The Elixir That Raises the Dead | Resurrection 239

0:01 Speaker 1: When you sleep, you enter into another world. Beyond that world lies the doorway to nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host through the doorway to nightmare. Since the beginning of recorded history, there have been the stories of bringing the dead back to life. From Mary Shelley's Frankenstein all the way back to the Bibles. Novels, movies, radio, and television have all explored the world of resurrecting lifeless tissue.

1:06 Speaker 2: Why, it's the most remarkable thing that I have seen.

1:09 Speaker 3: Stan, I can assure you that no trickery was involved.

1:14 Speaker 2: Oh, I believe you, Jacob. I examined that rabbit and I would swear that it was completely dead. There was no signs of life at all.

1:22 Speaker 3: And yet, look at it now.

1:28 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Resurrection 239, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and stars Mark Wheeler and Raymond Gibson. It is sponsored in part by Swanage Press. I'll be back shortly with Act One. Act One Science has come a long way in the last hundred years. What may have killed hundreds of thousands of people long ago is now eradicated through research and the development of medicine. However, there has never been a cure for death.

2:29 Speaker 2: Dr. Jacob Daniels.

2:30 Speaker 3: Come in, Stan. And please drop the doctor. I retired some time ago. Nowadays, I simply go by Jacob.

2:40 Speaker 2: Oh, fine with me. Thank you for inviting me.

2:44 Speaker 3: I'm certainly glad to see my star pupil doing so well. Did you have any problems finding the house?

2:52 Speaker 2: House? You call this a house? I have two bedrooms and a small bath. I have a kitchen that doubles as a dining room.

3:03 Speaker 1: This.

3:05 Speaker 2: This is a castle.

3:07 Speaker 3: Well, perhaps it is a little large for just myself. Man.

3:12 Speaker 2: When you retire, you really retire.

3:15 Speaker 3: Ah.

3:16 Speaker 1: Here we are.

3:17 Speaker 3: The library. May I get you something to drink?

3:20 Speaker 2: Oh, no thank you. The fireplace is welcoming. It's a little chilly tonight.

3:26 Speaker 3: It saves on the heating bill. I, uh... I understand that you are in research now.

3:34 Speaker 2: I just couldn't take the grind of a hospital. But then, you knew that. I was more fascinated with running experiments than carving into bodies.

3:42 Speaker 1: I do remember that.

3:44 Speaker 3: Tell me, are you happy with your work?

3:48 Speaker 2: It has its moments. Currently, I'm working on the cure for cancer.

3:53 Speaker 3: Isn't everyone?

3:54 Speaker 2: After Margaret died, I felt so helpless. I mean... What was the point of having all that medical knowledge when I couldn't even save my own sister?

4:02 Speaker 3: I heard about it. Through mutual friends. I can only offer you my deepest condolences.

4:11 Speaker 2: Thank you. Even though it has been two years now, it still hurts.

4:16 Speaker 3: No matter who the patient is, death is always hard. Not just on the family, but the doctor as well.

4:25 Speaker 2: I don't understand how you ever coped with it.

4:29 Speaker 3: By becoming a teacher.

4:31 Speaker 2: That's something you did very well. I don't think I could have ever graduated had it not been for you.

4:36 Speaker 3: Oh, I think that you give me way too much credit. You were a brilliant student, as I recall, which is why I contacted you.

4:48 Speaker 2: Well, here I am.

4:49 Speaker 3: Stan, what I am about to ask you can never leave this room. I simply want you to hear my proposal and then think it over. Don't discuss it with anyone, not even your colleagues.

5:04 Speaker 2: This must be something really big. Why all the secrecy?

5:08 Speaker 3: Because, for one, the scientific community would never believe it.

5:18 Speaker 2: I think I will take that drink now.

5:21 Speaker 1: Here you are.

5:23 Speaker 3: I know what you're going to say. Preposterous. Monstrous. It goes against everything.

5:29 Speaker 2: I cannot believe that you're even entertaining the idea. I always knew you to be a straightforward scientist and doctor. Never dreamed that you would turn into Frankenstein.

5:39 Speaker 3: I'm not talking about Boris Karloff and his magic electrodes. I am talking about a viable way to bring dead tissue back to life.

5:51 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, Jacob, but it just sounds too fantastic. And you are right. The community would be measuring you for a nice, comfortable straitjacket the second they find out what you are up to.

6:04 Speaker 3: Would you like a demonstration?

6:07 Speaker 2: You're kidding.

6:09 Speaker 3: Come with me to my lab. Stan, describe what you see on the operating table.

6:19 Speaker 1: A rabbit?

6:21 Speaker 3: Please, examine it.

6:23 Speaker 4: Well.

6:24 Speaker 2: It appears to be normal, everyday wild rabbit, who in this case shows no signs of life.

6:32 Speaker 3: I euthanized it a week ago.

6:34 Speaker 2: It's in great condition for being dead a week.

6:37 Speaker 3: I kept it in the freezer. I brought it out just before you arrived.

6:42 Speaker 2: All right, so you have a dead rabbit. Now what?

6:46 Speaker 3: Within this test tube is a formula. I want you to watch me very carefully. I'm extracting three cc's of this formula into the syringe. There. Now, I am going to inject it into the rabbit. And there we are.

7:14 Speaker 2: Now what?

7:16 Speaker 3: Just wait.

7:19 Speaker 2: Holy Jesus, it's moving!

7:21 Speaker 1: There.

7:21 Speaker 2: The rabbit is moving.

7:22 Speaker 3: Let me put it in its cage before it gets too active.

7:26 Speaker 1: There you go, little guy.

7:29 Speaker 3: Welcome back to the land of the living.

7:32 Speaker 2: It has to be some sort of a trick.

7:34 Speaker 3: Oh, no, Stan. I can assure you.

7:36 Speaker 2: Now, wait a minute, Jacob. There are drugs that will cause paralysis, a death-like appearance. Those voodoo hoodoo people use it all the time to make others believe in their so-called magic.

7:48 Speaker 3: Which is why I asked you here.

7:50 Speaker 4: Well.

7:51 Speaker 3: one of the reasons. Stan, I want you to run every test that you can think of on that rabbit. A drug, urine, CBC, toxicology, and a DNA profile. Do x-rays, anything that you can think of.

8:10 Speaker 2: Well, that's going to take some time and a lot of equipment.

8:14 Speaker 3: I have everything that you need in the lab, and I don't want you to rush. I want you to be absolutely sure of your findings.

8:24 Speaker 2: And what do you expect me to find exactly?

8:27 Speaker 3: Something that you are not going to believe.

8:36 Speaker 1: The actor Michael Landon once said, Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows. However, we have a scientist who has possibly found a way to add to those tomorrows. I will add more when I return with Act 2. Oh, death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Questions asked by the Apostle Paul, who had his own answers. Apparently, Dr. Jacob Daniels has added a new answer to the question.

9:32 Speaker 2: Well, I ran every test that I could think of.

9:35 Speaker 3: And x-rays. You did x-rays.

9:37 Speaker 2: Yes, even those. All I can find is that you have a very healthy, happy, adult male rabbit.

9:44 Speaker 3: And you are positive. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him. No problems of any kind.

9:51 Speaker 2: It's a healthy rabbit, Jacob. What were you looking for?

9:54 Speaker 3: That is not what I am looking for. I want you to take a look at these test results.

10:03 Speaker 2: Well, according to this, you had a rabbit that showed advanced stages of cancer. So what of it?

10:09 Speaker 3: You are looking at tests that were done on that same rabbit a week ago. Just before I put him down.

10:18 Speaker 2: That's impossible.

10:20 Speaker 3: No, look at the DNA strand. I don't believe it.

10:23 Speaker 2: It is the same rabbit.

10:25 Speaker 3: Now you know one of the reasons why I asked you to come.

10:28 Speaker 2: I just can't believe it. What is that stuff you injected?

10:32 Speaker 1: That, my friend, is.

10:34 Speaker 3: The other reason that you are here.

10:36 Speaker 2: I don't understand.

10:39 Speaker 3: Let's go back to the library and let me fix you a drink. I think that you are going to need it.

10:50 Speaker 2: How long have you been working on this research?

10:53 Speaker 3: Oh, about a year now. To be honest, I was getting bored with retirement and needed something to keep my mind sharp. I had started along the lines of your research. I thought that if I made some headway, I would contact you and we could collaborate on it.

11:15 Speaker 2: Instead, you came up with this.

11:19 Speaker 4: This....

11:21 Speaker 2: I don't even know what to call it.

11:23 Speaker 3: Resurrection 239. It was the only thing that I could come up with without having to brush up on my Latin.

11:31 Speaker 2: Oh, don't tell me. You tried 238 times before.

11:36 Speaker 3: Exactly. I did just that.

11:39 Speaker 2: Jacob, that's not research. That's obsession.

11:42 Speaker 3: I suppose that it did become an obsession. Regardless, I have found a formula that will bring the dead back to life. There is only one problem.

11:57 Speaker 2: And what's that?

11:58 Speaker 3: I don't know how I did it.

12:01 Speaker 2: You're kidding.

12:02 Speaker 3: I only wish that I was. Do you keep notes? Oh, meticulous ones. However, I had an accident after number 239. I was so excited with the results that I came back up here from the lab. The note slipped out of my hand and fell into the fire.

12:22 Speaker 2: You can't remember what you used in the way of chemicals.

12:24 Speaker 3: Which is the other reason I called you. That vial that I used is the last of Resurrection 239, about 7 cc's. I was able to have 12, but I used 2 cc's on another rabbit, and then the 3 that I used for my little demonstration for you.

12:46 Speaker 2: And you want me to try and break everything down.

12:49 Speaker 3: Oh, I can do it, but I need someone with much younger eyes and stamina.

12:55 Speaker 2: What you are telling me is that you have a formula that not only brings the dead back to life, but makes a subject healthier, even killing cancerous cells?

13:05 Speaker 3: Oh, that was a happy byproduct. Apparently, the serum reawakens the cells that combat foreign bodies. Since those foreign bodies have also died with the subject, they do not reanimate and are clear away by the healthy cells.

13:24 Speaker 2: It's fantastic.

13:25 Speaker 3: Stan, will you do it?

13:27 Speaker 2: You are either one of the most brilliant men that I know of, or one of the maddest.

13:32 Speaker 3: Perhaps a little of both.

13:42 Speaker 2: It's been a week. However, I think that I have been able to replicate your formula.

13:48 Speaker 3: I'm surprised it went this fast. Did you keep notes?

13:52 Speaker 2: You know me better than that. I made three copies.

13:55 Speaker 3: Splendid!

13:56 Speaker 2: If you have other specimen, we can try it out.

14:08 Speaker 2: There we go. Three cc's of the new serum. Now we wait.

14:13 Speaker 1: Look!

14:15 Speaker 3: It's moving.

14:15 Speaker 2: Let me get it in the cage.

14:17 Speaker 1: You've done it.

14:18 Speaker 3: You really have done it.

14:20 Speaker 2: Let's not count our rabbits before they hop. There are still some tests to run.

14:25 Speaker 3: Yes, of course. I know that.

14:27 Speaker 1: Look, Jacob.

14:29 Speaker 2: What are you thinking?

14:30 Speaker 3: The same thing that has already crossed your mind.

14:34 Speaker 2: Okay, but where do we find a fresh corpse?

14:45 Speaker 1: A very good question, and one that I have been waiting to hear. Both men stare at each other questioningly. Neither have an answer. And as the newest subject of their experiment eats happily away at a piece of lettuce, let us take a moment before I return with Act Three. Dr. Jacob Daniels, well loved professor of Stan Fremont, has asked Stan to help him with an experiment. Jacob proved that a formula for not only resurrecting the dead will work, but completely eradicates any foreign bodies found in the subject.

15:40 Speaker 1: The question arises, Will it work on humans? It has been two months now since Stan moved in with Jacob to continue the experiment. All right, Bootle.

15:54 Speaker 2: That's enough. I have work to do. I promise that I will play ball with you later. Oh, yes, you are a good girl.

16:03 Speaker 3: Well, I see that our latest patient is doing quite well.

16:07 Speaker 2: The dog that I brought with me.

16:09 Speaker 5: I'm glad.

16:10 Speaker 3: I'm sorry that I left the door open. I didn't mean for her.

16:14 Speaker 2: That's all right, Jacob. Dogs get hit all the time. I'm just thankful that Resurrection 239 was able to bring her back.

16:21 Speaker 3: This was your sister's dog?

16:23 Speaker 1: Yes.

16:24 Speaker 2: They were inseparable. Now, Boodle has claimed me.

16:29 Speaker 3: I'm glad that she accepted me as well. Yes, Boodle.

16:34 Speaker 1: My home is your home.

16:36 Speaker 2: Now, can we discuss the other subjects?

16:39 Speaker 1: Yes.

16:41 Speaker 3: The other subjects. I'm not as young as I used to be.

16:47 Speaker 2: Digging up graves in the dead of night is not exactly my idea of research.

16:50 Speaker 3: Where else were we to get test cases?

16:54 Speaker 2: I know, and you are right. However, it appears that Resurrection 239 will not work on the human body. Only on animals.

17:04 Speaker 3: Perhaps we are both missing something. There has to be some enzyme that we could add.

17:12 Speaker 2: I've tried everything, Jacob. Fourteen corpses, some of them only a few days in the ground.

17:18 Speaker 3: A reaction to the formaldehyde, perhaps?

17:21 Speaker 2: No, I did my homework. There are some people that insist on not having any chemicals used. I made sure of that.

17:28 Speaker 3: And by law, they have to either be cremated or buried within 72 hours of death.

17:35 Speaker 1: Right.

17:36 Speaker 3: Which means that all of our subjects were only three to four days deceased before we got to them.

17:43 Speaker 2: I just don't know. But I do want to at least try one more thing.

17:48 Speaker 3: Another cemetery visit? Oh, no.

17:52 Speaker 2: I've got something a little bit more drastic and a lot more illegal.

18:05 Speaker 3: Stan, where have you been all afternoon? I was getting worried.

18:09 Speaker 2: We have a new subject. Died this morning.

18:13 Speaker 1: Suicide.

18:14 Speaker 3: Stan, how were you able.

18:17 Speaker 2: I have a friend in the foreigner's office. I asked, and for the right amount of money, I received.

18:24 Speaker 3: Digging up graves is bad enough. But this? What if someone comes looking for their deceased loved one?

18:32 Speaker 2: This one was homeless, living on the street. So, what do you think?

18:39 Speaker 3: She's very beautiful. How long dead?

18:44 Speaker 2: Just a few hours. She shot herself. They dug the bullet out. Do you think that our serum will repair any damage as well?

18:52 Speaker 3: It will be very interesting to see. Jacob.

19:01 Speaker 1: Jacob.

19:02 Speaker 2: We have only been using twice as much of the serum on the human subjects that we used on the animals. Since this one is so fresh, why don't we try three times as much?

19:12 Speaker 3: We can always try. I'll get the syringe ready.

19:16 Speaker 5: Well, there we go.

19:27 Speaker 2: That should do it. So how long do you think it will take?

19:30 Speaker 3: Well, with the rabbits, it only took a few minutes.

19:33 Speaker 2: Well, you know, human circulatory is much more complex.

19:36 Speaker 3: We just have to wait and see.

19:40 Speaker 5: The End It's been an hour.

19:56 Speaker 2: And no sign of anything.

19:58 Speaker 3: Are you sure that the heart monitor is hooked up correctly? That the leads have a good contact?

20:03 Speaker 2: I've checked three times.

20:05 Speaker 1: Well, it was worth a try.

20:09 Speaker 2: There's a heartbeat. Getting stronger.

20:12 Speaker 5: I can feel a pulse.

20:15 Speaker 3: I think we have our first successful test.

20:20 Speaker 2: Enough.

20:22 Speaker 3: That's enough, girl. You should welcome our new guest.

20:27 Speaker 4: Where am I?

20:32 Speaker 2: I'm Dr. Stan Fremont, and this is Dr. Jacob Daniels.

20:35 Speaker 4: Where am I?

20:36 Speaker 2: Do you remember anything?

20:39 Speaker 3: What have you done to me?

20:41 Speaker 2: What do you remember?

20:42 Speaker 3: You fools!

20:44 Speaker 5: What have you done?

20:45 Speaker 2: Voodoo, come back here.

20:48 Speaker 3: Let her go, Stan. This is more important. Young lady, do you remember anything?

20:54 Speaker 4: I remember everything. I remember putting the gun to my chest and pulling the trigger. What have you done to me?

21:10 Speaker 2: You are history in the making. We brought you back.

21:14 Speaker 3: And apparently our hypothesis about repairing damaged tissue was correct. Congratulations, my boy. We have done it.

21:24 Speaker 4: You have no idea what you've just done.

21:30 Speaker 2: Resurrection 239 works.

21:32 Speaker 4: Did you once ask yourself why?

21:35 Speaker 1: Why I.

21:37 Speaker 4: Committed suicide?

21:38 Speaker 3: Whatever the problem is, my dear young lady, I'm sure that we can help. Wait.

21:46 Speaker 5: What is today's date?

21:47 Speaker 2: I think it's the 22nd.

21:49 Speaker 4: Oh, no. What time is it?

21:52 Speaker 2: Well, it's almost 9.30.

21:54 Speaker 4: Day or night?

21:55 Speaker 2: At night, but what is that?

21:56 Speaker 4: There's a full moon tonight. Don't you understand? I shot myself with a silver bullet.

22:05 Speaker 3: I didn't want to kill anymore.

22:08 Speaker 4: Now you've brought me back?

22:14 Speaker 3: Dear God, now I understand.

22:19 Speaker 2: Jacob, is she really a werewolf?

22:25 Speaker 3: The other subjects, Stan, the dead bodies that we dug up, were all human. This girl, a werewolf, has mutated cells that are part animal.

22:38 Speaker 4: You should have left me dead. And now, I am very, very hungry.

22:58 Speaker 1: When friends and co-workers of Dr. Stan Fremont contacted police, they were shocked at what they found out. The local precinct sent detectives to the home of Dr. Jacob Daniels. They found the two men in a lab in the basement. They had both been torn apart. I will be back shortly.

23:37 Speaker 1: Scientists are sometimes called dreamers. They come up with fantastic ideas and try to create something that will eventually help all of humankind. It was the dream of Stan and Jacob to eradicate not only cancer, but death itself. However, the laws of nature have to be obeyed. Our cast included Mark Wheeler, Raymond Gibson, and Crimson McKenzie. The entire production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

24:22 Speaker 6: Now look, Fred, I don't want to argue with you. Dot and I have to get away for a little while.

24:29 Speaker 3: But what am I supposed to do? Well, what did you do when you were at the other house? Well, nothing really. I mean, no one ever came around. I really got lonely and I was a little scared.

24:44 Speaker 6: Fred, all that I'm asking for is a couple of weeks vacation.

24:49 Speaker 3: You mean away from me?

24:52 Speaker 6: Yeah, not really. Look, you'll have a whole place to yourself. Maybe you can practice some of those tricks of yours.

24:59 Speaker 3: It just won't be the same. I'll be all alone by myself. What if I get scared?

25:08 Speaker 6: Fred, Dorothy and I are going on vacation and you are staying here.

25:13 Speaker 3: Now that is final.

25:15 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is sponsored 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.