Past The Static: A Survival Audio Drama (Scene 4)
- Niomi Dylan Sass
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Written by Niomi Dylan Sass
Scene Four: Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
He’s rapidly flipping through stations.
91.1
Is there anyone out there? There has to be more people, there just has to be. I’m not an enemy; I’m looking for a safe zone. I’ll do whatever I gotta do to prove myself… I’m desperate.
He lands on a station where someone is speaking, but it's muffled over.
Where is the damn antenna?
He starts scoping around the desk to find it and uncovers wires that follow alongside the wall into the closet where the undead radio worker came out of.
Yeah, sure, of course it’s in a creepy closet.
He takes a deep breath, slowly walks inside, and takes the lighter out of his pocket to see around the closet. There's a locker inside. He opens it, and underneath an old station uniform is a pack of cigarettes and a switchblade.
(Trying to hold back tears) There still may be a God.
He follows the cords to the corner of the room and sees the satellite. He repositions the antennas until the muffled voice becomes clearer, female.
96.9
(Panicked) I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do. I shot him, I had to shoot him. It’s not my fault; I was just protecting myself. Someone has to help him! Help, please help!
91.1
It’s okay! It’s okay. Just calm down.
96.9
No, no, no, no. It’s not! And don’t tell me to calm down!
91.1
I’m sorry. I’m just trying to see if I can help. Tell me what happened.
96.9
My sweet baby boy. One of those things broke inside.
91.1
Damn, how are those things able to break into places so easily?
96.9
We’ve been held up at this bookstore for the last week, and we started running low on water. I think he was trying to help look for more supplies around the place when he opened the back door, thinking he heard his dad coming. One of those things rushed inside and tackled him. Once I got over there after hearing all the commotion, I was too late; it already had its hands wrapped around my son's leg. I shot it before it could take a bite, but the damn thing had its hands wrapped around his leg. Its grip was so tight that its nails were seeping into my baby’s leg.
91.1
I’m… I’m so sorry. Did your son turn—
96.9
I would never let my precious baby turn into one of those things. (Getting worked up) He’s never going to believe me. My husband went to trade some of our equipment for some supplies. What am I supposed to tell him when he gets back?
91.1
I know it’ll be hard, but what else can you tell him but the truth?
96.9
No, no, no, you don’t understand, no. Before dead people were trying to eat us, our son was his only pride and joy. For the past fourteen years, the sole reason why he stayed with me was because his son needed a mother. If he has no son, he’ll get rid of me next. He’ll think I did it on purpose.
91.1
I don’t think your husband is going to think you purposefully killed your own son. I mean, that’s just insane.
96.9
(Fighting back tears) But I did do it on purpose. The emergency broadcast said any bodily contact would infect you with that virus. I could already see him losing the life in his skin. The same life that would fill the entire room with brightness any time he walked through. As he was looking at me in shock, the color of his eyes turned from green to grey, then quickly to all white. That’s when I knew it was only a matter of time before the virus took over his whole body. He could have come for me. If I had waited any longer, he would have come for me. I should have let him come for me. What if he just needed his momma to take care of him? They say the worst pain anyone could experience in life is losing your child, but that son of a bitch probably never thought about having to kill them yourself.
91.1
I never saw one of them turn before me. Wow, it’s that quick… You did it to protect him.
96.9
Yeah, try telling my husband that.
91.1
If he can’t understand, then maybe I could—
96.9
Actually, I know exactly what I have to do now.
91.1
What was your son’s name?
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(Crying) Dylan. It was Dylan.
91.1
In a world like this, I don’t think there is such a thing as a coincidence. That happens to be my name. I don’t really know what or how I can help you, but if you tell me where to find you, I’ll do everything in my power to.
96.9
It’d be useless. When my husband gets back, he’ll end up sending me to take care of his son.
91.1
(Realizing) What? He can’t just kill you because you were putting your son out of his mercy. Any human being would do the same thing. If you don’t think he’ll understand, then try to make it to me. I’m holding up at 91.1 Radio Tower in the farmlands.
96.9
Let’s be honest. Our son does need his mother. He was always a momma’s boy.
91.1
What are you talking about? He’s dead. Just stop and try to think clearly before you do anything crazy.
96.9
Besides, I’m not going to be able to make it out of here. I ran out of bullets, and the sound of the gun firing attracted more of the dead outside.
91.1
I know what you're thinking. And you don’t have to do this. There’s always another way.
96.9
(Content and calmly) Thank you, Dylan. He’s waiting for me.
91.1
Wait!
96.9
Mommy’s coming.
91.1
Don’t do this!
He hears everything going on in the background. She unlocks her door, and he hears a roar of multiple undead rushing into her location. All that can be heard is the gurgling sounds of her screams while her flesh is being ripped apart. Dylan is listening in disbelief until her screams stop. He turns the volume of the radio down until it's silent. He takes out a cigarette and lights it.
(END OF SCENE)
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