I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome to the world of terrifying
imagination. The fear you can hear. Just mention
the word swamp and coal settles in the bones.
The dampness runs through the veins like slime.
And the thoughts of the brooding, cloying miasma
lingers in the nostrils. headed, decaying, conjuring
in the mind visions of things that slide and
slip and slither in the night. Who's that? Where
are you? The Creature from the Swamp was written
especially for the Mystery Theater by Ian Martin
and stars Jack Grimes and Joan Loring. I'll be
back shortly with Act One. A young game and fish
warden named Larry Drake who for reasons of his
own lived an isolated hermit's life in the heart
of the great swamp, was returning after dark
in a wild thunderstorm to his lonely cabin. Just
as he approached the cup -shaped body of quicksand
and swamp water called... But since this is his
story, and he left a painfully careful and detailed
record, why not let him tell it for himself?
I'm typing this before I do what I have to do
because I know the sheriff must be on his way
for me by now. This is the end of what began
seems a lifetime ago, but I reckon it's only
a few days. The weather was foul and as I started
to skirt the edge of the devil's cauldron, I
heard the sound of a woman crying. I broke through
the undergrowth, and in a flash of lightning,
I saw her for the first time, trapped waist deep
in a slime and sinking fast. Try to stay still!
The more you flounder, the more you sink! Leave
me! Save yourself! I'm not in any danger! Now
neither are you if you do as I say! Grab the
end of this tree branch! You steal your soul
too! Let's not fuss over me! Concentrate on you!
Grab the branch! That's it. Now pull it towards
you till you get the main step. All right, now
listen. I'm not worth your saving. We'll talk
about that later. Now go on. Grab him. He's too
strong. He'll pull me down. Who? My man. That's
just old country talk. Have you got the plan?
Yes. Okay. Now don't you move, you hear me? I'm
gonna pull you in to me. Don't try to help. You
can't do anything without sinking deeper. Just
trust me. Trust me. Trust me. Oh, no. No, hush
up. Hush up. You're all right. Who are you? Just
a guy who pulled you out of the swamp. My name's
Larry Drake. Here, I brought you some soup. It's
so dark in here. It's the middle of the night.
Don't you have any light? Just the gas lantern
in the other room. Here, I'll set this down the
table by the bed. Can't you bring the lantern
in here? I'd rather not. You have enough light
to see. I want to look at you. Why? I want to
see a man who had enough courage to risk his
life for me. I don't really think you would.
Does it matter all that much? No. Who are you?
I told you, Larry Drake. What were you doing
by the Devil's Cauldron? Coming home. You live
here? Yep. If you call it living. Why? I mean,
what do you do? Oh, I'm a fish and game warden.
You see, right here, smack in the middle of the
Great Swamp, is the last colony of great hooping
spoonbills in the world. It's my job to try to
keep them living. The blind, leading the blind,
or the damned, trying to preserve the damned.
I don't quite understand you. No, I suppose not.
See, the spoonbill and me, we're just the same
kind of species, right out of Mr. Darwin. What
does that mean? We don't seem to fit our environment.
Oh. That makes me sort of the same. Well, now
I don't understand you. It doesn't matter. Who
are you? My name is Udine. That's all? Just...
Udine? I like the way you say it. That's all.
Okay. I don't want to pry. What were you doing
way out here at the end of the world? I was trying
to escape. Run away? If you want to call it that.
From whom? The swamp man. The who? He lives at
the bottom of the Devil's Cauldron. There are
only holes where his eyes ought to be. And his
hair is made of Spanish moss. His shoulders are
knotted with mussels and his hands can span a
wagon wheel. He has no legs. Only a great long
trunk with one huge foot like a giant clam that
grips the rock at the bottom with a suction no
one can break. And he lives on those who are
foolish enough to walk the swamp by night. With
his hands he draws them down down beneath the
green slime and shifting black sand Are you had
a bad scare you need to rest you should have
left me Now you're lost too What a storm Devils
are walking tonight Ain't had a spring like this
since 1953. Who's that there stretched out on
the theater side? Oh, that Bubba James and some
riffraff friend of his runs the still with him.
Passed out cold. But they brought in some powerful
tasty corn liquor. Could you use a shot against
the cold? You wouldn't have to twist my arm,
Jeff. I would say you run the best store in Carteret.
What? Yeah, the only one. Huh? Guess you ain't
doing much business today, Jim. Oh, no. Powerful
slow. Damn, I meant to tell you right off. Guess
who blew in again just before dark? Who? Larry
Drake. Larry? I thought you said he'd come in
yesterday to stock up on the money. Oh, he did.
He come back again today, all the way from the
swamp? He did. Well, how come? Well, he wanted
some more supplies, and, uh... A female dress.
Other such things. What? You think he's finally
getting over Barbara Jane? Well, figure it out
for yourself. Well, how'd he look? Well, that's
hard to say. No different, I guess, than he ever
will. Well, why didn't he stay in the hospital
and have that face fixed? I reckon after what
happened, he just plain didn't care. Uh, looks
like maybe he might now. You mean old turtle
skin Drake's got himself shacked up with some
woman? My doggone bubba thought you was coon
turkey. You only gotta mention woman around old
bubba and he's awake. Nah, you lay off Larry
Drake. He's had enough trouble for his lifetime
without having to carry you on his back. I'd
just like to see what kind of woman old bacon
face Larry Drake could get to look at him twice.
You reckon you can sleep now, wouldn't you? You're
going to leave me, Larry? Bring the lantern.
Why? I want to look at you. Very well. Maybe
it's best. I'm shading this light. I wouldn't
want you to turn away from me. Uncover it. Let
me see. All right. Poor Larry. What happened?
I had the world in my pocket, didn't I? I was
going to be married to Barbara Jane, who everybody
said would be next in this America. We were golden
boy and golden girl. Wasn't Byron who said, whom
the gods loved, I young? I got myself all licked
up at a party two nights before the wedding and
insisted on driving home. We went off the road
and into a ditch. I was thrown clear, but she
was trapped in the car. I tried to get through
the flames to her, but she was burned to a crisp.
As you can see, there wasn't much more left of
me. Except I lived. Your poor, poor face. They
wanted to fix it. I suppose it could have been
made better, but I had no money and less interest.
I want you to go to the swamp and bring me water
from the cauldron and mud from the edge. What
for? I'll show you. I don't want to leave you
now. I wouldn't let you leave me now. You can
only go by daylight. He can only come out of
the swamp by night. The swamp man? Yes. I'm not
afraid of him. I'll go now. No. No, please, Larry,
don't. Stay with me. Stay with me. Come. Hold
me in your arms. What is it? Are you ill? I'm
afraid, Larry. I'm only afraid that he came for
me once before on a night like this. Before I
was... The death and the wits. Because he can't
walk, he has to crawl like a snake. Please, Larry,
please, hold me. Hold me tight. Oh, Diné. Oh,
Diné. Don't fear me. Try. Don't fear me. I...
I... No... This... It's coming for me. It's coming
to take me back... creatures of the night the
mind can form. What faceless horrors that creep
and crawl and drag themselves out of the imagination
into the world we think safe. Is the sound Larry
and Udine strain to hear some unimaginable creature
born from the murky deeps of the rotting swamps?
Or does he exist only in the forest of the mind?
I'll return shortly with Act Two. An isolated
cabin, deep in a semi -tropical swamp land. A
young man scarred physically and mentally by
a tragic accident. A strange girl called only
Udine. rescued from being sucked to death in
smothering quicksand, and outside, as something
that bumps and crawls in the rain -swept night.
Listen. Let me go! No! If he's there, I'll get
rid of him! You can't stand against the swamp
bed, Larry! I can try! No! No, it's me he's come
for! Don't! Don't go up there! Wait! What is
it? Listen. Do you hear anything? The rain has
stopped. He isn't moving anymore. Damn well,
let's settle it. Larry! Larry! It's all right,
Rene. There's nobody here. The sun is coming
up. Oh, he's afraid of life. He can't face the
day. What is it, Udine? I don't know. I'm burning
up. Hold me, Larry. Hold me. You want to, don't
you? Yes. I don't know why, but yes. Oh, yes,
yes. Is it because I look like her? Who? Barbara
Jane. Maybe. No. Yes. I don't know. I... I need
you so. I need you so. Yes, I need you. Yes,
I need you. Who is it? It's Laurie. It's all
right. I went out to get the mud and the swamp
water. Give me water, please. No, I'll get some
fresh. No. Run the swamp. I have a glass right
here. But it's stagnant. It'll poison you. No.
Don't bring me the other tail. You did bring
mud. Looks more like slime to me. You sure? Of
course I'm sure. It's marvelous, Larry, you'll
see. It soothes the skin. Look, I rub it into
my skin and I can feel the muscles relax and
then become renewed again. It smooths away every
wrinkle. Come here, Larry. Don't be afraid. I
see behind the mask. And I'm going to gentle
that poor charred skin. Feel how smooth and gentle.
Shut your eyes. And you are in a cave of water.
Down in the cool green depths. Quiet and soulful.
cathedral at the silent bottom of a sun -struck
lake. I could have this moment last forever or
choose it for the one to die. Does it feel good?
I don't know about this primeval slime. It's
all in the touch of your hands. Oh, if only it
were. Here, let me get a cloth to wash your face.
No, leave it up. Don't leave. Let me, let me
feel your brow. Oh, Janay, you're running a fever.
I'm gonna get it for a doctor. I don't need a
doctor. Don't leave me alone. What is it you're
afraid of? I told you. The swamp man? Yes. That's
plain fancy, hallucination. Oh, Janay, who are
you? Where do you come from? Are you a husband?
A lover of a family? No. No family, no husband,
nobody looking for me but him. But I have a lover
now. Larry. I need rest. Boudinet? Boudinet?
She must be running a hundred to three or four.
I've got to get a doctor, a doctor. Tarnation,
Larry. You can't just bust in here and ask me
to go tricks and off into the swamp with you
to look at this girl. But she's sick, Dr. Prince,
very sick. It sounds to me like she could have
double pneumonia. I can't, son. There's only
one of me. Bring her in here, I'll be glad to
examine her. I got the cow, you're out of the
swamp. You know there's no road into my cabin.
Yes, I know it. It's why I can't spare the time.
You think this antibiotic will bring your temperature
down? I can only hope. I don't dare prescribe
anything else sight unseen. Of course, if I knew
for a fact that it was the swamp fever, I...
You need a blood test for that. Yeah. All right,
Doc. I'll bring you back a blood sample myself.
That's right. You were fiction to be a veterinarian.
I forgot a lot of things. I was fixing to be
once doc They are Larry boy, that'll be 375 out
of 10 Now you take two ever four hours. You want
some water to start off here. Oh, they're not
for me job I didn't somehow expect they were
You don't act like you was sick now. Oh, I'm
not. Jeff, I want to buy a gun. Oh, stuff me
for a little. I thought you was plum -set against
any sort of firearm. Well, I've changed. How
much is that one, then? This year, 45? Yeah.
And a box of shells. What do you want it for?
Protection. Well, I reckon living as deep in
the swamp as you do, you need it. All right,
that'll be let's see eighty five dollars and
five dollars and twenty cents for the state.
That's ninety dollars twenty all together So
enough you a lot of boy Where'd you get money
like that? Well, I've been saving it since I
went into the swamp chair, but nothing much to
spend it on there Up until the last few days.
What does that mean? Come on, son Hey, here's
a change. I know from the other day that you
You got yourself a woman out there. That's none
of your business Larry. You ain't got nothing
but friends around here I ain't poking into your
chicken coop. I just hope she's someone who'll
treat you right and I'm right sorry to hear she's
poorly Why she got herself caught in the devil's
cauldron. I had to pull her out. You don't say
not local girl I don't know. Any missing hereabouts?
I don't know if I've heard tale. Can I ask her
name? Udenay. Udenay. That's a kind of foreign
name. What's she look like? She looks like the
spitting image of Barbara Jane. And you found
her in the Devil's Cauldron? Half buried in the
quicksand. Larry. Larry, boy, you sure she's
what she seems to be? Come on, Jeb. See you in
a little rain. Hi there, Jeb. Got some smokes
for me and my buddy? Well, here's an unexpected
pleasure. Mr. Larry Drake, the happy hermit.
I'll be leaving, Jeb. Can I? Didn't you hear
me talking to you, old buddy? Hello, Papa. Ain't
you gonna say hello to old Jess here? You remember
Jess Gilbert? Hi, Jess. Oh, there, huh? Excuse
me, I was just... So whatcha hurry? Don't you
wanna visit for a while? There isn't much left
to be said between you and me. That's damn right.
Not since you killed my sister. It was an accident.
Barbara Jean got killed. You escaped. Come on,
Bubba. Let me stay out of this, Jess. What you
wearing, Larry? Little black paint to hide that
pretty face the fire chewed up? Let me pass,
Bubba. Maybe you're smart to cover up now you
got a new woman with you. You might turn her
stomach. Get out of my way. Blindsided, Jeff.
Get free. All free of you. Don't any of you move
a whisker now you shut up bubba, and you just
just stay out of what's none of your pair Larry
You don't use your hands for nothing more than
letting yourself out that door Oh No, how's it
going good? I'm going jab But why did you tell
trash like bubba about me and me Larry he he
overheard by accident Okay Now, Barbara, you
stay away from me. I've taken all from you, I'm
going to. Ah, chai chou diné. Nye? Oh, I thought...
No, no, there's nothing to worry about. How do
you feel? Some water, please. That's right here.
Thanks. Larry. It feels better. I feel like getting
up for a while. I've made us some dinner. If
you want me to. Oh, what happened to my dress?
I threw it away. It was all stained and torn.
Oh, well, then what about... I brought you a
new one from the store. I hope it fits, and you'll
like it. You bought me a new gown. Well, you
have to have something to wear. Open this. I
haven't had a new gown for... Oh, Larry. It's
beautiful. Oh, it's beautiful. Give me a little
time by myself to freshen up and put it on. Oh,
you're beautiful. You're so beautiful. Is it
because I look like her? And no. Barbara Jane
is dead. You're alive. What is it? Nothing. Larry,
I... tired again. So tired. I've kept you sitting
here too long in front of the fire. You sure
cast a spell over me. I didn't realize it had
gone out. I'll get some fresh wood. No, darling.
I don't need a fire. I just need... Is it still
raining? Yeah, cats and dogs. Oh, so heavy you
can't see. It's pitch dark out. Well, it's been
a black day. The night came early. So will he.
This time he won't wait too late. Can they listen
to me, darling? You're here with me. You're safe.
There's no such thing as a swamp man. He's coming.
It's just superstition and folklore. No, listen.
You see, there's nothing. He's calling me. He
won't leave without me. He won't leave with you
as long as I'm here. No, don't go out. I brought
some protection. My son's known you since then.
We'll find out soon enough. Swampman! an eerie
cry out of the night, and a shot in self -defense.
But what good is a gun against a ghoul or a hobgoblin?
Creatures of the mind and dark night fantasies
are not laid to rest by a bullet. I'll return
shortly with Act 3. the human imagination has
dredged up from the depths. The Loch Ness Monster,
mermaids, sea serpents, a merciless Lorelei,
the inexorable sirens, the poet Keats' immortal
La Belle Dame Sans Merci, a lovely lady without
mercy, who lured kings and princes to a watery
grave. But in this story, which... Is the true
menace from the swamp? The swamp man himself?
Or his escaped captive, Udine? Let us return
to Larry Drake's confession to find out. I didn't
mean to shoot, but I couldn't help myself. Then
I saw the shadowy figure stumbling towards me.
After the shot, the crazy laughing stopped. I
moved up on it very carefully. I could see that
it was no swamp man since there were legs dressed
in jeans and field boots. Who are you? Barbara.
Barbara Jones. Oh, God almighty, you killed me.
What were you doing here? Just a joke. I wanted
to see what kind of woman would give you the...
Time of day. Jokes on me. Killed me just like
you killed my sister. It was an accident, Papa.
I told you. Oh, you know what, frog face? You
better take yourself out of circulation. You're
from Accident Pro. Where's... Where's... Nothing
more I could do for Bubba. He was dead. I got
a tarp from the lean -to by the cabin and covered
them up against the rain. And then I went back
to the cabin. Boudinet? What happened out there?
Nothing. Forget about that. All that matters
right now is to get you to a doctor. No. I'm...
Too weak, Larry. I couldn't make it in this weather.
Then I'm going for the doctor. No. Don't leave
me alone. Okay. Okay, Udine. With the river cresting
and all the rain, I probably couldn't get across
anyway. But tomorrow morning, come hell or high
water. Let tomorrow wait for its time. Tonight
we're still together. Let time wait on us. I
never closed my eyes. But all the time we were
together, Udine slept a troubled sleep. Her skin
hot and dry, her breathing shallow. I took a
pulse in her temperature and what they showed
me sent me off at dawn for town. You know what
the Sam Hill you're up to, Larry? Have you been
drinking? No, doctor, but what do you mean? Well,
I don't know about the blood sample. That'll
have to be tested. But those other vital signs
you described... That's why I'm here, to drag
you back to see her. Well, it ain't possible.
A pulse of under 30, a BP of 60 over 40? Flushed
and feverish and running a temperature of under
90? Well, she should be cold and clammy. That
isn't enough to sustain life. Human life, anyway.
You must have made a mistake. No mistake. I was
as careful as I could be. Wootenay is alive.
You can see for yourself when you come. Oh, I
shouldn't give in to you, but you got me intrigued.
Can we get across the river? If we leave right
now. Okay. Hello? When? Well, can he be moved,
Cheryl? him in a blanket and handle him like
he was partridge eggs. Yeah. Right to the office.
I'll be waiting. Well, Larry, I can go with you
now. Oh, wait a minute. You said you were...
That was the sheriff down in Levee. Tony William
got trapped under a sandbag slide. He's in bad
shape. They're bringing him here for me to operate
on. How long is that gonna take? It could be
well on the most of that noon. Come out to your
place as soon as I'm finished. You don't understand.
I understand, son, but I gotta take first things
first. But you'll surely come. Yeah, I promise.
How are you gonna find your way into the swamp?
I'll pick up Jeb Scanlon to guide me. He knows
this country like the back of his hand. Sidekick,
Bubba. Bubba. He's dead, Jim. He's dead. Mary
Drake blew a hole in him with a big old .45.
Lord Almighty. The sheriff know about this? No.
No, I just got to town. I thought I might find
him yet. Oh, he's down at the river. Chris goes
by this afternoon around four. Here's your drink.
Oh, thank you. When did all this happen? Last
night. Bubba and me. Well, you know, Bubba, he
figured he was going to bother Larry some about
the woman he was supposed to be shacked up with.
We come up on the cabin and the lights was on,
and Bubba, he says, I want to give old frog -faced
Larry and this fancy woman some big scare. He
just watched me make like the old swamp man.
And then he started calling, kind of ghostly
-like, and the next thing I knew... Come on,
boy, pull yourself together. Larry went on the
porch and he called Evan. And he just lit a rip
with that big old cannon. I heard that slug rip
right through Bubba and I took off with the trees
like all the devils in hell was on my tail. So
you don't know if Bubba's dead. The way I heard
him take it, I don't see how it could be anything
else. You didn't stay to find out? No sir, not
me. You just took out. Larry don't know you was
with Bubba last night. You know, I wouldn't think
it. You see, he come out thinking Bubba was the
swamp man. And old Bubba, he's just trying to
keep up the fun and all. Yeah, that Bubba was
a card. He just picked himself the wrong poker
game this time. Sure looks like Larry's got himself
mixed up in something mighty strange I'm sorry.
I was gone so long. Can I get you something?
No, no more poison the doctor's coming to see
you The doctor can't help me. Just give him the
chance. I haven't time. Listen to me, Larry.
He's won. I know that now. Who? The Swamp Man.
I can't live in the air anymore. That's ridiculous.
That's sheer nonsense. Look at me, Larry. I'm
dying. I'm... Out of my element. Your element?
It isn't air anymore. It's water. I have to go
back or not. If only you could come with me.
But he'd never let you. I'd fight him for you.
Oh, I suppose you'd try. You love me that much.
I'd never let you go. I know. Okay, this is to
drink to your staying here till Dr. Prince gets
here and has a chance to prescribe for you and
make you well. So that you and me can live forever
afterwards. for you again I have to leave you
now the water is green and cool and it washes
the skin like ointment and the moss dampness
makes you whole again you will be so fair your
skin renewed your youth returned so much for
so little What is a soul worth, after all? Well,
quite frankly, I... I think my patient is much
more Larry than this mysterious woman. What's
that mean? Well, from all the evidence, no one,
save Larry, has seen her. You don't mean she...
She don't exist. Physiologically, as a doctor,
I don't see how she came. In addition to the
impossible figures on her vital signs, I got
a report on her blood sample. And? I don't know
where our veterinarian game warden got it, but
that was no human blood. What kind, then? Not
a biologist or a hemopathologist. Reptile. fish
not a warm -blooded animal and certainly not
a primate you think this is some kind of a hoax
yeah I think boy I love very deeply because of
what he once was is obviously broken psychologically
I think we'd better get out to that swamp and
see what tatters of them remain that might be
pasted together If Jess Tomlin's testimony is
right, there ain't many tatters remaining. So
this is the end of it. I don't know what undie
they put in that wine, but I just woke up and
she's gone. I intend to follow her now once I
finish this. I don't know what I shall find in
the devil's cauldron. A fight to the death with
a swamp man, reunion with Udine, peace at last,
or eternal damnation. I only know that a moment
ago I looked in the mirror and my face is no
longer twisted or scarred. The skin is as young
and unwrinkled as it was. That night so long
ago when Barbara Jane and I left the party two
days before we were to be married. I will step
into the sand and wait to sink while death smooths
me over. Maybe there's still time. We better
head back for the swamp. Hold the line high.
Do you ever see anything like that? The old devil's
cauldron is falling like the fire of hell was
under it. Probably all the rain in the high surface
table. Trapped swamp gas bubbling to the surface.
Yeah, Larry and old one -toe rocked in combat.
Oh, there ought to be some way we could get in
there and try to help a boy. You stay where you
are. This swamp has bought enough lives in its
time. Come daylight, we'll see. My God. Look.
What's that? I can't see too good. Hold your
landers high. Well, that's a body surfacing.
It ain't lousy. How do you know in this half
-wild? Well, it ain't got no legs. That's the
swamp man. Or a manatee, or some other animal.
Too dark to see. And by tomorrow, the currents
will have sucked it away. Well, maybe if it is
the swamp man, he's the lucky one. Who's to say
the woman ain't the one who sucks them dry and
spews them out? Ah, you spent too much time gossiping
around the stove, dear man. It could be. That's
what the olden say. A swamp is a woman that drags
men down, often her body. in exchange for their
souls. The way the legend goes. But then, there
are so many legends. The classic fabled water
sprites called Boudinet who could receive Human
souls by marrying a mortal, La Belle Dame Sans
Merci, who stole men's souls in exchange for
love? Then numbers must be legion. And for that
matter, since no one but Larry ever saw her,
perhaps Oudiné was only a figment of the imagination.
I leave you to make your choice. I'll be back
shortly. before we part. The word of this story
having gotten around, the Okefenokee swamp is
avoided by hunters these days, like the plague.
And as a result, the wildlife, left in peace
and quiet, breed happily and prolifically once
again. So, like Larry and Udine, let's allow
them all to rest in peace. Our cast included
Jack Grimes, Joan Loring, Ian Martin, Robert
Dryden, and Leon Gianni. The entire production
was under the direction of Hyman Brown. This
is E .G. Marshall inviting you to return to our
mystery theater for another adventure in the
macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.