Mm hmm contdown for blast off x minus five for three two x minus one
fire From the far horizons of the unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in
time and space. These are stories of the future adventures in which you'll live
in a million, could be years, on a thousand, maybe worlds.
The National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of Astounding
Science Fiction, presents he he minus minus minus one one one Woe to Night's
story zero Hour by Ray Bradbury. It was a perfect summer day in the
year nineteen eighty five. Sunlight illumined the suburbs, and the town drowsed on
the tide of warm, sunlit air on the lawns. The children played,
and in the homes, busy mothers prepared for the evening arrival of their husbands.
Excuse me, mom, good heavens man, what's all excitement. We're
playing a game, mommy, the most exciting game ever. What are you
doing in that cabinet? I need some tools from daddy's kit. Your father
may not take good care of the mom, I promise very well, dear,
don't lose anything. Or what's the name of the game. Mink invasion,
invasion? What will they think of next? This and this and this
and this? Put that over there and bring that over here? No,
uniny, now get back while I fix this. They want it this way.
See sure, just let me fix this. We'd better talk to Drill
and get some more instructions. Are where is Drill? Drill? Hey,
Drill, Drill, he's in the rose bush. I think I'll talk t
myself and you write it down on the pad. Okay, Drill, Drill,
Okay, Drill wants you to write down triangle? What's a triangle?
Never mind? Drill will tell us when he wants us to know. It
helps the invasion. Well, how do you spell it, Drill? How
do your sush mink? Here's your mother looking out the window. Man,
Who are you talking to the rose bush? Mom? Only it's not really
a rose bush. That's Drill. Who's Drill? He's planning the invasion?
What an imagination. You'd better come India and clean up for supper in just
a second, mom, Art, did you write down what Drill just said?
Yup? Four nine seven and A and B and X and the fork
and the string and the hex hex agony hexagonal droopy. Oh I'm in mink
suffers in ten minutes. Okay, Mom, just a minute. I have
to tell Drill. I wish we didn't have to eat though it holds up
the invasion. Man, for heaven's sake, slow down, you'll choke on
that soup. I can't, Mom, it's a matter of life and death.
What's a matter of life and death? The invasion? What invasion is
that? Oh? Just some silly game the children have been playing. Well,
whatever it is, make it'll wait until you finish your supper, I'm
sure. But Drill is waiting for me, Daddy. Oh, who's drilled?
You? Boy in the neighborhood. He's new, all right, Only
you can't see him, not yet. He hasn't come through yet. What
do you mean you can't see him? He lives in a rose bush in
our backyard imagination, Henry. Well, while you're at it, tell me
more about this new game. It's Martians in vas eating Earth, Dad,
Well, not exactly martians, Dad, they're from I don't know, from
up and from the inside of that little head of yours. You're laughing,
Drill said you would. You're killed Drill and and everybody, Well, I
didn't know you could kill a Martian not really a Martian, ma'am. Maybe
he's from Jupiter or Venus. Even imagine they couldn't figure out a way to
attack the Earth. So the kids are helping the Martians. Pretty slick,
those Martians using the kids for a fifth column they're Drill says after the invasion,
we can stay up as late as we want, no more baths either,
Oh is that so? And we can watch all the grown up televisor
shows. Well, I don't wonder this invasion is caught on among the kids.
Some of the kids are giving us trouble, like Dale Britt's and Pade
Jerrick. They're growing up so they won't believe in the invasion. They make
fun worsh than parents. Even I hate them worst. We'll kill them first.
I hope you're saving your father and me for last. Drill says,
you're dangerous. Know why why? Because you don't believe the Martians ought to
let us kids run the world. But I think they'll let me keep you
because I'm helping so much. I'll talk to Drill. Maybe we won't have
to kill you, eh, Mary. I think this nonsense is going far
enough. Can I go out now? Please run along, dear, don't
worry dad, I won't let them hurt you. Televisor oh, would you
please connect me with missus Helen Rogerson on channel seven two Z, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. What is your channel? Please? Eight seventeen X New Rochelle,
New York. Thank you just a moment, go ahead, you can see
your now, I says, how are things in New York? Fine?
Helen? How are things in Pittsburgh? You look tired? Oh, I've
been having a terrible time with the children. Sick, No, just underfoot.
They've got a new game that's got me just about crazy. It's called
Invasion. Did you say Invasion? Isn't it strange? My Mike is playing
it too. My boy Tim is all involved with some imaginary fellow named Drill
who's running the Invasion must be a new password Manke likes him too. How
do you suppose these games start? My backyard looks like a scrap drive.
They've got every conceivable kind of macmachanical gadget out there. I talked to Josephine
Schiller in Boston. She says her kids are wild about it too. It's
sweeping the country. I can't understand it, Helen. Do you suppose what?
Oh? Nothing, just a wild thought that crossed my mind. Oh
say, the reason I call is that black and white cake recipe? What
was that? I don't know. One of the children might have hurt himself.
I'll have to run and see deer. Call me back tonight, will
you'd marry by men? What is it? Who is that who screamed Peggy
Ann? What happened? She got scared and ran home? Did you hit
her? Nope, she just got scared. She's a scared baby. Anyway,
Now, miing, tell me why she screamed. No, I can't
mink you'll answer me or come inside this instant. I've had enough nonsense.
I can't quit now. Mom, it's almost zero. Then tell me what
frightened Peggy Ann. Okay, she saw drill. He almost came through through
what those pipes and things we set up. She looked into one of the
pipes and screamed. I guess she saw drill and no one hit her?
No, Mom, very well, min I'll call Peggyann's mother and see how
she is. If we could only get drilled through, it would be easy.
Then all the others could come through after him. I'm going in now,
ming. I'll call you in for your bath in half an hour.
Your father and I want to go out tonight. You won't be able to
go out, Mom, Why not? Zero? It's five o'clock mark,
Hello, dear, Oh you're home early, Henry. I thought i'd relax
a little before we went to the theater. Where's the little one out back?
Same game? Same game. They've got a stack of pipes and hammers
and spoons them out high out there? Children? Why do we have them?
They are strange creatures. Aren't they even mink? She's a part of
us. Yep? Yeah, Look, dear, I like to discuss this
with you, but we do have a theater date. And it's almost five
o'clock. Now, Say what's happened to the kids? They're so quiet.
When children are quiet, you know there's some mischief. Say what's that sound?
I don't know. Those kids aren't playing with anything electrical, are they?
I'm sure they aren't. At least Henry ask them to put off the
invasion? Good lord, what's that? Mary? Look out the window,
Henry? What is it? Where the children? Mary? Why are you
shaking? What did you see? Henry? Quick up to the attic.
In the attic, Yes, yes, the attic. Quick, Mary,
come back here, Mary, don't go up They aren't up there, Harry,
are you one of your mind? There's no one up here. Wait,
shut the door, lock it, lock it. There's nothing up here.
What is wrong with you? Now? Mary, come to your senses,
Henry, and we've got to stay here and hide. Are you talking
about it? I saw it through the window, Henry. It was horrible.
They weren't making believe it is an invasion. Oh, Mary, for
heaven's sake, let's get down out of this attic and talk this over.
So. I want to find out if make us all right? She's all
right. I saw she was leading them around the corner of the house,
leading the kids. Listen, there's nothing. Listen the front door. They're
coming. Good Lord, those kids sound like fifty men with boats. Hun
No, not then, Oh, please God, to let them find us,
don't let them, Please God. I don't understand this. Who's there?
Don't shut there here? Who's down there? I demanded to answer me.
They're coming. The whole house is shaking. Who's there? Please be
quiet? They might go away, Henry, Henry, Yeah, are you
in the attic? Henry. Listen, let's make We've got to save her,
Henry. Don't you understand she's leading them, She's leading them. She's
on their side. Henry. Oh, please, God forgive them. On
their side, she told us, but we wouldn't believe her. Listen,
coming up. Oh God, mam, Dad, we know you're in there.
I guess you better mount the lock. Drill Henry, the lock.
It's molting the door. Oh you God, mom, Dad, Oh I
see you. Now take a book you have just heard. X minus one
presented by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of
astounding science fiction. Tonight by transcription, X minus one has Brought You Zero
r by Ray Bradberry, as adapted for radio by George Lefferts. Featured in
the cast were Nina Reader, David Feffer, Peggy Lubin, Les Damon Raleigh
Bester, Bob Hastings, and John Lockin. X minus one was directed by
Daniel Sutter and as an NBC Radio Network production, and now next week,
The Vital Factor by Nelson Bond, the story of a man who sought to
rule the universe and then discovered that this formula for gaining that power was minus
one. Precious ingredient. You'll hear it on X minus one. It's groomed
for your interests. Weekday NBC Radio