WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:08.160 Tired of the everyday grind, ever dream of a life 2 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:14.919 of romantic adventure, want to get away from it all? 3 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:17.879 We offer you. 4 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:28.199 Escape, Escape designed to free you from the four walls 5 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:31.879 of today for a half hour of high adventure. 6 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:50.479 You are in a lighthouse of the steaming coast of 7 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:56.960 French Guiana, while around you, frightful in its fury, a 8 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:02.560 nightmare of terror and violence closing in on you, a 9 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:08.439 nightmare from which there is no escape to night. 10 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.799 By popular request, we repeat one of the most terrifying 11 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.840 stories ever presented on Escape. Listen now as we bring 12 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:30.760 you three Skeleton Key by George two Doos. 13 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:40.640 Picture this place a gray, tapering cylinder welded by iron 14 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:44.599 rods and concrete to the key itself, a bare black 15 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.280 rock one hundred and fifty feet long, may be forty wide. 16 00:01:49.159 --> 00:01:52.959 That's at low tide. At high tide, just the light 17 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:55.640 rising one hundred and ten feet straight up out of 18 00:01:55.640 --> 00:02:00.439 the ocean, and all about it the churning water, gray 19 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:05.760 green scum, dappled warm as soup, and swarming with gigantic 20 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:09.879 batlike devilfish, great violet schools of the Portuguese man o' war, 21 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:17.560 and yes sharks, the big ones the fifteen footers. And 22 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:20.840 as if that wasn't enough, there was a hot, dank, rotten, 23 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:23.280 smelling wind that came at us day and night, off 24 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:27.199 the jungle swamps of the mainland, a wind that smelled 25 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:31.280 like death. Set in the base of the light was 26 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:34.960 a water tight bronze door, and in you went and up, 27 00:02:35.719 --> 00:02:40.280 yes up and up and round and round, past the 28 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:43.199 tanks of oil and the coils of rope, the cases 29 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:47.039 of wicks, racks of lanterns, sacks of spuds, and cartons 30 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:52.360 and cans, and up and up and up, round and round. 31 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:56.280 Over the light storeroom was the food storeroom, and then 32 00:02:56.360 --> 00:02:58.719 over the food storeroom was the bunk room, where the 33 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:01.759 three of us slept. And over the bunk room was 34 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:04.560 the living and cooking room, and over the living and 35 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:13.719 cooking room was the light. She was a beauty, balanced 36 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:16.759 like a ballerina on the glistening steel axle of her 37 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:23.599 rotary mechanism. And at night you'd lie there on the 38 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:27.120 stone deck of the gallery with her revolving smoothly and 39 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:31.520 quietly over your head, easing her bright white eye three 40 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:35.240 hundred and sixty degrees around the horizon. You'd lie there, 41 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:38.360 watching to see that the feeders kept working and everything 42 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:42.199 ran right, and it wouldn't be bad the other two 43 00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:46.400 fellows snoring in their sacks two levels down. You'd smoke 44 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:48.439 your pipe to kill the stink of the wind, and 45 00:03:48.560 --> 00:04:01.560 it wouldn't be bad about those other two. Louis and August. 46 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:06.759 What a pair Louis he was. Headman was a big 47 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:11.360 fellow from the Basque country, black beard, little hard, black eyes, 48 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:14.240 and a pair of arms that I tell you, those 49 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.959 arms were as big around as my legs. Yes, headman 50 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:21.439 he was, and what word he let go was law. 51 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.399 A silent fellow. And although I spent my first two 52 00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:28.279 weeks trying to strike up a real conversation, the most 53 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.319 I could ever get out of him was John. 54 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:34.800 I took up this profession because I don't like people. 55 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:40.839 They talked too much. It's quiet, work like tendy. Let's 56 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:45.560 keep it that way. Understand, you're getting to be as 57 00:04:45.560 --> 00:04:48.800 bad as a goost. That maybe for one thing. 58 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:52.279 That was Louis that when you accuse me of becoming 59 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:56.120 like our goosts, I quietened down because our ghost was 60 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:00.600 the talkingest man I've ever met, the talkingest and the ugliest. 61 00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:05.079 He was hunched back stood four feet high, had red 62 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:08.079 hair and big blue eyes. It seems he'd been an 63 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:09.160 actor in Paris. 64 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:12.600 I played it over two hundred different productions, my dear 65 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:16.199 boy at the Grand Guignole. Oh, but it was monstrous, 66 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:19.160 horrible the way we used to scare the audiences, and 67 00:05:19.319 --> 00:05:20.800 I I was hated. 68 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:24.040 Yes, they used to throw things in hiss and bear 69 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:24.839 their teeth at me. 70 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:28.439 But finally, finally it got too bad and I couldn't 71 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:29.879 stand it any longer. 72 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:32.160 I gave up the theater my nerves, you. 73 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:36.240 Understand, Yes, gave it up completely. I really did, couldn't stand. 74 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:55.000 It any longer. It all started one morning at two thirty. 75 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:58.480 I was on watch, lying on the cool stone deck, 76 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.399 pulling on my pipe, bearing out at the blackness with 77 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:05.600 phosphorus and combas and the big yellow scars, when out 78 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:08.279 of the corner of my eye I noticed something show up. 79 00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:11.839 For a second, something the light had touched far off. 80 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:14.879 I waited for her to come round again, and when 81 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:20.439 she did, there it was a three master, a big one, 82 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:22.759 about a half mile up and coming down out of 83 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:25.879 the Norner West, coming straight for us. You must understand 84 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.199 our light was where it was for a very good reason. 85 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:32.519 Dangerous submerged reefs surround us, and ships kept clear. But 86 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:36.240 this one, this sailing vessel, was coming straight on. I 87 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:41.920 went over to the gallery door and yell, lay lay 88 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:49.160 ere headed for the reefs. I had the glasses out. 89 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:51.680 Now I couldn't make a name, but I could see 90 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:55.160 her quite plainly, all sails set, the poem creaming away 91 00:06:55.240 --> 00:06:58.319 under her bow, A beautiful line. The Dutch ship, I 92 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:02.360 guessed her. But why didn't she turned every time it passed? 93 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:06.839 Our light hit her with a glare of day ship. No, no, wes, 94 00:07:07.160 --> 00:07:11.480 light will touch you in a moment. Can't they see 95 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:13.240 look at her? She just keeps coming on? 96 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:14.639 Square heads? 97 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.920 What is it? What is it? Watch Nona West, I know, 98 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:21.759 I know what it is. 99 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.519 What the Dutchman? The flying Dutchman. We did a play 100 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:29.920 about her once. Oh what a performance you ghastly Carrion 101 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.839 had written, curst driven must. 102 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:45.480 All she's loving, Yes, a sloppy way to come about. No, 103 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:48.319 she's derelict. 104 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:49.759 That's it, derelict. 105 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:52.519 The crew left her for some reason or other. But 106 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:56.319 instead of sinking, she's gone on running before every wind. 107 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:58.879 She'll not run along, not with these reefs to break 108 00:07:58.920 --> 00:07:59.279 her up. 109 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:05.079 Beautiful ship. Now, why would men leave a beautiful ship 110 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:05.519 like that? 111 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:15.399 He didn't ram us, although we all expected it. But 112 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:18.360 as we waited for the crash, she luffed again, caught 113 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:30.879 some ard gust, and went about. We watched her the 114 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:34.720 rest of those black hours, healing and rocking, pushed and 115 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:39.399 pulled by every stray wind, every freak current. Watched her 116 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:42.960 until the dawn came, till the sea turned from black 117 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:46.840 to a pearly gray, and on she came again, heading 118 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:49.600 for us. We all had our glasses trained on her. 119 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:55.159 Now, oh, goose, you can kill the life rightchi. 120 00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:58.840 He doesn't look so good by daylight. I thinks you're 121 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:02.559 ground this time? I said, Do you think you're ground 122 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:03.120 this time? 123 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:09.080 It is impossible, absolutely impossible. 124 00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:10.440 What hmm? 125 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:14.600 Here, Take my glasses, they're better than yours. 126 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:22.240 All right, what is it that you're I have to focus, 127 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:29.440 and then my breath frose in my throat. The decks 128 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.720 were swarming with a dark brown carpet that looked like 129 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:38.600 a gigantic fungus, but undulating, and on the masts and 130 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:42.840 yards the guys and all were hundreds, no thousands, no millions, 131 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:48.759 I don't know, an uncountable number of tremendous rats. You 132 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:51.200 see them, Yes, I see them. 133 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:54.240 Now we know why she's a daily Yes. 134 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:54.919 Now we know. 135 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:56.279 What are you two doing here? 136 00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:59.399 Give me a low purse, Give him the glasses. Take 137 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:03.120 a good look, chatterbocks, give you something to talk about. 138 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:07.000 They're still heading for us. And if she's going to turn, 139 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:07.879 she better turn soon. 140 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:09.840 Suppose she doesn't, you mean, suppose she piles up on 141 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:11.120 the key slow tide. 142 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:12.240 Yes, yes it is. 143 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:14.240 There was all the. 144 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:17.679 Conversation, August, Eh, here you want the glasses again, you 145 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:18.360 want another look? 146 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:20.159 No, she's still coming on. 147 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:25.720 Go away, go away, turn, I say, I rave you turn. 148 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:28.480 She's struck. 149 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:40.679 The rats look underwater, like a cop swimming. 150 00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:41.759 Sure they're swimming. 151 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:45.000 These the ship's rats swimming for the rocks. 152 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:47.120 The door below its open. 153 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:55.320 Come along a goose, get the windows. Maybe they can climb, right, sheep. 154 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.919 But why you see them? 155 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.240 No? Oh, yes I do. Hop at the other end 156 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:02.759 of the rocks. 157 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:09.720 Look at the millions. They smell it. Here they gone 158 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:23.440 the door, Close the door. Don't like me? You made? 159 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:36.759 Oh what? He was as big as a tom down, bigger, 160 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:41.039 eyes were wild and reddish, teeth long, sharp and yellow. 161 00:11:41.480 --> 00:11:44.919 He went for a sound ramolous, and we bought him. 162 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:46.559 We put that one right all over the room. It 163 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:51.360 was it was like fighting a panther. God it, we're 164 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:57.200 gonna get a lot. As we ran up the winding staircase, 165 00:11:57.240 --> 00:11:59.440 we passed the tiny windows of the various levels, and 166 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:03.519 at every one was a thick, wriggling, screaming curtain of 167 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:07.320 brown fur. I was ahead of Louis, and I readily successful. 168 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:07.600 Level. 169 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:09.440 Suppose they found away. 170 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:14.879 In it's a nightmare. 171 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:19.080 Well you look at the room here at the gallery 172 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:22.159 was thick and fetted with the stink of them. The 173 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:26.120 light was dim, brown, filtered through the crawling mask that 174 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.759 thwawned over the glass all about us. We couldn't see 175 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:34.120 the sky, nothing, nothing but them, their red eyes, the claws, 176 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:40.840 the wriggling, hairy snouts, and their teeth. The rats screamed 177 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:43.600 and howled and threw themselves against the glass. They were starving. 178 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:46.240 And we three we stood in the center of the 179 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:49.879 glassroom until a beautiful light, and we waited. 180 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:54.200 What can we do? What can we do? See? Take 181 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:56.159 it easy or take it easy? 182 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:59.559 I can't I just it? 183 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:03.279 Do you any good time? What do you any good? 184 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:05.240 To stand here and shake that's right. 185 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:10.159 Go away, go away, do you hear me? Go away? 186 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:10.759 This day? 187 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:19.200 They won't go away until until what until they've been said? 188 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:33.919 We will return to escape in just a moment. Academy 189 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:37.000 Award winner Joan Fontaine will be your starr in Leave 190 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:39.600 Her to Heaven on the Luck Summer Theater on CBS 191 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:43.480 Radio tomorrow evening. You'll enjoy this celebrated story of a 192 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:46.679 ruthless woman who destroys the thing she loves and you 193 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:50.360 like Joan Fontaine in this dramatic role. That's Leave Her 194 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:54.360 to Heaven starring Joan Fontaine, Tomorrow Evening's Luck Summer Theater 195 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:59.120 Show on most of these same CBS Radio stations. And 196 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.360 now back to Who Escaped. 197 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.639 You can take so much horror and then you get 198 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:20.159 used to it. And they were interesting to watch, you know. 199 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:22.639 They couldn't understand the glass. They could see us, and 200 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:25.960 they could rush at us, but that thin, invisible barrier held. 201 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:27.480 Them off and stopped them. 202 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:29.159 From time to time he caught a glimpse of the 203 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:32.519 rocks below, more apps down there, warming brown velvet in 204 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:33.720 the bright tropical sunlight. 205 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:36.320 And then the tide began to rise. 206 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:54.039 If only it was some of them I don't draw 207 00:14:55.200 --> 00:15:03.039 you curse had stop curmbing up to the slow spuns 208 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:04.240 around us is getting thicker. 209 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.120 What's the time? 210 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:06.480 Water thick? 211 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:09.320 You got the bird? Watch th right? 212 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:11.360 Wake me at tack. 213 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:14.360 I will come along a goose. 214 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:19.960 It was getting dark. One side of the room was lit, 215 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:25.399 a soft filtered red sunset through the raft. Oh very pretty. 216 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:28.559 I set the wick that checked my fuel and membered 217 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:28.960 the lamp. 218 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:34.399 It caught them, slit them in a gigantic, wriggling web 219 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:39.399 of pale, hairless bellies, twitching red tails, bright eyes, and 220 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:44.039 I started the rotary motor the light shove the mad 221 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:47.600 as she swung fowly and smoothly about she blinded them 222 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:52.200 in the fifth snapping bar of lights, moving continually about, ever, turning, ever, touching, ever, 223 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.559 moving around and around, and they twitching and shuddering, eyes 224 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:59.279 flaming when they were stuck by the light, A bright light, 225 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.360 moving and behind on the dark side of the room, 226 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:05.440 So close, so close, I dare not turn my back, 227 00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:07.039 but you can't help turning you back when you're. 228 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:08.360 In a room made of glass. 229 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:11.720 On the dark side of the room, you couldn't see them, but. 230 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:15.879 Only there ye thousands of points of flank red light, 231 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.519 sleeping and punting. 232 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:18.639 Like the skies of hell. 233 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:30.799 Lowie relieved me at ten, but I didn't get much 234 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:32.639 sleep that night. And when I came up into the 235 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.279 gallery early the next morning, there stood our Goods, his 236 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:40.080 back to me. He was bowing to the rat, waving 237 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:43.159 his arms, and so helped me making a seat. And 238 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:47.480 this morning, my dear, dear audience, I'm going to play 239 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:51.080 once again that magnificent role which made. 240 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:54.759 Me the ghost of the Pera Theater, the lucky, the 241 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:58.960 evil unius of the medievil Underweld. I am he who 242 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:01.840 did guide the dark told of the Mary Charles into 243 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:02.600 the nether pod. 244 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:07.279 They kept turning, I said, staring at him. 245 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.720 I didn't notice me. The man had gone mad. 246 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.319 They kept turning, telling his story for all the rapt, 247 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:14.440 leaving no one. 248 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:21.640 Else another one at least Timer take his seat on the. 249 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:28.039 Eyeletp Head got done, didn't stuff. He went on following night, 250 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:31.160 craping to the rap he think, blue eyes, rolling and wheezing, 251 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.440 his wild red hair waving. 252 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.000 About him, grabbed him body. 253 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.000 Arm and rapt. 254 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:39.640 He looked at me like a child, and then they 255 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:45.079 screwed up. We were about to cry go below go on. 256 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.519 Very well. 257 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:54.759 Later, my dear Audian later that's na to day. 258 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:02.119 He was crazy. 259 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:05.799 I guess we all were a few hours later he 260 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.440 came back up and caught Glewie and me teasing the rap. 261 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:12.200 Yet sounds horrible. It was fun. 262 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:19.359 We'd get right up against the glass and make faces. Happen, 263 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:22.400 it proves them crazy. They would scratch away, trying to 264 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:25.759 get in our eyes. Our boose joined in too, Oh, 265 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.000 very ingenious, our boots. He learned that if he himself 266 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:32.799 against the glass, they'd bunch and bundle against his figure, 267 00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:36.079 and then he leaped back loose. 268 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:39.480 My thought ridden that it went on all. 269 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.240 Day like that. 270 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:47.400 They put our wrists in bed. We went to sleep 271 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:51.119 like a baby, smiling. And then it was about midnight. 272 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:53.079 I was I was very tired, and I was just 273 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:56.319 beginning to fall up to sleep myself when I became conscious. 274 00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:59.960 Of the news sound. I couldn't figure it at first. 275 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.480 I got up, I lift the lamp, went to the window, 276 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:04.559 and even if I looked at. 277 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.759 It, I saw one of the. 278 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.480 Panes begin to fag. They'd eaten the wood away. 279 00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:09.680 Louis. 280 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:13.799 They followay in. I held the glass with my hand 281 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:15.759 and they were all going crazy. Other short of the 282 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.839 the cliff of this maneuver, were all nibbling away at 283 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:20.079 the wood. Louis ran below and then returned with a 284 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:20.920 large pet of tin. 285 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.039 It against the window and hammered it into place. Even 286 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:26.880 as we did so, we felt the heavy body is 287 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.519 putting against the other side of the window. 288 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:33.559 Gave away the hold. If it doesn't, we're done for. 289 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:35.480 Rats can't eat tin, no they can. 290 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:37.279 What was that? 291 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:37.960 I don't know. 292 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:43.759 He came from below the storeroom window. They're in the 293 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:48.960 swarming up the stairs, got the tap right to them, 294 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:50.079 gone in, tell them. 295 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.640 Who he didn't have time to get. Then they came 296 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.640 to us. I looked the one side, I grabbed them 297 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:57.759 aulin spike, swung and smashed one in the air. I 298 00:19:57.880 --> 00:20:00.599 were to see Louis with the other his hand up 299 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:02.480 and the blood was pouring all over the pace. He 300 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:04.440 held his handle left and kicked at the starling wrap 301 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:06.960 and s gut him. 302 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:09.640 Had he got my hand? 303 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.759 That's about them. I'll get you something to tie up blood. 304 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:14.519 Look at my blood. 305 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:18.039 I'm bleeding. Yeah, all right, I want this handkerchiff. That'll 306 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:24.839 be okay, bloody, Yeah, that's not bad. That's just the best. 307 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:29.880 And then then I became conscious of a new sound. 308 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.000 They were gnawing their way through the wooden trap door. 309 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:36.839 I watched the wood fascinated, and Eason, if I did, 310 00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:39.799 it began to give away, and a bristling, whiskery nose 311 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:43.559 showed through. Louis, we've gotta go off wrap the next 312 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:46.119 level with the living waters and kitchen, and slammed the 313 00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:46.599 tap there. 314 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:47.519 But if two was of. 315 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:52.200 Wooden, lad John, what are we going to do? 316 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:54.759 I don't know if they'll be through this one in 317 00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:58.240 a moment the gallery. The trap door on the gallery 318 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:05.519 is metal. Good tom On, who. 319 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:08.759 Lay across the trap exhausted, while below us the rats 320 00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:12.000 took over the entire tower. I could hear them howling 321 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:15.240 and fighting over our food supply, our water, our lever 322 00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:18.720 and all about us. The other screamed and cleared in 323 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:20.200 at a swede. 324 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:31.960 And a tangled mass, hypnotized by the ever turning light. 325 00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:34.079 By morning, the air and the little room was horrible. 326 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:37.200 Until now we'd been getting air from the tower below, 327 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:39.359 and now that was sealed off, and so was all 328 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:47.240 our food and water. Well exhausted, panting, waiting, waiting, the 329 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:51.519 hours crawled on. I was almost dozing from fatigue when 330 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:53.480 I heard a sight that brought me too fast. 331 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:57.119 Would you like to come in, my beauties? Would you? 332 00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:02.039 I hold the power of life and death, and I 333 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:03.119 can let you in. 334 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:06.079 You know, our ghost was standing by the glass, and 335 00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:11.759 in one hand he held a big wrench was tapping 336 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:15.920 the glass gently, not quite hard enough to break it. Slowly, 337 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:20.279 I gazed myself to my feet and slowly, very slowly, 338 00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:27.359 tiptoe toward him. Hah, all I have to do is 339 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:34.960 tap just a little harder. I found a coil of 340 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:36.920 wire and the tool kitten. I trust him up, fastened 341 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.880 him to a stanchion in the center of the room. 342 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:40.799 Slowie was of no help. He lay on his side, 343 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:43.440 looking at his bloody hand, weak and sick of a baby. 344 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:49.880 So there I was alone at and a coward for company. 345 00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:00.920 That night I tended the light, but its flame was 346 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:08.359 devouring our oxygen. The following day we lay first tormented, starving, waiting, waiting. 347 00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:11.279 And the following night I again tendered the light, but 348 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:14.039 the small supply of spare wiking we kept in the 349 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:19.359 gallery had become exhausted, and at about midnight the light 350 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:26.319 began to flicker. And slowly, so slowly, began to go out. 351 00:23:31.319 --> 00:23:35.160 There was nothing I could do. Wicks were stored three 352 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:40.960 levels below. Nothing, I could do nothing. By time, the 353 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:44.200 time had strike a match to see the clock, and 354 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:46.599 when I did, it lit up the millions red eyes 355 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:55.880 about us, all about watching, waiting below. It had grown quiet. 356 00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:59.799 They had cleaned us out, and now they too were waiting, 357 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:10.319 all waiting. And then the rats quite suddenly were silent. 358 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:20.599 And then I heard it, and then I saw the 359 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:27.519 sky and the stars. The rats were gone. I went 360 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:33.160 to the glass. Up there on the water, a small freighter, 361 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:36.960 a banana boat, showing a few lights, came softly and 362 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:44.759 innocently at us. The light was out. They didn't know. 363 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:48.599 I wanted to open the windows, to call out to them, 364 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:54.599 to warn them, but I was afraid. But if the 365 00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:59.359 rats were hiding from me, stricking me, so I waited. 366 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:06.119 She grounded very softly on a reef not two hundred 367 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:10.119 yards from the key, granded so gently that the man 368 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:13.519 playing the cornet was he a passenger? A crew man 369 00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:22.920 of watch. Didn't even stop playing. They tried washing her off. 370 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:24.519 I could have told them to save their fuel. The 371 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:30.920 tide was driving. Would have floated up wree and I waited. 372 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:47.559 That's all. That's the story. The sun came up and 373 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:51.400 there wasn't a rat on the whole key. Every last 374 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:54.440 one of that terrible army had left us, gone back 375 00:25:54.480 --> 00:26:01.559 to sea on the new ship how Goose insane asylum. 376 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:05.200 He never recovered that Louis. They took him into Cayenne 377 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:08.799 when he died of blood poisoning from his bike. Yes, 378 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:12.119 that's the whole of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, 379 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:16.440 I must go set my traps. No, no mouse traps, 380 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:25.720 No rats in this lighthouse, I should say not. Life 381 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:29.960 in the lights isn't bad. But sometimes when I see 382 00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:35.079 a strange vessel approaching, I get a little nervous. Yes, 383 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:39.079 when you know that somewhere on the sea, says a 384 00:26:39.079 --> 00:26:45.039 little banana boat without a crew, there is without a 385 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:50.119 human crew. 386 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:02.799 Under the direction of Anthony Ellis, Escape has brought you 387 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:06.960 three Skeleton Key by George to Doos, adapted by James 388 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:10.480 Paul starring Ben Right as Jean, Paul Freese as Louis, 389 00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:14.359 and Jane Devello as a Goost. Special music for Escape 390 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:19.319 was composed and conducted by Leif Stephens. Next Week. 391 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:27.319 You are one hundred miles from your own lines, waiting 392 00:27:27.400 --> 00:27:30.200 for the enemy who will lead you to your destination, 393 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:34.680 while with every moment the danger to you and your 394 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:38.839 men becomes more acute, for if you are discovered, the 395 00:27:38.920 --> 00:27:42.680 only road of escape will be dead. 396 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:43.839 So listen. 397 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:46.960 Next week, One Escape will bring you Gus Bay's exciting 398 00:27:47.000 --> 00:28:06.440 story The Thirteenth Truck. Tomorrow evening, CBS Radio's Crime Classics 399 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:09.119 presents the stirring story of the acts and the Droop 400 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:13.039 family how they fared. It's several pages of criminal history 401 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:16.559