The Creaking Door: Don’t Take My Blood

Who knows what evil lurks in listening to an old recording of a 50 year-old radio drama?

Well, at 5:30 this morning, I found out. And now... you will, too.

MUSIC: CHEERY VIOLINS.

HEROIC-SOUNDING ANNOUNCER:
I have flown, I have sailed, I have moved about this world of ours, and ever in search of the finest of its kind, we bring you the tops in spine-chillers…

FX: SOUND OF HEAVY DOOR SLOWLY CREAKING.

MENACING ANNOUNCER (WITH ECHO):…”The CREAKING…DOOR…!”

MUSIC: SHIVERING CELLO FOR A BIT.

HEROIC ANNOUNCER: The manufacturers of State Express 3-5 Filter Kings Cigarettes take pleasure in presenting…

MENACING ANNOUNCER (WITH ECHO):…”The CREAKING…DOOR…!”

SLOW PSYCHOLOGICALLY DISTURBED-SOUNDING NARRATOR: Good evening, friends of The Creaking Door. The Creaking Door is…opening…

(SOUND OF HEAVY DOOR CREAKING SLOWLY OPEN AGAIN)

…so DO come in!

Do you subscribe to the view that some of us have power over the life and death of someone else? John does. He knows when people are going to die. And THAT… can be MOST upsetting… for ALL concerned! Mm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm!

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SLOW PSYCHOLOGICALLY DISTURBED-SOUNDING NARRATOR: John… is not a usual sort of man… although he has a very ordinary sort of name. John Smith. What could be more ordinary than that? But he is a most UNusual sort of man… really. Take his blood group… for instance. His blood group… is group AB. VERY rare… indeed. As the doctor is pointing out to him…

DOCTOR: Only 2 percent of people belong to group AB, Mr Smith…

JOHN SMITH (VERY TROUBLED): I KNOW my group is very rare…

DOCTOR: And this young girl is dying. She must have a transfusion as soon as possible otherwise she WILL die. There’s absolutely no doubt about that.

JOHN SMITH (MORE TROUBLED): But surely I’m not the ONLY person with this type of blood in the area?

DOCTOR: Oh, no doubt there ARE other people but, we don’t know everyone’s blood-group off-hand, just like that. We depend, as you know, on blood donors. You’re the only registered donor in this area.

JOHN SMITH (SUICIDAL): But - but there MUST be someone else!

DOCTOR: Believe me, Mr Smith, there isn’t! Anyway, giving a transfusion isn’t anything to worry about – there’s nothing to it!

JOHN SMITH (UNTROUBLED): I’ve given blood before – I know that.

DOCTOR (HOPEFUL): Then you’ll help us? You’ll help the young girl?

JOHN SMITH (TROUBLED AGAIN): I – I can’t, I - I CAN’T go through that again! (SNAPS) I won’t! You’ve no right to ask me!

DOCTOR: Oh please, Mr Smith – calm down. (BEAT) What I’m asking isn’t so terrible.

JOHN SMITH (SNAPS): Yes, it is!

DOCTOR: But you said yourself…

JOHN SMITH: (AGITATED) You don’t KNOW what you’re asking, I CAN’T do it!

DOCTOR: Mr Smith, unless young Beryl Rogers receives a transfusion of blood - type AB blood - she will most certainly die.

Ahh, the joy of MP3s.

Those of you who read this blog regularly will already know how much I was enjoying this at 5:30am this morning.

Anyway if that opening has piqued your interest, you can hear the remaining 25 minutes at:

http://www.radiolovers.com/pages/creakingdoor.htm

Just click on “Don’t Take My Blood.”

Well, I must be off – I really feel like a cigarette.