Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Tired of the everyday grind, every dream of a life
of romantic adventure, want to get away from it all.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We offer you.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Escape, Escape, designed to free you from the four walls
of today for a half hour of high adventure.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
You are in a farmhouse on the southern coast of England.
The autumn countryside around you desolate and bleak, and you
know that in the dusk outside, waiting patiently for you,
silently watching for you, is an enemy from whom there
may be no escape.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Listen now, as escape brings you daf Nativoyer. Sorry the birds.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
On Assumber the third the wind changed overnight, and it
was winter. Until then, the autumn had been mellow soft,
the earth was rich where the plow had turned it.
I didn't do the plowing, No, my wartime disability had
seemed that they gave me mostly the lighter repair jobs
to do in the three days a week that I
worked at the farm. A bank to build up, or
(01:50):
a gate to mend. At the far end of the peninsula,
where the sea surrounded the farm land on either side,
Deborah and I had taken a cottage up here to
try again for the sake of the children, and it
seemed to be working fairly well. I enjoyed my work
on the farm. It was pleasant to pause at midday
to eat the lunth the dead had prepared and brought
to me. We'd sit there on the cliff while I ate,
(02:13):
and we'd watch the birds, and many of them that, yes,
were the autumns better than spring for watching them. Oh oh, well,
in the spring they're content, they're full of purposely know
where they're going, there's no delay. But then an autumn
it's different. The birds that don't, my grate, seem to
(02:34):
follow the pattern of their own. Captain humm, great flocks
of them here on the peninsula, restless, uneasy, wheeling, circling,
coming to rest and flying again. The land birds and
the girls down there in the bay a strange sort
of rhythm in their movements.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
They don't really go anywhere. Doesn't seem to be any
purpose to it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
No, well, if there is, we don't see it. They're restlessness,
and they're more restlessness year than usual, seems to me.
You know, this morning two girls flew so closely knocked
off my cap said.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yesterday when the school bus letter as there was quite
a few of them overhead, as if they'd been followed.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh well, I suppose it means a hard winter. They
always seem to know. Perhaps a message comes to them
in autumn, a warning about winter and about death.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Nat.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Many of them will die, and I think they know it.
Perhaps they feel they have to spill their motion out
before they die, like people who know their time is
up and run about stupidly driving themselves.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
We shouldn't talk like that, Nat, That that black side
of you that stayed up the trouble between us before.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I'm sorry, Debby, but it's come over me lately as
I've watched them, the land birds mingling with the sea
birds in a sort of strange, unnatural partnership. Land and
See Life and Death. At night, it turned colder and
(04:21):
the wind strengthened. Around two in the morning, the sound
of it beating against the house woke me up. I
lay there with this slow, even breathing of Debt beside me,
and I thought of Jill and Johnny in the room
across the hall. We seemed safe, secure, And then I
heard it tapping on the window. First I thought it
(04:45):
was a loose shutter, and then I realized it wasn't.
I got out of bed into the window opened it.
Suddenly something brushed against my hand and jamped my knuckles,
and I'm gone over the roof and behind the cottage.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Hm M, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
What's it? Uh, it's alright, Debby. It was a bird.
I don't know what kind burden. Mm. Wind must have
driven it against the windows. Selling My hand's wet. Uh
it's blood. M. Little beggar drew blood.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Good to sleep not?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
H must have been frightened and stabbed at me in
the dark.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
If the mad the window seems your to strap me.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I've already seen you. It's some bird trying to get in. M.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Send them away. I can't sleep with that noise.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Go h ll ugh with you? But why little straight
with my face out at a right? Did you see that?
There were half a dozen this time they went for me,
(06:06):
tried to peck my eyes. I'm not making it up there,
it's Jill.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Don't see what's the matter?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Right coming, Jill? Keep flying? Where's Johnny? Quick? Get the
children out of here? And get the children out of
here and shut the door quick. I pushed them out
of the room, and now I was alone with the birds.
(06:34):
I seized the blanket and I used as a weapon,
sweeping it right and the left, and I could hear
the cud of bodies. But they kept coming after it,
jumping my hands my head, trying for my eyes with
beats as sharp as pointed forks. And I wrapped the
blanket around my head, beat apout with my bare hands blindly.
I don't know how long I bought them. Finally the
(06:56):
beating of wings lessened, and then but still I unwrapped
the blanket from my face. The cold, gray dawn had
seeped into the room. The floor was littered with the
tiny corpses, the birds, robins, finches, sparrows, locks. Some had
(07:17):
last feathers in the fight, and the others had blood,
my blood on their beaks. Sickened, they went to the window,
and the fierce sea broke harshly in the day. But
there was not a bird in sight. Not a sparrow
chattered in the hedge, No early thrush or blackbird pecked
on the grass for worms. There was no sound at
(07:39):
all but the east wind and the sea ned. Ah,
I'm all right, deady.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I didn't know what look covered with blood.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Some of it's the birds. Look on the floor. He
fifty I counted them terrible. Come on, Dannie, I'll clean
the room later when I had more stomach for it.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
It must have been ghastly for the children, all right, Yes,
I put Joe to work making tea. Johnny's narbd just
no sleep.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Not why the birds? Well, it must be the weather.
The sudden change confused them. It has to be that.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
The tee is ready? Mummy? Oh good? Did you drive
away the birds?
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yes? They're all gone now, do you?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
I hope they won't come again. Perhaps if we put
bread runs for them outside the window, they eat that
and fly away. I've already had breakfast. I'd better hurry.
I'll be late for the school bus.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Bush. I'll walk with you to the road.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Joe, Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea. I'll
go get my cat book.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I didn't want it to walk and.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Down that they they wouldn't come back again.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I'll go over to the farm and find out if
they heard anything during the night, if all the windows
and doors closed, they'd be just to be on the
safe side. Hello, anyone about.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Hello, mister Hockin.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
The mister around, Missus Trigg, Summer's the ball?
Speaker 4 (09:28):
But can you tell me where this call is coming from? Russia.
I've never seen such a change, and it's going on
the wireless, says, something to do with the Arctic Circle.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
We didn't turn on the wireless this morning. The fact
is we had trouble in the.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Night, Oh kitties poorly.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
No, no, not exactly. No, we had some trouble with birds.
I why it sounds absurd, but they flew in the
window and attacked us. Attacked you, No, mister Hockins, I'm
not making it up, missus Trigg. There are a fifty
dead head's on the floor of the children's bedroom. Foreign birds, No, no,
(10:05):
the kind you see about here every day.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Really will you ought to write up and ask the
man just to guard you, and they haven't answer for it.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Good morning, Huckins.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Mister Kins has been telling a box of birds last night.
The pieces we attacked him?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Attack you? Sure? Quiet?
Speaker 6 (10:25):
I heard of the thing like that before. Hungry maybe
looking for food? You put out some crumbs. Yes, of course,
I'll be up tomorrow as usual.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Good morning, ordinary birds, he says, attacked him. Now what
did he take us for coming around with a story
like that? Strange one? He is with our superior airs.
Speaker 6 (10:53):
You see the look he gave us when he didn't
swallow his story attacked him.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
I think he reads too many of those.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Nat, did you find out anything at a part?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
No, the trigs brilliant advice was to put out some crumbs.
Debbie Eye looked all around this morning. There's not a
single bird in sight outdoors.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Where they've gone.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
The Trigs had no trouble last night.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Not only that they clearly thought I was imagining it. Oh.
I heard Trig mutter something about my superior airs and
reading too many books as I walked away. Nothing's real
to those clods until it hits them over their head.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Well, the nice enough people ned it's just that they're
isolated up here.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Well, that's certainly the polite word for it.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I haven't been able to face going into the children's room.
They've birds.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Oh guess I'll go and clean it up. The least
I can do is give the little beggars a decent burial.
I dropped the dead birds into a sack and went
down to the beach to bury them. The wind was
bitter cold. I dug a pit in the sand with
(12:18):
my heel and started to empty the sack into it,
but the wind caught the birds and whirled them along
the shore. There was something ugly in the sight that
the tide would take them when it turned. I looked
out at the crested breakers, and then I saw them,
the gowls, out there riding the seas. Thousands, tens of thousands.
(12:44):
They rose and fell in the trough of the sea,
like a mighty fleeted anchor, waiting for the turn of
the tide. Waiting. They stretched as far as my eye
could reach. They covered the sea. I started up the
steep park home, almost running. Someone should know what that,
(13:06):
someone should be told, But who? And then as I
opened the front door, I saw deady beside the world.
It's listening attacking individuals.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
It is thought that the Arctic airstream is causing the
birds to migrate south in immense numbers, and that intense
hunger may drive them to attack human beings. Householders are
warned to see to their windows, doors and chimneys, and
to take all precautions for the safety of their children.
Further bulletins will be issued later.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
They've been repeating it every few minutes since you left.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Well, perhaps now those empty headed idiots at the farm
will no you. S Almost gad Oh, don't talk rock,
deb It's just that when people with half a brain
try to tell.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Me that you forget that superior attitude of yours even.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Now, don't choose that word superior to me. I'm sick
of it, so are you?
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Why?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I'm sorry?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
These things made me a little nervy.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I guess yes, I I'm sorry too much.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
One of the bulletins said, the birds seemed to be
waiting for what.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
I don't know, They said, the birds are hungry. What
you doing the hammer? I'm gonna get some boards and
see to the doors and windows as they tell you to.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
You think they could break in with the windows shut,
the sparrows and robins and such, How could they?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
I wasn't thinking about the smaller birds. I was thinking
about the gulls. The gulls, Debby. Have you ever been
close enough to get a good look at a gull's beak?
There must be one hundred thousand of them out there
riding the sea waiting. The rest of the morning, I
(15:08):
worked upstairs boarding the bedroom windows, and I wondered whether
they'd take these precautions up at the farm. I doubted it.
It'd probably a big joke to the Triggs. But according
to the wire as it was no joke. At first,
some of the bulletins had been light in Tourne, But
as the morning wore on, the concern in the announcer's
voice became more and more apparent. Well after I finished upstairs,
(15:32):
I took the rest of the lumber down, boarded up
the lower floor windows.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
What they ought to do is call the army out
and shoot the birds that would soon scare them off.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Debbie, Uh, how are we off for food? Now?
Speaker 5 (15:45):
Net?
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Whatever?
Speaker 5 (15:45):
Next?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
No? Never mind? What have you got in the larder?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Shutting me tomorrow? You know that I don't keep uncooked
food hanging about. It goes off. But I can put
some things in tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Tomorrow. It's only three in the afternoon and it's almost dark.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
What I yes, the sky looks so heavy, Net, what's
the matter? You've gone quite quite?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Look the tides turned, the gulls they've risen circling over
the sea. Not a sun from them.
Speaker 8 (16:27):
Net.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I'm going for Jill. I'll wait for it the bus stop.
You keep Johnny inside and keep the door shut outside.
I looked at a weapon and a hole was all
I could find, and I went to the top of
the hill and waited. The surf was booming below, and
(16:50):
a smudge rose behind the clay hills in the distance.
It widened, divided and spread north east south west. It
was a vast cloud of birds and passed close by,
heading inland up country. They had no business with the
people here on the peninsula. Rooks, crows, jack doors, magpies,
(17:15):
birds that usually preyed upon the smaller species, But this
afternoon they were bound on some other mission. They've been
given the towns. I thought, they know what they have
to do. We don't matter so much here. The gulls
will serve where us the others go to the towns.
And finally the buss came. When Jill got up, I
(17:37):
took it by the hand. What's the horse do I daddy? Oh?
I just bought it along. Come along now, darling, let's
go home. It's cold. No hanging about me.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
I wanta ty did, and they.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Not to night. Now, come on, noddling, daddy.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
Look over there, look at the girls to die in
from the sea.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
They're so quiet, Yes, sir, do hurry, darling. Where is
it trying to oh up the country? I dare say, well,
where it's warmer. Don't go so fast, I can't keep up. Horry,
it goes, it's sing. It looks psychy, waiting sumty signal order. Nothing,
(18:18):
come on, you're faster. I can't go faster. Wait. Wait,
there's Trigg in his two seater.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Looks as though we're in for some fun hocking.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Have you heard the news? Everyone's gone bird crazy, talking
of nothing else. I'm going to take a crack at
them with my gun. Could you run Jill home first?
Speaker 6 (18:41):
Ayes, of course, not room for you too, I'm afraid
that's all.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
I just get Jill home, Get in Julia. Are you
like to come shooting with me?
Speaker 9 (18:48):
No?
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Thanks? Have you bothered your windows? No? A lot of nonsense.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
They like to scare you on the wireless.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I'd bought them if I were. You gone, you're winded.
We'll see you in the morning. Give you a gull rings.
I watched Trigg drive Joe toward the cottage, and then
I followed on foot. The sound made me look up.
(19:22):
The gulls were approaching. The order had been given and
the farm was their targets. The black backed gulls were leading,
and they were bigger birds. Gannets turns and suddenly one
of them clove at me, missed, rose to drive again,
and then came the other six, seven, a dozen. I
dropped the whole, covered my head with my arms, and
ran towards the cottage. They kept coming at it from
(19:43):
the air with beating wings. Each stab of a swooping
big torn a fresh. I had to keep them from
my eyes. With each diver. It came older, and they
had no thought for themselves. When they missed, they crashed,
bruised and broken on the ground. And as I ran,
I stump kicking herself hardies in front of me. Neither
aimed at better, closer to my eyes, closer, And then
I wished the door of the cottage, and then above
(20:07):
me I saw the gannet poised against the sky for
his dye. The girls drew back only the huge gannet.
The wings folded suddenly to its body, and it looped
like a stone at me. The door opened, and I
flung myself in a canet. He just put my skull. Yes,
(20:40):
thanks quite the woundresser. Are the children from.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
The other room. I didn't want them to see you
that way? Your hands are the worst.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
I'll be all right. We'd better all sleep here in
the kitchen tonight, I'll bring down.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
The mattresses, picked something tasty for supper and sound. What
is it?
Speaker 2 (21:02):
The birds crowding against the outside of the house trying
to find a way in net, don't they They can't
get in. I tell you, they cannot get in. Those
boards will hold?
Speaker 9 (21:11):
How long?
Speaker 4 (21:12):
How long before?
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah? I turn on the waas I've found them out?
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Yeah, yes, better, yes, anything so I can't hear that's poverty.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
It's only the food that weis. Mid Debbie. Now, I've
noticed that the birds come in with the tide. But
the tide will go out about nine to night and
we should have a lull of about six hours. I
could slip out during that time and go to the farm,
see if they can give us something. Here's lucky. A
national emergency was proclaimed that four o'cocks is afternoon.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
Yes, the measures are being taken to safeguard the lives
and property of the population, but it must be understood
that these are not easy to affect immediately you the
unforeseen and unhearalve nature of the present crisis.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
It is absolutely impetitive that everyone remain.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Indoors until further noticed.
Speaker 7 (22:05):
Birds in vase numbers are attacking everything in sight. The
population is asked to remain calm and not to panic.
There would be no further transmission from any broadcasting station
until seven.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Am tomorrow, which.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Like this all over then.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
All over there about supper. Let's let's forget it. Let's
all just try to get some sleep.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
Wake up?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
What time is it?
Speaker 4 (23:00):
The three?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
The tires coming again.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
There's been a queer smell the last two minutes. Dropperl
burned feathers.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Burn feathers the chimney. I got to do the far
up and coming down the chimney. Where's the oil on
the shelf? Got the ol just squeezing through the chimneys?
Stand back and before the oil on the coals? Never
get them? Yeah, just get me taper would anything? It
will burn? Hurry Their charred bodies get dropping down the chimney.
(23:31):
I raped them to one side, but more came. I
threw on the rest of the oil. You out, paper's
on it, kindling anything. The flames roared higher, more bodies.
The stench was unbearable, and I kept at it. Finally
they gave up and I went over to the basin.
I was sick around nine in the morning, the rustling ceased.
(24:07):
I opened the door a crack. Crushed birds were deep
about the house, but there was not a living bird
in sight. The tide had gone out. Now was my
chance to get food and fuel. I ran all the
way to the farm. There was no smoke from the chimney.
I came round the corner of the house and stopped
(24:29):
in the doorway. Almost covered with dead birds, were mister
and Missus Trigg. What was left of them. Beside him
was his gun, beside her a broken umbrella. I loaded
(24:50):
the two seater with all the food I could find,
enough for perhaps three days, and drove back to the cottage.
I told Debby that Triggs didn't need their car for
a while, and it told me to take it. She
said nothing, and towards nightfall the birds came back again.
(25:11):
We sat by the fire and listened to the rustle
as they crowded against the house. But this time there
was a new sound. They brought up their heavier forces
against us, the birds with larger beaks. I could hear
the sound of tiny bits of wood being torn away.
Speaker 9 (25:28):
So stay to the tide turns, and then they'll leave.
Then they'll come back again, and they'll keep coming back.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Naturally.
Speaker 8 (25:43):
Yes, the trigs, they're dead darkly, Yes, they're all along strange.
I keep closer to you than another, that it.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Should take something like this to bring it. Debbie, you
may be interested to know that right now I do
not give these you beary do yet?
Speaker 5 (26:15):
Oh I don't know, Debbie, I do not know.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
I listened to the sound of the splindling woods, and
I wondered how many million years of memory were stored
in those little brains behind the stabbing beaks, the piercing eyes,
now giving them this instinct to destroy mankind with all
the depth precision of machines, and switched on the whirl.
(26:54):
As was dead, I reached for the cigarettes. There was
only one left in the packet. I lit it. I
threw the empty packet on the fire and watched it burn.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Under the direction of Norman McDonald, Escape has Brought You
the Birds by Daphney Dumourier, specially adapted for radio by
Robert Wright, starring Ben Wright with Virginia Gregg. Featured in
the cast were John Dayner, Ann Morrison and Whitfield and
John Dodsworth. You're announcer George Walsh. The special music for
Escape is composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. If you
(28:02):
like your thrills to be real, your adventure to be
true to life, Gangbusters is the show for you. Now.
Every Monday night, most of these same CBS radio stations
bring you the drama that names, names, places, and dates
in the nation's battle against crime. Stay tune now for
night Watch, which follows immediately over most of these same stations.
Where there's gunsmoke, there's Western adventure. Monday nights on the
(28:25):
CBS Radio network.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Stay tuned for night Watch.
Speaker 10 (28:31):
Herman Hickman isn't the only exciting personality you'll want to
hear right here at the Star's Address, of course, where
sports are concerned, the famous former football coach at Yale
and one time All American player is a natural and
he's well worth listening for any Monday through Friday evening
at six thirty. But when you're in the mood for
musical entertainment, as you're likely to be any Monday through
(28:52):
Friday morning at nine thirty, John Edwards is the person
to hear the melody she sings or plays each weekday.
Morning are a sunny is her disposition and her friendly
personality only adds to the pleasure of listening to the
Joan Edwards Show Monday morning at nine thirty and every
Monday through Friday morning at that time.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Remember to tune in on happiness, on our light hearted
Tired of the everyday grind, every dream of a life
of romantic adventure, want to get away from it all.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We offer you.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Escape, Escape, designed to free you from the four walls
of today for a half hour of high adventure.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
You are in a farmhouse on the southern coast of England.
The autumn countryside around you desolate and bleak, and you
know that in the dusk outside, waiting patiently for you,
silently watching for you, is an enemy from whom there
may be no escape.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Listen now, as escape brings you daf Nativoyer. Sorry the birds.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
On Assumber the third the wind changed overnight, and it
was winter. Until then, the autumn had been mellow soft,
the earth was rich where the plow had turned it.
I didn't do the plowing, No, my wartime disability had
seemed that they gave me mostly the lighter repair jobs
to do in the three days a week that I
worked at the farm. A bank to build up, or
(01:50):
a gate to mend. At the far end of the peninsula,
where the sea surrounded the farm land on either side,
Deborah and I had taken a cottage up here to
try again for the sake of the children, and it
seemed to be working fairly well. I enjoyed my work
on the farm. It was pleasant to pause at midday
to eat the lunth the dead had prepared and brought
to me. We'd sit there on the cliff while I ate,
(02:13):
and we'd watch the birds, and many of them that, yes,
were the autumns better than spring for watching them. Oh oh, well,
in the spring they're content, they're full of purposely know
where they're going, there's no delay. But then an autumn
it's different. The birds that don't, my grate, seem to
(02:34):
follow the pattern of their own. Captain humm, great flocks
of them here on the peninsula, restless, uneasy, wheeling, circling,
coming to rest and flying again. The land birds and
the girls down there in the bay a strange sort
of rhythm in their movements.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
They don't really go anywhere. Doesn't seem to be any
purpose to it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
No, well, if there is, we don't see it. They're restlessness,
and they're more restlessness year than usual, seems to me.
You know, this morning two girls flew so closely knocked
off my cap said.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yesterday when the school bus letter as there was quite
a few of them overhead, as if they'd been followed.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh well, I suppose it means a hard winter. They
always seem to know. Perhaps a message comes to them
in autumn, a warning about winter and about death.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Nat.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Many of them will die, and I think they know it.
Perhaps they feel they have to spill their motion out
before they die, like people who know their time is
up and run about stupidly driving themselves.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
We shouldn't talk like that, Nat, That that black side
of you that stayed up the trouble between us before.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I'm sorry, Debby, but it's come over me lately as
I've watched them, the land birds mingling with the sea
birds in a sort of strange, unnatural partnership. Land and
See Life and Death. At night, it turned colder and
(04:21):
the wind strengthened. Around two in the morning, the sound
of it beating against the house woke me up. I
lay there with this slow, even breathing of Debt beside me,
and I thought of Jill and Johnny in the room
across the hall. We seemed safe, secure, And then I
heard it tapping on the window. First I thought it
(04:45):
was a loose shutter, and then I realized it wasn't.
I got out of bed into the window opened it.
Suddenly something brushed against my hand and jamped my knuckles,
and I'm gone over the roof and behind the cottage.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Hm M, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
What's it? Uh, it's alright, Debby. It was a bird.
I don't know what kind burden. Mm. Wind must have
driven it against the windows. Selling My hand's wet. Uh
it's blood. M. Little beggar drew blood.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Good to sleep not?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
H must have been frightened and stabbed at me in
the dark.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
If the mad the window seems your to strap me.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I've already seen you. It's some bird trying to get in. M.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Send them away. I can't sleep with that noise.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Go h ll ugh with you? But why little straight
with my face out at a right? Did you see that?
There were half a dozen this time they went for me,
(06:06):
tried to peck my eyes. I'm not making it up there,
it's Jill.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Don't see what's the matter?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Right coming, Jill? Keep flying? Where's Johnny? Quick? Get the
children out of here? And get the children out of
here and shut the door quick. I pushed them out
of the room, and now I was alone with the birds.
(06:34):
I seized the blanket and I used as a weapon,
sweeping it right and the left, and I could hear
the cud of bodies. But they kept coming after it,
jumping my hands my head, trying for my eyes with
beats as sharp as pointed forks. And I wrapped the
blanket around my head, beat apout with my bare hands blindly.
I don't know how long I bought them. Finally the
(06:56):
beating of wings lessened, and then but still I unwrapped
the blanket from my face. The cold, gray dawn had
seeped into the room. The floor was littered with the
tiny corpses, the birds, robins, finches, sparrows, locks. Some had
(07:17):
last feathers in the fight, and the others had blood,
my blood on their beaks. Sickened, they went to the window,
and the fierce sea broke harshly in the day. But
there was not a bird in sight. Not a sparrow
chattered in the hedge, No early thrush or blackbird pecked
on the grass for worms. There was no sound at
(07:39):
all but the east wind and the sea ned. Ah,
I'm all right, deady.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I didn't know what look covered with blood.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Some of it's the birds. Look on the floor. He
fifty I counted them terrible. Come on, Dannie, I'll clean
the room later when I had more stomach for it.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
It must have been ghastly for the children, all right, Yes,
I put Joe to work making tea. Johnny's narbd just
no sleep.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Not why the birds? Well, it must be the weather.
The sudden change confused them. It has to be that.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
The tee is ready? Mummy? Oh good? Did you drive
away the birds?
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yes? They're all gone now, do you?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
I hope they won't come again. Perhaps if we put
bread runs for them outside the window, they eat that
and fly away. I've already had breakfast. I'd better hurry.
I'll be late for the school bus.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Bush. I'll walk with you to the road.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Joe, Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea. I'll
go get my cat book.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I didn't want it to walk and.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Down that they they wouldn't come back again.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I'll go over to the farm and find out if
they heard anything during the night, if all the windows
and doors closed, they'd be just to be on the
safe side. Hello, anyone about.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Hello, mister Hockin.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
The mister around, Missus Trigg, Summer's the ball?
Speaker 4 (09:28):
But can you tell me where this call is coming from? Russia.
I've never seen such a change, and it's going on
the wireless, says, something to do with the Arctic Circle.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
We didn't turn on the wireless this morning. The fact
is we had trouble in the.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Night, Oh kitties poorly.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
No, no, not exactly. No, we had some trouble with birds.
I why it sounds absurd, but they flew in the
window and attacked us. Attacked you, No, mister Hockins, I'm
not making it up, missus Trigg. There are a fifty
dead head's on the floor of the children's bedroom. Foreign birds, No, no,
(10:05):
the kind you see about here every day.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Really will you ought to write up and ask the
man just to guard you, and they haven't answer for it.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Good morning, Huckins.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Mister Kins has been telling a box of birds last night.
The pieces we attacked him?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Attack you? Sure? Quiet?
Speaker 6 (10:25):
I heard of the thing like that before. Hungry maybe
looking for food? You put out some crumbs. Yes, of course,
I'll be up tomorrow as usual.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Good morning, ordinary birds, he says, attacked him. Now what
did he take us for coming around with a story
like that? Strange one? He is with our superior airs.
Speaker 6 (10:53):
You see the look he gave us when he didn't
swallow his story attacked him.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
I think he reads too many of those.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Nat, did you find out anything at a part?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
No, the trigs brilliant advice was to put out some crumbs.
Debbie Eye looked all around this morning. There's not a
single bird in sight outdoors.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Where they've gone.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
The Trigs had no trouble last night.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Not only that they clearly thought I was imagining it. Oh.
I heard Trig mutter something about my superior airs and
reading too many books as I walked away. Nothing's real
to those clods until it hits them over their head.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Well, the nice enough people ned it's just that they're
isolated up here.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Well, that's certainly the polite word for it.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I haven't been able to face going into the children's room.
They've birds.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Oh guess I'll go and clean it up. The least
I can do is give the little beggars a decent burial.
I dropped the dead birds into a sack and went
down to the beach to bury them. The wind was
bitter cold. I dug a pit in the sand with
(12:18):
my heel and started to empty the sack into it,
but the wind caught the birds and whirled them along
the shore. There was something ugly in the sight that
the tide would take them when it turned. I looked
out at the crested breakers, and then I saw them,
the gowls, out there riding the seas. Thousands, tens of thousands.
(12:44):
They rose and fell in the trough of the sea,
like a mighty fleeted anchor, waiting for the turn of
the tide. Waiting. They stretched as far as my eye
could reach. They covered the sea. I started up the
steep park home, almost running. Someone should know what that,
(13:06):
someone should be told, But who? And then as I
opened the front door, I saw deady beside the world.
It's listening attacking individuals.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
It is thought that the Arctic airstream is causing the
birds to migrate south in immense numbers, and that intense
hunger may drive them to attack human beings. Householders are
warned to see to their windows, doors and chimneys, and
to take all precautions for the safety of their children.
Further bulletins will be issued later.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
They've been repeating it every few minutes since you left.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Well, perhaps now those empty headed idiots at the farm
will no you. S Almost gad Oh, don't talk rock,
deb It's just that when people with half a brain
try to tell.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Me that you forget that superior attitude of yours even.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Now, don't choose that word superior to me. I'm sick
of it, so are you?
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Why?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I'm sorry?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
These things made me a little nervy.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I guess yes, I I'm sorry too much.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
One of the bulletins said, the birds seemed to be
waiting for what.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
I don't know, They said, the birds are hungry. What
you doing the hammer? I'm gonna get some boards and
see to the doors and windows as they tell you to.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
You think they could break in with the windows shut,
the sparrows and robins and such, How could they?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
I wasn't thinking about the smaller birds. I was thinking
about the gulls. The gulls, Debby. Have you ever been
close enough to get a good look at a gull's beak?
There must be one hundred thousand of them out there
riding the sea waiting. The rest of the morning, I
(15:08):
worked upstairs boarding the bedroom windows, and I wondered whether
they'd take these precautions up at the farm. I doubted it.
It'd probably a big joke to the Triggs. But according
to the wire as it was no joke. At first,
some of the bulletins had been light in Tourne, But
as the morning wore on, the concern in the announcer's
voice became more and more apparent. Well after I finished upstairs,
(15:32):
I took the rest of the lumber down, boarded up
the lower floor windows.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
What they ought to do is call the army out
and shoot the birds that would soon scare them off.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Debbie, Uh, how are we off for food? Now?
Speaker 5 (15:45):
Net?
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Whatever?
Speaker 5 (15:45):
Next?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
No? Never mind? What have you got in the larder?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Shutting me tomorrow? You know that I don't keep uncooked
food hanging about. It goes off. But I can put
some things in tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Tomorrow. It's only three in the afternoon and it's almost dark.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
What I yes, the sky looks so heavy, Net, what's
the matter? You've gone quite quite?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Look the tides turned, the gulls they've risen circling over
the sea. Not a sun from them.
Speaker 8 (16:27):
Net.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I'm going for Jill. I'll wait for it the bus stop.
You keep Johnny inside and keep the door shut outside.
I looked at a weapon and a hole was all
I could find, and I went to the top of
the hill and waited. The surf was booming below, and
(16:50):
a smudge rose behind the clay hills in the distance.
It widened, divided and spread north east south west. It
was a vast cloud of birds and passed close by,
heading inland up country. They had no business with the
people here on the peninsula. Rooks, crows, jack doors, magpies,
(17:15):
birds that usually preyed upon the smaller species, But this
afternoon they were bound on some other mission. They've been
given the towns. I thought, they know what they have
to do. We don't matter so much here. The gulls
will serve where us the others go to the towns.
And finally the buss came. When Jill got up, I
(17:37):
took it by the hand. What's the horse do I daddy? Oh?
I just bought it along. Come along now, darling, let's
go home. It's cold. No hanging about me.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
I wanta ty did, and they.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Not to night. Now, come on, noddling, daddy.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
Look over there, look at the girls to die in
from the sea.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
They're so quiet, Yes, sir, do hurry, darling. Where is
it trying to oh up the country? I dare say, well,
where it's warmer. Don't go so fast, I can't keep up. Horry,
it goes, it's sing. It looks psychy, waiting sumty signal order. Nothing,
(18:18):
come on, you're faster. I can't go faster. Wait. Wait,
there's Trigg in his two seater.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Looks as though we're in for some fun hocking.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Have you heard the news? Everyone's gone bird crazy, talking
of nothing else. I'm going to take a crack at
them with my gun. Could you run Jill home first?
Speaker 6 (18:41):
Ayes, of course, not room for you too, I'm afraid
that's all.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
I just get Jill home, Get in Julia. Are you
like to come shooting with me?
Speaker 9 (18:48):
No?
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Thanks? Have you bothered your windows? No? A lot of nonsense.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
They like to scare you on the wireless.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I'd bought them if I were. You gone, you're winded.
We'll see you in the morning. Give you a gull rings.
I watched Trigg drive Joe toward the cottage, and then
I followed on foot. The sound made me look up.
(19:22):
The gulls were approaching. The order had been given and
the farm was their targets. The black backed gulls were leading,
and they were bigger birds. Gannets turns and suddenly one
of them clove at me, missed, rose to drive again,
and then came the other six, seven, a dozen. I
dropped the whole, covered my head with my arms, and
ran towards the cottage. They kept coming at it from
(19:43):
the air with beating wings. Each stab of a swooping
big torn a fresh. I had to keep them from
my eyes. With each diver. It came older, and they
had no thought for themselves. When they missed, they crashed,
bruised and broken on the ground. And as I ran,
I stump kicking herself hardies in front of me. Neither
aimed at better, closer to my eyes, closer, And then
I wished the door of the cottage, and then above
(20:07):
me I saw the gannet poised against the sky for
his dye. The girls drew back only the huge gannet.
The wings folded suddenly to its body, and it looped
like a stone at me. The door opened, and I
flung myself in a canet. He just put my skull. Yes,
(20:40):
thanks quite the woundresser. Are the children from.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
The other room. I didn't want them to see you
that way? Your hands are the worst.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
I'll be all right. We'd better all sleep here in
the kitchen tonight, I'll bring down.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
The mattresses, picked something tasty for supper and sound. What
is it?
Speaker 2 (21:02):
The birds crowding against the outside of the house trying
to find a way in net, don't they They can't
get in. I tell you, they cannot get in. Those
boards will hold?
Speaker 9 (21:11):
How long?
Speaker 4 (21:12):
How long before?
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah? I turn on the waas I've found them out?
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Yeah, yes, better, yes, anything so I can't hear that's poverty.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
It's only the food that weis. Mid Debbie. Now, I've
noticed that the birds come in with the tide. But
the tide will go out about nine to night and
we should have a lull of about six hours. I
could slip out during that time and go to the farm,
see if they can give us something. Here's lucky. A
national emergency was proclaimed that four o'cocks is afternoon.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
Yes, the measures are being taken to safeguard the lives
and property of the population, but it must be understood
that these are not easy to affect immediately you the
unforeseen and unhearalve nature of the present crisis.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
It is absolutely impetitive that everyone remain.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Indoors until further noticed.
Speaker 7 (22:05):
Birds in vase numbers are attacking everything in sight. The
population is asked to remain calm and not to panic.
There would be no further transmission from any broadcasting station
until seven.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Am tomorrow, which.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Like this all over then.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
All over there about supper. Let's let's forget it. Let's
all just try to get some sleep.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
Wake up?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
What time is it?
Speaker 4 (23:00):
The three?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
The tires coming again.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
There's been a queer smell the last two minutes. Dropperl
burned feathers.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Burn feathers the chimney. I got to do the far
up and coming down the chimney. Where's the oil on
the shelf? Got the ol just squeezing through the chimneys?
Stand back and before the oil on the coals? Never
get them? Yeah, just get me taper would anything? It
will burn? Hurry Their charred bodies get dropping down the chimney.
(23:31):
I raped them to one side, but more came. I
threw on the rest of the oil. You out, paper's
on it, kindling anything. The flames roared higher, more bodies.
The stench was unbearable, and I kept at it. Finally
they gave up and I went over to the basin.
I was sick around nine in the morning, the rustling ceased.
(24:07):
I opened the door a crack. Crushed birds were deep
about the house, but there was not a living bird
in sight. The tide had gone out. Now was my
chance to get food and fuel. I ran all the
way to the farm. There was no smoke from the chimney.
I came round the corner of the house and stopped
(24:29):
in the doorway. Almost covered with dead birds, were mister
and Missus Trigg. What was left of them. Beside him
was his gun, beside her a broken umbrella. I loaded
(24:50):
the two seater with all the food I could find,
enough for perhaps three days, and drove back to the cottage.
I told Debby that Triggs didn't need their car for
a while, and it told me to take it. She
said nothing, and towards nightfall the birds came back again.
(25:11):
We sat by the fire and listened to the rustle
as they crowded against the house. But this time there
was a new sound. They brought up their heavier forces
against us, the birds with larger beaks. I could hear
the sound of tiny bits of wood being torn away.
Speaker 9 (25:28):
So stay to the tide turns, and then they'll leave.
Then they'll come back again, and they'll keep coming back.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Naturally.
Speaker 8 (25:43):
Yes, the trigs, they're dead darkly, Yes, they're all along strange.
I keep closer to you than another, that it.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Should take something like this to bring it. Debbie, you
may be interested to know that right now I do
not give these you beary do yet?
Speaker 5 (26:15):
Oh I don't know, Debbie, I do not know.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
I listened to the sound of the splindling woods, and
I wondered how many million years of memory were stored
in those little brains behind the stabbing beaks, the piercing eyes,
now giving them this instinct to destroy mankind with all
the depth precision of machines, and switched on the whirl.
(26:54):
As was dead, I reached for the cigarettes. There was
only one left in the packet. I lit it. I
threw the empty packet on the fire and watched it burn.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Under the direction of Norman McDonald, Escape has Brought You
the Birds by Daphney Dumourier, specially adapted for radio by
Robert Wright, starring Ben Wright with Virginia Gregg. Featured in
the cast were John Dayner, Ann Morrison and Whitfield and
John Dodsworth. You're announcer George Walsh. The special music for
Escape is composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. If you
(28:02):
like your thrills to be real, your adventure to be
true to life, Gangbusters is the show for you. Now.
Every Monday night, most of these same CBS radio stations
bring you the drama that names, names, places, and dates
in the nation's battle against crime. Stay tune now for
night Watch, which follows immediately over most of these same stations.
Where there's gunsmoke, there's Western adventure. Monday nights on the
(28:25):
CBS Radio network.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Stay tuned for night Watch.
Speaker 10 (28:31):
Herman Hickman isn't the only exciting personality you'll want to
hear right here at the Star's Address, of course, where
sports are concerned, the famous former football coach at Yale
and one time All American player is a natural and
he's well worth listening for any Monday through Friday evening
at six thirty. But when you're in the mood for
musical entertainment, as you're likely to be any Monday through
(28:52):
Friday morning at nine thirty, John Edwards is the person
to hear the melody she sings or plays each weekday.
Morning are a sunny is her disposition and her friendly
personality only adds to the pleasure of listening to the
Joan Edwards Show Monday morning at nine thirty and every
Monday through Friday morning at that time.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Remember to tune in on happiness, on our light hearted
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