November 21, 2023 • 49 mins
Most of the stations aired two episodes each week, usually on the weekends and many times back to back.Many of the stories are based on Rod Serling's scripts from the original Twilight Zone series, and are slightly expanded and updated to reflect contemporary technology and trends and the lack of a visual component. In addition to adapting all of the original episodes aired on the TV series, the radio series has also adapted some Twilight Zone TV scripts which were never produced, scripts from other Serling TV productions, and new stories written especially for the radio series.
Taking Serling's role as narrator is Stacy Keach. Different Hollywood actors, such as Blair Underwood and Jim Caviezel, take the lead role in each radio drama. In addition, several stars who appeared on the original TV series, such as H.M. Wynant, Orson Bean and Morgan Brittany, appear, although purposely not in the roles they originated on television. The series features a full cast, music and sound effects and is produced in the flavor of classic radio dramas but using today's technology.
In addition to being an homage to the original Twilight Zone TV series, the radio dramas pay tribute to the era of classic radio drama, including allusions to radio dramas such as Gunsmoke, the presence of radio legend Stan Freberg in many episodes, and the sons (Stacy Keach, Ed Begley Jr.) of radio drama personalities Stacy Keach Sr. and Ed Begley as stars in the series.
Taking Serling's role as narrator is Stacy Keach. Different Hollywood actors, such as Blair Underwood and Jim Caviezel, take the lead role in each radio drama. In addition, several stars who appeared on the original TV series, such as H.M. Wynant, Orson Bean and Morgan Brittany, appear, although purposely not in the roles they originated on television. The series features a full cast, music and sound effects and is produced in the flavor of classic radio dramas but using today's technology.
In addition to being an homage to the original Twilight Zone TV series, the radio dramas pay tribute to the era of classic radio drama, including allusions to radio dramas such as Gunsmoke, the presence of radio legend Stan Freberg in many episodes, and the sons (Stacy Keach, Ed Begley Jr.) of radio drama personalities Stacy Keach Sr. and Ed Begley as stars in the series.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:10):
You're traveling through another dimension, adimension not only of sight and sound,
but of mind, a journey intoa wondrous land whose boundaries are those of
imagination. Your next stop the TwilightZone. He's dead. Get him down,
(01:00):
yes, Captain, Clements, Whatthe devil do you think you're doing?
Cutting him down? Captain? Thisis the last of the rope,
Clemens. Is still one more togo, just untieing a pit, he
said, catch him before he fallsinto the river, Trader or not.
(01:21):
He deserves a decent burial, Captain. The ropes looking pretty frayed. I'm
not sure it'll take the weight ofanother prisoner. It'll have to, but
Captain, I said, it'll haveto. Yes, sir, Ark,
(01:47):
you have just witnessed a military execution. Death is a dignitary who, when
he comes announced, is to bereceived with formal manifestations of respect, even
by those most familiar with him.This particular execution occurred on Owl Creek Bridge
in northern Alabama during the War betweenthe States. You might find it in
(02:09):
the works of that past master ofthe incredible Ambrose Bears, but its proper
home is in the Twilight Zone.And now the Twilight Zone and our story
(02:30):
an occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge starringChristian Stalty, with Stacy Keach as your
narrator. Hurry up, Clements,I want to get this last one.
Hang while it's still daylight. Almostgot him, Captain. Your friends are
(03:00):
dead, Peyton. That your nameisn't it, mister Peyton Farquhar. Your
act of treachery came to nothing,Peyton, and now you'll be called to
account. I wouldn't recommend you thinkof doing anything as stupid as trying to
(03:21):
get off this bridge. Apart fromthe fact that your wrists are tied behind
your back, you find yourself morethan adequately surrounded whichever way you choose to
run. See those sentinels that eitherend. Please don't get the impression they're
just taking a rest. The waythey're holding their rifles, they call that
(03:45):
the support position means they're always atthe ready, as a good soldier of
the Federal Army should be. Don'tsay too much, do you, Peyton,
(04:05):
Peyton par Khar. Hello anybody athome and here I thought you were
a true Southern gentleman. I knowwhat you're thinking, Peyton, that maybe
you can make that twenty foot dropinto the water and who knows. Maybe
(04:33):
you good at that, but afterthat your chances for continued survival become pretty
slim. Look over there on thebank of the stream. You know what
that is. It's the muscle ofa cannon. You see. There's an
outpost near here. If you're reallysquint you can see a company of infantry
at parade rest. Think of themas spectators if you want, But if
(04:58):
you sincerely want swim port, youmight just as well be giving him target
practice, which, believe me,they don't really need. You want to
leave your wife a pretty looking corpse. Don't you still not in the mood
for talking? Well? I canunderstand that time like this man needs to
(05:20):
get his thoughts in order ready himselffor you know, perhaps I can help
you with that from a purely practicalstandpoint. I mean, I'm not a
priest or anything like that. Truthto tell, my knowledge of matters theological
doesn't amount there very much at all. But I can tell you a little
(05:43):
bit about how it'll happen. Meand Clements will escort you out to the
center of the bridge, then introduceyou to Captain Newman. He's a nice
man. You'll like him. Meand Clements salute the captain. Then we
stand behind him, leaving you faceto face when the sergeant, now he's
(06:08):
not such a nice man, sorryto say, but oh I forgot you
two have already met. Well,when the moment comes, you'll both be
standing on the opposite ends of thesame plank. He stands on the safe
end, but you probably already guessthat, and you probably guess that it's
(06:32):
his job to hold the blank inplace. Then when the Captain feels the
time is right, right for him, not for you, he gives a
signal to the sergeant. The sergeantsteps aside, the blank, tilts,
and down you go. Nah.Never having been hanged myself, I can't
(06:59):
give you any on what your finalmoments on this earth might feel like.
But I can tell you I've seenmore than a few of these, and
I'm sorry to have to tell youit doesn't look any too pleasant. Anything
to say about that, well,well, I am a living man,
(07:30):
I said, speak up, Peyton. If you got any famous last words,
we should hear them, otherwise theywon't be famous. I am a
living man. Not for much longer, No, sir, not for much
longer. Captain says, we're readyfor him. Hear that, Peyton,
(07:58):
We're ready for you, they say. The Lord hates a coward. So
take my advice and try and faceit with a smile. Why do you
have to do that, Levin?Do what taunt him like that? He
shouldn't expect anything better. This iswar. He was on the wrong side,
the wrong side. Do you thinkhe thinks that I don't give a
damn what goes on inside his head? Neither said you, Clemens. And
(08:22):
unless you want to end up witha noose around your neck, don't let
anyone else hear you talking like that. Now help me up with him.
Hurry up, Oh Elizabeth, Elizabeth, my dough and what have I done?
(08:48):
What are my dogs? You andthe children? I promise you,
promise that come back. What isa man if he's not as good as
his work? What am I secure? The noose? The noose? If
(09:13):
only I could free my hands withperhaps I could throw off the noose.
Perhaps I really could dive into thestream. I might evade the bullets.
And if I swam vigorously enough reachedthe bank. Then to take to the
woods and get away. Get itback home, yes, home, then
(09:35):
back to you, Lisabeth, Thankgod, home is outside of their lives.
My wife and little ones are stillbeyond the invaders father's advance. That
pounding, what is causing that pounding? It's like the stroke of a blacksmith's
hammer on the anvelope. It's adistant knear bind Perhaps it's my death now.
(10:03):
It feels like a knife, feelingthrust into my ear? Damn man,
what's taking it so long? Andif you're gonna do it, just
do it? Sergeant step away?Too late, my girl, it's too
late, Oh isn't it so?How much further is it? What much
(10:56):
further to? Where where am Iyour home? Mister Farquhar? How much
further? A little? A littlefurther, yes, a little further.
Just keep along this road. I'msorry, I'm I'm somewhat confused, hardly
surprising. You've just woken up.It usually takes me a good half hour
(11:20):
and a stiff drink before I knowmy own name. Say you wouldn't happen
to have a stiff drink on you, would you? I'm afraid not?
Hmm, too bad? No,wait, I can't. I can't have
been sleeping? Why not? Lookat me? I'm walking? How could
I fall asleep? Walking? Horsesfall asleep, standing up but not walking.
(11:46):
Well, I don't know about you, but I've got to the end
of plenty of days without the faintestidea of what I've done. Of course,
as I explained to you, misterFarquhark, I drink a bit.
You know my name? Mmm,you're mister Peyton Farquhar. How do you
know my name? You told meI did, sure you did, right
(12:09):
after I found you on the bankof the river, the bank, the
Southern bank. When I discovered you, you were digging your fingers into the
sand, throwing it over yourself inhandfuls, and almost blessing it. That
doesn't sound like the sort of thingi'd do. You don't remember, I
(12:31):
no, Well, it's what youdid. You said it reminded you of
diamonds, rubies, emeralds. Isaid that I got the impression there was
nothing beautiful. You didn't think itresembled naturally. I was quite convinced at
that moment that you were insane.No offense, sir, sounds like a
(12:52):
very natural reaction. I would havecome to the same conclusion. And then
you said something that captured my tension. And what was that? Still don't
remember, Please refresh my memory,you said, Um, now, let
me think this was all good stuff. I don't want to get it wrong.
(13:16):
Oh yes, you noted a definiteorder in the arrangement of the trees,
that a strange rosate light shone throughthe spaces among their trunks, and
the wind made in their branches themusic of Aulian Harps. Well, sir,
I've been from one end of thisgreat land to the other, and
I've met many madmen, some ofthem confined for their own good, some
(13:41):
of them elected the high office.But never a madman with such a poetic
grasp of the language. That waswhen I knew you were just too interesting
to leave where I found you.I do remember now it all comes back
to you. Not all of it, not yet. But I remember lying
(14:01):
on the bank. I was socontent there, more than I've ever been
in my right then and there Ihad no wish to perfect my escape.
I was happy to remain in thatenchant and spot until they recaptured me.
Recaptured. Eh, you haven't mentionedthat before. Of course, you haven't
(14:26):
said much of anything since I foundyou. You're a man on the run,
then forgive me, miss it.I'm sorry. I don't seem to
be able to recall your name.It'll come to you well. No offense,
sir, but I'm not sure itwould be wise to tell you the
details. You're not a trusting man. Of late, I've become somewhat disappointed
(14:50):
in human nature. I'm not surewhy this is a new world, mister
Farquhar. It's understandable that you'd because, but rest assured. I'm not
what you might call political, butI do love a good story, if
you have one to tell my story. I have no story. I have
(15:13):
a life, a life that's becomeconsiderably more interesting of late, i'd venture
to say, but beyond your name, I know nothing about you. What
manner of man is Peyton Farquhar?Why do you want to know? The
road I travel is long and lonely. I'm starved of intelligent conversation, and
(15:37):
the only voice I ever hear ismy own. Talking to oneself leads inevitably
to madness. With you here asmy temporary companion, I can stave off
that unfortunate condition for at least anotherday. I see and tell me,
sir, where are you headed?Anywhere? I'm welcome and know where I'm
(16:00):
in short nowhere in particular. Soyou were telling me about yourself very well.
My name is Peyton Farquhar, PeytonFarquhah. I'm a planner in these
parts, A planter e good tohave land. It is so, I
(16:21):
guess you have slaves naturally, noneed to adopt that tone, mister Farquhar.
I told you I'm not a politicaljust asking well as it happens,
I am what you would call apolitical The Farquhar's are an old and highly
respected Alabama family. I'm naturally anoriginal secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern
cause. Your memory is reliable whenit comes to the matter of who you
(16:45):
are, if not where I supposeso. And yet, if you'll forgive
my temerity for all your patriotic fervor, you clearly didn't take service with the
gallant army of the South. MayI ask why that was? Circumstances of
an imperious nature prevented me from doingso. But I assure you I chafed
(17:08):
under the inglorious restraint, longing forthe release of my energies, the larger
life of the soldier, the opportunityfor distinction, and in good faith and
without too much qualification you assent toat least part of the dictum that all's
fair in love and warm. Areyou mocking me by any chance? I
(17:29):
would never ever risk a fellow traveler'sfriendship for such a trivial gain. Please
continue. I beg of you.I imagined that the opportunity to serve your
birthplace came at last, as itcomes to all men in wartime, it
did. It was one evening asI was sitting under the magnolia trees near
(17:51):
the entrance to my grounds. Iwas with my wife, Elizabeth. Children
were playing near by. This isthe life. It shurey is, my
dear, it shurey is. Lookat it. It's all so perfect.
(18:14):
I tell you, frankly, Elizabeth. If I should die this very moment,
I die a happy man. PeytonDarling, I wish you wouldn't say
such goodish things. I can't bearthe thought. I have no fear,
e Lizabeth. I have no intentionof passing away from sheer Bliss. I
just wanted to make the point thatwell, that on such a beautiful evening
as this, it's almost impossible tobelieve there is a war. I wish
(18:40):
there won't, but there must bewhy Peyton, for them, for the
sake of the children. They deservethe best future we can give them.
Isn't that worth dying for? Iunderstand that, Peyton, I do.
It's just that I sometimes wonder ifwe couldn't Peyton, look soldier, it
(19:04):
is one of ours. Water Please, you're exhausted, Peyton. Should I
fetch one of the slaves? Byno means We'll take care of myself.
Get him some water, Elizabeth.Let me help you down, sir,
(19:30):
Thank you. You must be starved. Come inside, my man. Oh
this is this is a splendid meal. Thank you. Some more alice,
(19:56):
more corn bread? No, no, please, this hospitality is far more
than I deserve. Nonsense, nonsense, Nothing is too good for our brave
boys. Tell me, corporal,whose command are you with? Colonel Tolliver,
thirteenth North Carolina, How are thingsat the front? We hear some
(20:18):
little down here. I'm sorry tosay things are not going so well,
not so well at all. TheYankees are repairing the railroads in preparation for
another advance. They've reached the OwlCreek Bridge, our Creek bridge, Yes,
sir, They've put it in orderand built a stockade on the north
(20:42):
Bank. I'm sure you know whatthat'll mean. Yes, if they can
run trains over the bridge, there'llbe nothing to stop them. Damn those
sons of Forgive me, Elizabeth,you shouldn't be subjected to this manner,
Peyton. I just go and seewhat's keeping Alice with the corn bread,
(21:06):
as you wish, my dear,something on your mind, sir corporal,
refresh my memory. It's about thirtymiles to our creek bridge, about that
maybe even a little less. Andthere's no force on this side of the
creek, only a picket post ahalf mile out on the railroad, and
(21:29):
a single sentinel that our endered thebridge. Suppose a man, or perhaps
several men, civilians and persons ofintelligence, should elude the picket post and
perhaps get the better of the sentinel. What could they accomplish? Accomplish well?
Sir? I was there a monthago. I saw that the flood
(21:55):
of last winter lodged a great quantityof driftwood against the wooden pier at this
end of the bridge. Driftwood,Eh, it's dry, now exceedingly dry.
If someone would have put a lightto that driftwood, it burned like
tall that it would sir, andthat would mean the end of the All
Creek Bridge. I don't think theYankees would care for that, Not one
(22:21):
damn bit would they care for it. And it goes without saying that such
a conflagration would seriously hinder the northerneffort or Headwood. But you should know,
sir. The commandants issued an orderdeclaring that any civilian caught interfering with
the railroad, its bridges, tunnelsor trains will be summarily hanged. I've
(22:47):
seen the order. It's posted everywhere. Risk is a part of life,
soldier. You face it every day. I do that I do, and
in my own small way, I'vedone what I can. No service is
too humble to perform in the aidof the South, and should the opportunity
(23:11):
present itself, no adventure would betoo perilous to undertake if consistent with the
character of a civilian who was atheart as soldier. Of course, mister
Farquhar, you are a true sonof the South and a very brave gentleman.
(23:33):
Elizabeth, I have to go awayaway for how long, Peyton?
Probably just a couple of days.Why business, Larson will be going with
me, maybe Zella too. Idon't know. I'll have to ask him.
Peyton, don't go. I don'twant you to. The children need
(23:55):
you. It's for the sake ofthe children that I'm doing this, Elizabeth.
Why can't you understand that I dounderstand, I really do. But
I'm afraid, terrified of losing you. If a man doesn't stand up for
what he believes in, then welose everything. Just promise me one thing.
(24:17):
Promise you'll come back to me.I promise, And I'm a man
who keeps his promises, my love. Setting fire to the al Creek Bridge
sounds like a most audacious plan.It was, I must confess, mister
Farquhar. I'm a little confused.How so you strike me as a competent
(24:41):
and determined gentleman. I imagine whateveryou want out of life, you get
it. That's fair to Saytan,What of it? Simply that I'm surprised
your endeavor came to nothing? Andwhat makes you imagine that your presenticament the
absence of your co conspirators, thosemarks upon your neck, And if someone
(25:07):
had set the Owl Creek Bridge alight, I'm sure I would have noticed it
in some way. Let me checkwhere there's smoke there's fire, and nope,
no smoke. You're a very thoroughfellow. For a moment, I
thought you might know more of mysituation than you let on from the way
(25:27):
you talk. Do I take itto someone in your party betrayed you,
not in my party. But yourecall the corporal who appeared at my plantation.
Of course he was a federal scout. Then you were deliberately entrapped.
(25:48):
It seems they wanted to weed outthe civilians who might cause them some trouble.
If I'd only stayed out a littlelonger that night, I'd probably have
seen that same rider repass my plantation, going northward in the direction from which
he'd come from the Owl Creek Bridgeprecisely. And when you and your co
conspirators patriots made your assault on thebridge, the military were waiting for you.
(26:17):
They made me what as they hangedmy friends for an act of treachery.
The sergeant who put them to deathwas the sane man who lured us
there. M M, Is thereno honor and conflict? I've never been
accused of having much imagination, butI might have guessed it would be something
like that. I would say,sir, that you have too kindly an
(26:40):
expression for one whose neck is inthe hamp It isn't isn't what? In
the help of course, of course, what I mean, mister Farquhar,
is that you are clearly no vulgarassassin. Fortunately, the Liberal Military Code
makes provision for hanging many kinds ofand gentlemen are not excluded. As they
(27:07):
fastened the noose around my neck,I tried to fix my thoughts on my
family, but there was so manytrivial distractions. The water touched the gold
by the early sun, piece ofdancing driftwood caught in the sluggish current,
the brooding mists under the banks somedistance down the stream, and there was
(27:33):
a sharp pressure around my throat,followed by a sense of suffocation. Agony
shot from my neck downward through everyfiber of my body and limbs, like
streams of pulsating fire, heating meto an intolerable temperature. There was no
more thought, only sensations. Theintellectual part of my nature was effaced.
(28:00):
I had power only to feel,and feeling was torment. I was conscious
of motion, encompassed in a luminouscloud of which I was now merely the
fiery heart without material substance. Iswung through unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like
(28:23):
a mass and pendulum. But you'rehere? What what I said? You're
here? Why is that? Therope it snapped and I fell into the
stream with a terror and suddenness.The light about me shot upward. There
(28:48):
was a loud splash that all wascold and dark. My power of thought
was restored, and I knew instantlywhat had happened. And yours were?
They still bound? They were?Then? Forgive me, But why didn't
you drown? The noose was tightaround my neck. It kept the water
(29:12):
from my lungs and kept you frombreathing. When you get into a predicament,
sir, you don't do it byhalf measures. I suppose not to
die of hanging at the bottom ofa river. Even at that moment it
seemed ludicrous to me. I openedmy eyes in the darkness, I saw
(29:33):
above me a gleam of light,distant, inaccessible. I was still sinking,
and the light became fainter and fainter, until it was a mere glimmer.
Then it began to grow in brighten, and I knew I was rising
toward the surface. Knew it withreluctance, for I was very comfortable.
(29:56):
Comfortable. Oh yes, it wasa question of preference at that point.
You see, to be hanged anddrowned, that didn't seem so bad.
But to be shot, no,I refused to be shot. It didn't
seem fair. I'd say, youhave quite a singular set of values.
(30:18):
Do they offend you? Not atall? Not at all. It makes
for a more entertaining story, andyours is the most fascinating I've heard in
many a year on the road.Please continue. You're under the water,
slowly rising to the surface. Yourhands are tied. A sharp pain in
my wrists surprised me of the factthat I was trying to free my hands.
(30:44):
I gave the struggle my attention,as an idler might observe the feet
of a juggler, without interest inthe outcome. Eventually, the cord fell
away, my arms parted and floatedupward, but I could only dimly make
out my hands and the girl inlight. I watched with a new interest
as first one and then the otherpounced upon the noose at my neck.
(31:07):
They tore it away and thrust itfiercely aside. Its undulations resembled those of
a water snake, and my firstthought was to put it back, to
put it back. The undoing ofthe news had been succeeded by the direst
pang that I'd yet experienced. Myneck ached horribly, my brain was on
fire. My heart gave a greatleap, and I felt as though it
(31:30):
was trying to force itself out ofmy mouth. My whole body was racked
and wrenched with an insupportable anguish,and I imagine the desire to rise to
the surface was even greater, nomatter what you might find waiting for you
there. I wanted to stop myself, had to stop myself, but my
(31:51):
disobedient hands gave no heed to mycommand. They beat the water vigorously,
with quick downward strokes, forcing meto the surface. I felt my head
emerge. My eyes were blinded bythe sunlight. My chest expanded convulsively,
and with the supreme and crowning agony, my lungs engulfed a great draft of
(32:15):
air. So now you were infull possession of your physical senses. If
anything, they were more keen andalert than before. I felt the ripples
on my face, heard their separatesounds as they struck I looked at the
forest on the bank of the stream, saw the individual trees, the leaves
and the veining of each leaf.Saw the very insects upon them, the
(32:38):
locusts, the brilliant bodied flies,the spiders stretching their webs from twig to
twig, The prismatic colors in allthe dewdrops on a million blades of grass,
The humming of the gnats that dancedabove the eddies of the stream,
the beaten of the dragonflies wings.They all made audible music remarkable. If
(33:05):
you'll forgive my saying, so youmissed your life's calling. You have quite
a turn for descriptive language. I'msurprised you had the time to note your
surroundings in such detail. It mayonly have been a few seconds. I'm
not really sure. I seem tohave lost the ability to judge the passage
of time accurately, or perhaps you'vegained a greater appreciation of time. There's
(33:30):
a whole world in every second.You have a singular turn of phrase yourself,
mister, I'll get it in aminute, no doubt. Did you
acquire this philosophical outlook during your travels? Hard to say, see it often
(33:51):
seems like I've been traveling my wholelife. But enough about me. I
long to hear your story. You'vepainted a beautiful background for me, but
it strikes me there are more pressingissues in this particular picture. For example,
your executioners my would be executioners.That goes without saying, surely very
(34:14):
well. I saw them silhouetted againstthe blue sky. They shouted, they
gesticulated. Their movements were grotesque andhorrible, their forms gigantic. Suddenly I
heard a sharp report, and somethingstruck the water smartly, within a few
(34:35):
inches of my head. Spatter andmy face was spray. One of the
officers had his rifle at his shoulder. There was a light cloud of blue
smoke rising from the muzzle. Iwas surprised he missed. I read somewhere
that marksmen with gray eyes are thekeenest shots. This fellow was the exception
to the rule. It seems themarksmen had gray eyes. How could you
(35:00):
see that? I'm sorry. Hewas on the Owl Creek bridge. You
were in the water, and youmust have drifted some distance. So how
did you know the marksman had grayeyes? I don't know how I know.
I just I must have noticed iton the bridge just before your execution,
(35:25):
my intended execution, as you say, doubtless, the detail was burned
into my mind, dougtless, Itold you how much more alive my senses
had become at that moment. Alive. Yes, indeed, that you did
that you did? At that momentA counter swirl turned me half round.
(35:47):
I was looking into the forest onthe bank opposite the fort. A clear,
high voice rang out and came acrossthe water with a distinctness that pierced
and subdued all other sounds, eventhe beating of the ripples. The voice,
what did it say? It said? Company? Ready? Hey,
(36:10):
how did you do that? Run? Are they still behind us? No?
(36:38):
No, I don't think so.All right, that's enough for now,
No more running for my life.You know what? Wait? I
need to get my bearings. Ihave to know how close I am to
my destination, closer than you think. I'm sure. Hey, does anything
(37:04):
look familiar mister park wat Ah?Yes, this way, I think,
Yes, this way? Can yousee your home? Not yet? But
it's not far now. I intendto be back in my wife's arms by
(37:25):
close the day you gave her yourword that I did and that's important to
you. It's a matter of honor. An honor, mister, Ah,
honor means as much as love toa man of the South. A very
moving sentiment. Now where were we? Where were we with one? Your
(37:50):
story? My story? Yes,you were just reaching a most exciting point
when we were interrupted. I longto know what happened next. Are you
why insane? Sir? I don'tbelieve so. But I thought the same
of you when I first met you, So I suppose it's a fair question.
I am in full position of allmy faculties, mister, mister,
(38:15):
everything except the memory. Eh.Don't try my patience, sir, I
wouldn't dream of it. You askedme an important question, and I'm doing
my best to answer it. Butyou'll appreciate it's difficult to judge these things
when one spends so much time alone. If I had a constant companion,
(38:38):
someone to tell me if and whenI appeared to be losing my senses,
that might be helpful. But that'snot what fate has in store for me.
And as I say, I tryto avoid talking to myself because that
seems to me the fastest route tomadness. But mad or sane? I
(38:59):
know a good tail when I hearit, and yours is the most entertaining
I have heard in all my years. Yes, sir, I shall cherish
the memory of your experiences when Ihave long since ceased my wanderings. Please
go on. You'd escaped the nooseby a most improbable stroke of good fortune,
(39:19):
and then you found yourself in thestream and under fire. What was
that like? Surely you can imaginethat for yourself. We were just under
fire a few minutes ago, butnot in the water. Well does it
matter? Does to me? It'sthe setting that makes the crucial difference.
Please very well. I suppose itmight make the journey shorter, at least
(39:44):
not mine. I dived to avoidthe shots, dived as deeply as I
could. Water roared in my earslike the voice of Niagara. Yet still
I heard the dull thunder of thevolley, those heightened senses of yours.
I rose again towards the surface,and was met again by more shining Yankee
(40:06):
legs. One shot, nick mycheek, you see it, I see
it well. The next time Idove, I was a long time underwater,
and I made damn certain. Iswam farther downstream and nearer to safety.
Just as well, since the soldiershad almost finished reloading, the two
sentinels positioned at either end of thebridge fired again, independently, ineffectually.
(40:30):
I saw this over my shoulder.I was now swimming vigorously with the current.
My brain was as energetic as myarms and legs, I thought,
with the rapidity of lightning. Ourreasoned. You see that the captain had
probably already given the command to fireat will, and you surely couldn't dodge
(40:50):
all the shots. You're not invulnerable, no man is. Then an appalling
splash just two yards away was followedby a loud, rushing sound which seemed
to travel back through the air tothe nearby fort, and died in an
explosion which stirred the very river toits deeps. A rising sheet of water
(41:12):
curved over me, fell down uponme, blinded me, strangled me.
The cannon had taken a hand inthe game. Did I tell you about
the cannon? You must have doneit? Hmm. Well, anyways,
as I shook my head free fromthe commotion of the smitten water, I
heard the deflected shot humming through theair ahead, and in an instant I
(41:38):
was cracking and smashing the branches andthe forest beyond. I was certain they
wouldn't be so far from their targetnext time, And it was a good
gun. The report lagged behind themissile, but surely the smoke would have
uprised you of another shot. Solong as you kept your eye on the
gun, you had a certain advantage. Am I correct? You are?
(41:59):
The problem was how to reach theshore without turning my back on the cannon.
You have my complete attention, sir. How did you manage it?
I don't know, I'm not sure. I felt myself whirled round and round,
spinning like a top. The water, the banks, the forests,
(42:22):
the distant bridge, fort and soldiers. They were all somehow commingled, blurred.
I could no longer make out objects, only colors, circular horizontal streaks
of color. That was all Isaw. I was caught in a vortex.
I felt giddy and sick. Fascinating, incredible. What is that damned
(42:46):
hammering? I don't hear anything unlessit's the ticking of your watch. You
can hear my watch, You're luckyit still works after such an immersion.
(43:07):
It is my watch. But whyshould I think? Perhaps you're the sort
of man who values the seconds asmuch as the minutes and the hours.
And there's a whole world in asecond, so I've been told. So
(43:30):
how did you fight your way outof this vortex? I really have no
idea. The next thing I knew, I was on the road with you
at my side, heading for home, as I promised. Surely not.
I mean you obviously avoided the cannonand struggled to the bank, obviously,
(43:51):
but I have no memory of it, and of our meeting. I recall
only what you told me about it. Most curious, Stop, what is
it? This is it? We'rehere, this is the path to my
home. Excellent? Well, Isuppose this is where we part company,
(44:15):
mister Farquhar. May I say it'sbeen a rare pleasure you are You wouldn't
care to call in. I'm surethe servants could prepare you a meal.
That won't be necessary, my friend, I have many miles still to travel,
(44:36):
but your journey is almost at anend. Yes, well, goodbye,
mister. I'm sorry. I thoughtI could recall your name, but
it just escapes me. Call meAmbrose. I wish you well, Ambrose,
(44:57):
and you mister Peyton Farquhar, andyou home almost home. How long?
(45:22):
How long since that damn impostor wrotedown this road? How long since
I was drawn to the Isle Creekbranch? I would say, sir,
that you have too kindly an expressionfor one who's next is in the hand,
isn't in the hem? Of course, of course, I promised I'd
(45:42):
returned Elizabeth's office perfect. They couldn'tkeep me from before your execution, my
intended execution. Not even a noosearound my neck could stop me from coming
back to you, to the family. I've told you how much more my
senses have becoming that a lie alie, Yes, Joselah, don't tease
(46:08):
your sister, Elizabeth. I yourbest behavior when your father it does.
Elizabeth, Elizabeth, you're not agood brother, you know. Man.
He is Elizabeth Wholizabeth a sword comeback to you, I promised, Pete
(46:29):
Elizabethlizabeth. Hey, oh Pete,my Lobeth. Let me hold you,
Let me take you in my ar. There's an old world every he's dead,
(47:02):
Captain, good work. That's thelast execution for today. Get him
down, you know, Levine.For a moment there, I thought that
rope wasn't gonna hold. That's strongenough, And it did its job.
Do you ever wonder what goes oninside a man's head in those last seconds
(47:29):
before death? Like I said before, Clemens, I don't give a damn,
and neither said you. An occurrenceat Owl Creek Bridge in two forms,
(47:59):
as it was dream and as itwas lived and died. This is
the stuff of fantasy, the threatof imagination, the ingredients of the Twilight
Zone. An Occurrence at Owl CreekBridge, starring Christian Stolty with Stacy Keach
(48:32):
as your narrator, was adapted forradio by M. J. Elliott and
based on the short story by AmbroseBierce. Heard in the cast were Rob
Riley, Danny Goldring, William Dick, Susan Hart, Gonzo Schexnader, and
John Hoganacer, the producers of TheTwilight Zone, which to thanks CBS Enterprises
and the Rod Serling Estate for makingthis series possible. This copyrighted radio series
(48:54):
is produced by Carl la Mauri anddirected by Joebi Cerney for Falcon Picture Group
Sound Design custom Fold. The effects, recording and editing are done in the
Serni American Sound to Picture Theater bysound designers Craig Lee, Todd Byer and
Tim Sarney. To learn more aboutthe twilight Zone Radio dramas and to contact
this visit our official website at twilightZone radio dot com. Doug James speaking
You're traveling through another dimension, adimension not only of sight and sound,
but of mind, a journey intoa wondrous land whose boundaries are those of
imagination. Your next stop the TwilightZone. He's dead. Get him down,
(01:00):
yes, Captain, Clements, Whatthe devil do you think you're doing?
Cutting him down? Captain? Thisis the last of the rope,
Clemens. Is still one more togo, just untieing a pit, he
said, catch him before he fallsinto the river, Trader or not.
(01:21):
He deserves a decent burial, Captain. The ropes looking pretty frayed. I'm
not sure it'll take the weight ofanother prisoner. It'll have to, but
Captain, I said, it'll haveto. Yes, sir, Ark,
(01:47):
you have just witnessed a military execution. Death is a dignitary who, when
he comes announced, is to bereceived with formal manifestations of respect, even
by those most familiar with him.This particular execution occurred on Owl Creek Bridge
in northern Alabama during the War betweenthe States. You might find it in
(02:09):
the works of that past master ofthe incredible Ambrose Bears, but its proper
home is in the Twilight Zone.And now the Twilight Zone and our story
(02:30):
an occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge starringChristian Stalty, with Stacy Keach as your
narrator. Hurry up, Clements,I want to get this last one.
Hang while it's still daylight. Almostgot him, Captain. Your friends are
(03:00):
dead, Peyton. That your nameisn't it, mister Peyton Farquhar. Your
act of treachery came to nothing,Peyton, and now you'll be called to
account. I wouldn't recommend you thinkof doing anything as stupid as trying to
(03:21):
get off this bridge. Apart fromthe fact that your wrists are tied behind
your back, you find yourself morethan adequately surrounded whichever way you choose to
run. See those sentinels that eitherend. Please don't get the impression they're
just taking a rest. The waythey're holding their rifles, they call that
(03:45):
the support position means they're always atthe ready, as a good soldier of
the Federal Army should be. Don'tsay too much, do you, Peyton,
(04:05):
Peyton par Khar. Hello anybody athome and here I thought you were
a true Southern gentleman. I knowwhat you're thinking, Peyton, that maybe
you can make that twenty foot dropinto the water and who knows. Maybe
(04:33):
you good at that, but afterthat your chances for continued survival become pretty
slim. Look over there on thebank of the stream. You know what
that is. It's the muscle ofa cannon. You see. There's an
outpost near here. If you're reallysquint you can see a company of infantry
at parade rest. Think of themas spectators if you want, But if
(04:58):
you sincerely want swim port, youmight just as well be giving him target
practice, which, believe me,they don't really need. You want to
leave your wife a pretty looking corpse. Don't you still not in the mood
for talking? Well? I canunderstand that time like this man needs to
(05:20):
get his thoughts in order ready himselffor you know, perhaps I can help
you with that from a purely practicalstandpoint. I mean, I'm not a
priest or anything like that. Truthto tell, my knowledge of matters theological
doesn't amount there very much at all. But I can tell you a little
(05:43):
bit about how it'll happen. Meand Clements will escort you out to the
center of the bridge, then introduceyou to Captain Newman. He's a nice
man. You'll like him. Meand Clements salute the captain. Then we
stand behind him, leaving you faceto face when the sergeant, now he's
(06:08):
not such a nice man, sorryto say, but oh I forgot you
two have already met. Well,when the moment comes, you'll both be
standing on the opposite ends of thesame plank. He stands on the safe
end, but you probably already guessthat, and you probably guess that it's
(06:32):
his job to hold the blank inplace. Then when the Captain feels the
time is right, right for him, not for you, he gives a
signal to the sergeant. The sergeantsteps aside, the blank, tilts,
and down you go. Nah.Never having been hanged myself, I can't
(06:59):
give you any on what your finalmoments on this earth might feel like.
But I can tell you I've seenmore than a few of these, and
I'm sorry to have to tell youit doesn't look any too pleasant. Anything
to say about that, well,well, I am a living man,
(07:30):
I said, speak up, Peyton. If you got any famous last words,
we should hear them, otherwise theywon't be famous. I am a
living man. Not for much longer, No, sir, not for much
longer. Captain says, we're readyfor him. Hear that, Peyton,
(07:58):
We're ready for you, they say. The Lord hates a coward. So
take my advice and try and faceit with a smile. Why do you
have to do that, Levin?Do what taunt him like that? He
shouldn't expect anything better. This iswar. He was on the wrong side,
the wrong side. Do you thinkhe thinks that I don't give a
damn what goes on inside his head? Neither said you, Clemens. And
(08:22):
unless you want to end up witha noose around your neck, don't let
anyone else hear you talking like that. Now help me up with him.
Hurry up, Oh Elizabeth, Elizabeth, my dough and what have I done?
(08:48):
What are my dogs? You andthe children? I promise you,
promise that come back. What isa man if he's not as good as
his work? What am I secure? The noose? The noose? If
(09:13):
only I could free my hands withperhaps I could throw off the noose.
Perhaps I really could dive into thestream. I might evade the bullets.
And if I swam vigorously enough reachedthe bank. Then to take to the
woods and get away. Get itback home, yes, home, then
(09:35):
back to you, Lisabeth, Thankgod, home is outside of their lives.
My wife and little ones are stillbeyond the invaders father's advance. That
pounding, what is causing that pounding? It's like the stroke of a blacksmith's
hammer on the anvelope. It's adistant knear bind Perhaps it's my death now.
(10:03):
It feels like a knife, feelingthrust into my ear? Damn man,
what's taking it so long? Andif you're gonna do it, just
do it? Sergeant step away?Too late, my girl, it's too
late, Oh isn't it so?How much further is it? What much
(10:56):
further to? Where where am Iyour home? Mister Farquhar? How much
further? A little? A littlefurther, yes, a little further.
Just keep along this road. I'msorry, I'm I'm somewhat confused, hardly
surprising. You've just woken up.It usually takes me a good half hour
(11:20):
and a stiff drink before I knowmy own name. Say you wouldn't happen
to have a stiff drink on you, would you? I'm afraid not?
Hmm, too bad? No,wait, I can't. I can't have
been sleeping? Why not? Lookat me? I'm walking? How could
I fall asleep? Walking? Horsesfall asleep, standing up but not walking.
(11:46):
Well, I don't know about you, but I've got to the end
of plenty of days without the faintestidea of what I've done. Of course,
as I explained to you, misterFarquhark, I drink a bit.
You know my name? Mmm,you're mister Peyton Farquhar. How do you
know my name? You told meI did, sure you did, right
(12:09):
after I found you on the bankof the river, the bank, the
Southern bank. When I discovered you, you were digging your fingers into the
sand, throwing it over yourself inhandfuls, and almost blessing it. That
doesn't sound like the sort of thingi'd do. You don't remember, I
(12:31):
no, Well, it's what youdid. You said it reminded you of
diamonds, rubies, emeralds. Isaid that I got the impression there was
nothing beautiful. You didn't think itresembled naturally. I was quite convinced at
that moment that you were insane.No offense, sir, sounds like a
(12:52):
very natural reaction. I would havecome to the same conclusion. And then
you said something that captured my tension. And what was that? Still don't
remember, Please refresh my memory,you said, Um, now, let
me think this was all good stuff. I don't want to get it wrong.
(13:16):
Oh yes, you noted a definiteorder in the arrangement of the trees,
that a strange rosate light shone throughthe spaces among their trunks, and
the wind made in their branches themusic of Aulian Harps. Well, sir,
I've been from one end of thisgreat land to the other, and
I've met many madmen, some ofthem confined for their own good, some
(13:41):
of them elected the high office.But never a madman with such a poetic
grasp of the language. That waswhen I knew you were just too interesting
to leave where I found you.I do remember now it all comes back
to you. Not all of it, not yet. But I remember lying
(14:01):
on the bank. I was socontent there, more than I've ever been
in my right then and there Ihad no wish to perfect my escape.
I was happy to remain in thatenchant and spot until they recaptured me.
Recaptured. Eh, you haven't mentionedthat before. Of course, you haven't
(14:26):
said much of anything since I foundyou. You're a man on the run,
then forgive me, miss it.I'm sorry. I don't seem to
be able to recall your name.It'll come to you well. No offense,
sir, but I'm not sure itwould be wise to tell you the
details. You're not a trusting man. Of late, I've become somewhat disappointed
(14:50):
in human nature. I'm not surewhy this is a new world, mister
Farquhar. It's understandable that you'd because, but rest assured. I'm not
what you might call political, butI do love a good story, if
you have one to tell my story. I have no story. I have
(15:13):
a life, a life that's becomeconsiderably more interesting of late, i'd venture
to say, but beyond your name, I know nothing about you. What
manner of man is Peyton Farquhar?Why do you want to know? The
road I travel is long and lonely. I'm starved of intelligent conversation, and
(15:37):
the only voice I ever hear ismy own. Talking to oneself leads inevitably
to madness. With you here asmy temporary companion, I can stave off
that unfortunate condition for at least anotherday. I see and tell me,
sir, where are you headed?Anywhere? I'm welcome and know where I'm
(16:00):
in short nowhere in particular. Soyou were telling me about yourself very well.
My name is Peyton Farquhar, PeytonFarquhah. I'm a planner in these
parts, A planter e good tohave land. It is so, I
(16:21):
guess you have slaves naturally, noneed to adopt that tone, mister Farquhar.
I told you I'm not a politicaljust asking well as it happens,
I am what you would call apolitical The Farquhar's are an old and highly
respected Alabama family. I'm naturally anoriginal secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern
cause. Your memory is reliable whenit comes to the matter of who you
(16:45):
are, if not where I supposeso. And yet, if you'll forgive
my temerity for all your patriotic fervor, you clearly didn't take service with the
gallant army of the South. MayI ask why that was? Circumstances of
an imperious nature prevented me from doingso. But I assure you I chafed
(17:08):
under the inglorious restraint, longing forthe release of my energies, the larger
life of the soldier, the opportunityfor distinction, and in good faith and
without too much qualification you assent toat least part of the dictum that all's
fair in love and warm. Areyou mocking me by any chance? I
(17:29):
would never ever risk a fellow traveler'sfriendship for such a trivial gain. Please
continue. I beg of you.I imagined that the opportunity to serve your
birthplace came at last, as itcomes to all men in wartime, it
did. It was one evening asI was sitting under the magnolia trees near
(17:51):
the entrance to my grounds. Iwas with my wife, Elizabeth. Children
were playing near by. This isthe life. It shurey is, my
dear, it shurey is. Lookat it. It's all so perfect.
(18:14):
I tell you, frankly, Elizabeth. If I should die this very moment,
I die a happy man. PeytonDarling, I wish you wouldn't say
such goodish things. I can't bearthe thought. I have no fear,
e Lizabeth. I have no intentionof passing away from sheer Bliss. I
just wanted to make the point thatwell, that on such a beautiful evening
as this, it's almost impossible tobelieve there is a war. I wish
(18:40):
there won't, but there must bewhy Peyton, for them, for the
sake of the children. They deservethe best future we can give them.
Isn't that worth dying for? Iunderstand that, Peyton, I do.
It's just that I sometimes wonder ifwe couldn't Peyton, look soldier, it
(19:04):
is one of ours. Water Please, you're exhausted, Peyton. Should I
fetch one of the slaves? Byno means We'll take care of myself.
Get him some water, Elizabeth.Let me help you down, sir,
(19:30):
Thank you. You must be starved. Come inside, my man. Oh
this is this is a splendid meal. Thank you. Some more alice,
(19:56):
more corn bread? No, no, please, this hospitality is far more
than I deserve. Nonsense, nonsense, Nothing is too good for our brave
boys. Tell me, corporal,whose command are you with? Colonel Tolliver,
thirteenth North Carolina, How are thingsat the front? We hear some
(20:18):
little down here. I'm sorry tosay things are not going so well,
not so well at all. TheYankees are repairing the railroads in preparation for
another advance. They've reached the OwlCreek Bridge, our Creek bridge, Yes,
sir, They've put it in orderand built a stockade on the north
(20:42):
Bank. I'm sure you know whatthat'll mean. Yes, if they can
run trains over the bridge, there'llbe nothing to stop them. Damn those
sons of Forgive me, Elizabeth,you shouldn't be subjected to this manner,
Peyton. I just go and seewhat's keeping Alice with the corn bread,
(21:06):
as you wish, my dear,something on your mind, sir corporal,
refresh my memory. It's about thirtymiles to our creek bridge, about that
maybe even a little less. Andthere's no force on this side of the
creek, only a picket post ahalf mile out on the railroad, and
(21:29):
a single sentinel that our endered thebridge. Suppose a man, or perhaps
several men, civilians and persons ofintelligence, should elude the picket post and
perhaps get the better of the sentinel. What could they accomplish? Accomplish well?
Sir? I was there a monthago. I saw that the flood
(21:55):
of last winter lodged a great quantityof driftwood against the wooden pier at this
end of the bridge. Driftwood,Eh, it's dry, now exceedingly dry.
If someone would have put a lightto that driftwood, it burned like
tall that it would sir, andthat would mean the end of the All
Creek Bridge. I don't think theYankees would care for that, Not one
(22:21):
damn bit would they care for it. And it goes without saying that such
a conflagration would seriously hinder the northerneffort or Headwood. But you should know,
sir. The commandants issued an orderdeclaring that any civilian caught interfering with
the railroad, its bridges, tunnelsor trains will be summarily hanged. I've
(22:47):
seen the order. It's posted everywhere. Risk is a part of life,
soldier. You face it every day. I do that I do, and
in my own small way, I'vedone what I can. No service is
too humble to perform in the aidof the South, and should the opportunity
(23:11):
present itself, no adventure would betoo perilous to undertake if consistent with the
character of a civilian who was atheart as soldier. Of course, mister
Farquhar, you are a true sonof the South and a very brave gentleman.
(23:33):
Elizabeth, I have to go awayaway for how long, Peyton?
Probably just a couple of days.Why business, Larson will be going with
me, maybe Zella too. Idon't know. I'll have to ask him.
Peyton, don't go. I don'twant you to. The children need
(23:55):
you. It's for the sake ofthe children that I'm doing this, Elizabeth.
Why can't you understand that I dounderstand, I really do. But
I'm afraid, terrified of losing you. If a man doesn't stand up for
what he believes in, then welose everything. Just promise me one thing.
(24:17):
Promise you'll come back to me.I promise, And I'm a man
who keeps his promises, my love. Setting fire to the al Creek Bridge
sounds like a most audacious plan.It was, I must confess, mister
Farquhar. I'm a little confused.How so you strike me as a competent
(24:41):
and determined gentleman. I imagine whateveryou want out of life, you get
it. That's fair to Saytan,What of it? Simply that I'm surprised
your endeavor came to nothing? Andwhat makes you imagine that your presenticament the
absence of your co conspirators, thosemarks upon your neck, And if someone
(25:07):
had set the Owl Creek Bridge alight, I'm sure I would have noticed it
in some way. Let me checkwhere there's smoke there's fire, and nope,
no smoke. You're a very thoroughfellow. For a moment, I
thought you might know more of mysituation than you let on from the way
(25:27):
you talk. Do I take itto someone in your party betrayed you,
not in my party. But yourecall the corporal who appeared at my plantation.
Of course he was a federal scout. Then you were deliberately entrapped.
(25:48):
It seems they wanted to weed outthe civilians who might cause them some trouble.
If I'd only stayed out a littlelonger that night, I'd probably have
seen that same rider repass my plantation, going northward in the direction from which
he'd come from the Owl Creek Bridgeprecisely. And when you and your co
conspirators patriots made your assault on thebridge, the military were waiting for you.
(26:17):
They made me what as they hangedmy friends for an act of treachery.
The sergeant who put them to deathwas the sane man who lured us
there. M M, Is thereno honor and conflict? I've never been
accused of having much imagination, butI might have guessed it would be something
like that. I would say,sir, that you have too kindly an
(26:40):
expression for one whose neck is inthe hamp It isn't isn't what? In
the help of course, of course, what I mean, mister Farquhar,
is that you are clearly no vulgarassassin. Fortunately, the Liberal Military Code
makes provision for hanging many kinds ofand gentlemen are not excluded. As they
(27:07):
fastened the noose around my neck,I tried to fix my thoughts on my
family, but there was so manytrivial distractions. The water touched the gold
by the early sun, piece ofdancing driftwood caught in the sluggish current,
the brooding mists under the banks somedistance down the stream, and there was
(27:33):
a sharp pressure around my throat,followed by a sense of suffocation. Agony
shot from my neck downward through everyfiber of my body and limbs, like
streams of pulsating fire, heating meto an intolerable temperature. There was no
more thought, only sensations. Theintellectual part of my nature was effaced.
(28:00):
I had power only to feel,and feeling was torment. I was conscious
of motion, encompassed in a luminouscloud of which I was now merely the
fiery heart without material substance. Iswung through unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like
(28:23):
a mass and pendulum. But you'rehere? What what I said? You're
here? Why is that? Therope it snapped and I fell into the
stream with a terror and suddenness.The light about me shot upward. There
(28:48):
was a loud splash that all wascold and dark. My power of thought
was restored, and I knew instantlywhat had happened. And yours were?
They still bound? They were?Then? Forgive me, But why didn't
you drown? The noose was tightaround my neck. It kept the water
(29:12):
from my lungs and kept you frombreathing. When you get into a predicament,
sir, you don't do it byhalf measures. I suppose not to
die of hanging at the bottom ofa river. Even at that moment it
seemed ludicrous to me. I openedmy eyes in the darkness, I saw
(29:33):
above me a gleam of light,distant, inaccessible. I was still sinking,
and the light became fainter and fainter, until it was a mere glimmer.
Then it began to grow in brighten, and I knew I was rising
toward the surface. Knew it withreluctance, for I was very comfortable.
(29:56):
Comfortable. Oh yes, it wasa question of preference at that point.
You see, to be hanged anddrowned, that didn't seem so bad.
But to be shot, no,I refused to be shot. It didn't
seem fair. I'd say, youhave quite a singular set of values.
(30:18):
Do they offend you? Not atall? Not at all. It makes
for a more entertaining story, andyours is the most fascinating I've heard in
many a year on the road.Please continue. You're under the water,
slowly rising to the surface. Yourhands are tied. A sharp pain in
my wrists surprised me of the factthat I was trying to free my hands.
(30:44):
I gave the struggle my attention,as an idler might observe the feet
of a juggler, without interest inthe outcome. Eventually, the cord fell
away, my arms parted and floatedupward, but I could only dimly make
out my hands and the girl inlight. I watched with a new interest
as first one and then the otherpounced upon the noose at my neck.
(31:07):
They tore it away and thrust itfiercely aside. Its undulations resembled those of
a water snake, and my firstthought was to put it back, to
put it back. The undoing ofthe news had been succeeded by the direst
pang that I'd yet experienced. Myneck ached horribly, my brain was on
fire. My heart gave a greatleap, and I felt as though it
(31:30):
was trying to force itself out ofmy mouth. My whole body was racked
and wrenched with an insupportable anguish,and I imagine the desire to rise to
the surface was even greater, nomatter what you might find waiting for you
there. I wanted to stop myself, had to stop myself, but my
(31:51):
disobedient hands gave no heed to mycommand. They beat the water vigorously,
with quick downward strokes, forcing meto the surface. I felt my head
emerge. My eyes were blinded bythe sunlight. My chest expanded convulsively,
and with the supreme and crowning agony, my lungs engulfed a great draft of
(32:15):
air. So now you were infull possession of your physical senses. If
anything, they were more keen andalert than before. I felt the ripples
on my face, heard their separatesounds as they struck I looked at the
forest on the bank of the stream, saw the individual trees, the leaves
and the veining of each leaf.Saw the very insects upon them, the
(32:38):
locusts, the brilliant bodied flies,the spiders stretching their webs from twig to
twig, The prismatic colors in allthe dewdrops on a million blades of grass,
The humming of the gnats that dancedabove the eddies of the stream,
the beaten of the dragonflies wings.They all made audible music remarkable. If
(33:05):
you'll forgive my saying, so youmissed your life's calling. You have quite
a turn for descriptive language. I'msurprised you had the time to note your
surroundings in such detail. It mayonly have been a few seconds. I'm
not really sure. I seem tohave lost the ability to judge the passage
of time accurately, or perhaps you'vegained a greater appreciation of time. There's
(33:30):
a whole world in every second.You have a singular turn of phrase yourself,
mister, I'll get it in aminute, no doubt. Did you
acquire this philosophical outlook during your travels? Hard to say, see it often
(33:51):
seems like I've been traveling my wholelife. But enough about me. I
long to hear your story. You'vepainted a beautiful background for me, but
it strikes me there are more pressingissues in this particular picture. For example,
your executioners my would be executioners.That goes without saying, surely very
(34:14):
well. I saw them silhouetted againstthe blue sky. They shouted, they
gesticulated. Their movements were grotesque andhorrible, their forms gigantic. Suddenly I
heard a sharp report, and somethingstruck the water smartly, within a few
(34:35):
inches of my head. Spatter andmy face was spray. One of the
officers had his rifle at his shoulder. There was a light cloud of blue
smoke rising from the muzzle. Iwas surprised he missed. I read somewhere
that marksmen with gray eyes are thekeenest shots. This fellow was the exception
to the rule. It seems themarksmen had gray eyes. How could you
(35:00):
see that? I'm sorry. Hewas on the Owl Creek bridge. You
were in the water, and youmust have drifted some distance. So how
did you know the marksman had grayeyes? I don't know how I know.
I just I must have noticed iton the bridge just before your execution,
(35:25):
my intended execution, as you say, doubtless, the detail was burned
into my mind, dougtless, Itold you how much more alive my senses
had become at that moment. Alive. Yes, indeed, that you did
that you did? At that momentA counter swirl turned me half round.
(35:47):
I was looking into the forest onthe bank opposite the fort. A clear,
high voice rang out and came acrossthe water with a distinctness that pierced
and subdued all other sounds, eventhe beating of the ripples. The voice,
what did it say? It said? Company? Ready? Hey,
(36:10):
how did you do that? Run? Are they still behind us? No?
(36:38):
No, I don't think so.All right, that's enough for now,
No more running for my life.You know what? Wait? I
need to get my bearings. Ihave to know how close I am to
my destination, closer than you think. I'm sure. Hey, does anything
(37:04):
look familiar mister park wat Ah?Yes, this way, I think,
Yes, this way? Can yousee your home? Not yet? But
it's not far now. I intendto be back in my wife's arms by
(37:25):
close the day you gave her yourword that I did and that's important to
you. It's a matter of honor. An honor, mister, Ah,
honor means as much as love toa man of the South. A very
moving sentiment. Now where were we? Where were we with one? Your
(37:50):
story? My story? Yes,you were just reaching a most exciting point
when we were interrupted. I longto know what happened next. Are you
why insane? Sir? I don'tbelieve so. But I thought the same
of you when I first met you, So I suppose it's a fair question.
I am in full position of allmy faculties, mister, mister,
(38:15):
everything except the memory. Eh.Don't try my patience, sir, I
wouldn't dream of it. You askedme an important question, and I'm doing
my best to answer it. Butyou'll appreciate it's difficult to judge these things
when one spends so much time alone. If I had a constant companion,
(38:38):
someone to tell me if and whenI appeared to be losing my senses,
that might be helpful. But that'snot what fate has in store for me.
And as I say, I tryto avoid talking to myself because that
seems to me the fastest route tomadness. But mad or sane? I
(38:59):
know a good tail when I hearit, and yours is the most entertaining
I have heard in all my years. Yes, sir, I shall cherish
the memory of your experiences when Ihave long since ceased my wanderings. Please
go on. You'd escaped the nooseby a most improbable stroke of good fortune,
(39:19):
and then you found yourself in thestream and under fire. What was
that like? Surely you can imaginethat for yourself. We were just under
fire a few minutes ago, butnot in the water. Well does it
matter? Does to me? It'sthe setting that makes the crucial difference.
Please very well. I suppose itmight make the journey shorter, at least
(39:44):
not mine. I dived to avoidthe shots, dived as deeply as I
could. Water roared in my earslike the voice of Niagara. Yet still
I heard the dull thunder of thevolley, those heightened senses of yours.
I rose again towards the surface,and was met again by more shining Yankee
(40:06):
legs. One shot, nick mycheek, you see it, I see
it well. The next time Idove, I was a long time underwater,
and I made damn certain. Iswam farther downstream and nearer to safety.
Just as well, since the soldiershad almost finished reloading, the two
sentinels positioned at either end of thebridge fired again, independently, ineffectually.
(40:30):
I saw this over my shoulder.I was now swimming vigorously with the current.
My brain was as energetic as myarms and legs, I thought,
with the rapidity of lightning. Ourreasoned. You see that the captain had
probably already given the command to fireat will, and you surely couldn't dodge
(40:50):
all the shots. You're not invulnerable, no man is. Then an appalling
splash just two yards away was followedby a loud, rushing sound which seemed
to travel back through the air tothe nearby fort, and died in an
explosion which stirred the very river toits deeps. A rising sheet of water
(41:12):
curved over me, fell down uponme, blinded me, strangled me.
The cannon had taken a hand inthe game. Did I tell you about
the cannon? You must have doneit? Hmm. Well, anyways,
as I shook my head free fromthe commotion of the smitten water, I
heard the deflected shot humming through theair ahead, and in an instant I
(41:38):
was cracking and smashing the branches andthe forest beyond. I was certain they
wouldn't be so far from their targetnext time, And it was a good
gun. The report lagged behind themissile, but surely the smoke would have
uprised you of another shot. Solong as you kept your eye on the
gun, you had a certain advantage. Am I correct? You are?
(41:59):
The problem was how to reach theshore without turning my back on the cannon.
You have my complete attention, sir. How did you manage it?
I don't know, I'm not sure. I felt myself whirled round and round,
spinning like a top. The water, the banks, the forests,
(42:22):
the distant bridge, fort and soldiers. They were all somehow commingled, blurred.
I could no longer make out objects, only colors, circular horizontal streaks
of color. That was all Isaw. I was caught in a vortex.
I felt giddy and sick. Fascinating, incredible. What is that damned
(42:46):
hammering? I don't hear anything unlessit's the ticking of your watch. You
can hear my watch, You're luckyit still works after such an immersion.
(43:07):
It is my watch. But whyshould I think? Perhaps you're the sort
of man who values the seconds asmuch as the minutes and the hours.
And there's a whole world in asecond, so I've been told. So
(43:30):
how did you fight your way outof this vortex? I really have no
idea. The next thing I knew, I was on the road with you
at my side, heading for home, as I promised. Surely not.
I mean you obviously avoided the cannonand struggled to the bank, obviously,
(43:51):
but I have no memory of it, and of our meeting. I recall
only what you told me about it. Most curious, Stop, what is
it? This is it? We'rehere, this is the path to my
home. Excellent? Well, Isuppose this is where we part company,
(44:15):
mister Farquhar. May I say it'sbeen a rare pleasure you are You wouldn't
care to call in. I'm surethe servants could prepare you a meal.
That won't be necessary, my friend, I have many miles still to travel,
(44:36):
but your journey is almost at anend. Yes, well, goodbye,
mister. I'm sorry. I thoughtI could recall your name, but
it just escapes me. Call meAmbrose. I wish you well, Ambrose,
(44:57):
and you mister Peyton Farquhar, andyou home almost home. How long?
(45:22):
How long since that damn impostor wrotedown this road? How long since
I was drawn to the Isle Creekbranch? I would say, sir,
that you have too kindly an expressionfor one who's next is in the hand,
isn't in the hem? Of course, of course, I promised I'd
(45:42):
returned Elizabeth's office perfect. They couldn'tkeep me from before your execution, my
intended execution. Not even a noosearound my neck could stop me from coming
back to you, to the family. I've told you how much more my
senses have becoming that a lie alie, Yes, Joselah, don't tease
(46:08):
your sister, Elizabeth. I yourbest behavior when your father it does.
Elizabeth, Elizabeth, you're not agood brother, you know. Man.
He is Elizabeth Wholizabeth a sword comeback to you, I promised, Pete
(46:29):
Elizabethlizabeth. Hey, oh Pete,my Lobeth. Let me hold you,
Let me take you in my ar. There's an old world every he's dead,
(47:02):
Captain, good work. That's thelast execution for today. Get him
down, you know, Levine.For a moment there, I thought that
rope wasn't gonna hold. That's strongenough, And it did its job.
Do you ever wonder what goes oninside a man's head in those last seconds
(47:29):
before death? Like I said before, Clemens, I don't give a damn,
and neither said you. An occurrenceat Owl Creek Bridge in two forms,
(47:59):
as it was dream and as itwas lived and died. This is
the stuff of fantasy, the threatof imagination, the ingredients of the Twilight
Zone. An Occurrence at Owl CreekBridge, starring Christian Stolty with Stacy Keach
(48:32):
as your narrator, was adapted forradio by M. J. Elliott and
based on the short story by AmbroseBierce. Heard in the cast were Rob
Riley, Danny Goldring, William Dick, Susan Hart, Gonzo Schexnader, and
John Hoganacer, the producers of TheTwilight Zone, which to thanks CBS Enterprises
and the Rod Serling Estate for makingthis series possible. This copyrighted radio series
(48:54):
is produced by Carl la Mauri anddirected by Joebi Cerney for Falcon Picture Group
Sound Design custom Fold. The effects, recording and editing are done in the
Serni American Sound to Picture Theater bysound designers Craig Lee, Todd Byer and
Tim Sarney. To learn more aboutthe twilight Zone Radio dramas and to contact
this visit our official website at twilightZone radio dot com. Doug James speaking
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