Living Space Read online

  FRANCINE:

  Here we go again.

  DEREK:

  (AFTER A PAUSE TO ESTABLISH THAT THE SOUND ISN’T STOPPING) Doesn’t it usually stop by now?

  FRANCINE:

  It’s the end. (FRIGHTENED) He’s going to kill us now.

  ANNOUNCER:

  We’ll return to Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories – after this.

  ANNOUNCER:

  And now back to Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories and the conclusion to “Living Space.”

  NARRATOR:

  Derek Weathers is a young man with a head full of pop- culture references. He remembers only too well the scene in Goldfinger where a mobster and his vehicle are crushed into a cube by the force of a car compactor. Up until now, Derek has never given a moment’s thought to how that poor bastard must have felt in those final moments, as the thick metal panels turned what had once been a living, thinking person into a mess of blood and pulp you could simply wash away with a hose. He might think about it now (due to) the concern he feels for himself and the love of his life - a life that may not last much longer...

  SOUND:

  THE MOVING WALLS UNDER DEREK AND FRANCINE’S DIALOG THROUGHOUT SCENE, GRADUALLY GROWING LOUDER AND MORE OMINOUS.

  FRANCINE:

  This is it!

  DEREK:

  I’m not gonna let you die, Francine!

  FRANCINE:

  It’s too late, Derek!

  DEREK:

  Lay flat on the floor!

  FRANCINE:

  What? Why?

  DEREK:

  I’m going to try to shield you!

  FRANCINE:

  It’s not going to work! You know it’s not going to work!

  DEREK:

  I don’t care! I have to try this! (GRUNTS AND STRAINS)

  SOUND:

  SOMETHING BREAKS INSIDE DEREK.

  DEREK:

  (SCREAMS)

  FRANCINE:

  Derek!

  DEREK:

  My shoulder! It’s broken!

  FRANCINE:

  It’s no good, Derek! Just hold me!

  DEREK:

  AAAaaahhh!

  FRANCINE:

  I didn’t mean to- I-

  DEREK:

  It doesn’t matter, Francine! I just want you to know... in another life... I mean, if I could’ve had another chance... I’d take that job, any job!

  FRANCINE:

  I love you, Derek!

  DEREK:

  I love you too, Francine!

  SOUND:

  THE MOVING OF THE WALLS IS NOW A ROAR.

  DEREK:

  (YELLS IN TERROR)

  FRANCINE:

  (SCREAMS)

  SOUND:

  WITH A SUDDEN PAINFUL GRINDING OF GEARS, THE WALLS STOP MOVING.

  DEREK:

  What the hell?

  FRANCINE:

  What’s happening?

  DEREK:

  I- I-

  SOUND:

  THE WALLS MOVE AGAIN, BUT WITH MORE OF A HISSING SOUND, TO INDICATE THAT THEY’RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT NOW.

  FRANCINE:

  It’s reversing! The walls are reversing!

  DEREK:

  We did it! What the hell did we do?

  FRANCINE:

  I don’t know, but we’re alive, Derek! We’re going to be all right!

  DEREK:

  (HOOTS WITH JOY) I think you’re right Francine – we’re not going to die!

  FRANCINE:

  (LAUGHS WITH RELIEF)

  SOUND:

  THE WALLS SETTLE BACK INTO THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE WITH A FIRM “THUD”.

  DEREK:

  We’re alive... but we’re still trapped in here.

  FRANCINE:

  I don’t care about that. So long as we’re OK, we can figure anything else out.

  DEREK:

  You’re right. I think I need to go to the hospital though.

  SOUND:

  FROM OUTSIDE THE ROOM, THE FAINT SOUND OF KEYS TURNING IN A LOCK.

  DEREK:

  You hear that?

  SOUND:

  THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN.

  WINKLER:

  Hello again.

  FRANCINE:

  (HYSTERICAL ANGER) Winkler! You bastard!

  WINKLER:

  Yes.

  FRANCINE:

  I’m gonna kill you!

  WINKLER:

  Don’t.

  DEREK:

  Francine, Francine! Stop. He has a gun.

  WINKLER:

  You should listen to him, Miss Spinetti. If you attempt to harm me, I will shoot you.

  FRANCINE:

  Shoot us! You nearly crushed us to death!

  WINKLER:

  Yes. I did. And now..?

  FRANCINE:

  Now what?

  WINKLER:

  Precisely. Do you wish to go free?

  DEREK:

  You’re... letting us go?

  WINKLER:

  I didn’t say that, Mr Weathers. I asked if you wished to go free.

  DEREK:

  Yes! Yes, very much! God, yes! What do we have to do?

  FRANCINE:

  What do you want from us?

  WINKLER:

  I simply require an answer...

  DEREK:

  An answer to what?

  WINKLER:

  An answer to a straightforward question: If I let you both go... will you tell anyone about what has gone on here?

  FRANCINE:

  What?

  DEREK:

  Tell anyone? No! God, no!

  FRANCINE:

  No, no, no way!

  WINKLER:

  I see.

  DEREK:

  Mr Winkler, I swear- we swear... that if you let us go, no-one will ever, ever know about this place.

  WINKLER:

  Then... you won’t go to the police?

  FRANCINE:

  No!

  DEREK:

  Not a chance, no way! I promise you, sir... there is no way we would ever turn you in or tell anyone about you or this place!

  WINKLER:

  (WITH A TINGE OF REGRET) Ah, I’m afraid you made the same mistake that Marcus made.

  DEREK:

  Marcus? Who’s-

  FRANCINE:

  What mistake?

  WINKLER:

  You were wrong about me. They were all wrong about me. You see, I want to be caught.

  FRANCINE:

  You w-

  WINKLER:

  Yes, I want to be caught oh so desperately. I’m sorry, but the two of you are of no use to me now.

  DEREK:

  No, wait!

  WINKLER:

  I promise it’ll be quick this time.

  SOUND:

  THEY RUN TO THE DOOR AND START HAMMERING.

  DEREK & FRANCINE:

  (YELLING AND PLEADING HYSTERICALLY)

  SOUND:

  THE WALLS MOVE, THE SOUND IS LOUDER AND MORE SUSTAINED THIS TIME.

  FRANCINE:

  (JUST HAS TIME TO SCREAM BEFORE...)

  SOUND:

  THE WALLS SLAM TOGETHER. A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

  MUSIC:

  Sting. Then into Fangoria Theme.

  ANNOUNCER:

  “Living Space” was written for radio by M.J. Elliott. Heard in the cast were: