The Apocalypse from the Observation Deck | Audio Drama "Beginning Of The End"

0:00 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Winslow.

0:01 Speaker 2: This is Crimson.

0:03 Speaker 3: And if you like what we're doing, hit that like button.

0:06 Speaker 1: And if you want to hear.

0:06 Speaker 2: More, subscribe.

0:10 Speaker 4: Within your dreams, there are many keys. One of them could open the doorway to nightmare, nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host through the doorway to nightmare. Throughout the history of our species.

0:50 Speaker 1: War has been an integral part.

0:54 Speaker 4: Countries have gone to war with each other for various reasons. Crowds have cheered their young as they prepare to be killed in battle. Protests have been held to try and stop the madness. And yet, on our tiny planet, war still exists.

1:16 Speaker 2: What happened, Eric?

1:20 Speaker 1: I'm not sure, Andrea.

1:22 Speaker 2: The lightning? It looked like it was fighting with itself.

1:29 Speaker 4: Oh, God.

1:31 Speaker 3: I think I may know what happened.

1:35 Speaker 4: I'm scared.

1:36 Speaker 1: Scared?

1:37 Speaker 2: Of what?

1:39 Speaker 1: What will happen next.

1:46 Speaker 4: Our mystery drama, The Beginning of the End, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Winslow Swan, Crimson McKenzie, Will Dorman, and Dave Arkapoff. It is sponsored in part by Swanage Press. I'll be back shortly with Act One.

2:09 Speaker 3: If you're enjoying these stories, come over to our YouTube channel, Doorway to.

2:15 Speaker 2: Nightmare, where we add a few pics to color your imagination. See the faces behind the voices, too. Come on, you know you wanna.

2:38 Speaker 4: The wise warrior avoids the battle. A quote from Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War. And yet, with each passing generation, the battles continue.

3:00 Speaker 2: Eric, where are we going?

3:03 Speaker 1: It's a surprise, Andrea. Come on, try to keep up.

3:07 Speaker 2: I'm trying. Just slow down a little.

3:10 Speaker 1: Okay, okay.

3:13 Speaker 4: We're here.

3:13 Speaker 1: We're here.

3:14 Speaker 4: See?

3:15 Speaker 3: Here?

3:16 Speaker 2: But I thought.

3:17 Speaker 3: I know, I know. We can't afford it. But this is our anniversary. And it is time that I did something very special for you. Oh, Eric.

3:29 Speaker 2: I love you so much.

3:32 Speaker 1: Oh, I love you too. Now, come on.

3:35 Speaker 3: We have a reservation in about 20 minutes.

3:38 Speaker 2: The glass elevator?

3:39 Speaker 4: No!

3:41 Speaker 1: Only the best for you.

3:47 Speaker 4: Good afternoon, folks. Welcome to Wilkins Tower.

3:50 Speaker 5: This is the express to floor 125.

3:53 Speaker 2: But I thought the restaurant was on 130.

3:56 Speaker 5: Oh, yes, ma'am, but the elevator only goes to 125. You have to walk up the rest of the way.

4:02 Speaker 3: Oh, I think our little bones can manage five floors.

4:08 Speaker 2: Are you sure, Eric? My rheumatism's been acting up lately.

4:14 Speaker 1: How long does this trip take?

4:16 Speaker 5: Only a couple of minutes. Hey, did you hear the news? They're talking about a big push at the front lines.

4:22 Speaker 3: Please, could we not talk about that?

4:26 Speaker 4: Oh, sure.

4:27 Speaker 5: Yeah, I understand. My wife doesn't like talking about it either. She says that if the idiots running things would just.

4:34 Speaker 2: If you don't mind, it is our anniversary.

4:37 Speaker 5: Well, happy anniversary.

4:39 Speaker 4: Which one is it?

4:40 Speaker 1: It's our fifth.

4:41 Speaker 4: Congratulations.

4:43 Speaker 5: My wife and I just celebrated our 13th. So I guess that makes us very lucky.

4:49 Speaker 2: Do you have any children?

4:52 Speaker 5: Ma'am, I've got six of them.

4:55 Speaker 1: Andrea, it's okay.

4:58 Speaker 2: Have you... You and your wife ever been to the restaurant?

5:01 Speaker 4: Only once.

5:02 Speaker 5: Our first anniversary. Of course it has gotten more expensive now. I suggest the surf and turf.

5:08 Speaker 2: Maybe we could split the plate between.

5:10 Speaker 3: Oh, no, no, no.

5:11 Speaker 1: Split a plate? No, I won't hear of it.

5:14 Speaker 3: You get whatever you want.

5:20 Speaker 5: Stairs are just to the right. Enjoy your meal and the view.

5:29 Speaker 1: Well, are you ready?

5:31 Speaker 2: Eric, about what he was talking about. You know, the war?

5:37 Speaker 3: Now, I thought that we had agreed we were going to be staying away from that subject.

5:41 Speaker 1: This is our night.

5:43 Speaker 2: I know. But if I don't talk about it, I'll go crazy. Your job.

5:51 Speaker 3: All right.

5:52 Speaker 4: All right.

5:54 Speaker 3: Before we go upstairs, we'll talk about it. Look, I can't control what the government decides to do with what I give them.

6:07 Speaker 2: But don't you think that you're just promoting more violence?

6:12 Speaker 3: I'm a scientist, Andrea. I always have been. You knew what I did when you agreed to marry me five years ago.

6:20 Speaker 2: We weren't at war then.

6:22 Speaker 1: Yes, but we are now. Look, for years, the hope.

6:29 Speaker 3: was that whatever weapon was developed, it would be so devastating, so terrifying, that it would never be used.

6:39 Speaker 2: But what if someone decided to use it? What then? I mean, do scientists... Do you simply throw your hands up and say, It wasn't my fault. I just invented the thing.

6:54 Speaker 3: Don't you think I don't agonize over that every day? Look, if it were up to me, I would work my own farm, raise cattle, grow vegetables and grain. I'm not thinking about the horror that we are facing now.

7:15 Speaker 1: And those fools.

7:18 Speaker 3: Who think that you can actually win a war. Well, they don't realize that they win a destroyed countryside, a disenfranchised population who hates you, and complete disrespect from all the other countries. No, there is no winning a war.

7:40 Speaker 2: I understand, my love. So, let's go up and have a lovely dinner and not think about it anymore. Wow! This is really nice. You can see the entire city from up here.

7:59 Speaker 1: Now, the Food isn't bad either.

8:01 Speaker 3: Hey, how was your steak?

8:06 Speaker 2: Delicious. Thank you.

8:09 Speaker 3: Well, I have one more surprise for you.

8:12 Speaker 2: Oh, now you are just spoiling me.

8:17 Speaker 3: Now it does require another flight of stairs, though. Do you think that rheumatism can handle that?

8:25 Speaker 2: Oh, I think I might be able to manage. Where to?

8:33 Speaker 1: One floor above us is an observation booth.

8:37 Speaker 3: It's usually closed off to the public, but with my job, I get access to it.

8:51 Speaker 1: This is spectacular.

8:53 Speaker 2: It's like we're on top of the world.

8:56 Speaker 1: Look, see? Over there. That's the park near our apartment.

9:00 Speaker 2: Oh, wow. I wonder if old man Chalmers is taking his walk right now.

9:08 Speaker 3: And look, over there, the university.

9:11 Speaker 2: Wait, what's that?

9:12 Speaker 4: What?

9:14 Speaker 2: Over there. Don't you see it?

9:16 Speaker 1: What are you looking at?

9:17 Speaker 2: Those clouds. Just Right at the state building.

9:23 Speaker 1: I don't see any.

9:25 Speaker 3: Oh, wait. Well, that's funny.

9:28 Speaker 2: Is it just me, or are they getting darker and darker?

9:33 Speaker 1: There must be a storm coming.

9:35 Speaker 2: Are we safe up here if there's a storm?

9:38 Speaker 1: Oh, I'm sure that we are.

9:41 Speaker 2: Look, Eric. Look. It's getting closer.

9:44 Speaker 1: Oh, wow. Look at that lightning.

9:47 Speaker 2: It's coming closer. Let's go.

9:50 Speaker 3: These clouds are getting darker. Lightning, it's more intense now.

9:55 Speaker 2: No, no, look at that. The whole storm is just under us.

10:00 Speaker 1: Get down! On the floor, just below the windows!

10:03 Speaker 2: Look at the lightning! Eric, what is happening?

10:07 Speaker 1: Just stay down!

10:09 Speaker 2: What is going on?

10:14 Speaker 1: Eric!

10:16 Speaker 3: Eric!

10:23 Speaker 2: Eric, are you okay?

10:26 Speaker 1: I'm fine. Are you okay?

10:28 Speaker 2: I'm okay. What happened?

10:30 Speaker 1: I'm not sure.

10:33 Speaker 4: Come on.

10:34 Speaker 1: Let's get back down to the restaurant.

10:41 Speaker 4: Eric and Andrea make their way to the staircase to return to their meal. Eric is worried now about what has just happened. But he is also afraid of it. I'll be back shortly with Act 2. Ponder and deliberate before you make a move, advises Sun Tzu. However, how many times has war been declared out of a hasty decision? And how many have perished because of it?

11:51 Speaker 2: Where is everyone?

11:52 Speaker 1: I don't know.

11:55 Speaker 2: Do you think that the building was evacuated because of the storm?

11:59 Speaker 1: No, I'm sure someone would have come for us.

12:02 Speaker 2: But you said it wasn't open to the public anymore. What if they forgot we were up there?

12:08 Speaker 1: Well, that is possible.

12:11 Speaker 3: Come on, get your things and let's just get out of here.

12:18 Speaker 1: Where the hell is that elevator?

12:20 Speaker 2: I'm sure it will be here shortly.

12:22 Speaker 3: I don't even know why they had an operator running the thing.

12:27 Speaker 2: Perhaps for the novelty of it.

12:29 Speaker 3: Even without an operator, the elevator should have been here by now.

12:33 Speaker 2: Eric, what do you really think that storm was?

12:38 Speaker 1: It was just a freakish storm, that's all.

12:40 Speaker 2: But you didn't see the lightning.

12:42 Speaker 1: What about it?

12:43 Speaker 2: It didn't look like regular lightning. At least, Not any that I've ever seen.

12:50 Speaker 1: What did it look like to you?

12:52 Speaker 2: It was as if the clouds were battling each other.

12:56 Speaker 1: Oh, come on, Andrea. Clouds don't have battles.

13:01 Speaker 2: But the lightning! It wasn't just flashing around. It was like it was targeting something.

13:08 Speaker 3: Where is that damn elevator?

13:12 Speaker 2: Maybe we should just take the stairs.

13:16 Speaker 3: A hundred and twenty-five floors?

13:18 Speaker 2: At least it's all downhill.

13:20 Speaker 3: Do you think you could manage it?

13:23 Speaker 2: With my rheumatism? I think so. What else is in this building?

13:32 Speaker 1: Offices, mostly.

13:33 Speaker 2: Maybe we should just go to the next floor and see if anyone is there. Okay. Floor number 85. Ladies fashion. Men's suits. Want to check this one?

13:54 Speaker 3: Andrew, we have checked every floor since 125.

14:04 Speaker 1: There isn't anyone in here.

14:05 Speaker 2: Maybe there is on this one. And maybe the phone works.

14:10 Speaker 1: But I've tried every time.

14:13 Speaker 3: There's no phone, no radios playing, no television station.

14:18 Speaker 2: Nothing. We can at least try. That's the only thing we have left. Besides, if we don't try, you'll think to yourself later, perhaps we should have.

14:32 Speaker 4: You're right.

14:34 Speaker 3: I guess if we don't look, we will never know, and that will keep me up at night. Alive.

14:49 Speaker 1: Not a soul here.

14:50 Speaker 2: I still think that when the storm hit, they evacuated the building. Perhaps there is a shelter nearby. Or the parking deck's below.

15:00 Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe. So what do you want to do?

15:04 Speaker 3: I don't know.

15:07 Speaker 2: Let's just go home. Okay.

15:10 Speaker 4: Home it is.

15:12 Speaker 3: After you, my dear lady.

15:18 Speaker 2: No one on the street? Look, the cars are just sitting there in the middle of the street.

15:26 Speaker 1: Except they were all abandoned.

15:29 Speaker 2: Eric, do you hear that?

15:31 Speaker 1: I only hear the wind blowing.

15:33 Speaker 2: That's what I mean. Only the wind. Remember when we got here? We could hear the cars, construction work, people all over the place. Now, nothing but the wind and.

15:48 Speaker 1: There was an evacuation. It wasn't just the building.

15:51 Speaker 2: But how could they have moved so many people so fast? Remember that storm they thought was going to hit the city a few years ago?

15:59 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I remember. They told everyone to get out. Oh, what a nightmare that was.

16:05 Speaker 3: Roads were jammed. Looters destroyed half the city.

16:10 Speaker 2: That's what I mean! Even if ordered to evacuate, there would still be someone who's sticking around. No matter what is coming, there would be people.

16:20 Speaker 1: So what's your point?

16:22 Speaker 2: Where are they, Eric?

16:24 Speaker 3: Who?

16:25 Speaker 2: The ones that don't leave. The ones that wreck every building, stealing everything that they can. Where are they? How far have we walked? I....

16:41 Speaker 1: A couple of miles, I guess. We're almost to the outskirts of the city.

16:47 Speaker 2: And still haven't seen a soul? Something else I've noticed.

16:51 Speaker 1: What is that?

16:53 Speaker 2: Have you seen or heard a bird?

16:56 Speaker 3: Come to think of it, no, I haven't.

16:58 Speaker 2: Or a dog, a cat, or even a stupid gnat, or fly, or cricket.

17:03 Speaker 1: What do you think it means?

17:05 Speaker 2: No air, Hank. What do you think it means?

17:11 Speaker 1: I think.

17:13 Speaker 3: That those blasted fools finally did it.

17:19 Speaker 2: Eric, what are you talking about?

17:22 Speaker 3: The final solution. I think that they actually used it.

17:32 Speaker 4: As the day begins to fade away, Eric and Andrea continue to walk along the highway. the buildings growing more distant behind them. I'll be back with Act 3 shortly.

17:51 Speaker 3: You can find more episodes available at youtube.com slash see slash doorway to nightmare. Join us and see where your imagination will take you.

18:20 Speaker 4: At the end of World War I, in November of 1918, the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, said that he hoped that on that fateful morning came to an end of all wars.

18:40 Speaker 2: Can we rest here for a bit?

18:43 Speaker 4: Sure.

18:45 Speaker 1: Look at the city.

18:46 Speaker 2: Not a light on.

18:47 Speaker 1: Yeah, since there isn't anyone to turn them on.

18:51 Speaker 2: What was the name of that song?

18:53 Speaker 1: What song?

18:54 Speaker 2: In the restaurant. The one that was playing when we came down from the observation room.

18:59 Speaker 4: I don't remember.

19:00 Speaker 3: Why?

19:02 Speaker 2: No reason. Eric, what was the final solution?

19:10 Speaker 3: I've been thinking about it for a long time. It was one of the projects that they.

19:16 Speaker 1: Had me working on.

19:17 Speaker 2: But what was it?

19:20 Speaker 1: It was a weapon.

19:23 Speaker 3: Last week we thought that we had finished it. We told them it could never be tested because of what might happen.

19:31 Speaker 2: Do you think that they may have tested it tonight?

19:36 Speaker 1: Just look around, Andrea.

19:38 Speaker 6: Listen.

19:40 Speaker 3: Not one sign of life. No insects, no birds, no animals, no.

19:49 Speaker 1: People.

19:50 Speaker 2: So that would be a yes. But, I mean, there has to be other survivors, right? I mean, we are here.

20:00 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what I've been racking my brains about all this time.

20:06 Speaker 1: I mean, why us? Why did we survive?

20:10 Speaker 3: Oh my.

20:11 Speaker 2: Do you think it's because we were above the clouds? I mean, could that have been the reason?

20:21 Speaker 1: I don't know.

20:22 Speaker 2: What did the weapon do?

20:25 Speaker 3: It used the weather, specifically a storm, and pretty much created.

20:31 Speaker 1: Missiles out of the lightning.

20:34 Speaker 4: You are right.

20:35 Speaker 1: The lightning was targeting.

20:38 Speaker 2: Targeting what? Do you think the entire city was a testing ground? Or just here? This place?

20:49 Speaker 3: That was the reason we told them never to test it. It couldn't be controlled. You couldn't just press a button, a bomb goes off, and that's that. This storm could travel all over the world, wiping out everything.

21:11 Speaker 1: And every one. But that's horrible! So horrible.

21:17 Speaker 3: So terrible that we, as scientists, thought that no one would be crazy enough to try to use it.

21:26 Speaker 2: And you think this is what actually happened?

21:31 Speaker 1: I don't know.

21:32 Speaker 4: I really don't know.

21:33 Speaker 2: Eric, what are we going to do now?

21:38 Speaker 3: If this thing did destroy all life on our planet And it is just you and me.

21:43 Speaker 1: I don't know what to do.

21:47 Speaker 2: I mean, since I cannot have any children, we won't be able to repopulate our world. When we die, it will be the end of our race. And our species.

22:04 Speaker 3: Oh, honey.

22:06 Speaker 1: It's okay. At least we have each other.

22:09 Speaker 3: No.

22:11 Speaker 1: However long that may be.

22:17 Speaker 3: Andrea?

22:20 Speaker 1: Do you see what I see?

22:22 Speaker 3: Well, I've been staring up at the night sky.

22:25 Speaker 1: And there was a star. Or at least I thought it was a star. But look. Right there.

22:31 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's probably one of our stupid satellites.

22:35 Speaker 3: No, no, no.

22:37 Speaker 1: It's moving. Like, closer. Look, it's getting bigger.

22:45 Speaker 2: Eric, I'm scared.

22:51 Speaker 1: It's a spaceship.

22:53 Speaker 2: Oh, my God.

22:54 Speaker 3: I'm scared.

22:55 Speaker 2: I'm scared. Hold me.

22:57 Speaker 1: It's landing.

22:58 Speaker 3: Greetings.

23:08 Speaker 1: Greetings.

23:09 Speaker 6: We thought there wasn't anyone left.

23:11 Speaker 1: What?

23:13 Speaker 6: Who are you? We were scheduled to be on your planet within three days. We actually arrived earlier than planned. Before we arrived, we took note of the atrocities, not expecting any survivors.

23:27 Speaker 2: We can't be the only people that you've seen.

23:31 Speaker 6: Unfortunately, yes. We scanned the entire planet. We watched the weapons. as it traveled across your world. I blame myself for not making contact sooner than we did. Perhaps we could have helped prevent the weapon from being used.

23:49 Speaker 3: You scanned our entire planet and found no one else alive?

23:57 Speaker 6: Except you two. And the radiation level is rising. In another month, this planet will no longer be able to support any kind of life. Damn shame, too. Such a nice little world you had.

24:14 Speaker 2: So, what happens to us?

24:16 Speaker 6: Well, you can stay here, although I don't recommend it. Or you can come with us. Our planets that we've colonized over the last few years have ample room. By the way, you don't happen to know anything about farming, do you?

24:33 Speaker 1: Well, unfortunately, I was... Farmer!

24:36 Speaker 4: Yes.

24:37 Speaker 3: Yes.

24:38 Speaker 2: One of the best in this country.

24:40 Speaker 1: Andrew, what are you doing?

24:42 Speaker 6: Well now, that's wonderful. We sure could use more like you.

24:47 Speaker 2: You did say you could be a farmer, right?

24:50 Speaker 6: We should be going now. I've been informed that the storm from the weapon is coming back this way.

24:56 Speaker 1: We're ready when you are. Oh, by the way, where are you from?

25:02 Speaker 6: Oh, I do apologize. I'm Commander Fielding of the U.S. Space Federation. Our home base is a small planet called Earth.

25:19 Speaker 4: Albert Einstein once said, nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war. And perhaps one day, it will happen. I'll be back shortly with the final word.

25:54 Speaker 4: Our story tonight reminds me of a quote made by H.G. Wells. If we don't end war, war will end us. Something to think about, if not for yourself, for future generations.

26:16 Speaker 4: Our cast included Crimson McKenzie, Winslow Swan, Will Dorman, and Dave Arkapov. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie and the production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. This is your host. inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully. Epilogue. The butler did it.

27:04 Speaker 3: If you're enjoying these stories, come over to our YouTube.

27:08 Speaker 2: Channel, Doorway to Nightmare, where we add a few pics to color your imagination. See the faces behind the voices, too. Come on, you know you want to.