WEBVTT 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:26.399 Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome to the sound 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:30.480 of suspense. To the theater of the mind, where 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.840 on the unlimited stage of your imagination, we'll 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:37.520 play out a drama of terror. Terror for three 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:40.380 people who might be called babes in the wood. 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:44.640 It's a frightening thing to lose your way. And 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:47.729 even more terrifying if you're lost. in an unfamiliar 00:00:47.729 --> 00:00:50.530 forest with nothing to give you a sense of direction. 00:00:51.390 --> 00:00:54.490 And that's where we find two escaped convicts, 00:00:54.670 --> 00:00:58.270 Hank Foley and Will Chase. Fugitives from an 00:00:58.270 --> 00:01:01.590 army stockade, together with Hank's wife, Dolly, 00:01:02.049 --> 00:01:05.609 who tried to help them escape. But being lost 00:01:05.609 --> 00:01:08.609 is only a part of their problem. Well, whatever 00:01:08.609 --> 00:01:13.670 it was, it's gone. But it's still out there, 00:01:13.989 --> 00:01:19.140 somewhere. What are we gonna do? I think we oughta 00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:22.439 stay here. Till we starve? We've got to keep 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:26.340 moving! But Hank's leg! Okay, look. I figure 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:29.439 it's about early afternoon. Let's wait till the 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:32.319 heat of the day passes. Give Hank's leg a rest 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:35.040 and then go on when it's cooler. But if we can't 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.439 find our way out before dark... Then we spend 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.719 another night in these woods. With that? That 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:49.040 thing out there? That and... God knows what else. 00:01:57.939 --> 00:02:01.799 Our mystery drama, Escape, Escape, was written 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:04.799 especially for the Mystery Theater by Bob Juren 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:08.919 and stars Terry Keene and Robert Dryden. I'll 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:24.280 be back shortly with Act One. to a rainy August 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:28.379 night in Louisiana. The lights of an army camp 00:02:28.379 --> 00:02:31.120 shine dimly through the sheet of water that falls 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:35.020 from the cold black sky. Little rivers run in 00:02:35.020 --> 00:02:37.780 gullies across the deserted muddy compound of 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:41.680 the stockade. All is quiet except for the rain. 00:02:42.340 --> 00:02:55.400 And then... We killed one guard already. No, 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.379 we're going to go down and try. This rain's on 00:02:58.379 --> 00:03:00.919 our side. The searchlights don't shine as far. 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:03.680 But we've got to get across that whole compound! 00:03:03.900 --> 00:03:06.520 The next time the lights sweep past, we follow. 00:03:06.780 --> 00:03:09.860 Just behind. Now, get ready. We won't be able 00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:12.159 to find a hole in the fence in this rain! We'll 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:14.080 worry about that when we get to the fence. Now, 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:17.180 hold on. Here comes the light now. Hey, just 00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:27.439 behind it. Ready? We gotta see that next swing 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:31.439 of the light! How much farther? Can't tell with 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.039 this rain! The light's coming its way again! 00:03:34.259 --> 00:03:39.860 Faster! Here! Here's the fence! Hey! The light! 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:43.020 I got more shots left! Keep your fingers crossed! 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:49.539 I hit the light! Come on! See you on the fence! 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:51.659 Yeah! Charlie said the hole would be right next 00:03:51.659 --> 00:03:54.659 to the fork folks! Damn rain! It's hoped that 00:03:54.659 --> 00:04:22.279 it hasn't! We don't know the words of the roads 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:25.560 around here Hey, are you sure you know which 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:28.319 way to go? No, no, I'm not sure. What am I, a 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:31.759 miracle man? I'm as scared as you are, but we 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:34.660 gotta keep going. Charlie said head straight 00:04:34.660 --> 00:04:37.240 away from the fence for a mile and a half to 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:40.339 the road. The trees block a lot of the rain. 00:04:40.779 --> 00:04:52.259 We'll get there. There's a clearing. It must 00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:55.160 be the road here. That looks like a car, Hank. 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:59.459 It's too dark to be sure. Keep moving. It is 00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:02.800 a car, Hank. It's Dolly! She found the spot, 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.139 okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a good word of 00:05:05.139 --> 00:05:10.300 light. Told you Dolly wouldn't let us down. Hey, 00:05:10.420 --> 00:05:12.920 you made it! Oh, Rush, you're on it! Sorry for 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:15.740 being here. Okay, well, get in the back. Thank 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:19.240 God you made it. Oh, I have missed you so. Time 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:22.500 for that later, doll. Come on, get going. Oh, 00:05:22.500 --> 00:05:26.639 hey, man, you sure are a man. Yeah, we had to 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:29.360 crawl through the mud. Yeah. And where are we 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:31.930 heading? Well... First to Masonville, we pick 00:05:31.930 --> 00:05:34.689 up the interstate there. I had a heck of a time 00:05:34.689 --> 00:05:37.149 finding my way in here. The rain didn't help 00:05:37.149 --> 00:05:40.310 either. It helped us back to stockade. What's 00:05:40.310 --> 00:05:44.250 the matter? I ripped myself crawling through 00:05:44.250 --> 00:05:46.930 the fence. Is it bad? I don't know. I don't think 00:05:46.930 --> 00:05:49.250 so. I haven't had a chance to look at it. Maybe 00:05:49.250 --> 00:05:51.769 we should stop in Masonville. Are you crazy? 00:05:53.189 --> 00:05:56.449 It'll be all right. We don't dare stop. He's 00:05:56.449 --> 00:06:00.329 right. We'll keep going. Oh, but... What's the 00:06:00.329 --> 00:06:03.170 matter? I just went past the road I'm supposed 00:06:03.170 --> 00:06:08.529 to take. You're sure? Yeah, I'm positive. I turned 00:06:08.529 --> 00:06:11.949 right at the white line coming in, so I'm supposed 00:06:11.949 --> 00:06:15.689 to turn left coming out. Well, I can't argue 00:06:15.689 --> 00:06:19.930 with you. One mile on this road, and then right 00:06:19.930 --> 00:06:33.420 at the cemetery. I know this was the road, but 00:06:33.420 --> 00:06:35.500 we should have come to the cemetery a long time 00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:38.339 ago. We probably missed it in the rain. Maybe 00:06:38.339 --> 00:06:41.300 we should go back. Yeah, we'll have to. That 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:44.639 cemetery's my only guidepost. We're on dirt now. 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:48.199 The roads coming in here are all paved. Well, 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:50.959 maybe we ought to stop and wait till daylight. 00:06:51.540 --> 00:06:55.600 Hey, there's a light up ahead. Let's ask. What 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.160 are you, a dummy? What do you think we are, tourists? 00:06:58.640 --> 00:07:00.540 They've had an alert out for us for an hour. 00:07:00.660 --> 00:07:02.620 Well, look, maybe I should ask. You two stay 00:07:02.620 --> 00:07:05.379 in the car. No, no, no, no. Wait a minute. It 00:07:05.379 --> 00:07:08.300 might not be so bad. It's isolated out here. 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:10.540 Maybe they haven't heard about it. And even if 00:07:10.540 --> 00:07:12.019 they haven't, it doesn't make any difference. 00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:14.740 What are you talking about? We're going to spend 00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:17.399 the night in that house. What? Now you're just 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:19.399 wandering around getting lost in the rain. We're 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:22.459 all going in and help ourselves to their hospitality. 00:07:38.029 --> 00:07:42.449 What do you want? Our car broke down. Can we 00:07:42.449 --> 00:07:46.149 use your phone? What happened to you? Haven't 00:07:46.149 --> 00:07:53.810 you ever seen mud before? Come on in. This is 00:07:53.810 --> 00:07:57.230 very kind of you. Call me Granny Good. That's 00:07:57.230 --> 00:08:00.310 how I'm called. We're on our way to Masonville, 00:08:00.550 --> 00:08:03.769 Granny. Can we call a service station? Here's 00:08:03.769 --> 00:08:06.540 the phone. I don't know if Amos had come out 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:10.660 this late. Oh, we don't mind waiting. I'll just... 00:08:10.660 --> 00:08:14.040 My phone! What did you do that for? You just 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:17.339 got some unexpected overnight company, and we 00:08:17.339 --> 00:08:19.540 don't want to be disturbed. You've got some nerve! 00:08:19.540 --> 00:08:22.459 Shut up! You got a radio? Of course I got a radio! 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:28.620 Now I know what you want! Shut up! You're the 00:08:28.620 --> 00:08:31.459 prisoners that escaped from the army camp. Didn't 00:08:31.459 --> 00:08:33.830 take them long to announce it. They said you 00:08:33.830 --> 00:08:37.549 killed a guard. Hank, you didn't. We had to. 00:08:38.250 --> 00:08:41.149 Murderers! Get out of my house! Get out! You 00:08:41.149 --> 00:08:44.029 just shut up, old lady. You murderers, you'll 00:08:44.029 --> 00:08:48.629 not stay in my house! Hank! Old woman! You'll 00:08:48.629 --> 00:08:53.250 be sorry for that. Murderer! Shut up! I said. 00:08:54.230 --> 00:08:57.190 Get us some food. You'll be sorry. Hank, why 00:08:57.190 --> 00:09:00.049 are you acting like this? Leave me alone. He's 00:09:00.049 --> 00:09:02.779 on edge, darling. We all are. The past couple 00:09:02.779 --> 00:09:05.440 of hours haven't been any pick -me -up. What 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.059 is it? You're hip again? Yeah, yeah, I... Well, 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:12.580 we're here. Sit down, sit down. Look, could we 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:15.100 have some warm water and bandages? My husband's 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:18.240 been hurt. Do you expect me to nurse him? No, 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:21.480 I just ask not for a murderer. Let him suffer. 00:09:21.940 --> 00:09:26.519 Get the bandages. Hank! All right, I'll get you 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:29.659 some water. But don't think you scared me into 00:09:29.659 --> 00:09:35.259 it. Come on, Hank. Relax, okay? Coming here was 00:09:35.259 --> 00:09:39.480 your idea, Hank. We got no other choice. We'll 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:41.879 stay till daylight and then get moving. Yeah, 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:44.659 water and a bandage and don't ask for anything 00:09:44.659 --> 00:09:47.360 more. How about some food? I don't have any food. 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:51.159 Yeah? What's in that pot on the fire? Snakes 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:55.259 and snails and puppy dog tails. You want some, 00:09:55.419 --> 00:09:58.639 sonny boy? Don't get funny with me. Oh lady, 00:09:58.779 --> 00:10:00.980 we're gonna stay here till morning, so just get 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:04.580 used to the idea, huh? Will, look around. See 00:10:04.580 --> 00:10:06.799 if there's anything we can use and find some 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.279 food, no matter what she says. Hank, sit still. 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:13.559 I'll fix your leg. Now, just a minute. Oh, the 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:17.919 gun again. Why? Why do you want to frighten me, 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:20.960 barge in and treat me like this? I know you're 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:23.220 escape murderers. Why don't you just go and leave 00:10:23.220 --> 00:10:25.879 me alone? I will. You find anything? Nothing 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:29.590 much. There's a storeroom back here full of empty 00:10:29.590 --> 00:10:34.110 bottles, every size and shape. Ah, so Granny 00:10:34.110 --> 00:10:38.210 likes to put up around, huh? We're out of full 00:10:38.210 --> 00:10:41.289 bottles, Granny. I don't know what you're talking 00:10:41.289 --> 00:10:44.909 about. Where's your booze? I could use a drink 00:10:44.909 --> 00:10:47.970 right now. There's no liquor here. Find it, Will. 00:10:48.129 --> 00:10:51.149 Right. No, no, don't open that cabinet! Open 00:10:51.149 --> 00:10:53.970 it, Will! No, no, please! It's locked! Open it! 00:10:54.269 --> 00:10:58.899 Oh, please, don't! Get away from there! Hey! 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:03.759 Look at that! Money! It's mine! Stacks and stacks 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.820 of money! Just laying there! Ah, that is something 00:11:07.820 --> 00:11:10.580 we can use. No, no! Don't you dare touch that! 00:11:10.620 --> 00:11:13.059 There's no hurry, Will. Pack it up when we're 00:11:13.059 --> 00:11:15.879 ready to leave. All right, come on, Will. Wash 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:18.259 up and Dolly will find us something to drink. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:28.440 And eat. You want some more salad? No, no, thanks 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:31.960 me neither. Yeah, it wasn't a bad meal. Yeah 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:34.399 better than that garbage at the army prison a 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:39.120 ink. I Knew that old hag it's soft enough. Yeah 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.679 Look at her snoozing over there by the fire with 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:45.440 her cauldrons and her cats Hey, all she needs 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:49.480 is a black pointed hat. Yeah I could use some 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:53.379 sleep myself. They'll take turns There's nothing 00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:55.940 that old hag can do but we better not take chances. 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:59.019 She might run for help Yeah, still pouring rain, 00:11:59.179 --> 00:12:01.759 though. I wouldn't stop her. She knows her way 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.039 around here. Oh, look, I'll stay up. I'm too 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:07.299 nervous to sleep anyway. I don't like the way 00:12:07.299 --> 00:12:10.960 that one cat keeps staring at us. Yeah, I know 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:14.080 what you mean. It's bugging me, too. What are 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:16.960 you two trying to do, spook us all? I'll just 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:20.940 be glad when we're out of here. Hank? Why don't 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:23.220 we leave now? Rene will tell us how to get to 00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:24.759 the main road into Masonville just to get rid 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.539 of us. No way. She could get us really lost or 00:12:28.539 --> 00:12:31.759 direct us right back to the army base. Now, we'll 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:36.879 wait for daylight. She's waking up. So what? 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:44.159 I'm gonna sleep. You're all still here? Yeah. 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:49.590 I thought you'd be gone by now. I told Rimba 00:12:49.590 --> 00:12:55.549 to send you away. Who's Rimba? My best friend. 00:12:56.809 --> 00:13:02.409 Aren't you, Rimba? Well, maybe he didn't get 00:13:02.409 --> 00:13:05.090 the message. It's that cat that's been staring 00:13:05.090 --> 00:13:10.269 at us. Send him away, Rimba. You have the power. 00:13:10.529 --> 00:13:14.210 Send him away. Hank? Hank, I'm frightened. Keep 00:13:14.210 --> 00:13:17.950 that cat away from me. Go ahead, Rimba. We've 00:13:17.950 --> 00:13:21.029 been hospitable long enough, send them away! 00:13:21.110 --> 00:13:28.009 If that cat comes any closer, I'll... Hey! Remba! 00:13:29.350 --> 00:13:33.809 Remba! You've killed Remba! That cat was mad! 00:13:34.429 --> 00:13:38.710 It was attacking you, killed Remba! Now you'll 00:13:38.710 --> 00:13:43.090 pay! Murderers! You'll hit me, you'll steal my 00:13:43.090 --> 00:13:48.370 money, eat my food! You'll kill my cat! Hey, 00:13:48.909 --> 00:13:53.009 with your lives, you have no more chances left. 00:13:53.110 --> 00:13:55.049 Hank, I'm scared to death. She's going crazy. 00:13:55.549 --> 00:13:57.649 She's throwing things on the fire. Now what can 00:13:57.649 --> 00:14:01.789 she do? That cat was gonna fire first and then 00:14:01.789 --> 00:14:07.649 the ash. Golden powder from the sash. Powder 00:14:07.649 --> 00:14:13.009 mixed with basil green. Mandrake root and things 00:14:13.009 --> 00:14:18.419 unseen. Now a grain into the fire to test. fulfillment 00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:23.399 of desire. It blew up. What's going on, Hank? 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:26.320 I don't know. She's putting on some show. Look, 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.039 I don't like it. We've got to get out of here. 00:14:28.539 --> 00:14:34.279 Killers of my faithful friend, only the hate 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:40.179 of hell descend. Now once again into the fire, 00:14:41.139 --> 00:15:27.389 complete fulfillment of desire. unwanted company, 00:15:27.909 --> 00:15:30.870 smoke them out, and Granny is certainly within 00:15:30.870 --> 00:15:33.049 her rights when nothing but brutal treatment 00:15:33.049 --> 00:15:37.049 rewarded her hospitality. We'll see how our notorious 00:15:37.049 --> 00:15:40.169 trio makes out when I return shortly with Act 00:15:40.169 --> 00:15:54.620 Two. We return now to the rather bizarre scene 00:15:54.620 --> 00:15:58.080 at the cottage of old Granny Good. After being 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:01.220 terrorized by her very rude and ungrateful guests, 00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:04.320 she struck back by filling the cottage with smoke 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:07.559 from a powder she threw into the fire. And at 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:10.480 this moment, her unexpected company is making 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:24.350 a hasty retreat. We found the door. Hurry up, 00:16:24.549 --> 00:16:28.830 the smoke's getting worse. Okay, okay. Let's 00:16:28.830 --> 00:16:38.509 go. I can breathe. Keep running. Get in the car. 00:16:41.549 --> 00:16:46.789 The rain stopped. It's so dark. I can't see either 00:16:46.789 --> 00:16:51.210 of you. That's the way it is in here. Was it 00:16:51.210 --> 00:16:55.169 nice? The car ought to be right over here. Be 00:16:55.169 --> 00:16:58.190 parked close to the cottage. I can't, I can't 00:16:58.190 --> 00:17:01.169 see it. Good. We can't see the lights in the 00:17:01.169 --> 00:17:06.869 cottage anymore. Did we run that far? No, it 00:17:06.869 --> 00:17:10.869 didn't seem like it. Let's double back. Hank, 00:17:11.410 --> 00:17:13.930 Hank, please, do you know which way we're going? 00:17:13.990 --> 00:17:16.269 Yeah, back to where we came. We gotta get to 00:17:16.269 --> 00:17:23.529 the car. Walked into a tree! I can't see a damn 00:17:23.529 --> 00:17:26.869 thing! You got any mattress? No, do you? No. 00:17:27.789 --> 00:17:31.809 Come on, we'll fill our way. We could walk around 00:17:31.809 --> 00:17:35.450 in circles in this dark. We gotta wait for morning. 00:17:36.430 --> 00:17:38.690 That old woman's probably on her way to the police 00:17:38.690 --> 00:17:43.730 right now. How? On her broom? She couldn't get 00:17:43.730 --> 00:17:47.529 anywhere tonight. We'll try. We'll bed down here 00:17:47.529 --> 00:17:51.750 and wait till daylight. Bed down on this wet 00:17:51.750 --> 00:17:54.950 ground? Okay, okay, okay. Let's relax. We can't 00:17:54.950 --> 00:17:56.849 walk around in circles. We'll have to make out 00:17:56.849 --> 00:18:01.369 as best we can right here. It's not cold. Rain's 00:18:01.369 --> 00:18:04.029 stopped. We'll just have to stay here till daylight. 00:18:04.450 --> 00:18:08.089 Then we'll see the cottage and get out of here. 00:18:16.289 --> 00:18:21.910 Hey. You awake? Yeah. It's getting light. Ah, 00:18:21.910 --> 00:18:29.390 yeah, yeah. Better get moving. Dolly. You all 00:18:29.390 --> 00:18:34.869 right, honey? Oh. Oh, it's too stiff. You'll 00:18:34.869 --> 00:18:39.329 feel better once we get going. Hey. Dolly. Look. 00:18:39.950 --> 00:18:46.450 What? Where's the cottage? It's gone. Well, we... 00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:48.720 We couldn't have wandered that far away from 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.299 it. Well, we did. We thought we were heading 00:18:51.299 --> 00:18:54.240 back for it in the dark. Instead, we were walking 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:56.980 away from it. Well, what direction should we 00:18:56.980 --> 00:19:01.319 go? Well, if we keep moving, we've got to come 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:04.640 to a road sometime. Maybe the dirt road we came 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:10.680 in on. Hey, look. Look. That looks like a path 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:13.980 up ahead. Oh, yeah. Yeah, the undergrowth isn't 00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:17.279 a stick up there. Our path's gotta lead somewhere. 00:19:17.640 --> 00:19:21.759 What do we do? We go right or left, huh? Left. 00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:24.559 It seems to go up. Yeah, yeah. Maybe if we get 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.180 to higher ground we'll see the cottage. Okay, 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:30.339 where do we go left? Yeah. Hank, suppose we can't 00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:33.819 find our way out of here. We don't have any water, 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:37.019 any food. Don't think like that, darling. We'll 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:39.890 get out of here. He couldn't have come all that 00:19:39.890 --> 00:19:42.109 far from the cottage last night. We stopped walking 00:19:42.109 --> 00:19:45.130 after a few minutes. The cottage and that dirt 00:19:45.130 --> 00:19:48.170 road has to be closed. But we may still be walking 00:19:48.170 --> 00:19:59.930 away from him. Oh, Hank. Hank, please. I've got 00:19:59.930 --> 00:20:03.349 to rest. Yeah, okay. We'll stop for a while. 00:20:03.769 --> 00:20:08.240 My legs bother me too. I'm dying of thirst. We 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:14.480 are. It's so blasted hot, too, and still. Hank? 00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:21.880 Huh? Do you notice something? Like what? There's 00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:30.200 no sound. Yeah, you're right. I mean, not a rustle. 00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:35.500 No birds. Come to think of it, I haven't seen 00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:38.759 any animals either, like a... squirrel or chipmunk 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:43.660 or anything. It's unnatural. Ah, it's the heat. 00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:49.680 I just wish we could find some water. Look, you 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:52.200 two stay here. Maybe I can scout around. No, 00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:54.200 no, no, no. No, we've got to stick together. 00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:56.660 Well, sitting here isn't going to find us any 00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:59.619 water. Relax. We're in Dolly's time. Well, so 00:20:59.619 --> 00:21:03.059 am I. But unless we keep going, we'll go when 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:08.539 Dolly's ready. Stop it. Stop it. I'm OK. Will's 00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:15.380 right. We ought to keep going. Hey, look. Look 00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:19.220 at that tree over there. Where? To the left. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:25.480 No branches, just flowers at the top. If I wasn't 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:29.059 so miserable, they would be almost beautiful. 00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:34.059 It's probably a vine. Like the bougainvilleas 00:21:34.059 --> 00:21:38.200 in California, when I was in LA one time. Hey, 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:42.000 hey, up ahead! It's a clearing! Oh, thank God! 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:45.619 Oh, yeah! How many we can get our bearings if 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:48.500 we get out of this undergrowth? Come on! Yeah, 00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:50.880 maybe there's a pond or a stream or something. 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:56.980 Look at... Wow! Look at the size of that rock! 00:21:57.359 --> 00:22:01.799 That's bigger than a house! And white! It's like 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:06.240 a whole hill collapsed into a pile of white boulders. 00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:10.240 I'm going to try and scale this one. Maybe I 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:13.500 can get a clue about where we are. Be careful. 00:22:14.819 --> 00:22:18.799 It's not too bad. I can get a footing. It looks 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:24.319 like about 30 feet up. It's a solid rock, not 00:22:24.319 --> 00:23:42.460 a branch or weight of grass. You're killing me. 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:46.480 I... I think it's infected. I've got to have 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:50.019 some water. It's not far now. We're coming out 00:23:50.019 --> 00:25:06.210 of the rocks now. Okay? Where's the rope? a sound 00:25:06.210 --> 00:25:10.509 like that whoever it is probably won't know about 00:25:10.509 --> 00:25:14.650 it we can ask him how to get out of here he's 00:25:14.650 --> 00:25:51.960 got in the heart he got in What are we doing 00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:57.640 now? It looks like it's eating a plant. What 00:25:57.640 --> 00:26:32.269 are we going to do? They can't be ants that big. 00:26:32.569 --> 00:26:37.109 I think it's out of this. I can't look. It's 00:26:37.109 --> 00:26:41.710 moving this way. It's moving. We can't find it. 00:26:42.450 --> 00:26:46.089 We've got to get back under those boulders. They 00:26:46.089 --> 00:26:47.549 just performed a natural key back there. Yeah, 00:26:47.549 --> 00:27:26.680 but I can't make a sound. I can't move. Reach 00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:34.460 us in here. We're okay now. Oh, Chad. It can't 00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:40.740 be real. It can't be real. That was straight 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:45.480 out of a nightmare. I got chills all over. I 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:53.420 can't stop shaking. So it is that... Has it gone? 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:58.680 No, no. It might be trying to find another way 00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:06.960 in. Oh, no, no. Gosh, that's an ugly thing. It's 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:11.819 moving away, back into the woods. Oh, thank heaven. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:17.339 How could an ant get to be that size? I mean, 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:25.799 this isn't Mars. It's Louisiana. Hey, maybe it's... 00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:30.539 Mechanical? What? What do you mean, mechanical? 00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:33.859 Well, some kind of vehicle. The army's been testing. 00:28:34.359 --> 00:28:37.500 Remote control, maybe. We've been walking in 00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:40.819 this heat for hours. No sleep, no food, no water. 00:28:41.339 --> 00:28:45.660 We could be imagining anything. It tried to attack 00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:49.339 us. I was no vehicle. Well, then how do you explain 00:28:49.339 --> 00:28:54.000 an ant as big as a lion? I don't know. Well, 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:58.029 whatever it was, it's... It's gone. But it's 00:28:58.029 --> 00:29:07.369 still out there... somewhere. What else, indeed? 00:29:08.009 --> 00:29:10.710 Could there really be an ant as big as a lion? 00:29:11.950 --> 00:29:15.190 There are such things as mutations, we're told. 00:29:16.250 --> 00:29:18.130 I'd certainly hate to have one of them show up 00:29:18.130 --> 00:29:21.450 at one of my picnics. But if that's any indication 00:29:21.450 --> 00:29:24.009 of what lies ahead in this strange Louisiana 00:29:24.009 --> 00:29:27.220 wood... It won't be any picnic for Hank, Will 00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:31.740 and Dolly when we return shortly with Act 3. 00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:46.259 No escape goes unpursued. And at the moment, 00:29:46.420 --> 00:29:48.640 while Hank, Will and Dolly are considering their 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:51.680 predicament, their pursuers are hot on the trail. 00:29:52.359 --> 00:29:55.079 Let's return to Granny Good's cottage. There's 00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:58.220 a car bearing the word sheriff on its doors. 00:29:58.740 --> 00:30:01.019 It winds its way up the road, and then suddenly 00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:06.000 stops. Something wrong, Sheriff? Yeah, that car 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:09.220 by Granny Good's cottage. It's got out -of -state 00:30:09.220 --> 00:30:14.440 plates. Don't see many of them around here. Uh, 00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:17.579 let's walk the rest of the way. Keep your gun 00:30:17.579 --> 00:30:22.619 handy. Harley and Chase were on foot when they 00:30:22.619 --> 00:30:25.349 left their stockade. They could have been picked 00:30:25.349 --> 00:30:30.289 up by somebody. Hi, Roy! Hi, Granny. Everything 00:30:30.289 --> 00:30:34.769 all right here? No, it ain't. I just got finished 00:30:34.769 --> 00:30:41.029 burying Rimba, my favorite cat. Whose car? That 00:30:41.029 --> 00:30:43.910 belongs to the fellas I think you're looking 00:30:43.910 --> 00:30:48.910 for. They've been here? They were here. They're 00:30:48.910 --> 00:30:52.730 gone now. Without their car? No, they're... Granted, 00:30:52.930 --> 00:30:55.349 this here is Major Thomas from the Army base 00:30:55.349 --> 00:30:58.970 where those two fellas escaped from. He's investigating. 00:30:59.789 --> 00:31:03.049 I do, Major. Hello, Mrs. Good. You say they were 00:31:03.049 --> 00:31:05.349 here and then left without their car. Is that 00:31:05.349 --> 00:31:09.029 right? Last night. A few hours after they came. 00:31:10.049 --> 00:31:12.869 In good riddance. They're nothing but murderers. 00:31:13.009 --> 00:31:17.369 They... They killed my cat. My rimba. And they 00:31:17.369 --> 00:31:20.380 hit me. Tried to steal my money. Yeah, well, 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:23.460 now if they didn't take their car, where'd they 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:27.740 go? I don't know. It was pouring rain. They run 00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:29.680 out into the woods. There's a girl with them. 00:31:29.819 --> 00:31:32.680 She drove the getaway car. Well, she said she 00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:35.819 was the wife of one of them. Yep, Hank Fordy's 00:31:35.819 --> 00:31:39.039 wife. Chase wasn't married. Well, come on in 00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:44.400 out of the heat. I have lemonade ready. All right, 00:31:44.420 --> 00:31:48.480 tell us what happened last night, Granny. Well, 00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:51.180 Roy, they... They rushed in here around ten o 00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:54.119 'clock. Oh, they traveled fast. First alarm went 00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:56.819 out at nine. They were all covered with mud. 00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:59.799 But I'd heard it on the radio. I knew who they 00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:02.980 were. And they pulled the phone out of the wall. 00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:07.299 But what made them leave? How'd they run into 00:32:07.299 --> 00:32:10.019 strange woods they didn't know? Oh, it beats 00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:13.339 me. Oh, here's your lemonade, Major. Thank you, 00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:17.140 ma 'am. Thank you. Roy. Oh, thank you. Major. 00:32:17.609 --> 00:32:21.470 I don't think you're ever gonna find them. Those 00:32:21.470 --> 00:32:26.710 woods out there. One wrong step and you're lost 00:32:26.710 --> 00:32:35.170 forever. I don't think we ought to wait any longer. 00:32:35.210 --> 00:32:37.730 I'm not moving from here. Not while that thing 00:32:37.730 --> 00:32:42.250 is out there. Dolly, it's gone. Gone where? If 00:32:42.250 --> 00:32:44.210 we go into the woods again, it'll find us. Well, 00:32:44.210 --> 00:32:46.289 we can't stay here forever. We gotta keep trying. 00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:51.599 We'll keep out of the woods for a while. Look 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:55.880 down there. It's like a sandy path along the 00:32:55.880 --> 00:32:57.839 edge of the forest. Yeah. But let's follow that. 00:32:57.880 --> 00:33:01.519 OK. No. Now, Dolly, we've got to. Hank, I'm afraid. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:05.000 Once we get going, you'll feel better. It's sitting 00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:06.980 around here imagining things that's getting to 00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:12.019 us. Come on. Come on. I'll help you. I guess 00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:15.819 I don't have any choice. Oh, I'm so thirsty. 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:18.640 How's that leg, Hank? Oh, boy, it hurts like 00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:21.160 a devil. But I don't have any choice either. 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:28.099 Is anything out there? No. Not a sound either. 00:33:28.859 --> 00:33:38.660 Okay. Let's go. You know, seems to be getting 00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:41.940 lighter. Hey, we're coming to something. What 00:33:41.940 --> 00:33:44.619 do you mean, coming to something? Well, uh... 00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:48.059 Another clearing maybe the sand strips getting 00:33:48.059 --> 00:33:53.259 wider look it It's like a desert. They have gadgets 00:33:53.259 --> 00:33:56.299 in Louisiana. Well, what do you call that? There's 00:33:56.299 --> 00:33:59.079 there's nothing but more sand up ahead better 00:33:59.079 --> 00:34:04.200 than jungle What do you think Should we go across? 00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:07.180 We don't know what's on the other side. Well, 00:34:07.180 --> 00:34:10.300 we don't know what's behind this either I'm gonna 00:34:10.300 --> 00:34:13.079 move up a bit. See if there's anything to give 00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:18.559 us a bearing The sand's deeper here. You sink 00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:23.500 in over your ankles. Will, be careful. See anything? 00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:29.679 No. Hey, what's the matter? I don't know. It's 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:32.000 as though something hit me, but there's nothing 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:37.760 here. Will, you all right? I will be when I find 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:43.900 out what the... Well, Hank, this is the damnedest 00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:48.719 thing. What is it? It's a force field of some 00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:52.960 kind. What do you mean? A force field. Look, 00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:57.460 we're standing here. Now walk straight ahead. 00:34:57.460 --> 00:35:02.460 You know, slowly. Okay. It knocked you back! 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:05.639 Stay back, Dolly! Don't worry. Now I'm convinced 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:08.960 of it. We're wandering around an army testing 00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:11.800 ground. This is another one of our experiments. 00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:17.019 Is there a way? Somewhere, probably. Yeah, but 00:35:17.019 --> 00:35:21.219 where? You can actually reach out and touch it. 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:25.019 It's like feeling your way along an invisible 00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:29.539 wall. You know what this means? We're right back 00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:33.239 in prison again. Our only escape is into the 00:35:33.239 --> 00:35:37.559 waiting hands of Major Thomas. We'll have to 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:47.480 go back. Go back? To where? Hold on a second. 00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:51.179 Look off there to the left. Nothing but sky. 00:35:52.340 --> 00:35:54.639 I think the land drops away at the edge of the 00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:58.139 woods. Let's find out. Maybe we can get a bearing. 00:35:58.519 --> 00:36:01.820 Oh, Hank. Hank, I'm so tired. I can't keep going. 00:36:02.059 --> 00:36:04.539 Okay, honey, okay. Sit here for a few minutes. 00:36:04.960 --> 00:36:08.519 Will and I want to check out that cliff. Hey, 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:13.219 we're high all right. Nothing but space out there. 00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:16.300 Don't go so close to the edge. Look down there, 00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:20.360 will you? Do you ever see anything like it? No. 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:24.280 The strangest looking plants I've ever seen. 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:29.199 It's not like the woods anymore. Yeah, tall spindly 00:36:29.199 --> 00:36:34.199 things and flowers. Don't make sense. Look at 00:36:34.199 --> 00:37:35.380 this. Look at this thing. Don't let go. We're 00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:42.579 not in Louisiana. We're in hell. When I was a 00:37:42.579 --> 00:37:44.860 little girl, I used to have bad dreams about 00:37:44.860 --> 00:37:49.980 hell. My mama would say, Dolly, if you're not 00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:53.239 a good girl, the devil will get you. And you'll 00:37:53.239 --> 00:37:55.360 go to that place. Stop it, Dolly. And I'd go 00:37:55.360 --> 00:37:59.320 to bed and I would think about hell. And I'd 00:37:59.320 --> 00:38:07.460 dream about it. Now I'm here. I'm here. Oh, hurry, 00:38:07.860 --> 00:38:13.280 hurry. Oh, Mama. Can I have a drink of water, 00:38:13.539 --> 00:39:34.539 Mama? I promise I won't cook again, Mama. get 00:39:34.539 --> 00:39:36.559 the phone company out to fix your phone before 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:39.800 dark. You can't be without that. I'd appreciate 00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:45.119 it, Roy. I will be in touch, Granny. Major, are 00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:48.860 you married? Well, yes, I am. Well, then I'd 00:39:48.860 --> 00:39:51.320 be most happy if you'd take this to your wife. 00:39:51.699 --> 00:39:54.679 A little token of my appreciation. Why, it's 00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:58.500 very beautiful. It's a terrarium. I see you've 00:39:58.500 --> 00:40:02.179 been admiring it. Granny, this terrarium's famous 00:40:02.179 --> 00:40:05.340 around these parts, Major. Everybody buys them. 00:40:05.699 --> 00:40:09.539 My wife's got one with a plant that eats meat. 00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:12.659 Now, at the Venus Flytrap, there's one in this 00:40:12.659 --> 00:40:15.920 glass, too. Well, thank you very much. My wife 00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:20.559 will really enjoy it. My pleasure. Oh, something 00:40:20.559 --> 00:40:24.360 wrong, Major? Well, I thought I saw something 00:40:24.360 --> 00:40:27.980 moving in there. Well, it might be an ant. Sometimes 00:40:27.980 --> 00:40:30.300 they're in the earth when I plant them. It does 00:40:30.300 --> 00:40:33.800 no harm. Well, thank you again, Mrs. Good, and... 00:40:33.820 --> 00:40:38.179 Don't worry, we'll get those men. Well, you never 00:40:38.179 --> 00:40:52.139 know. You might be closer than you think. Well, 00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:55.360 after all, this is the age of miniaturization. 00:40:56.099 --> 00:40:59.079 And even witches have to keep up with the times. 00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:02.800 It appears that Granny Good reduced her problems. 00:41:02.809 --> 00:41:06.150 to the smallest common denominator and arrived 00:41:06.150 --> 00:41:10.190 at a satisfactory solution. It also strikes me 00:41:10.190 --> 00:41:13.849 as a convenient way to lose weight or avoid a 00:41:13.849 --> 00:41:16.929 bill collector unless of course one goes too 00:41:16.929 --> 00:41:21.449 far and finds himself reduced to nothing. I'll 00:41:21.449 --> 00:41:37.239 be back shortly. Dali might well have heeded 00:41:37.239 --> 00:41:40.300 a popular saying before tampering with granny 00:41:40.300 --> 00:41:45.739 good Never underestimate the power of a woman 00:41:45.739 --> 00:41:49.099 Particularly one with lots of cats and a cauldron 00:41:49.099 --> 00:41:52.699 bubbling over the fire We'll be stirring up some 00:41:52.699 --> 00:41:54.920 more suspense and terror for you on our next 00:41:54.920 --> 00:41:58.920 mystery theater tale So do join us again our 00:41:58.920 --> 00:42:02.780 cast included Terry Keene Robert Dryden Bob Caliban 00:42:02.780 --> 00:42:06.110 and Briana Rayburn The entire production was 00:42:06.110 --> 00:42:09.809 under the direction of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery 00:42:09.809 --> 00:42:12.909 Theatre was sponsored in part by CONTAC, the 00:42:12.909 --> 00:42:16.409 12 -hour allergy capsule Anheuser -Busch Incorporated, 00:42:16.750 --> 00:42:19.429 Brewers of Budweiser, and the Kellogg Company, 00:42:19.849 --> 00:42:23.309 makers of Kellogg's Special K cereal. This is 00:42:23.309 --> 00:42:25.650 E .G. Marshall inviting you to return to our 00:42:25.650 --> 00:42:28.730 Mystery Theatre for another adventure in the 00:42:28.730 --> 00:42:34.400 macabre. Until next time, pleasant... Dreams?