliot! She could be fucking dead!

Elliot: We don’t know that, let’s just keep looking.

[SFX: Footsteps and doors etc]

Elliot: Woah, what’s up with that door?

[a pause]

Roman: What the fuck?

[SFX: Footsteps and door creak]

Elliot: I’m surprised it even opens. How’s it all warped and cracked like that?

Roman: It was fine when we left.

Elliot: Check out the wall on the edge as well, the paper is peeling a little.

[SFX: Footsteps]

[SFX: Garage reverb]

Roman: It’s like all those other places Elliot. Look at the walls, they’re cracked so bad. And everything in here, it’s all eroded.

Elliot: It’s like entropy.

Roman: What?

Elliot: Everything in here, everything out there. It’s slowly breaking down, becoming more and more disordered. Look, all of your tools, they’re completely rusted and the wood on the workbench, it’s nearly completely rotted away, the metal frame is all that’s left and even that’s going. Everything in here has just...aged.

Roman: So, you’re saying that’s what happened in all those other places? Right? The houses and shit? [a pause] That explains why that place we stayed in was covered in plants so soon after we left. They had so many things growing around the outside that I bet some just took over. And all those buildings crumbling. But how though? And why here? Why so random?

Elliot: Look, look at where the light should be. All the cracks, the aging, the deterioration, it’s like it started there, it’s so dark around there too. It looks mouldy even, like damp. Even the plastic fitting has some of it on and the bulb...the bulb that broke.

Roman: [realising] Shit Elliot! The bulb that broke, do you remember? Before we left, before we left for the trip. It popped when we were talking about packing our stuff up. You nearly crapped yourself! It happened twice that day…

Elliot: Do you think...Do you think that it started then? 

Roman: It could be. It makes sense….well, no, it doesn’t make sense, but it’s about as close as I can get.

Elliot: So perhaps, perhaps that means that Claire knew something was up early on? If she saw this happening, she would’ve done something, right? Maybe even headed somewhere safe?

Roman: I bloody hope so…

[SFX: Dust/Bits falling]

Roman: Come out the garage now mate.

Elliot: What, why?

Roman: Well, unless you want a roof falling on your head. [SFX: Footsteps] Right, c’mon, let’s see if Claire left anything to say where they were going.

Elliot: Wait, where’s your phone?

Roman: In the safe, in the garage. I’m not even going to entertain going to get it, not until we’ve had a good look elsewhere to see if Claire left anything.

[SFX: Fast forward]

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: Well, nothing in the front room. 

Elliot: Roman, isn’t this Claire’s phone? By the keys here

[picks it up]

Roman: Oh, yeah yeah, that’s her work’s phone. Pass it here!

[SFX: Phone passing]

Roman: It’s off, one sec [a pause, phone comes on] Well, it’s got charge. That’s a start [a pause] Shit, still no signal. Looks like we’re not gonna get anything that way.

Elliot: Check her messages.

Roman: [reading out a text] EARLY WARNING SYSTEM: ALL CIVILIANS TO HEAD TO COUNTY BUNKERS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. 

Elliot: Just the same as we saw before, if she got that, then she could be there? Is there anything else?

Roman: Damn it...that’s it. There’s nothing else related after that. Outgoing or incoming.

Elliot: Wait, check her recent apps. What did she have open?

Roman: Uhm, okay…[listing] Messages, that was me, camera, contacts-

Elliot: Camera! Open the camera. She might have recorded something.

Roman: You reckon?

Elliot: Why else would she have left her phone by the keys? And it’s quicker than writing right?

Roman: [Excited and seeing a video file] Yeah, yeah, look. Elliot, she recorded something.

[SFX: Slightly lesser quality voice recording]

Claire/Callie: [Here she’s recording herself and panicked, she doesn’t know what to say and may hesitate. She’s on the verge of panicking but is holding it together]

 Roman, if you’re watching this then you’ve made it home and...and well I’ve not made it to you. 

Before I say anything else, cus I know you’ll be panicking! Next door has taken the kids to Bunker A:7, Rory is with me and...Oh, don’t go in the garage. It’s all…[not sure how to describe it] messed up, I don’t know what’s going on in there and because I know you’ll look anyway, be careful. Seriously. I haven’t let Immy stay in her room since. I was going to get someone to come and have a look but, well I got a text, one of those government ones, they want us to go to the bunkers.

I...I’m not going there straight away. Sarah called me, just after, she said there’s something seriously wrong at work, something about a [confused] confluence? I’m not sure. But it cut out and I missed what she said...I’ve had no signal since. [as though she’s made up her mind on a difficult decision] I’m going to get her...

I know what you’re thinking, but I have to go help her! She’s always been there for us and….Fuck, you know that already. Listen, the kids will be fine. The bunker isn’t far! Once I’ve made it to Sarah my plan is to come for you, if I can and I know…[sighs heavy] I know that if you’re listening to this I never made it and I’m sorry. [knowing that Roman will want to go after her] Please, you and Elliot just go to Bunker A:7. Whatever is going on, just go there! I’ll go there after everything. I’ll go there! [SFX: Metallic breathing sound] [serious, concerned] What the hell is that? One second [SFX: Claire puts the phone on a desk/Footsteps upstairs/A pause] 

Claire/Callie [Back in Bunker A:12 - Present Callie realises that she is Claire and narrates what will happen next]: And I come back down the stairs and say that I’ve got to go. “I love you and I’ll see you soon. Forever and whatever after…”[a long pause]

Prof Ryan: [slow and confused] Are you?

Claire: [in shock] How could I forget that?...How could I forget him and, and the kids? And the dog...where is my damn dog?

Prof Ryan: It was just you, you were alone.

Claire: Damn it...Bunker A:7, where is Bunker A:7 from here? Where is it?

Prof Ryan: [caught of guard] I, I’m not sure. I’ll have to check the map, just...just a second. [SFX: Shuffling between papers] Claire do you remember anything else? Anything about how you got all of these documents? About Sarah? [sound more like a scientist after a pause] This is an incredible discovery!

Claire: [frustrated] No, I can’t. It’s all a blur still! But I remember Roman and the kids, even the dog...I just...don’t remember Elliot. I can’t put his voice to a face, or even recall anything about. [a pause] Have you found where it is yet?

Prof Ryan: Aye, I believe this is it here. Look...It’s about 20 miles away direct, but by road it’ll be much further. Especially if they’re as bad as the brother’s have said. [thinking] I doubt we’re going to convince anyone to venture out that far. [considering other evidence] This correlates well with what we discovered yesterday, look there’s the forest we spoke of and here is us. With this we can work out a possible route and location!

Claire: Can’t you get in touch with them somehow? Don’t these bunkers have some sort of communication between them? My children could be there Ryan!

Prof Ryan: [regretful] Ah, Claire, I’m sorry but we’ve heard nothing from any other bunker since we first arrived here. The only broadcast we know of is this one.

Claire: [Claire doesn’t like the bunkers] God damn it, of course! Expected nothing else…[making her mind up] Is that where they go? Is there where they head next?

Prof Ryan: I’m uncertain as we’ve been exploring new territory in these entries since they fled from the creature that took Roman.

Claire: Start it up again, start it from when she...I went upstairs.

[SFX: Tape recorder on]

[SFX: Footsteps down stairs] 

Calire: [Here Claire comes back slightly spaced out and her speech is a little more sporadic] It was just the floor...in the Immy’s room, it’s started to fall in on the garage...I’m going to leave now, I’ve got everything I need I think. If the phones work again, call me. [A pause to gain composure. More serious] Roman, I love you and I’ll see you soon. Forever and whatever after, right?

Roman: [Seeing Claire on video and realising the kids are safe] Oh thank fuck! Oh Jesus Christ I was so fucking tense watching that! Oh thank fuck the kids are safe…

Elliot: But Roman, what about Claire?

Roman: Mate, this is Claire we’re talking about. Ain’t nothing going to stand in her way, especially if Rory is with her!

Elliot: Yeah I know she’s tough but, I mean…

Roman: [adamant but also slightly in denial]; She’ll be fine. I’m sure.

Elliot: Seriously Rom-[interrupted]

Roman: [cutting him off] Can you check the date on this?

Elliot: What, oh, like when it was taken? Yeah, go on the options and press that little i symbol in the circle.

Roman: It says the 19th August...We set off on the…

Elliot: 17th...We were only gone two days before it all went south.

Roman: Fuck, so for five days, we were completely fucking unaware? Why didn’t someone come to get us? Shit. Shit!

Elliot: Roman...Claire...She said she was going to come to us. But…

Roman: She could be at the bunker. She could’ve gone straight there. Maybe Sarah was hurt or something?

Elliot: [elated] We should go check. Do you know where it is?

Roman: Yeah yeah, we walked past with the dog a few times when it was being built.

Elliot: Alright. Shall we then?

Roman: Hold up...Just grabbing Immy’s duck. [SFX: Couple of footsteps]

Elliot: Shall I pack Claire’s phone, just in case we can get some signal?

Roman: Yeah yeah, I’ll grab the charger as well, you never know. Actually, you go grab some tinned food and that, but don’t be too long, yeah?

Elliot: Where did that Sarah work anyway?

Roman: She was Claire’s mate mainly, it was up at the Observatory, Ralford I think it was.

[SFX: Recording suddenly clicks]

[SFX: Transition]

Claire: [resolved] I’m going.

Prof Ryan:[shocked then stern] Claire...No

Claire: [determined] I’m going.

[SFX: Stool scraping as Claire stands up]

Prof Ryan: Listen to me first…

Claire: I have to find them Ryan! I can’t just sit here and wait…

Prof Ryan: [all of a sudden] It’s October Claire! [a long pause] It’s been over a month since they set out to Bunker A:7! ...It’s pointless going out there.

Claire: [upset] Fuck! Where have I been this whole time? Why wasn’t I there for them?!?

Prof Ryan: [calming down/reassuring] It’s not your fault, you’ve seen what’s happening out there, first hand. You can’t be to blame for that.

Claire: [determined] I have to do something Ryan…My children!

Prof Ryan: Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do.

Claire: No. There’s always an option. You said it yourself, we need to push through the wreckage to find answers. We need to find a way back! Whether they’re at Bunker A:7 or not, that's where my children are! I’m going out there and I’m going to find out more. [with an idea] You’ve got long range radios right? Portable ones? All of the bunkers had them, I remember seeing it in the news. 

Prof Ryan: Aye, we do but…

Claire: Then that’s what we’ll do. I’ll take one of those with me. You can keep me informed if you find out where else they go and I’ll tell you anything I find on the way.

Prof Ryan: But Claire, you can’t want to willingly go out there again? Surely, you can stay for a few more days and besides we haven’t even reached the end of this recording yet [a pause] You’re the one who brought these records here in the first place. Do you not think that says something about what happened to them?

Claire: What are you suggesting? That they’re gone? Look, I don’t have all the answers here and I can’t waste any more time sitting around waiting for my memory to come back. I’ve been living in the husk of this body for so long now, I finally have purpose. An identity. We can stay in touch, [quoting Ryan] 'together we can find a way back!' Remember? And if I can find out more about Roman on the way to A:7 and my kids, then that’s what I’ll do! [laughs quietly] Perhaps I’ll even find my dog!

Prof Ryan: [resolved] I cannot keep you here Claire...But if you must go, then I must ask something of you.

Claire: Go ahead.

Prof Ryan: The brother’s, they mentioned Ralford Observatory, where your friend Sarah worked. Do you remember much of her?

Claire: I can picture her face, but that’s about it.

Prof Ryan: Well, when you...past you spoke of her, you said she mentioned a merging, I believe the word she used was confluence. Now, if that has absolutely anything to do with what’s going on, which, given your sudden thought last week, has the potential to. Then there may be something more at that Observatory. 

Claire: You want me to go there?

Prof Ryan: It’s on the way. Look, here’s where we are in relation to A:7 and that open space there, that’s Ralford. I’ve been there before, it’s tucked out of the way, but the radio telescope is hard to miss. If you insist on going out there, then I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped by the observatory. I’m an astronomer myself, so anything you find I should be able to interpret.

Claire: [resolved] If you can equip me with the gear I need and promise that no-one will try and stop me...Then I’ll do it. And I’m going either way, gear or not. [SFX: chair movement/ footsteps] I’m going to get my things together…

Prof Ryan: Claire, before you go...There is one last section of their recordings...Shall we listen?

Claire: [sighs] Alright.

[SFX: Recording clicks on]

Elliot: We ready?

Roman: [sad] Yeah, hoped we could stay, but...yeah okay.

[SFX: Jingling of keys]

[Roman thinks he hears the cry of a child - SFX: Metallic breathing]

Roman: Oh shit! Wait, [SFX: Rapid footsteps] Immy, Immy is that you?

Elliot: [in the distance] Roman, wait!

[SFX: Footsteps upstairs, rapid]

Roman: Immy? Imogen, where are you?

[SFX: Metallic breathing again]

[SFX: Footsteps upstairs (Elliot)] 

[SFX: Door opening]

Roman: Imm-

[SFX: Metallic breathing sound]

Elliot: [out of breath] Roman, it’s same sound as Claire he-[whispering] What the fuck is that.

Roman: [spaced out] What have they done to her….What have they done to my little girl…

Elliot: Roman [SFX: Grabbing clothes] Roman, that’s not Imogen.

Roman: [mesmerised, spaced out] I see her face...she’s, smiling at me.

Elliot: [SFX: Grabbing and moving] That’s not her Roman! That’s not her!

Roman: [spaced] I have to help her.

[SFX: Footstep, kerfuffle]

Elliot: No, just- Roman! Stop- That’s not her Roman!

(Here Elliot drags Roman back and shoves him to the ground)

Roman: [snaps out, annoyed] Elliot, get off me! What are you doing?

Elliot: What am I doing, what’re you doing? You don’t know what that thing is!

Roman: [confused] What thing? 

Elliot: Shit, are you serious? The thing, in the room-Oh..fuck Roman...Your hand.

Roman: (Roman has just seen a black tendril coming out from under one of his finger nails, if you think you would say something different in reaction, then do that) What the fuck, ah shit, get it off! Jesus fucking christ get it off!

Elliot: It’s moving, urgh, it looks like...

Roman: I said get it the fuck off-(Roman tries and it hurts him) Shit, fuck! Elliot, just pull it, just pull it out!

Elliot: Are you sure?

Roman: (Annoyed) Just fucking do it!

[SFX: Squelching sound and cry of pain]

Roman: Aaaah

Elliot: [wretches] That fucking smell. It won’t come out!

Roman: [heavy breathing] I can, aaahh, feel it up my arm! What the fuck is that Elliot?!

Elliot: [heaves to try and pull it out again] It’s what held you up before, but it just came out last time!

Roman: Jesus fuck, why won’t it come out!

Elliot: [heaves one last time] [SFX: Squelching sound] (wretches) There, fuck it’s out. It’s out.

Roman: [heavy breaths but relieved]

Elliot: It’s heading toward the room, toward that thing.

[SFX: Movement across floor]

Roman: Leave it, [in pain] leave it.

Elliot: I need to see what it’s doing [SFX: Movement] Well, it’s not Immy in there, Roman. That’s for sure.

Roman: What makes you say that?

Elliot: You seriously don’t remember? Jesus, what did that thing in there do to you? Literally 30 seconds ago you were adamant that thing was Imogen.

Roman: [in pain] Aaah, alright...Just tell me what it’s doing.

Elliot: Urgh, It’s wrapping itself around it.

Roman: What’s it look like?

Elliot: Like...like when something gets so covered in mould, you can’t tell what it is anymore? It’s like, formed with the wall. Oh shit, it’s got those same black tendrils, like the one that just-

Roman: [interrupting, he doesn’t want to hear it again] Yeah, yeah.

Elliot: Sorry. But they’re just the same, it’s like they’re reaching out into the wall. I reckon it’s about 2 or 3ft tall and, it, it’s body? If that’s the right word, moves up and down with those breaths. It’s such a mix of colours as well, almost like an oil spill. The way it’s body shimmers when it breathes. And the sound it makes, it’s must be what Claire heard in the video...I don’t think this was here when she came up though….couldn’t have been...Whatever it is, it seems alive. But I don’t think it can move. It seems like it’s merged with the floor and the wall.

[a pause] Roman, what’s below Imogen’s room?

Roman: The garage...Wait, you don’t think?

Elliot: I think this thing is directly above the light fitting…

[SFX: Movement]

Roman: Jesus, was this thing in my house, all this time?

Elliot: Judging by how it’s formed, I think it perhaps came up through the floor, like it was in the void between the floor and ceiling.

Roman: I do not like that thought one bit….What’s the…[in disgust] thing...that came out of me doing?

[SFX: Tapping sound]

Elliot: It’s just joined it. Like, that’s it. It’s just become assimilated...they’re one now. It’s...It’s kinda fascinating, just watching it breathe.

[SFX: Footsteps]

Roman: What’re you doing?

Elliot: It’s beautiful, I just want a closer look.

[SFX: Grabbing sounds]

Roman: Stop!

Elliot: Ah, what, why are you holding me so tight.

Roman: We’re going downstairs. Go!

Elliot: What, why? But, we have to know what that thing is!

Roman: Is this how stupid I sounded? You were walking toward it, idiot!

Elliot: I...I was?

Roman: Yes! Now get down those stairs, we’re not even going to think about that thing.

[SFX: Footsteps on stairs]

Elliot: That’s insane, I thought it was just able to get you because of what was in your arm...How, how does it do that?

Roman: Leave it Elliot. Of all the questions we’ve got unanswered, this one I think we can curb for a bit.

Elliot: But Roman...

Roman: Do you want to become part of it? Part of a big pile of breathing mould? No, of course you don’t! So let’s both agree to not go upstairs or in the garage shall we? Now let’s fuck off out of here.

Elliot: One sec. [SFX: Grabbing a pen and writing on the wall] (Reading what you’re writing) Gone to Bunker A:7 - Meet you there.

[SFX: Squeaky metal door]

[a long pause]

Prof Ryan: Survivors...I..[unsure what to say]...I didn’t expect any of this to happen, believe me. The revelations of these last entries are monumental.

I can hardly believe that it is Claire who has been with us this whole time and that she is leaving so suddenly. However, I understand her desire to find her children.

I feel it is only right if we end the broadcast there for now, I must discuss her departure and do what I can to equip her appropriately.

I assure you, survivors, this broadcast will return soon. As ever, there is more we must discuss and more we must share. Roman and Elliot’s story is not over yet and all being well, we'll have more to learn from Claire on her travels. 

Please do tune in again soon survivors, but until then. I hope you’re somewhere safe and warm and remember, as always: Don’t wander in the dark.

Credits.