Sonny Came Home | A Ruthless Crime Turn Deadly: An Audio Drama

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.

0:25 Speaker 2: Nightmare.

0:46 Speaker 1: Come in. Welcome. I'm your host, Artemis Black. We all have them. Some are closer than others. Some are nice. And others?

1:04 Speaker 2: Well....

1:08 Speaker 1: Whatever each of us has, we all call them by the same name. Family.

1:16 Speaker 3: I think he's getting closer.

1:21 Speaker 1: Come on.

1:22 Speaker 4: We have to keep moving.

1:24 Speaker 1: Come on.

1:24 Speaker 3: I hate this.

1:27 Speaker 5: What does he want?

1:29 Speaker 4: What do you think he wants?

1:30 Speaker 6: He just killed his mother.

1:34 Speaker 4: What would you want to do?

1:39 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Sunny Came Home, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Crimson McKenzie, Winslow Swan, Mick Davis, and Jonathan Rosignol. I'll be back shortly with Act One. Our tale tonight deals with family. We beg the question, what would you do for yours? Most families are very close, keeping in touch with each other and always watching out for enemies that would wish them harm.

2:38 Speaker 3: Hey, Al, what's taking my corned beef on rice so long? Hurry it up, will ya?

2:44 Speaker 1: So?

2:45 Speaker 4: Come on, Ella. What do you say?

2:47 Speaker 3: I can't tonight, Larry. Audrey didn't come in, so I won't get off till midnight.

2:54 Speaker 4: Well, what was her excuse this time?

2:56 Speaker 3: Don't be usual. I have a headache. Which, of course, is code for I have a date. She makes me so mad.

3:07 Speaker 4: Why don't you just quit?

3:09 Speaker 3: And do what? Move in with you?

3:12 Speaker 4: Hey, what's so strange about that?

3:14 Speaker 3: Larry, you work in the only gas station in town. I work at a run-down diner. How are we ever going to make it?

3:23 Speaker 6: Yeah, and who says we have to stay in this town?

3:30 Speaker 3: Oh, you are going to take me away from all of this. Right.

3:37 Speaker 4: Then why not?

3:39 Speaker 6: I'm sick of this town. The low pay, the rotten apartment that I live in, and the people here.

3:46 Speaker 4: I mean, come on, aren't you?

3:49 Speaker 3: Well, I have to admit that things are not exactly going the way I planned it.

3:54 Speaker 4: Yeah, what sort of plans did you have?

3:56 Speaker 3: Really want to know?

3:57 Speaker 4: I wouldn't have asked otherwise.

4:00 Speaker 3: No, you'll just laugh.

4:02 Speaker 6: Hey, no judgments here.

4:06 Speaker 3: I wanted to be an actress. I was on my way to Hollywood when I got stuck here. That was over two years ago.

4:16 Speaker 6: That's not so strange. I wanted to work on a real NASCAR racing team.

4:21 Speaker 4: I would have, too, had.

4:23 Speaker 6: I not stopped in this swamp-infested place.

4:28 Speaker 3: How long have you been here?

4:30 Speaker 4: Too long.

4:32 Speaker 6: You don't know how happy I was that you agreed to go out with me six months ago.

4:38 Speaker 3: Well, you were definitely different than anyone else who comes in here.

4:46 Speaker 4: So why don't we do it?

4:48 Speaker 3: I told you, I have to work tonight.

4:51 Speaker 4: No, no, not that.

4:52 Speaker 6: I mean, why don't we get out of this swamp town?

4:57 Speaker 2: Larry.

4:58 Speaker 3: I got exactly $ 3. 27 in my bank account. Rent's due next week, and my car needs new tires.

5:06 Speaker 4: Okay, okay, so we need a bankroll, right?

5:12 Speaker 3: What? What you planning? Robbing a bank?

5:15 Speaker 4: Not a half bad idea.

5:17 Speaker 6: I mean, come on, they only have one security guard, and he must have been in the Civil War.

5:24 Speaker 3: Aw, he's not that old. Besides, he's sweet. Always tips me five bucks any time he comes in. I would never want to hurt him.

5:33 Speaker 6: I'm not planning on robbing the bank, I promise.

5:38 Speaker 3: Good. So then, we're back at square one.

5:42 Speaker 4: Yeah, not necessarily.

5:44 Speaker 3: What do you have in mind?

5:46 Speaker 4: I'll see you at midnight.

5:58 Speaker 5: All right, Larry.

5:59 Speaker 3: I'm here. What's this big plan you have in mind?

6:03 Speaker 4: I told you. I'm sick of this swamp town.

6:08 Speaker 6: Mosquitoes as big as your hand. Alligators running across the yards.

6:17 Speaker 3: Don't forget about the snakes.

6:18 Speaker 4: I hate snakes.

6:20 Speaker 3: Okay, so we both agree that we hate this town. So what you thinking?

6:25 Speaker 4: What if I told you that I could get us to Hollywood?

6:28 Speaker 3: I'd ask when you won the lottery.

6:30 Speaker 4: No, no, nothing like that.

6:32 Speaker 6: Look, I got some information last week that will get us enough money to do whatever we want to do.

6:38 Speaker 3: You said you weren't going to rob no bank.

6:42 Speaker 6: I told you I'm not robbing the bank.

6:45 Speaker 4: But what if I.

6:47 Speaker 6: Know where we can lay our hands on over a hundred grand in cash. Would that change your mind about leaving?

6:59 Speaker 3: Now who in the world in this town has that kind of money?

7:04 Speaker 6: Old Lady Rutledge.

7:07 Speaker 3: Who is Old Lady Rutledge?

7:10 Speaker 6: Oh, she's some old woman that lives on the edge of the swamp.

7:14 Speaker 4: Been there forever.

7:16 Speaker 6: I was told she was some sort of voodoo queen in Louisiana. Still helps people with potions and magic spells, if you believe in that crap.

7:28 Speaker 3: For one, I don't mess with any of that voodoo stuff. And how would anyone like that have that kind of money?

7:36 Speaker 4: She never trusted banks.

7:38 Speaker 6: I have it on good authority that she sold her house in New Orleans and moved here.

7:45 Speaker 3: Sure does sound like you want to rob the bank.

7:47 Speaker 4: No, she doesn't trust banks. Never did from what I've been told. Look, all she.

7:53 Speaker 6: Has is this tiny shack where she lives with her son.

7:58 Speaker 3: So, what are you planning on doing?

8:01 Speaker 4: The money has to be somewhere, doesn't it?

8:04 Speaker 6: Obviously, she has it stashed in the house or at least somewhere on the property.

8:10 Speaker 3: How can she stand to live next to that swamp?

8:13 Speaker 4: Who cares?

8:15 Speaker 6: Look, her son goes to town every Tuesday. She takes a long walk at the same time every day.

8:23 Speaker 3: Tomorrow is Tuesday.

8:25 Speaker 4: Exactly.

8:26 Speaker 6: Look, all we have to do is wait for them to leave, and then with a little luck, we can find the money.

8:34 Speaker 3: But what if someone sees us break in?

8:36 Speaker 4: Are you kidding? She lives at the end of Miller Road. There isn't another house within miles. Nothing but swamp.

8:45 Speaker 1: One road in.

8:49 Speaker 3: I don't know.

8:51 Speaker 1: Fine.

8:52 Speaker 4: Stay here.

8:53 Speaker 6: Get eaten by the bugs and deal with the dirty looks from the townspeople and the whispers. And let's not forget about the alligators and snakes.

9:04 Speaker 3: All right. You've convinced me. So when do we do this?

9:09 Speaker 4: I've been keeping an eye on the place.

9:11 Speaker 6: She usually leaves around one. Sonny doesn't get home until about four, and she's usually gone on her walk for about two hours.

9:23 Speaker 3: Larry, are you sure about this?

9:26 Speaker 6: Dead sure.

9:34 Speaker 1: The actor Michael J. Fox once said, Family is not an important thing. It's everything. And it has been my experience that some families are closer than others. I'll be back shortly with Act Two. Gloria Steinem once said that happy or unhappy, families are all mysterious.

10:21 Speaker 3: Why did we have to park so far away?

10:23 Speaker 4: I didn't want her to see the car, that's why.

10:25 Speaker 3: And I thought you said that her son always goes to town today.

10:30 Speaker 6: Okay, okay, so he hasn't left yet.

10:33 Speaker 4: We just have to wait a little longer.

10:35 Speaker 2: Ow!

10:35 Speaker 3: Damn bugs, I'm getting eaten alive.

10:41 Speaker 6: Just keep thinking about all that money we're soon going to have.

10:46 Speaker 3: If they will ever leave.

10:48 Speaker 4: Now look, don't worry. They're gonna be.

10:51 Speaker 3: Is that... No. That can't be her son.

10:54 Speaker 4: That's him, alright.

10:56 Speaker 1: Ugh.

10:58 Speaker 3: I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark alley. He must be seven feet tall.

11:03 Speaker 4: Yeah, with a face that only his mother could love.

11:06 Speaker 5: Oh.

11:07 Speaker 3: What happened to him?

11:09 Speaker 4: I think he was born that way.

11:10 Speaker 3: This is mean, but he's hideous.

11:17 Speaker 1: Look.

11:18 Speaker 6: He's leaving.

11:19 Speaker 3: She's leaving too. Now maybe we can just get this over with.

11:24 Speaker 6: Just give it a little time. Let her get down the road.

11:26 Speaker 4: And then we hit that place. Hard.

11:37 Speaker 3: Find anything?

11:40 Speaker 4: Not yet.

11:41 Speaker 3: Oh my goodness. Look at all this junk. Larry... Look at this.

11:49 Speaker 4: A moody doll. So what?

11:52 Speaker 3: You think she really is this high priestess or whatever they call them?

11:57 Speaker 1: Mama Lo.

11:58 Speaker 3: What's that?

12:00 Speaker 4: What you just said. A high priestess. Simple.

12:03 Speaker 3: Yes. Would have sufficed.

12:05 Speaker 4: You just keep looking.

12:06 Speaker 6: That money has to be here somewhere.

12:08 Speaker 3: Just face it, Larry. There's nothing here. Just a bunch of old junk.

12:13 Speaker 4: Fine. Just grab what you can.

12:16 Speaker 1: Here. Here.

12:18 Speaker 4: Put whatever you can in this bag.

12:20 Speaker 3: That won't be much.

12:22 Speaker 6: Look, will you just do it and hurry up?

12:26 Speaker 3: Hey, look at this. It looks like solid gold.

12:31 Speaker 6: Well, then put it in the bag.

12:33 Speaker 4: Wait a minute. What is it?

12:35 Speaker 3: Some sort of statue, I guess.

12:37 Speaker 6: Yeah, maybe we can sell it.

12:40 Speaker 5: What are you doing in my house?

12:43 Speaker 3: Larry... We've got company.

12:46 Speaker 5: Who, you people?

12:47 Speaker 4: Now, now, now, don't, don't get excited.

12:51 Speaker 6: We just had a little car trouble and we were looking for a phone.

12:55 Speaker 5: You no lie to Mama Lo. Mama Lo know everything.

13:01 Speaker 3: No, we, we really did have car problems.

13:04 Speaker 5: You so pretty, little lady. Why you be with this poor excuse of a man?

13:12 Speaker 4: Hey, now just a minute.

13:14 Speaker 5: You best leave before my sonny gets home.

13:18 Speaker 4: Just tell us where the money is, and then we'll go.

13:21 Speaker 5: What money you talking about? My below had no money.

13:26 Speaker 4: Oh, you're lying.

13:28 Speaker 3: Larry! What are you doing with that gun?

13:33 Speaker 5: Put that away, sonny boy. It's way too big for a little man like you.

13:40 Speaker 4: Tell me where the money is, or... Or I swear I'll kill you.

13:47 Speaker 2: Little man, I'm just an old woman who makes small medicine.

13:54 Speaker 5: I don't have any money.

13:55 Speaker 6: Quit calling me that.

13:58 Speaker 3: Now where is it, you old hag? Larry, please, put the gun down. Let's just get out of here.

14:05 Speaker 5: Better do what your missus tell you. Sonny be here soon.

14:10 Speaker 4: One more chance. Where is it?

14:13 Speaker 5: I tell you, I know half.

14:21 Speaker 3: Larry, what did you do?

14:24 Speaker 4: I don't know. The gun just went off. I didn't even know it was loaded. I was just trying to scare her.

14:38 Speaker 3: Larry, Sonny's pulling up. What are we going to do? Come on.

14:42 Speaker 6: We'll go out the back and hide in the swamp. Maybe Sunny knows where the money is. Come on, quick!

14:49 Speaker 1: Mama, I got your stuff.

14:53 Speaker 4: You home?

14:55 Speaker 3: Quick, get the door open.

14:58 Speaker 6: I'm trying.

14:58 Speaker 1: Mama, you home?

15:06 Speaker 6: There.

15:07 Speaker 4: Come on, run for it.

15:09 Speaker 1: Hey, who are you?

15:12 Speaker 3: Run, Larry! Hey!

15:14 Speaker 1: Come back here! Quick! Quick!

15:18 Speaker 4: Through the swamp!

15:19 Speaker 6: We can double back and get to the car!

15:21 Speaker 1: Hey! Come here! The gun!

15:25 Speaker 3: The gun! Use the gun, Larry!

15:28 Speaker 4: I can't!

15:28 Speaker 1: Why not?

15:29 Speaker 3: You had no problems killing the old lady!

15:31 Speaker 4: Because I dropped the gun!

15:33 Speaker 6: Oh, jeez!

15:34 Speaker 3: He's got it!

15:36 Speaker 1: Come on!

15:36 Speaker 4: Keep running!

15:38 Speaker 6: Hey!

15:38 Speaker 1: Why are you running? Come back here!

15:46 Speaker 4: Come on.

15:47 Speaker 1: Through here.

15:48 Speaker 4: Look, the car.

15:50 Speaker 3: Hurry, Larry. The ape is right behind us.

15:55 Speaker 4: Quick, get in. Come on, come on.

16:04 Speaker 5: What'd I tell you, little man? Good no hug, Mama Lo.

16:09 Speaker 3: Larry, look.

16:12 Speaker 6: It can't be.

16:13 Speaker 3: Let's get out of here.

16:19 Speaker 5: You can no run from Mama Lowell.

16:22 Speaker 3: She's in the middle of the road. Larry!

16:37 Speaker 1: Whatever else is unsure in this world, a mother's love is not, according to James Joyce. I would like to add that there is no greater magic as well. I'll return shortly with Act 3. Larry and Ella have managed to crawl away from the wreckage of their car. They find themselves running for their lives through the swamp.

17:24 Speaker 3: Where are we, Larry?

17:25 Speaker 6: How the hell should I know?

17:27 Speaker 4: Ouch!

17:28 Speaker 3: I think the mosquitoes are getting bigger.

17:31 Speaker 6: I don't see Sunny behind us.

17:33 Speaker 4: Great.

17:34 Speaker 3: I need to sit down.

17:35 Speaker 4: No, we've got to keep moving.

17:37 Speaker 1: But.

17:38 Speaker 3: You don't even know where we are.

17:39 Speaker 4: All right. Let's sit for a minute.

17:48 Speaker 6: Maybe I can get my bearings and find a way out of here.

17:52 Speaker 3: Larry, she was there, right in front of the car.

17:56 Speaker 4: Yeah, she was dead. Remember, I shot her. I didn't mean to do it, but it happened.

18:03 Speaker 3: Then how do you explain her being in front of the car? We both saw her.

18:07 Speaker 6: I don't know.

18:09 Speaker 3: Working in that diner, I've heard all kinds of stories about these swamps. I never, never really thought that any of it was true, but now.

18:18 Speaker 6: Right, so now that old hag is a voodoo witch coming back from the dead? Look, maybe I missed her and she tripped.

18:29 Speaker 3: I saw the blood! I saw her fall. She was dead.

18:33 Speaker 6: Okay, then how did we see her in front of the car?

18:37 Speaker 3: Maybe that voodoo really is real. Maybe she really is a voodoo priestess.

18:42 Speaker 4: Hey, you two.

18:44 Speaker 1: Mama is looking for you.

18:47 Speaker 4: Come on, Ella. We gotta keep moving.

18:58 Speaker 3: I can't go any further.

19:04 Speaker 4: We don't have a choice.

19:10 Speaker 3: Watch out! Larry!

19:14 Speaker 1: What is this?

19:15 Speaker 4: Quit moving!

19:15 Speaker 3: I'm sinking!

19:17 Speaker 6: It's quicksand!

19:19 Speaker 4: Hang on!

19:20 Speaker 3: Larry, it's pulling me under! Do something!

19:23 Speaker 4: Here, grab the spine!

19:25 Speaker 3: What? I can't, I can't reach it.

19:30 Speaker 4: Well, try again.

19:32 Speaker 5: Larry, help me.

19:35 Speaker 4: Look, look, the more you struggle, the faster you sink.

19:40 Speaker 5: Now grab the vine.

19:42 Speaker 4: I've almost got it.

19:44 Speaker 6: Got it. Okay, now just hold on.

19:47 Speaker 3: Pull Harley get me out of here.

19:50 Speaker 5: You take you go get away.

19:53 Speaker 3: Hey you two Larry look out he's coming up behind you and what is it that old woman is right behind him come on I I got you come on

20:11 Speaker 3: Come on! We gotta run!

20:13 Speaker 1: Now! I.

20:21 Speaker 4: I can't... I can't run anymore.

20:24 Speaker 3: Please, Larry. Please, Larry, we've got to.

20:26 Speaker 4: I'm... I'm done.

20:29 Speaker 5: Took you long enough.

20:31 Speaker 3: Larry!

20:32 Speaker 1: How.

20:33 Speaker 6: How the hell.

20:35 Speaker 4: What are you?

20:36 Speaker 5: I done tell you, little man. I'm just an old woman who makes little medicine.

20:44 Speaker 1: No.

20:45 Speaker 4: You're dead. I saw you.

20:49 Speaker 5: You don't understand, little man. Okay, sonny.

20:55 Speaker 2: You take him back to the cabin. I got some nice stew waiting. But it need a little meat.

21:07 Speaker 1: Come on, you two. Let's go. Please.

21:14 Speaker 3: Please don't do this.

21:16 Speaker 4: I'm not going anywhere.

21:18 Speaker 6: Hey!

21:22 Speaker 3: Watch out for the gun!

21:28 Speaker 1: Mama?

21:33 Speaker 5: You little man. You take my boy.

21:35 Speaker 4: You take.

21:38 Speaker 5: Take my boy!

21:41 Speaker 3: Larry?

21:43 Speaker 6: Let's get out of here.

21:49 Speaker 3: How far have we gone?

21:50 Speaker 1: I don't know.

21:53 Speaker 4: Good thing we found the keys to Sonny's truck.

21:55 Speaker 3: So where are we going?

21:58 Speaker 4: As far away as possible.

22:00 Speaker 3: What are we going to use for money?

22:01 Speaker 6: You managed to find that bag of junk we took, right? Maybe we can sell it for something.

22:09 Speaker 3: I keep seeing the look on that old woman's face. So full of anger, hate, and sadness.

22:17 Speaker 6: Oh, Ella, try not to think about it. Look, I'm dead tired. I think I got enough to at least get us a room for the night.

22:27 Speaker 3: She kept pointing at you, mumbling something weird, like a curse.

22:32 Speaker 4: She wasn't a witch.

22:35 Speaker 6: I missed her in the cabin, and the gun went off when I made a grab for Sonny.

22:41 Speaker 4: End of story.

22:44 Speaker 3: Are you so sure?

22:47 Speaker 6: Not exactly a five-star hotel, but it'll do.

22:53 Speaker 3: She cursed us.

22:55 Speaker 4: What did you say?

22:57 Speaker 3: She cursed us. She really was, is a witch. Come on, Ella.

23:05 Speaker 6: She's a couple hundred miles behind us, planning a funeral for her deformed son. That is what she is.

23:15 Speaker 3: But didn't you see it?

23:17 Speaker 4: See what?

23:18 Speaker 3: You said you missed her when the gun went off, but did you?

23:22 Speaker 4: What are you talking about?

23:24 Speaker 3: I saw it! The bullet went right through her head! I saw it!

23:30 Speaker 4: No, no, no, you're wrong.

23:32 Speaker 3: When she appeared at the car in the swamp? Didn't you see it?

23:36 Speaker 4: Okay, what do you think you saw?

23:39 Speaker 3: I saw the hole in the middle of her forehead. You didn't miss.

23:47 Speaker 4: So how do you explain her coming back?

23:50 Speaker 3: Voodoo, Larry. She was, is a witch. And no matter where we go, she's going to find us. Who could that be?

23:59 Speaker 6: Hey, take it easy.

24:01 Speaker 4: Don't worry.

24:03 Speaker 6: I just ordered us some pizza. Look, some hot food and a good night's rest.

24:10 Speaker 4: That's all you need.

24:11 Speaker 3: Larry, please don't open the door.

24:13 Speaker 6: Please don't open the door.

24:14 Speaker 1: Just a sec.

24:15 Speaker 4: Come on, Ella. I'm starving. Hey, sorry, but all I got is a 20 and....

24:23 Speaker 1: No. Larry?

24:24 Speaker 6: No.

24:26 Speaker 5: You take something from me, little man.

24:30 Speaker 6: It can't be.

24:33 Speaker 5: Sonny, call me.

24:35 Speaker 1: Yes, Mama?

24:37 Speaker 2: The stew almost ready, but it need more meat.

24:43 Speaker 4: What the hell are you?

24:46 Speaker 5: You kill my boy, you steal my statue.

24:53 Speaker 3: But your son isn't dead.

24:58 Speaker 5: If you so sure, little girl. Mama know magic very strong.

25:05 Speaker 4: It hurt real bad, too. Wait, what are you.

25:11 Speaker 1: Going to do?

25:12 Speaker 5: You take from me, now I'm going to take from you. Ha ha ha.

25:32 Speaker 1: There are many things in this world of ours that go beyond the realm of reasonable explanations. Most of us never face such things. But there are a few who know the terror of the supernatural. I'll be back with a final word. Someone once said, you will be his first kiss, his first love, his first friend. You are his mother, and he is.

26:24 Speaker 5: Your whole world, your little boy.

26:29 Speaker 1: While you cannot choose your mother, you can always try to make the best of what you have. Our cast included Crimson McKenzie, Winslow Swan, Nick Davis, and Jonathan Rosignol. 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.

27:04 Speaker 4: Nothing wrong with this door. It opens just fine. Kind of large for just a closet. No, no, no, no. There was a room with a window and some sort of bright light. There isn't one now. Just your ordinary closet. Then explain what happened to my wife. Yes, Mr. Lane, what did happen to your wife?

27:31 Speaker 1: This is your host, 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. Epilogue The butler did it.