Blood and Thunder was conceived by Stefan Claypool and William Guida and written by Stefan Claypool. Mr. Claypool also composed the music for the piece using Apple GarageBand, as well as editing and directing the program. Bill Noble acted as the director of the Vermont unit.
The performance starred Derek Long as John McCutcheon, Kofi Appiah as Sterling Hawley and the beggar, Izzy Nuttall as Gwen Carlyle and Maureen, Charles Giardina as Archie Talbot, Adrienne Losch as Catherine Pease and Bess, Cynthia Wang as Miss Mary Jane, Dave Malinsky as Inspector Nesbit, and David Seamans as Assistant Inspector Dinsdale.
A Victorian working girl is seemingly struck by lightning outside of a London theater. Now a stage magician, a troupe of actors, a group of prostitutes, and a floundering writer are all out to solve a mystery that blurs the lines between science and magic. Starring Derek Long, Kofi Appiah, and Izzy Nuttall.
I have begun to black out with regularity. I don’t know whether this is due to nutritional deficiencies or something more sinister, but I have begun to lose track of large chunks of time. I can’t say with any certainty what is happening or where I am, but I do know that despite Rothman’s efforts, the chances of he and his men finding me out here are minimal.
It has been two hours since I wrote that last sentence – two hours of which I have no memory. What is happening to me?
I have not made a transmission in over two weeks. During that time, I found myself in close proximity to a mysterious planet that gave off a radiation which interfered with my communications equipment. When I emerged from the shadow of this unknown gas giant, I immediately found my systems bombarded with information that threatened to overwhelm them. The integrity of Escape Pod X itself was threatened by this deluge, and only through quick and decisive action was I able to prevent a total systems failure. However, the resulting damage left my communications system crippled, and it is only now that I am able to broadcast again. Restoring audio capabilities will take more time still, but repairs are proceeding with relative swiftness.
I am still in the process of sifting through the information I received during the incident, but I am filled with hope by the possibilities. Among the disparate elements, I believe I have found a series of transmissions from Earth. They could be anything, even old entertainment programs, but they’re still a little piece of home, and I treasure them. If I find anything worthwhile among them, I will relay it you as soon as possible.
To you. I often wonder if I am just imagining that someone is hearing this broadcast as a means of preserving my own sanity. Is there really anyone listening? Or am I merely shouting alone into the blackness with no one to hear me? Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Susan is suffering from a horrible recurring nightmare. She has tried everything, but cannot silence the voices in her head, which every day are sounding a little more real… Starring Jessie Gurd and Derek Long, this show was written by Anthony Ellis and originally aired on February 22, 1953 as part of the anthology series Escape. This performance was recorded in August 2009, and was directed by Stefan Claypool.
All attempts at contacting the outside world since discovering my unique temporal status have met with failure. As I sit here in Escape Pod X, I can only marvel at this latest, cruelest stroke of fate. My mission to return to Earth safely is no longer possible until I determine how to escape this slipstream. Yet I must ask now if there is a chance of escape at all.
Is it not outside of the realm of possibility that my attackers are observing me even now, conducting a sick and twisted experiment designed to broaden their understanding of the human race’s potential? If indeed I am their captive, then this whole exercise seems pointless. Why transmit if all of my transmissions will be blocked? Why bother struggling at all?
In the event that they are watching, if I were to give in, to stop trying and allow myself to die in this pod, would it frustrate them or inspire them? Would it disappoint them that man gives in so easily to his surroundings, or would it convince them that conquest of Earth is well within their means? It is impossible to know how to take a test unless one understands how one is being judged. In this respect, I am ignorant.
I cannot choose to live my life based on what I do not know. I do not know who is watching me or for what purpose, or if I am merely drifting through space and time due to a freak coincidence and a series of unlikely but natural events. My very existence has become a mystery, one that I do not know how to solve. Until more evidence presents itself, I can only soldier on into the darkness and the silence.
I have made a chilling discovery, one that has left me at a loss. Despite my navigation system’s suspicious behavior, I had until now believed that I was simply drifting through space. That is no longer the case. An analysis of cataloged star patterns and unusual electromagnetic behavior in a nearby nebula has left me baffled. The stars that I have been observing are not proceeding through their normal life cycles. They are, in fact, living in reverse. And since it is categorically impossible for a star to be living in reverse, the only logical conclusion is that it is I, not they, that have been disconnected from the proper flow of events. I have concluded that I am, in fact, falling backwards through time.
I cannot begin to explain how or why. I have my theories. There is a chance that my attackers are far more powerful than I had previously suspected, and that they are manipulating me for some unknown purpose. It is equally possible that I have simply had the misfortune of being caught in a heretofore unknown universal slipstream that is carrying me backwards through existence. In any event, escape is imperative. I will continue broadcasting in the hope of finding assistance, but as of now, all resources are being turned toward find a solution to this dilemma.
A final, curious note: the further back in time I go, the louder the noise grows. It’s beginning to sound like… drums.
Further updates coming soon.
An archeologist and his wife return from Mexico with an artifact of unimaginable power. Now they have to choose between it and their own lives! Starring Stefan Claypool, Jessie Gurd, and Derek Long, this show was written by Wyllis Cooper. The original production aired on July 26, 1948 as part of the anthology series Quiet, Please. This performance was recorded in July 2009 and directed by Stefan Claypool.
I am nearly ready to begin broadcasting longer transmissions. If you can hear me, please respond.
I have begun to hear strange noises within the ship. They do not seem to indicate a further malfunction, nor do they appear to be emanating from any one location. They are cold, mathematical, and rhythmic. There is a definite pattern to them, although I have not yet come to understand its significance. They come and go without warning and cut through whatever audio I may have playing at the time.
This development is disturbing. There are only two possibilities. The first is that the noise is indicative of strange and unnatural events at work. The second… the second is that I am already losing my hold on reality. I pray for the former.
Nevertheless, it is now imperative that I establish contact with Earth as soon as possible. I received yet another garbled transmission yesterday, this one from an unidentified source. Encouraged, I have redoubled my efforts, and believe I will be able to make a full-scale long-form audio transmission shortly. I can only hope that someone – anyone – is listening.
