Episode 19: There's Something Out There

Jess had a... weird start to her day , and still has been having trouble sleeping. The lights and sounds are still going. Plus, traffic, news- including an update on Mayor Simon,  a surprise phone call, and consequently, new instructions from Town Council. 

The voice of David Pradlick is Aaron Villegas. 

Sound effects by SoundEffectsFactory and Audio Library.

Nowhere, On Air is created, voiced and produced by Jess Syratt. Cover art by Moon Hermit Crab on Instagram.

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Transcript

[INTRO MUSIC] 

JESS: Hey there, folks! Welcome back. 

As we often do, we’re gonna start the show a little weirdly, and on a more personal note: 

This morning, I woke up not in my bed, not even anywhere in my trailer, but outside on the concrete, door to my trailer ajar and swinging slightly in the mid morning breeze. 

Has this happened to anyone else? I don’t have a history of sleepwalking, and to be honest I don’t even remember falling asleep last night. Nothing was missing so I don’t think I was robbed-- in fact, there was something left under my pillow, which, judging by the initialed ‘C’ on the package, was from the mysterious figure only known to us as ‘C’. 

Now, I don’t know if ‘C’ was the one responsible for the strange circumstances I woke up to find myself in, though something in my gut tells me that’s not the case, but even if they weren’t, it still leaves a good deal of, well, strangeness, for lack of a better term, unanswered. 

The few previous interactions we’ve had with this mystery figure have all been positive- as positive as a relationship based on no personal information or connection can be- so I’m hesitant to jump to conclusions. I will say I haven’t yet opened the package left for me, but this is due to the fact that the whole ‘waking up outside’ thing admittedly left me a little shaken. ‘C’, if you’re listening, I plan to open it later tonight. Sorry if it was time sensitive. 

However, all that being said, if I’m being honest, the whole thing hasn’t worried me as much as I think it should… but honestly with the lights and sounds still aggressively continuing into the night, I think it’s just messing a lot with my sleep patterns and habits or whatever. 

I have complained to Town Council on multiple occasions, only to receive more weird documents to add to my collection, so I’ve given up on that. I’ve heard from some of you, well, a lot of you actually, that the lights and noises don’t bother you anymore, sort of like, extended exposure has blinded you to them, or simply taught you how to tune them out … so, if it's really just a me thing, its not as big a deal. 

And, while we’re on the subject of strange noises coming from industrial looking buildings: 

Our first story says there’s been some strange noises reported from the abandoned RCAF building just northwest of town, ones that you might have missed due to the aforementioned noises coming from the waste and filtration building… so all is well! That's nothing new. Between you and me, the day the noises coming from the abandoned RCAF building stop is the day I’m worried about. 

Not that I have any idea what’s causing the sparse, low- but- not-piercingly-base-heavy sounds that come from the RCAF building, but I’m not really concerned as they are nowhere near as prevalent or invasive as the sounds coming from the building on the other side of the river. And these sounds have been present on-and-off for a while. Like, the better part of a year. There’s a familiarity, a comfort to them. And I feel a grace for them because they are not nearly as frequent or persistent as these other sounds, and unaccompanied by any sort of lights. 

Anyways, all that convoluted… word- stuff, can be boiled down to: Our first story is that there are two industrial buildings in town making noises with no discernible or determinable origin. 

And now, let’s move on into tonight’s show starting with… 

Traffic. 

*SOUNDS OF A CAR DRIVING* 

You are driving on a mountain road. The silence is heavy. So heavy and like static in the air. You turn to a radio station. Just a random one. It was more of an instinctual thing, your hand sort of just reached out and turned the dial to an arbitrary frequency,  [THE SOUNDS OF THE RADIO CHANGING STATION] and then a voice flows softly from your speakers. You’re sure you’ve never heard it before, but still it feels very… familiar. Comforting. 

Your eyes look ahead as you drive, focused on the road, focused on the distance between you and your destination. You’re not sure where you’re going, the names on the green highway signs that pass mean little to you, just a collection of letters that form a series of phonetic sounds intended to refer to a specific location, but you’ll know where you’re headed when you get there. That’s always the way out here. 

The sun is just beginning its descent, stepping down one slow step at a time from its perch and slowly creeping behind the rows of jagged-edged peaks in the near distance. The golden fields stretched on either side of you are bathed in the blood-red light of a prairie dusk. A farm in the distance is gradually bathed in shadow, but you see lights persisting in the windows of the farmhouse. Do they make you feel a little warmer? 

The sky is so wide, and filled with colours. So much colour, warm hues of red and orange and yellow fade to green, and that jaded green fades into the cool blue tones of evening, which deepen into a rich shade of night. The first few stars litter the top of the sky. They are watching you. Others will be soon to follow. Do you feel a little less alone, beneath their gaze? 

You roll down the window, to hear the distance calls of nature, to hear the wind as it rushes past your vehicle. The air is cool as crisp and tastes deep and full as the forests that blanket the ever-nearing mountainsides. 

How many kilometers have you travelled? Time, dusk, sunset, distance, it all seems like it has come to a standstill. The road is smooth, but well worn, and it soon begins winding with the curves and shapes of the mountain bases. Your car rumbles softly as it moves, ever forward, propelling you along, further into the valley. The farther you go, the more prairies gradually disappear, starting to crumble and rise into rigid, stone-bound shapes. Soon, there is simply a wall of growth and rock on either side. 

How many towns have you passed? Little constellations of fluorescent lights and signs and street lights against the dark wilderness. Have you been keeping track? Do you remember their names, from those green highway signs? Do they all blur together as the sun falls into its nighttime shroud? How much heavier does the presence of the mountains get with each town you pass through? 

How far have you travelled? Close enough to hear us, to catch the little frequency, but if you’ve made it into the mountains, if the prairies have all risen into peaks, you’ve gone too far. Too deep. 

You are beyond our reach, now. But we are still with you. In spirit. In sound. 

There’s something out there. You know it, deep within. Like a voice calling to you in the distance. Something is out there. Is it a hope or a fear? 

Who can say. Safe travels, friend. 

[MUSIC STARTS, THEN ALL SOUNDS FADE. NEW MUSIC STARTS]

Let’s take a look at the news! 

Our first story: Mountainview Diner is celebrating its 40th business anniversary here in Braedon next week. As such, at the start of the week, they will be adding a few “new” dishes to their menu temporarily in celebration. You couldn’t see it, but I did the air quotation gesture thing for new. You see, listeners, these dishes will be favourites of the past, a resurgence of their best selling dishes across the four decades they’ve been serving the community. Stephen Yang, current owner of the diner, hasn’t released the menu to us yet, so we can only speculate as to what these dishes might be. I don’t know anything personally about the culinary history of the diner, so I am very excited to see what they’ll be offering. 

Furthermore, this adjusting of the menu also coincides with the Diner’s switching over to their summertime menu, which is really just their normal menu with fresh fruit on pretty much everything. 

Make sure you, and your families, head on over the Mountainview Diner at some point next week, to support one of our many, beloved local business who has been serving us for many years, and hopefully will for many more. 

*MUSIC CHANGES*

Second on the news front, Charles Peterson, president of the Mountain Watch, says a temporary position in the volunteer group has opened up, and so they are currently accepting applications for those who would like to be considered candidates for vice president, as Elijah D’Silva, HA member who we all know disappeared some weeks ago, was the previous vice president. 

They are only looking to fill the position until Elijah’s hopeful return-- however, it's necessary to disclose that there is the possibility it will become a permanent position. Anyone can apply, even if you weren’t previously a member of the group-- though signing up for membership is part of the application process. 

Interested parties can pick up and drop off their resumes to Charles at the pet store, at any time during business hours. 

And lastly, in tonight’s scheduled news, we have a little update on the Mayor Simon situation I am sure you have all been hoping to hear about. 

I actually had a chance to sit down and speak with the mayor earlier this week. He is back home, and the community fund started at the garage sale a few weeks ago has already been put to good use, helping him settle back here in Braedon and giving him a chance to rest and recover. 

For the most part, he has yet to regain his memory. What little has come back is disjointed and difficult to piece together without any sort of context, and as the situation is still quite fresh and consisting of more missing information than it is answers, I won’t be going into any details of what he shared with me at this time. But he assured me he was doing well despite it all, and while he didn’t remember who I was, he said I had familiar eyes. 

On the other side of the situation, I’m sure you’ve noticed, Farmer Daniels’ whole property has now been essentially entirely blocked off, with a fence set up around the entire perimeter to prevent any sort of public access or viewing to his many acres of land. 

Neighbouring properties have reported that there have been figures entering and exiting this area at all hours- most of them mysterious figures they do not recognize. Figures in suits, that even in the light of day, seem shrouded in shadow. 

The authorities have not yet given any indication of where they are in their investigation, how they are conducting it, nor have they offered any sort of update on the case from a judicial standpoint. 

Farmer Daniels is still in custody, though it would seem he has not been officially charged with anything as of yet, and rumour has it, he is still insisting he is innocent, and had nothing to do with the disappearance or mistreatment of the mayor. 

Unfortunately, until we have more information on the case, we cannot offer anything more at this time. However, as always, we’ll update you with the information we can as we learn it. 

If you have any information you think might be relevant to the ongoing investigation, please contact the RCMP-- or us. 

*TRANSITION* 

And now, weather report from Weatherman Todd Stevenson says to expect rain this next week, and--

Oh, listeners, I’m sorry for the interruption but I’m being told we’re um, getting a call. We’re gonna jump to the phones as apparently they’ve been waiting a little while. 

[SOUND OF THE PHONE BEING MOVED]

Hey there, caller. You’re live with us on air. 

[THERE IS A MUSICAL SOUND UNDERNEATH DAVID'S LINES]

DAVID: Heya, Jess. Its David- David Pradlick. 

JESS: David? [A PAUSE] Is everything okay? 

DAVID: Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine... no I’m just standing in the back of my store here, and uh, well, wouldn’t you know it but there’s one of those, uh, singing, shiny space things in the backroom. 

JESS: Shiny space things? [A PAUSE TO THINK] Do you mean a void, David? A shimmering void? 

DAVID: That’s the one, yeah. A shimmering void. And I know y’all said in your newsletter to call you if we, uh, see one. So I’m calling. 

JESS: And, just to confirm, its inside your store? 

DAVID: Swallowed up a few of my stereos. 

JESS: I cannot recommend trying to retrieve them. [A PAUSE] How close are you standing? I can hear it pretty loud. 

DAVID: It’s warm. 

JESS: Pardon?

DAVID: It’s giving off a- a warmth, like a bonfire. It radiates this heat. It’s so… nice, it makes you want to stand closer. 

JESS: David, we have to advise you to stay as far away from it as you can, okay? [DISTANT] Tanner? Can you- yeah, great-[BACK] We’re sending some help over, okay? David, can you hear me? I have to remind you that these things are currently, well, connected to at least one of the disappearances here in town and we still don’t fully understand what exactly they are, how they work, or more importantly, how safe they are. 

DAVID: [SOFTLY] Magnetic, almost. Like- like it's calling to me. There’s something… 

JESS: Are you in the backroom with it? 

DAVID: I can see- beyond the shifting, shimmering middle-- it looks like- it looks like people. 

JESS: People? 

DAVID: There’s people on the other side. I think- I think they can see me. 

JESS: Do you see anything else? 

DAVID: There’s something on the other side. It's bright. I think the sun is shining. 

JESS: David, I have to advise you to stand back. We’re sending over some help, okay? They’ll take care of it-- 

DAVID: It's so bright, and so warm. I feel- I feel- [STATIC STARTS] 

JESS: David? Are you still with us? Someone is coming, please stay back- 

DAVID: [JUMBLED, UNINTELLIGIBLE SPEECH AS STATIC GROWS AND GROWS]

JESS: David? David? Are you there? 

[THE LINE IS DEAD. ]

JESS: Alright. No need to worry, folks, we’re gonna go to a quick break. We’ll be back soon. 

*TRANSITION*

For the time being, we have been asked to advise the public to stay away from downtown 4th Street, specifically David’s electronic store. Town Council wanted us and all of you to know that they have already sent their officers in to handle the situation, and so we didn’t need to send help anymore. Well, they phrased it more as a, you know, we were not allowed to send help. 

I know Tanner was already en route when we received these new instructions, and I have it on good authority that a few members of The Faceless were as well, so I’d like to a say a quick sorry and thank you to any members of a mysterious group who might be listening, who were willing to respond to the situation. 

[A PHONE CHIME]

We have also been asked to say that if you have any similar sightings or experiences with these shimmering void things going forward, you are required from here on out to report them to the stone statue in Town Square for documentation and, in Town Council’s words, ‘disposal’. 

I mean, you can still tell us about it, too, if you’d like. Only if you want to. We’ve detailed in this week’s newsletter all the different ways you can contact us, including the… less conventional methods. We here at the station like to know about incidents involving these things for… personal reasons, and I’m worried we wouldn’t find out otherwise… 

[ANOTHER PHONE CHIME FROM THE BOOTH.]

JESS: Actually, Martha is telling me that is not true. According to Town Council, you may not report it to us. Report to the stone statue- or directly to the authorities (you know which ones)- only. 

[SHE SIGHS]

Thank you, Town Council, for giving instructions that are so obviously… in our best interest. 

Oh. 

Just looking at the time here, folks… before we wrap up this broadcast, here’s a word from the sponsor that made tonight’s show possible: 

[STATIC INTO MUSIC AND SERIES OF “RANDOM” NUMBERS]

VOICE: 70 6C 79 69 6E 20 77 69 74 68 20 66 69 72 65 20

[STATIC, MUSIC FADES, AND NEW MUSIC STARTS] 

Sorry to end the show a little abruptly here listeners, but I just remembered I arranged a meeting tonight and I don’t want to be late for it. I couldn’t find my watch this morning and only just looked at the clock and, well, I lost track of time a little. 

Oh, but really quick before we go: 

To ‘C,’ if you’re listening, I opened that, uh, that package over the break, and thank you. If you ever feel like, not being anonymous to us anymore, let us know! I promise we here at the station are very good at keeping the important secrets. 

[SLIGHT DISTORTION]

And to you, listener, wherever you may be listening from tonight; whether it be next to your radio in the coolness of dusk coming in through an open kitchen window, or from the enclosed comfort of your car, or even from an old speaker in an otherwise empty, open field… 

Thanks for tuning in. 

*MUSIC OUT- INTO PULSING, MECHANICAL SOUNDS*