The Arctic Epidemic: A High-Tension Sci-Fi Survival Story "Icy Taste Of Death" | Horror Podcast

0:05 Speaker 1: It lies in wait amidst your dreams, where nothing is ever how it seems. It is a portal to a terrifying world beyond the doorway to nightmare. Nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host, Artemis Black. Nothing burns like the cold, wrote George R.R. Martin. The biting winds of winter are simply a prelude to spring. But in some parts of the world, winter is the only season.

1:06 Speaker 2: General, what is going on?

1:08 Speaker 3: We got to the town, but there wasn't anyone there.

1:11 Speaker 4: What do you mean?

1:12 Speaker 3: Just that. We looked everywhere. Not one single person could be found. That is, until.

1:19 Speaker 2: General, what happened?

1:21 Speaker 3: We were attacked. They literally came out of nowhere. I barely made it out.

1:27 Speaker 4: And the others?

1:30 Speaker 1: They were.

1:32 Speaker 3: they were ripped to shreds.

1:39 Speaker 4: They aren't going down.

1:42 Speaker 2: I swear I hit one in the head.

1:43 Speaker 4: Oh, God. Oh, God.

1:46 Speaker 2: They're ripping him apart.

1:52 Speaker 3: Save the ammo. We may need it for later.

2:02 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Icy Taste of Death... was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Raven Adams, Dave Arkopoff, Crimson McKenzie, Carter Sherriff, and William Stafford. I'll be back shortly with Act One. Act One What fire could ever equal the sunshine of a winter's day, asked Henry Thoreau. The cold air, turning the cheeks a ruddy red and bringing a tear to the eyes, can only mean that spring is not far behind. Oh.

3:08 Speaker 2: Lieutenant John Adam McCreary, Station 19, located in Antarctica, leaving this tape hidden somewhere in the hopes that it will be found. The whole thing started about a month ago when I landed here to replace the radio operator whose tour of duty was up. I can't remember his name. It doesn't matter. I don't think... Anything matters anymore. Except maybe blowing this place off the face of the earth.

3:50 Speaker 2: General Anderson. Lieutenant McCreary. Reporting for.

3:53 Speaker 3: Never mind the formalities. We aren't that kind of a base.

3:57 Speaker 2: Oh, um... Here are my orders, sir.

4:00 Speaker 3: And drop that sir nonsense. It's either Hank or General, one.

4:04 Speaker 1: Or the other.

4:05 Speaker 5: Yes, sir.

4:06 Speaker 2: I mean, yes, General... The only.

4:08 Speaker 3: Reason you are here is because my radio operator decided not to re-enlist. Of course, I don't blame him. Stuck out here in the middle of a winter wasteland.

4:19 Speaker 2: Sir, I mean, General, what exactly am I doing here?

4:25 Speaker 3: Well, officially, you're to keep in touch with our nearest outpost. Relay messages from headquarters. Unofficially, you've been banished here.

4:36 Speaker 2: I don't understand.

4:38 Speaker 3: We have all been banished here. For some reason or other, we've been placed here in this dung heap of a supposed weather station.

4:46 Speaker 2: You have the option to be transferred, don't you?

4:49 Speaker 3: Transferred? Sure. You can file the paperwork and hope it gets somewhere where it's supposed to go. Good luck with that.

4:57 Speaker 2: No, you paint a rosy picture, General.

4:59 Speaker 3: You can take the room at the end of the hall. Just store your gear and meet me in the radio room.

5:12 Speaker 2: Well, this is it.

5:14 Speaker 3: Oh, I brought you some coffee.

5:16 Speaker 2: Thank you. It's been a while since I've worked with analog equipment.

5:24 Speaker 3: We were supposed to be fitted with the latest in digital. That was two years ago.

5:29 Speaker 2: Maybe they couldn't find the right address?

5:33 Speaker 3: You're going to do just fine, son.

5:35 Speaker 2: How many do we have on base?

5:37 Speaker 3: Twelve. Thirteen, now that you're here.

5:41 Speaker 1: Great.

5:42 Speaker 2: Banished and unlucky.

5:45 Speaker 3: You'll meet everyone at Chao. Like I said, it's an informal group. We don't go by the book, you understand.

5:52 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm beginning to see that.

5:54 Speaker 3: There's a small town about ten miles due east, if you fancy a meal or a movie.

5:59 Speaker 2: What exactly are we doing way up here?

6:01 Speaker 3: Don't you know? We're keeping an eye on the glaciers.

6:06 Speaker 2: What for, though?

6:07 Speaker 3: Beats the hell out of me, McCreary. But if you ever find out, please let me know.

6:18 Speaker 4: You must be the new guy.

6:20 Speaker 2: Lieutenant McCreary. And you are?

6:23 Speaker 4: Captain Veronica Dawson. But just call me Ronnie. Everyone else does.

6:30 Speaker 2: Must be difficult.

6:31 Speaker 4: What?

6:32 Speaker 2: I mean, you are the only female on base.

6:36 Speaker 4: I will have you know I am the top science officer in the entire U.S. Army, Lieutenant McCreary. And that my being a woman has nothing to do with.

6:46 Speaker 2: That isn't what I meant. And if you are such a hotshot scientist, why were you banished?

6:55 Speaker 4: I wasn't banished! I requested this post!

6:59 Speaker 2: Okay, okay, okay. Let's just... Let's just start over. I'm John, but everyone calls me Mack.

7:11 Speaker 4: Hello, Mack. I'm Ronnie.

7:14 Speaker 2: Now that we have properly introduced ourselves, what does bring you to the coldest part of the planet?

7:22 Speaker 4: I was assigned to keep tabs on the glacier. How big, how deep it goes, etc.

7:28 Speaker 2: I thought that some think tank took care of that.

7:32 Speaker 4: Normally, it is left up to some private organizations. But something happened about six months ago. and the whole thing was dumped on us.

7:44 Speaker 2: Well, what happened?

7:45 Speaker 4: As you know, the glaciers have been shrinking due to the climate change. But this one? Well, uh, it seems to have been getting, um, quite larger.

7:57 Speaker 2: Could that mean just another change in the weather patterns up here?

8:03 Speaker 4: No. There's something else happening. I've been taking readings every day, and what I have found is.

8:12 Speaker 4: Frightening.

8:12 Speaker 2: It's just a big block of frozen ice, isn't it?

8:17 Speaker 4: Normally, but the samples that I've been studying... There's something going on that I cannot explain.

8:24 Speaker 2: Well, since I'm not a scientist, can you break it down to my level?

8:31 Speaker 4: Well, the molecular structure of ice is pretty consistent. However, there's something changing... In our glacier.

8:46 Speaker 1: At ease.

8:47 Speaker 3: Don't you know why I bother anymore?

8:49 Speaker 4: What is it, General?

8:50 Speaker 3: Thought you might want a break. Everyone's headed for the town tonight.

8:53 Speaker 4: I would, but I have a lot of work to catch up on.

8:56 Speaker 3: Mac, you interested?

8:58 Speaker 2: First day here. I'm still trying to figure out this antique that you call a radio.

9:02 Speaker 3: Well, if you need anything, try not to need anything. I should be back before anyone else. Even generals need a little break.

9:11 Speaker 4: Have fun.

9:12 Speaker 3: Don't say that too loud. There are worse places they could banish me.

9:24 Speaker 2: Hey, want some coffee?

9:27 Speaker 4: Oh, you read my mind. Thank you.

9:32 Speaker 2: Anything in here ready to explode?

9:37 Speaker 4: Only if the water turns into nitro.

9:40 Speaker 2: I can leave if you're too busy.

9:42 Speaker 4: Pull up a chair. I could use the company.

9:45 Speaker 2: Thank you. So, tell me more about this change in the molecular structure.

9:52 Speaker 4: I'm not sure that I can. There's something that is making the glacier, well... toxic in some way. No, not enough to kill you, I don't think. But certainly not good for you.

10:11 Speaker 2: Oh, not me personally. But the town does use it as their water supply.

10:19 Speaker 4: Not to mention the tourists that come up here. What?

10:22 Speaker 2: Was Disney World full up?

10:25 Speaker 4: I don't know. What the hell is that?

10:30 Speaker 2: Just a phone call. Phone call? I was able to hook up an alarm whenever someone was trying to get us on the radio. I don't want to spend all of my time in the radio room.

10:45 Speaker 3: Station 19, come in. Station 19. Mac, where the hell are you?

10:51 Speaker 2: Station 19. Go ahead.

10:52 Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord.

10:54 Speaker 3: I'm heading in. Get ready to lock the place down.

10:57 Speaker 2: I don't understand, General. What do you mean, lock down?

11:00 Speaker 3: Is Ronnie with you?

11:02 Speaker 4: I'm here, General.

11:03 Speaker 3: We got a code red on our hands. Get Mac up to speed and lock that place down. Now! I'll be there in about ten minutes.

11:11 Speaker 1: Out.

11:14 Speaker 2: What the hell is going on?

11:15 Speaker 1: Yeah.

11:16 Speaker 4: Go to the south end and make sure that all the doors and windows are sealed.

11:19 Speaker 2: Ronnie, what's happening?

11:23 Speaker 4: I don't know. I've got to break out the weapons. Mac, it's a code red.

11:27 Speaker 2: I don't even know what that means.

11:29 Speaker 1: It means that.

11:30 Speaker 4: They were attacked in town and could possibly mean... Oh, God. We are at war.

11:47 Speaker 1: War, an ugly word that brings up images of death and destruction. The possibilities of the beginning of war are endless, but in the middle of the Antarctic. I'll be back with Act Two.

12:24 Speaker 4: H.G.

12:25 Speaker 1: Wells was quoted as saying, If we don't end war, war will end us. Did you get the station secure?

12:40 Speaker 2: Yes, sir. The weapons are in the chow hall.

12:43 Speaker 3: Oh, good, good. I suggest we get there now. Mac, I need you to get a message through.

12:49 Speaker 4: What happened, sir?

12:50 Speaker 3: I don't think you're going to believe me.

12:57 Speaker 2: So, what's going on, General?

12:59 Speaker 3: Were you able to get a signal?

13:01 Speaker 2: I set up an automatic message. The alarm will go off if we get someone.

13:05 Speaker 3: What alarm?

13:06 Speaker 4: His first act as radio operator. Believe me. You will know when you hear it.

13:11 Speaker 2: General, what is going on?

13:13 Speaker 3: We got to the town, but there wasn't anyone there.

13:17 Speaker 4: What do you mean?

13:18 Speaker 3: Just that. We looked everywhere. Not one single person could be found. That is, until.

13:25 Speaker 2: General, what happened?

13:27 Speaker 3: We were attacked. They literally came out of nowhere. I barely made it out.

13:33 Speaker 4: And the others?

13:36 Speaker 1: They were.

13:37 Speaker 3: they were ripped to shreds.

13:41 Speaker 2: Who attacked you?

13:42 Speaker 3: The people from the tower.

13:44 Speaker 4: But you just said.

13:44 Speaker 3: I said we couldn't find anybody. But they came running out of everywhere. With any weapon they could find. We didn't have a chance.

13:55 Speaker 4: What could have made them do that?

13:57 Speaker 3: Something else that was even more bizarre. They were all naked.

14:04 Speaker 2: It is 40 below zero out there.

14:07 Speaker 3: I know that. I'm telling you what I saw with my own eyes. Not one person had any clothing on.

14:16 Speaker 3: What the hell is that?

14:17 Speaker 4: Max Radio. Come on.

14:33 Speaker 2: Station 19, go ahead. I.

14:36 Speaker 1: weren't... inside....

14:41 Speaker 2: Identify yourself.

14:43 Speaker 5: I need to come inside.

14:48 Speaker 1: Open the door.

14:50 Speaker 3: Give me that mic. Who the hell is this? Identify yourself.

14:54 Speaker 1: Open the door. It's very cold out here. I need to come in.

15:04 Speaker 2: Identify. This is station 19. Identify.

15:07 Speaker 4: Run it.

15:11 Speaker 3: Did you recognize the voice?

15:13 Speaker 2: No.

15:14 Speaker 4: Could it be one of the attackers?

15:15 Speaker 3: I don't want to find out.

15:17 Speaker 4: Let's get to the observation room.

15:29 Speaker 2: How many do you think are out there?

15:31 Speaker 3: If I had to guess, a couple of hundred.

15:34 Speaker 4: But they're just standing there. Not moving. Not doing anything.

15:41 Speaker 1: And.

15:41 Speaker 2: All of them. Not wearing any clothes? What does that mean?

15:47 Speaker 3: I don't know. Have we been able to get anyone on the radio?

15:51 Speaker 2: No, sir. Not even the closest station. I even tried the Russian outpost.

15:57 Speaker 3: We have got to get in touch with somebody.

16:00 Speaker 1: Anybody.

16:01 Speaker 3: I have to report this thing.

16:04 Speaker 4: I can see the eyes rolling now. A bunch of nudists attacking outpost.

16:09 Speaker 3: It's not funny, Captain.

16:11 Speaker 2: Look, they're starting to move away.

16:14 Speaker 4: Maybe it's over?

16:15 Speaker 3: I don't think so. Look, they're burying themselves in the snow.

16:22 Speaker 2: What the hell for?

16:23 Speaker 4: Oh, my God. In the distance.

16:27 Speaker 3: That looks like it is. Corporal Adams.

16:30 Speaker 2: He looks bad.

16:32 Speaker 3: Grab the rifles. Shoot anything that moves towards him. We're going to give him every chance we can to get in.

16:42 Speaker 4: Oh, geez, it's cold.

16:45 Speaker 3: Make every shot count.

16:51 Speaker 2: They're attacking him.

16:52 Speaker 3: Let them have it.

16:52 Speaker 2: I swear I hit one in the head.

16:57 Speaker 1: Oh, God.

17:00 Speaker 4: Oh, God.

17:05 Speaker 2: You're ripping him apart!

17:07 Speaker 4: They... they aren't going down.

17:09 Speaker 1: Save the.

17:12 Speaker 4: Ammo.

17:12 Speaker 3: We may need it for later. I.

17:29 Speaker 4: I.

17:30 Speaker 2: I shot them right in the head. I know I did.

17:36 Speaker 3: Ronnie, what do you think is going on?

17:39 Speaker 4: It's been playing around in the back of my mind. It's incredible, but it's the only thing that makes sense.

17:46 Speaker 2: Mind catching me up to speed?

17:48 Speaker 4: I told you. I was assigned here to keep an eye on the glacier. What I didn't tell you was that a rather large meteor hit that glacier about six months ago.

17:58 Speaker 3: I'm sorry, Mac. It was a need-to-know order.

18:02 Speaker 2: And I didn't need to know. That explains the change in the molecular structure.

18:08 Speaker 4: Not only that, but it may explain all of those... those things out there.

18:14 Speaker 3: How so, Ronnie?

18:15 Speaker 4: The water. Whatever changed on the glacier changed the water as well.

18:21 Speaker 2: Then why didn't it affect us?

18:24 Speaker 3: We have our own water supply that's flown in.

18:27 Speaker 2: And that didn't strike you as odd?

18:30 Speaker 3: At the time, no, it didn't.

18:33 Speaker 4: It still doesn't explain the fact that we shot them. Some in the face. And they didn't fall.

18:39 Speaker 2: Or why they're completely nude.

18:42 Speaker 4: Never mind that. How do we get out of here?

18:45 Speaker 3: I've been thinking about that. We could use one of the snow plows.

18:49 Speaker 2: Yeah, only one problem. The plows are on the other side of the fence.

18:56 Speaker 4: Right in the middle of that army.

19:00 Speaker 2: An army that we can't even kill.

19:03 Speaker 3: It doesn't make any sense. The cold should have stopped them.

19:08 Speaker 1: Unless.

19:09 Speaker 3: Unless what? Well, say it, man.

19:13 Speaker 4: Unless they're already dead.

19:23 Speaker 1: George Santayana once said that only the dead have seen the end of war. But what if the dead continue to fight? We'll continue shortly with Act 3. Act 3 Edgar Allan Poe once said that the boundaries between life and death are both shadowy and vague. Who is to say where one ends And the other begins.

20:13 Speaker 4: Want some coffee?

20:15 Speaker 5: Sure.

20:15 Speaker 2: Thank you.

20:18 Speaker 4: What are they doing?

20:20 Speaker 1: Just.

20:22 Speaker 2: standing there.

20:24 Speaker 3: Watching. Waiting.

20:26 Speaker 4: If I could get my hands on just one of them, I might be able to find out how to destroy them. Oh!

20:33 Speaker 2: Well, if that's all you need, I'll just stroll on out there and invite one of them in.

20:38 Speaker 3: Ugh.

20:40 Speaker 4: That's not what I meant. I just keep seeing some of the people that I knew. Like that one over there on the right. That's Jameson. He runs the movie theater. The woman to his left? That's Anisha. Probably one of the best cooks anywhere.

20:59 Speaker 2: Do you think it was the meteor that caused all of this?

21:06 Speaker 3: It wasn't a meteor.

21:07 Speaker 4: General... What are you talking about?

21:12 Speaker 3: Another need to know.

21:14 Speaker 2: Well, then, I think it is time that we need to know.

21:19 Speaker 3: It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

21:22 Speaker 4: What wasn't supposed to happen?

21:25 Speaker 3: It's a biological weapon. It was being tested. Is being tested. It's why I was sent here.

21:32 Speaker 1: Oh.

21:33 Speaker 2: Why am I not surprised?

21:35 Speaker 4: And you knew this? What the hell were you thinking? Yeah.

21:39 Speaker 2: Who says the ones in charge actually think?

21:42 Speaker 3: That's enough.

21:43 Speaker 1: Wow.

21:45 Speaker 4: So everyone here was expendable?

21:48 Speaker 3: This is war, Captain.

21:50 Speaker 2: But we are not at war.

21:52 Speaker 3: But we could be.

21:53 Speaker 2: What exactly was this... this weapon?

21:57 Speaker 3: From what I was told, it contaminates the water. Those who drink become perfect killing machines.

22:04 Speaker 4: You mean zombies.

22:06 Speaker 3: Not in the sense that you mean. They don't eat the living, only kill them.

22:11 Speaker 2: And the clothes?

22:13 Speaker 3: See for yourself. Imagine a soldier who can withstand any type of weather or climate. They can take a bullet to the head, not even flinch. A perfect killing machine.

22:25 Speaker 4: And that is your reason for killing ten of your own men?

22:29 Speaker 3: It had to be done. Is it getting hot in here?

22:36 Speaker 2: The hell with you, General. We need to get out of here as fast as possible.

22:40 Speaker 3: I said that was enough. I'm putting you on report, mister.

22:46 Speaker 4: Report? Report? To who? To whom? Everyone is dead.

22:52 Speaker 3: I need to contact headquarters. McCrary, get me HQ now.

22:58 Speaker 2: Ronnie, what's going on?

23:01 Speaker 4: I'm not sure. General? Are you okay?

23:08 Speaker 3: I feel so, so hot. Feels like I'm burning up.

23:15 Speaker 4: General, did you drink anything when you went to the town? General, answer me.

23:22 Speaker 3: So hot.

23:24 Speaker 4: General, answer me now.

23:26 Speaker 3: Oh, yes. A double whiskey on the rocks. Is it getting hotter in here?

23:31 Speaker 2: Oh, no. What's wrong with having whiskey?

23:35 Speaker 4: The ice... Nothing wrong with the damn whiskey, but the ice! Made from the water.

23:40 Speaker 3: I wasn't thinking about... about... Damn it. Why is it so hot in here?

23:46 Speaker 2: Ronnie, what is going on?

23:48 Speaker 4: We need to get him someplace and lock him up.

23:51 Speaker 3: Get on that radio now, mister, or he'll be scrubbing toilets in Guam. So hot. Quit.

23:58 Speaker 4: Get out of here. Lock the door.

24:00 Speaker 3: I'm burning up. Good lord, I'm on fire.

24:09 Speaker 2: Did you see his eyes?

24:13 Speaker 4: Yes, I did.

24:15 Speaker 2: He's dead, isn't he?

24:20 Speaker 4: I believe so. Oh, crap.

24:27 Speaker 2: What is it?

24:27 Speaker 4: I forgot. That room has a door on the other side. We didn't block it.

24:32 Speaker 2: What does that mean?

24:33 Speaker 4: He can open one of the outside doors. Ronnie?

24:47 Speaker 2: Are we safe in here?

24:48 Speaker 4: The lab is the most secure area on the whole base.

24:52 Speaker 2: Is there anything in here we could use as a weapon?

24:55 Speaker 4: No. Oh.

25:00 Speaker 2: Two bullets left.

25:02 Speaker 4: I know.

25:06 Speaker 2: I don't think I.

25:08 Speaker 4: I don't think I can do it either.

25:09 Speaker 2: Okay. So what are we going to do?

25:16 Speaker 4: I don't know. It's just so stupid.

25:22 Speaker 2: Want a cup of coffee?

25:26 Speaker 4: Sure. Why not?

25:28 Speaker 2: I'd offer you a cigarette, but I don't smoke.

25:31 Speaker 4: Neither do I. It would be a great time to start. Knock.

25:37 Speaker 1: Knock.

25:41 Speaker 2: I hear those things will kill you.

25:42 Speaker 4: I think bullets are more fatal.

26:06 Speaker 6: Now, ladies and gentlemen of the Arctic Model Water Company, I would like for you to taste the most purest water in the world, millions of years in the making.

26:17 Speaker 1: Hmm, where did this come from?

26:20 Speaker 5: Our company just acquired an old weather station in the Antarctic from the army of all places. There's a glacier out there, and we are, well, in a sense, mining it for the water.

26:35 Speaker 1: Fascinating. I understand that there is or was a settlement near the glacier.

26:42 Speaker 5: Oh, yes, there used to be. When we went in, there wasn't anyone there. And this is part of the first shipment? That's right, the very first shipment.

26:53 Speaker 1: Delicious, isn't it? How soon does it go on the market?

26:56 Speaker 5: One million bottles were distributed just last week.

27:01 Speaker 3: And sales have been phenomenal. But, uh.

27:06 Speaker 5: Well, there is one little hitch.

27:11 Speaker 3: Now, don't tell me that.

27:12 Speaker 1: Oh, no, no, nothing to be concerned about.

27:15 Speaker 5: We just haven't been able to communicate with anyone from the base.

27:21 Speaker 3: Weather problems or just bad equipment?

27:26 Speaker 1: Well, probably a little bit of both.

27:28 Speaker 5: I'm sure that everything will be.

27:32 Speaker 1: will be... Is it?

27:38 Speaker 5: Is it getting hot in here?

27:47 Speaker 1: Blow, blow, thou winter wind. Thou art not so unkind as man's ingratitude. Thy tooth is not so keen, because thou art not seen, although thy breath be rude. A little Shakespeare as we bring down our curtain and leave the ending, as we often do, up to you. I'll be back shortly. Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me, wrote Emily Dickinson. A condition that each of us must face in his or her own way. Our tale tonight suggests another, perhaps much worse, fate. Our cast included Raymond Adams, Dave Arkapov, Crimson McKenzie, William Stafford, Carter Sheriff, and Winslow Swan.

29:09 Speaker 1: The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie and directed by Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

29:21 Speaker 4: You played a very good game tonight, Robert. I do believe that it is the best I've ever seen.

29:28 Speaker 1: Thank you, Miss Collins.

29:29 Speaker 4: Yes. A very good game.

29:34 Speaker 1: Miss Collins, what are you doing?

29:38 Speaker 4: What does it look like? I'm doing, Robert?

29:41 Speaker 1: Please, Ms.

29:42 Speaker 4: Collins. Call me Erica.

29:44 Speaker 1: Ms. Collins, you're my teacher.

29:47 Speaker 4: What does that have to do with anything? I want you here. And now... Please, Ms.

29:56 Speaker 6: Collins.

29:56 Speaker 4: I want your body. In your soul.

30:04 Speaker 1: This is Artemis Black, 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.

30:28 Speaker 1: Epilogue The butler did it.