Psychological Torture Thriller: "Little Bell" | Dark Audio Drama

0:00 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. 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. Nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm Artemis Black. One of the noblest professions, in my opinion, is the role of the caregiver. usually a family member who sees after the needs of someone who is infirmed and can no longer do the tasks which are required if one wants to stay alive.

1:10 Speaker 2: I don't think you have anything to worry.

1:12 Speaker 1: About, Mrs. Hampton.

1:14 Speaker 3: But how long, Dr. Mason? How much longer can Stanley even survive? I mean, look at him! He hasn't been able to move since his stroke last year.

1:27 Speaker 2: Well, with good care that you've been giving him, he'll probably live, oh, possibly another 30, maybe even 40 years.

1:36 Speaker 3: 40 years? 40 years of cooking, cleaning him, looking after him? And that damn bell! It's driving me.

1:51 Speaker 5: Past the point.

1:58 Speaker 2: Of insanity.

2:01 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, The Little Bell, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our cast includes Crimson McKenzie, Dave Arkapoff, and Winslow Swan. I'll return shortly with Act One.

2:20 Speaker 6: This is Winslow Swan, inviting you inside the world of my imagination, a world of mystery, madness, and murder. Ten Tales from the Maelstrom, now available at Amazon.com.

2:56 Speaker 1: Rosalind Carter, wife of President Jimmy Carter, once said, There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver. Personally, I like the sentiment, but then I don't believe that Mrs. Carter ever met someone like Susan Hampton.

3:30 Speaker 3: I met Stanley Hampton while I was still in college. Yes, he was almost 20 years older than I, but his bank account was over seven figures. It didn't take long for him to ask for my And in marriage. Oh, Stanley could be so old-fashioned.

3:52 Speaker 5: He actually got down on one.

3:54 Speaker 3: Knee to propose to me. Did I love him? Of course not! I loved his money and couldn't wait for him to, shall we say, have an accident. Yes, I can hear you.

4:24 Speaker 5: I'm going as fast as I can.

4:28 Speaker 3: Why couldn't you just.

4:32 Speaker 7: Die?

4:46 Speaker 5: Well, what do you want now?

4:50 Speaker 3: Just ring the bell when I say... Whatever it is. Food?

4:56 Speaker 5: Medicine?

4:56 Speaker 3: Oh, God, have you... Again? Stanley had had a stroke only six months after we married. Six months. I knew that he had health issues and I secretly hoped that he would die.

5:23 Speaker 5: Then all of that lovely money would be mine.

5:32 Speaker 3: However, the doctor told me something else. Something that drained the blood from my face.

5:41 Speaker 2: Well, I'm afraid that it is going to be very hard on you, Mrs. Hampton.

5:46 Speaker 3: But.

5:47 Speaker 5: But what do you mean, Dr. Mason? Is Stanley going to? I mean, he will recover, won't he?

5:58 Speaker 2: There's no way of telling exactly what will happen. The stroke left him completely paralyzed. He has absolutely no control over his muscles. Which is why it will be hard for you.

6:12 Speaker 3: But I don't understand.

6:14 Speaker 2: You'll need constant care. 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

6:22 Speaker 3: I suppose I can hire a nurse, a caregiver who can.

6:26 Speaker 6: Of course you can.

6:28 Speaker 2: You'll need a break every once in a while, but I can tell you, they are quite expensive. And it can be difficult to find the right one. Well, you may find a qualified person to handle Stanley. The majority of the time will be left up to you.

6:45 Speaker 3: Why did Stanley have to move us so far from the city?

6:48 Speaker 2: Another reason why it may be difficult to find someone who'll be willing to come up here. It's at least a two-hour drive from the city.

6:58 Speaker 3: I just don't understand. Why can't you find someone who will?

7:04 Speaker 1: Yes.

7:07 Speaker 5: Yes. I know how far it is, but.

7:12 Speaker 3: I told you I would pay double. For anyone who can....

7:20 Speaker 2: No.

7:21 Speaker 3: I understand. You've tried your best. But if you do happen to find someone....

7:31 Speaker 5: Yes.

7:32 Speaker 3: Please call me. That damn bell. The only thing he's been able to move is his little flippin' finger. And what did that fool of a doctor do? Tie a bell to it!

8:05 Speaker 2: There we are. You should be able to hear it whenever he needs something. At least he won't have to stay in the bedroom all the time.

8:13 Speaker 5: But how long, Dr. Mason?

8:15 Speaker 2: How long? For what, Mrs.

8:18 Speaker 1: Hampton?

8:19 Speaker 3: It's been over a year now since his stroke. And all he's managed to move is his finger. How long could he possibly have to live?

8:35 Speaker 2: Oh, you mean, what is my prognosis?

8:38 Speaker 3: Mrs.

8:39 Speaker 2: Hampton, you have nothing to worry about. Why, with the care that you've been providing for him, he could live another 30, maybe 40 years.

8:49 Speaker 5: Oh, so you mean he'll be able to finally move again?

8:56 Speaker 2: Well, I'm afraid he will never be able to move again. Not like before. No, Mrs. Hampton, he is paralyzed for life.

9:17 Speaker 1: Clinical social worker and the author of The Mindful Caregiver, Nancy Kreisman, once said, the only control you have is over the changes you choose to make. I wonder what sort of changes Susan Hampton would like to make when dealing with her own situation. Let's find out together when I return with Act Two.

9:44 Speaker 4: The only witness to her murder is cannot speak until now click a tale of revenge by Winslow Swan now available on Amazon revenge is a dish best served cold.

10:27 Speaker 1: Actress Audrey Hepburn once said, you have two hands, one to help yourself, one to help others.

10:35 Speaker 3: 30 or even 40 years.

10:41 Speaker 5: No one, no one wanted.

10:44 Speaker 3: To come out to the house to help me with Stanley.

10:49 Speaker 3: I offered room and board on top of a very generous salary. They all told me the same thing.

11:00 Speaker 5: It was just too far away for them. So it was all up to me.

11:10 Speaker 3: Damn him! Why did we have to move so far away from everything? Stop it.

11:23 Speaker 2: Stop it!

11:25 Speaker 3: I've had it! Do you hear me? Stop ringing that damn bell!

11:30 Speaker 5: I'm going to the city.

11:34 Speaker 3: I have to get away from here. I can't stand it anymore!

11:48 Speaker 1: Excuse me.

11:49 Speaker 3: Excuse me, miss.

11:50 Speaker 5: Excuse me.

11:51 Speaker 3: What?

11:52 Speaker 2: I think this is yours.

11:53 Speaker 3: Oh, my.

11:54 Speaker 5: My purse. I didn't even notice.

11:58 Speaker 7: I was in the bookstore when I saw you leave it. You left without purchasing anything, and, well, I saw it sitting in the aisle.

12:07 Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you so much, mister.

12:10 Speaker 3: Harris.

12:12 Speaker 6: Ted Harris. And who do I have the pleasure of taking out to lunch? Ha, ha.

12:19 Speaker 3: Oh, Mrs.

12:21 Speaker 5: Susan Hampton.

12:24 Speaker 1: Yep. That's my luck.

12:26 Speaker 7: You're already spoken for.

12:29 Speaker 1: Well.

12:30 Speaker 3: Do you usually give up so easily?

12:32 Speaker 6: Well, not usually. And you've been his caregiver all this time? Without anyone to help?

12:50 Speaker 3: That's the price I pay for saying for better or for worse.

12:56 Speaker 7: So who's watching him now?

12:59 Speaker 3: No one.

13:00 Speaker 6: You mean he's all alone? But what if something happened?

13:04 Speaker 3: What could possibly happen?

13:07 Speaker 4: He's paralyzed.

13:09 Speaker 3: He isn't going anywhere. The only thing he can move is his little finger to ring that damn bell.

13:18 Speaker 7: I'm I mean, what if his heart gave out? Or he had another stroke?

13:23 Speaker 3: It couldn't happen soon enough.

13:28 Speaker 1: So, what are you going to do?

13:31 Speaker 3: Oh, believe me. I have everything worked out. Right down to the last detail. Everything worked out. Sure. I had steel bars installed on the windows in the basement. I had a special door which could only be opened from the inside of the house going to the basement. If you were down there when it was closed, you'd be locked in until someone could let you out.

14:11 Speaker 5: I put a month's worth of food down there and then.

14:18 Speaker 3: Then I invited Ted over.

14:24 Speaker 6: Susan, what does he want?

14:26 Speaker 3: Who knows?

14:27 Speaker 5: Who cares?

14:30 Speaker 3: You see, my dear, my dear darling husband, this is a real man. See how he holds me in his arms? How he kisses me?

14:55 Speaker 1: So, what are you going to do?

14:59 Speaker 3: Simple. The doctor will be out here in three weeks, and I'll be down in the basement with the door locked and no way out. In three weeks, without food or water, I'll be a.

15:16 Speaker 4: Very wealthy widow.

15:18 Speaker 3: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

15:24 Speaker 1: I can think of no painful way to succumb to that eternal night than starvation. And to have it forced upon someone makes my skin crawl and a shudder run up my spine. I'll return shortly with our final act.

15:47 Speaker 1: Meet Jerry Connors. Family man. Business man. Psychopathic killer. The Convincer by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. Jerry Connors. He can convince you to do anything. Even die. As predicted, Stanley Hampton passed away of starvation. The good doctor had come for his monthly visit and found the distraught woman in the basement, locked in, and desperately trying to get out to, uh, save her husband.

16:46 Speaker 3: It couldn't have worked out better. Granted, it did take a little longer than I expected for him to die. Almost a whole week. But eventually, the bell stopped ringing.

17:12 Speaker 1: Dr.

17:13 Speaker 3: Mason found me, and the police were satisfied with my story. There's There's a stopper on the door to.

17:24 Speaker 5: Keep it from closing.

17:26 Speaker 3: I must have forgotten to set it when I went downstairs to get some canned vegetables.

17:35 Speaker 5: It was horrible, Detective.

17:37 Speaker 3: It was horrible hearing that little bell get weaker.

17:42 Speaker 1: Weaker.

17:44 Speaker 3: Every day. Until... I thought I was a pretty good actress.

17:56 Speaker 6: Hey, Susan!

18:07 Speaker 2: Susan, come join us.

18:09 Speaker 5: Hello, Dr.

18:11 Speaker 3: Mason.

18:12 Speaker 2: So good to see you here. How are you holding up?

18:15 Speaker 3: The reading of the will was this afternoon.

18:18 Speaker 5: I almost hated to leave the house. But then, then... There, there.

18:25 Speaker 2: It's all right, my dear. I'm glad to see you out and about again. You need to start meeting people. And speaking of meeting... Hello, Richard.

18:36 Speaker 6: And who is this person?

18:38 Speaker 1: Charming young lady.

18:39 Speaker 2: Ted, this is Susan. Susan Hampton. This is a friend of mine, Ted Harris.

18:45 Speaker 3: Very pleased to meet you, Mr. Harris.

18:48 Speaker 6: Oh, I believe that the pleasure is all mine.

18:55 Speaker 3: Another part of my grand scheme. No one knew about Ted and me. And having the good doctor introduced socially simply sealed the plans. We waited another three months before finally getting married. I hate this house!

19:24 Speaker 1: Really? I sort of like it.

19:27 Speaker 7: Lots of space, away from everything.

19:30 Speaker 3: You didn't have to watch over an invalid every day! This house reeks of his stench. I just Want to get away.

19:40 Speaker 6: Well, we could go to the beach house.

19:43 Speaker 3: No, Ted. You don't understand. I want to get rid of this.

19:49 Speaker 6: This.

19:50 Speaker 5: Mausoleum. Once and for all.

19:53 Speaker 6: Susan, you don't mean that.

19:55 Speaker 7: Look, I tell you what. Let's just go to the beach house for the weekend and we'll think about it.

20:10 Speaker 5: What's the road?

20:13 Speaker 6: I am, my love. Oh, come on, Susan. A weekend at the sea will do you a world of good.

20:22 Speaker 1: Ted!

20:23 Speaker 2: Look out! How are you holding up?

20:43 Speaker 1: You let me go about an hour ago.

20:46 Speaker 6: I got lucky just catching bruises.

20:49 Speaker 1: How is Susan?

20:51 Speaker 2: I'm afraid I have some bad news.

20:54 Speaker 1: Oh, God, no.

20:56 Speaker 6: She's not... She's not dead, is she?

21:01 Speaker 2: No, no, not dead, although it's a miracle that she isn't. No, she's alive.

21:08 Speaker 4: Oh.

21:10 Speaker 6: So, uh, So what's the bad news?

21:13 Speaker 2: You have to prepare yourself, Ted. She is completely paralyzed. She can't speak or move any part of her body. The only thing she can do is move her little finger.

21:26 Speaker 6: Well, Doc, how long do you think she'll remain that way?

21:30 Speaker 2: Oh, well, with the proper care which I'm sure you could give her, she should live to a ripe old age.

21:40 Speaker 2: You know, it's funny. Her husband could only move his little finger, too.

21:49 Speaker 5: So here I lay on the same bed that Stanley died in.

21:56 Speaker 3: I can't move. I can't talk.

22:01 Speaker 5: And there sitting in the same chair that I used to sit at.

22:06 Speaker 3: Is my husband, Ted. He smiles at me.

22:21 Speaker 6: Hello, my darling wife. Don't worry. When we took our vows and said, for better or worse, I meant every word.

22:39 Speaker 6: I remember the night you told me your plan.

22:41 Speaker 7: How after Stanley died, you would be a very wealthy widow.

22:48 Speaker 7: Strange how I am now in that same position. After you die, I will be a very wealthy widower. I'm so glad I found that little bell you had put on Stanley's finger. He could ring it whenever he needed you.

23:21 Speaker 6: And now, you can do the same thing. That's right, honey. Just ring the bell if you need anything.

23:37 Speaker 7: Just ring the bell.

23:41 Speaker 1: If... You need anything?

23:45 Speaker 6: Anything at all?

23:49 Speaker 7: All you have to do is ring the bell!

23:56 Speaker 1: Just ring the bell! As Susan's little bell rings... and rings, a single tear begins to fall down her cheek. I will return shortly with a final word.

24:22 Speaker 3: Mystery. Horror.

24:24 Speaker 4: Thriller.

24:26 Speaker 6: Suspense.

24:27 Speaker 3: Novels and short story collections from Winslow Swan, now available from Amazon.

24:49 Speaker 1: I leave you tonight with the words of businessman Lee Iacocca. No matter what you have done for yourself or humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?

25:10 Speaker 1: Our cast included Crimson McKenzie, Dave Arkapoff, and Winslow Swan. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie and directed by Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

25:27 Speaker 3: I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly.

25:29 Speaker 6: Well, I believe you heard exactly what I said.

25:33 Speaker 3: You actually told me that you're going to kill me?

25:38 Speaker 1: Oh, no, Mr. Beckwith.

25:40 Speaker 6: Not just kill, but murder you.

25:45 Speaker 3: I don't understand the difference. I would be dead either way.

25:48 Speaker 6: Oh, anyone can kill. But it takes a true artist.

25:56 Speaker 1: To murder. Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Publications. This is Artemis Black, inviting you to return with us to the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the terrifying world of your imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully.

26:24 Speaker 3: Epilogue The butler did it.