It's Creeping Closer | Tracking the Ancient Evil: A Monster Thriller

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. I have often wondered why the world of horror is so popular. Perhaps we like the stories of the weird and the supernatural so that we can cope with the real horrors that are in the world today.

1:09 Speaker 2: The autopsy finished, Doc?

1:10 Speaker 3: Yes, and it's very troubling.

1:13 Speaker 2: In what way?

1:14 Speaker 3: The body was found in an alleyway, but the internal organs were found six feet away, completely drained of blood.

1:23 Speaker 2: I know, Doc. So what could have done something like that?

1:28 Speaker 3: That is what's concerning me. Because the organs, every single one of them, came out of the body, through the mouth. I don't have a clue as to what could have possibly done that.

1:46 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, It's Creeping Closer, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Raven Adams, Annie Mick, Robert Jackson, Mick Davis, Gemma Mitchell, Peter Lugmeyer, and William Stafford. I'll be back shortly with Act One. The author T. Joseph Browder once said, I don't fear the things that go bump in the night. It's the ones that scream that bother me. Tell me I'm fired.

2:51 Speaker 4: I helped build that company. You can't fire me, but I fire you. I was the best. Don't you understand that? The best! There you go. What's that? Looks like a

3:24 Speaker 4: pool of greasy slime. Okay. moving.

3:36 Speaker 1: Crawling.

3:38 Speaker 4: Wait, wait a minute. I'm drunk, but I'm not that drunk. Crawling?

3:44 Speaker 5: How the hell can Slime crawl?

3:50 Speaker 1: Yeah.

3:52 Speaker 4: Well, to hell with you, Slime. To hell with you.

4:01 Speaker 4: over my own tulip feet. Oh well. Guess I'll get myself up and I have to... Hey! Slime is getting closer. I gotta get out. Hey! Jesus.

4:30 Speaker 6: It's covering me.

4:33 Speaker 4: It's cold. Get off of me. I can't move. It's holding me down. I can't move. It's covering my legs. It's covering my legs. What are you?

5:14 Speaker 2: What have you got for me, Doc?

5:16 Speaker 3: It's really weird, Paul. In all of my years as a doctor, I have never seen anything like this.

5:24 Speaker 2: Just give me the particulars, okay?

5:27 Speaker 4: Males.

5:28 Speaker 3: Unidentified.

5:29 Speaker 1: Dead.

5:31 Speaker 3: Enough for you?

5:31 Speaker 2: Yeah, very fine. You got a name? What he was doing there in this alley at this time of night?

5:38 Speaker 3: Educated guess? I would say he was one of our resident homeless.

5:43 Speaker 2: Great, so no identification. Run his fingerprints. Maybe he's in the system.

5:50 Speaker 3: I would, but there is only one problem.

5:54 Speaker 2: How difficult could it be to get fingerprints off a corpse?

5:58 Speaker 3: In this case, extremely.

6:01 Speaker 2: How so?

6:02 Speaker 3: Because he's been turned inside out.

6:06 Speaker 2: Are you serious?

6:07 Speaker 3: Come over here and see for yourself.

6:16 Speaker 7: Oh, Jesus!

6:18 Speaker 3: You see? The skin is on the inside, but the raw flesh is on the outside. Bones broken and laying around him.

6:28 Speaker 4: Where.

6:31 Speaker 6: Where is organs?

6:33 Speaker 3: Over there. About six feet from the victim.

6:36 Speaker 2: Any idea what may have happened?

6:39 Speaker 3: Isn't that your department?

6:45 Speaker 7: Would you care to explain to me what happened?

6:48 Speaker 8: We are still running the data.

6:50 Speaker 7: Don't give me that crap! What went wrong?

6:53 Speaker 8: Oh, the test was very successful. It was the... unexpected results that we were not prepared for.

7:00 Speaker 7: The board is going to have a field day with this.

7:03 Speaker 8: We already have people on it, sir.

7:05 Speaker 7: I sure as hell hope so. The last thing we need is a very public incident.

7:10 Speaker 8: In all fairness, I did try to warn you of the consequences.

7:14 Speaker 7: Look, Drake, don't hand me that. You are as much to blame as I am.

7:18 Speaker 8: Yes, Dr. Conyers, but who will fall the hardest? You or me? Ha ha ha.

7:26 Speaker 7: Just find this, this, whatever the hell it is, and do it quietly and quickly.

7:43 Speaker 3: Paul, you got a minute?

7:45 Speaker 2: Only if you got that autopsy report ready for me.

7:47 Speaker 3: I have it, just haven't filed it yet.

7:51 Speaker 2: So what's the holdup?

7:52 Speaker 3: I wanted you to see it before anyone else.

7:59 Speaker 2: Are you kidding me?

8:01 Speaker 3: Yeah, I didn't think you would believe it.

8:04 Speaker 2: It's bad enough the poor slob was turned inside out, but this?

8:09 Speaker 3: His vital organs were literally sucked out of his mouth before being turned inside out.

8:16 Speaker 2: What could have possibly done something like that?

8:19 Speaker 3: I don't know, and that is what scares me.

8:23 Speaker 2: Arnold Parsons. Anything on him?

8:27 Speaker 3: I checked for you. Minor offenses for vagrancy, but nothing serious. He was just your run-of-the-mill drunk.

8:37 Speaker 2: There is nothing run-of-the-mill about this. Detective Mason.

8:45 Speaker 4: What? Where?

8:48 Speaker 2: Okay, I'll be right there.

8:51 Speaker 3: What is it?

8:52 Speaker 6: Come on, Doc.

8:53 Speaker 2: You're going to be needed.

8:54 Speaker 3: What's going on?

8:56 Speaker 2: We got another one just two blocks away. Female, they think.

9:01 Speaker 3: They think? Don't they know?

9:03 Speaker 2: No, just like our Arnold Parsons. She was turned inside out, and her organs were laying six feet away.

9:10 Speaker 1: Of ghosts and ghoulies and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night, Lord, protect us. But what of a creature that turns its victims inside out? I'll return shortly with Act 2. Act 2 Nightmares come and many shapes and sizes. With a little effort, they can actually be controlled. Unless they happen in the real world.

10:15 Speaker 2: Five more victims, and absolutely no clue as to how any of them died.

10:22 Speaker 3: All the reports are the same. Every ounce of blood was drained, and their vital organs laying six feet from the bodies.

10:30 Speaker 2: And all of them turned inside out. How could something like that happen?

10:35 Speaker 8: I think I can answer that for you.

10:37 Speaker 1: What?

10:38 Speaker 6: Who are you?

10:38 Speaker 8: Dr. Anthony Drake. I work at Laser Solutions. I'm a scientist.

10:44 Speaker 3: I've heard of your firm. You deal in laser technology for the government.

10:49 Speaker 8: Well, that's part of it, yes. We also do research.

10:53 Speaker 2: So, what do you know about these.

10:57 Speaker 6: Deaths?

10:58 Speaker 8: I'm afraid that you're not going to believe me.

11:01 Speaker 2: Why don't you try me? At this point, I would believe little green men from Mars.

11:06 Speaker 8: You're not too far off, detective.

11:08 Speaker 2: You have got to be kidding me.

11:11 Speaker 8: Just hear me out. We have been doing experiments with lasers for a very long time. About a week ago, we were able to calculate a way to open up another dimension.

11:21 Speaker 3: But that is theoretically impossible.

11:24 Speaker 8: But we've managed to do it.

11:26 Speaker 2: So, what does that have to do with our population being turned inside out?

11:31 Speaker 8: I believe that when we opened that, well, call it a portal, something came through into our dimension. Something deadly.

11:50 Speaker 9: Are you okay, Mr.

11:52 Speaker 4: Stewart?

11:52 Speaker 1: Yes, yes.

11:53 Speaker 6: I'm perfectly fine. Thank you, Inga.

11:56 Speaker 9: Let me at least walk you to the bus stop.

11:58 Speaker 6: I would be honored if you would.

12:00 Speaker 2: It's not every day that I am in the company of a beautiful young woman.

12:04 Speaker 9: No trouble at all. You know, you did quite well with your first dialysis treatment.

12:10 Speaker 6: At least it'll keep me alive for a while.

12:13 Speaker 8: Stupid kidneys!

12:15 Speaker 9: Are you on the list for a transplant?

12:17 Speaker 6: Yes, but it may take a while. According to the doctors.

12:21 Speaker 9: I'm sure they will find one quickly for you.

12:25 Speaker 6: Say, what is that?

12:27 Speaker 5: What?

12:28 Speaker 9: Where?

12:30 Speaker 3: In the alley?

12:31 Speaker 6: I don't know what's becoming of this city.

12:33 Speaker 9: What do you see?

12:34 Speaker 6: Don't you see it? Over there, near the dumpster.

12:38 Speaker 4: Oh, that.

12:39 Speaker 9: Looks like someone spilled a lot of oil.

12:42 Speaker 6: I hate having to go through the alley to get to the bus stop. But it is a rather convenient shortcut.

12:48 Speaker 9: Let's just walk around it.

12:53 Speaker 6: Now that's funny.

12:54 Speaker 4: What is?

12:55 Speaker 6: Aiko swore that it was moving.

13:00 Speaker 9: Now who ever heard of a moving oil spill?

13:04 Speaker 6: I suppose you're right. Be careful. You wouldn't want to slip in that stuff.

13:09 Speaker 3: Don't worry.

13:09 Speaker 6: Hey, it is moving towards us.

13:14 Speaker 9: Let's just walk a little faster.

13:18 Speaker 4: Hey!

13:19 Speaker 6: Inga, what is it? Come over here.

13:21 Speaker 9: I can't. This stuff, it's holding me.

13:29 Speaker 3: I can't move.

13:31 Speaker 1: Mr.

13:32 Speaker 9: Stewart, help me.

13:34 Speaker 6: Reach out your hand.

13:35 Speaker 4: It's cold.

13:38 Speaker 6: Slimy! Oh, God!

13:40 Speaker 9: Mr.

13:41 Speaker 7: Stewart!

13:41 Speaker 6: It's covering you!

13:43 Speaker 9: Please, help me!

13:44 Speaker 3: It's all over me!

13:46 Speaker 10: It's covering my face!

14:01 Speaker 3: I understand that we have another victim.

14:04 Speaker 2: Yeah, only this time, we got a witness.

14:07 Speaker 8: Someone survived?

14:09 Speaker 9: Mr.

14:09 Speaker 2: Tom Stewart. Said that he saw this oil spill cover a nurse from the dialysis center. He watched her internal organs come out of her mouth, and then she was turned inside out.

14:21 Speaker 3: Where is he now?

14:22 Speaker 2: Right now, at the ER, being treated for shock.

14:26 Speaker 8: I wonder why it didn't attack him.

14:29 Speaker 2: Oh, but it did.

14:30 Speaker 8: But he survived?

14:32 Speaker 2: According to Mr. Stewart, this oil reached out towards him, but just stopped. It just slithered away.

14:39 Speaker 8: That doesn't make any sense.

14:41 Speaker 3: This thing has killed everyone else, drained them of their blood, and then moved on. But not Mr. Stewart?

14:50 Speaker 8: Wait. You said that all of the victims were drained of their blood?

14:55 Speaker 3: The pile of internal organs was completely empty of any blood.

15:00 Speaker 8: Maybe that's it.

15:02 Speaker 2: Want to let me in on it?

15:04 Speaker 8: You said that this nurse worked at a dialysis center. Perhaps Mr. Stewart was getting treated.

15:10 Speaker 3: I think I see what you mean. The blood was tainted in some way?

15:15 Speaker 1: Right.

15:17 Speaker 8: Whatever this thing is, it didn't want Mr. Stewart's blood.

15:21 Speaker 2: But how would it know?

15:24 Speaker 8: That, I don't know. Maybe it could smell it and decided that it would not be wise to partake.

15:31 Speaker 2: Now you are giving it intelligence?

15:33 Speaker 8: Why not? We don't know what sort of creatures were in that other dimension or what they are capable of.

15:39 Speaker 2: We know this one is capable of killing. Know any idea of how to stop it or even find it?

15:45 Speaker 3: There was one other thing that has me very troubled that Mr. Stewart said in his statement.

15:52 Speaker 2: What was that, Doc?

15:53 Speaker 3: As the thing was sliding away... It seemed that it was, and these are his words, splitting apart.

16:02 Speaker 8: Then we may have an even bigger problem. If what you say is true, that means the creature is.

16:11 Speaker 2: Beginning to multiply.

16:23 Speaker 1: The three look at each other, horror beginning to etch itself into their faces. They realize the implication of the eyewitness and shudder. I'll be back with Act 3. Act 3 A deadly creature has been forced into our world from another dimension. It feeds on the blood of humans, with frightening results.

17:09 Speaker 2: So, any ideas as to how we're going to stop it?

17:12 Speaker 3: Is there any way to open this portal again, Dr.

17:15 Speaker 4: Drake?

17:16 Speaker 8: I believe so.

17:17 Speaker 2: What are you thinking, Doc?

17:18 Speaker 3: If we could lure this thing back to the laboratory, open the portal... Perhaps it will simply go home.

17:26 Speaker 8: Yes, in theory, anyway.

17:28 Speaker 5: I thought I would find you here, Drake.

17:31 Speaker 2: And just who the hell are you?

17:34 Speaker 4: I'm Dr. Drake's former employer.

17:38 Speaker 8: This is Dr. Adam Codren. He's the head of the project.

17:41 Speaker 5: Do you realize that you are not only in breach of contract... But you could be arrested for treason.

17:47 Speaker 4: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on. And I assume that you are in charge here?

17:53 Speaker 2: You assume correctly.

17:55 Speaker 4: Then you will pardon us.

17:57 Speaker 2: Hang on, sport. No one is going anywhere.

18:01 Speaker 4: We have government contracts detected. And Dr.

18:05 Speaker 5: Drake here is in serious breach of such arrangements.

18:09 Speaker 4: We had no business coming to you.

18:10 Speaker 8: Listen, you pompous jerk. I warned you what could happen. But did you listen? No! Now we have a real problem.

18:20 Speaker 4: I believe that Dr. Conyers told you to handle it. And quietly.

18:26 Speaker 8: And how was I supposed to do that?

18:28 Speaker 3: Why don't we all just calm down?

18:31 Speaker 9: Now, Dr.

18:32 Speaker 3: Drake, do you think that we can lure this creature back to the lab?

18:37 Speaker 8: I believe so.

18:39 Speaker 1: Yes.

18:39 Speaker 2: Yeah, but first we have to find it. And what do we use for bait?

18:44 Speaker 4: What the devil are you all babbling about?

18:46 Speaker 8: It's quite simple, Contran. We're going to send this thing back to where it came from.

18:50 Speaker 5: But you can't do that. We have to study it. Find out if it has intelligence that could help.

19:00 Speaker 3: Oh, it has intelligence. It knows who to eat and who not to eat.

19:06 Speaker 1: Oh.

19:06 Speaker 4: This is completely absurd.

19:09 Speaker 2: Would you like to see the victims whose organs were pulled out of their mouths and then turned inside out?

19:15 Speaker 4: What?

19:16 Speaker 8: Now I suggest you find a solution and quit being part of the problem.

19:21 Speaker 4: I didn't realize... I mean, I didn't know that.

19:27 Speaker 3: Yes, well, now you know.

19:29 Speaker 2: Yeah.

19:31 Speaker 4: What?

19:32 Speaker 2: Okay, don't do anything. And I mean anything. Just Just keep an eye on it. We're coming down now.

19:39 Speaker 3: What is it, Paul?

19:40 Speaker 2: Our visitor was spotted a block up from here.

19:42 Speaker 9: In an alley.

19:44 Speaker 4: What is it doing?

19:45 Speaker 2: Well, just laying there according to the officer on scene.

19:48 Speaker 1: Dr.

19:49 Speaker 3: Drake, come in. laser be moved and set up in that alley?

19:53 Speaker 1: Yes.

19:53 Speaker 8: It's pretty simple and light, Pete.

19:55 Speaker 5: If we can't move that from the lab, the government will have our heads!

20:00 Speaker 2: It's either that or we somehow get that thing to your precious lab. Would you like to be the bait?

20:08 Speaker 1: Uh.

20:10 Speaker 4: Dr. Drake, would you like some help in moving the laser?

20:24 Speaker 2: Make sure everyone stays back. We don't know what this thing will do.

20:28 Speaker 3: What is it doing now?

20:29 Speaker 2: Just sitting there in the middle of the alley. It hasn't moved an inch.

20:34 Speaker 4: Wait! Look!

20:36 Speaker 6: It's... No.

20:40 Speaker 2: It's starting to divide. It's splitting in two.

20:44 Speaker 3: Drake, whatever you are going to do, do it now.

20:52 Speaker 4: No, no. We have to know more about it.

20:56 Speaker 3: Dear Lord, it's covering him.

20:59 Speaker 2: Cochran, get out of there.

21:01 Speaker 4: We can learn about....

21:08 Speaker 6: Drake, do it!

21:11 Speaker 2: What the hell is that?

21:12 Speaker 4: The other dimension! Look!

21:15 Speaker 8: It's heading towards the portal!

21:23 Speaker 9: Is.

21:25 Speaker 2: Is that it?

21:26 Speaker 8: I think so.

21:28 Speaker 3: Where is Cochran?

21:30 Speaker 8: Over there. What's... left of him.

21:41 Speaker 3: And how are you going to write this report?

21:44 Speaker 2: What report?

21:45 Speaker 3: What do you mean, what report?

21:48 Speaker 2: Nothing happened, Doc.

21:50 Speaker 3: It most certainly did! I was there!

21:54 Speaker 2: Not according to the men who just left here. You know, the ones in the black suits with the shiny badges.

22:01 Speaker 3: What did they say?

22:03 Speaker 2: Well, you're going to have to amend your autopsy reports. All those victims, they died of heart failure.

22:11 Speaker 3: Why am I not surprised?

22:14 Speaker 2: At least it's over.

22:15 Speaker 3: Are you so sure, Paul?

22:18 Speaker 2: What do you mean?

22:19 Speaker 3: Our only witness, Mr. Stewart, remember?

22:23 Speaker 2: Yeah, what about him?

22:25 Speaker 3: Well, you saw it. That slime pool splitting into half. How do you know that there isn't another one out there? In some dark alley.

22:38 Speaker 1: A little something to ponder over as you lay safely in your bed tonight. I'll be back shortly with a final word. Nightmares come, whimpering at your door, scratching to be let inside. But soon, the sun begins to rise, and the nightmare quietly goes away. Or does it? Our cast included Raven Adams, Annie Mick, Robert Jackson, Mick Davis, Gemma Mitchell, Peter Lugmeier. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie, and the production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

24:03 Speaker 8: I'm gonna kill you, Ruth.

24:05 Speaker 1: I swear, I.

24:07 Speaker 7: Am going to.

24:08 Speaker 2: Oh, don't you be absurd, Rupert.

24:12 Speaker 3: You simply don't have it in you.

24:15 Speaker 8: I'm not talking about using a gun or a knife. Nothing so simple as that. But you can be sure that I'm going to get you.

24:23 Speaker 1: Rupert?

24:24 Speaker 3: I really think you meant that.

24:29 Speaker 8: Believe me, Ruth.

24:30 Speaker 7: I mean it.

24:31 Speaker 8: This is your host.

24:34 Speaker 1: Artemis Black. inviting you to return with us through the doorway to Nightmare for another adventure into the terrifying world of your imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully. Epilogue. The butler did it.