Tower 4 - S1E9: Last Night

Episode Date: April 29, 2021

Mike feels he needs to help, but has no idea how. And after much deliberating and more confusing talk, he eventually decides to give up and head back to the tower. He's done with all the craziness and ready to quit. He deems tonight his last night. But will he be able to leave?"Anxiety" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, everyone. If you're enjoying the podcast, don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Seven Lamb Podcasts. Seven Lamb Productions presents Tower 4. Season one. Episode 9. Last night. I stood outside the cave looking at my broken radio. Pieces of it laying over leaves and rocks. I was sure Amber would be worried, but would she still be looking for me? Would she be contacting Jean?

I looked up into the branches above me. I couldn't see the thrush but that's what it sounded like I spun around to see Jerry standing a few yards away holding a torn map Could I trust him? Amber said he was crazy She took over Tower for I never saw nor heard anything What's that? scribbled notes blocked out half the map i looked here here and here

but nothing he shook his head and you're sure it's here in the woods yes but how can you be it's here i was having such a hard time wrapping my head around all this but back at the tower there were papers and notes with crazy ramblings taken straight out of the journal. I couldn't ignore the whispers and music and dead bear. If this guy standing before me was crazy, so was I. What happens if I don't return to the tower? They'll definitely know something's up. Help me find this.

How long have you been searching? He just shrugged. I have to find it. I understand, man. I mean, kind of, but what I don't understand is what happens when we find this bunker. Do you have a plan? He looked to the ground and kicked a rock like a child in trouble avoiding eye contact. What are you going to do?

That's when he reached into his back pocket and pulled out an old bent Polaroid picture. He held it out to me. I took it. Who's this? The photos showed Jerry with a red-headed woman with large doe eyes and sporadic freckles. They both looked happy. I have to. I have to find her.

Who is she? His lips quivered as he closed his eyes. I don't... I don't remember. Jesus Christ. I have to find her. He hurt people. They hurt you?

Yes. They hurt her? They will. What about Amber? I can talk to her, tell her not to tell Jean. No. Listen. No!

He snatched the photo back and this time shoved it into his... hoodie's pocket. I can't just disappear. They'll come looking for us like they did the father and son that went missing. They didn't. They didn't what? They were taken. Who? The father and son? Yes. What the hell are you talking about? I saw them. They went into the woods before they made it here. They took them. Buddy, you got to help me out. Who took the father and son? Gene? No. Amber? No. Who? the others what others other people the ones dressed up dressed up who the hell is dressed up out here

then i remembered the strange man by enos like the one in the white college shirt and beige pants with headphones in a metal box there are other people out here yes not rangers not hikers he shook his head in this bunker is that where they are once again he shrugged i uh i don't uh That doesn't make any sense. Amber said Jean said they made it out. Why would those dressed up people take them? For me. What?

They look for me. And the thing. God damn it. How did you know the dressed up men didn't help escort them out of the woods? They were lost. They weren't. How do you know? I saw.

No, no. That's insane. The backpacks, the tent. They took it. They took it all? Yes. Where? Here.

Jerry held up the map. The bunker, how do you know? But once again, he struggled for an answer. They had to. If, if that's the case, what makes you want to find this place? For the girl? Call the police. They'll help.

I mean, come on. What is this being taken by fucking who? G-man? And for what? You don't even know. You don't remember shit, at least nothing of importance. And honestly, I don't belong here. For fuck's sake, you bash me on the head and drag me to some fucking cave

and I'm supposed to help you? Really? I'm sorry, buddy. I won't rat you out, but I can't help you. Please. I didn't sign up for any of this bullshit. God. At least I can rest of the shirt I'm not going crazy.

They'll hurt you. They won't be able to because I'm leaving. I was a little nervous to see how he would take the news, but he didn't move. He looked at me with saddened eyes and then lowered his head. Sorry. I looked back at him, but all he was doing was staring at the picture again. I could see a tear slide down his cheek.

Which ways the trail? He slowly raised his good arm and pointed north. Thanks. Wait. What? Jerry went into the cave and some 30 seconds later reappeared. This time with a bottle in hand. Vodka?

Yours. Thanks, man. I took it and threw it in my bag. Good luck. I wasn't sure if he pointed me in the right direction, but I had my map and compass and they helped guide me the rest of the way. It took about 30 minutes, but I finally reached Wind Walk. I could see the supply cache.

I looked up and down the path and momentarily thought about heading to Amber's Tower and telling her everything. But why? Would she even believe me? No. she wouldn't she wouldn't I had a lot of time to think on my walk back to Tower 4. I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare, but instead of floating above the city of flickering lights,

I was thrust into the woods, isolated, but not alone. The young reference I'd so callously thrown at Amber was in fact eating away at me. The coincidences, the mysteries surrounding me had to be of importance. But I never really thought about a true link until Amber brought it up, but now, Who knows? The fact that Jerry was out here searching for some woman for some underground bunker

that he knew nothing about or maybe willfully forgot. The fact that I had spent the last two months digging into his journal looking for something, anything, and here he was,

in person, unable to explain. The eye carvings, the man by Inos Lake, the father and son, these things were linked in some way. But did I care?

I was leaving. I had to live. leave. I felt bad walking away from Jerry as he cried over a picture, some lost loved one, but how could I help? I made a promise not to tell anyone, but maybe when I left this fucked-up section of the woods, I'd break that promise. It was night by the time I got back to the tower, but luckily I heard nothing creepy. I was always at the ready with my bow, regardless of what Jerry said. made me feel safe. Well, safer.

I stared at my table, the abundance of papers. I'd spent so much time looking through the journal trying to make sense of it. Yet now I didn't care, or was I forcing myself not to care? I had drawn a map, marking the areas I'd seen the eye carving. A map, just like Jerry. Fuck, if I stay in these woods any longer, I'd become Jerry. No, thank you. I went over to the spare radio.

It was time to call Amber. Amber. You copy? Amber. You there? Great. Amber, come on. Answer. You there? Amber. Where could she be?

Amber, come on I need you to call Jean I need you to tell him I'm done I'm packing my stuff tomorrow I can't do this anymore I'm quitting I'm done Hold on hold on

You're taking her back I thought you said you were done I am done Doesn't sound like it Well I am Tina I'm done If you were done you wouldn't be talking to her That's all it is

talk. I'm not taking her back. We've seen this before. It starts at us talk, then progresses to meeting up, then she sucks you back in. Ricky's right. She's a certified succubis. You meet up with her one time and her tentacles come out and

she's got you. What's with the tentacles? It's how she latches on. Is that common knowledge when it comes to succubis form? Is there a standard form? She says Nate misses me. Of course she says that. That's how she sucks you in.

I thought that was the tentacles job. Guilt is pre-tenacles. She has to get him close to her first. You don't think he does? Does what? You don't think Nate misses me? Of course he does, Mike. But that can't matter now.

It's true. She's done this before. She uses her kid to get to you. It's sick. Really. I was like a dad to him. But no offense. You're not his dad.

Thanks. I mean that you have no say in how he's. he's raised. You can't help him. But she needs help. That's up to her. You've given her plenty of chances and things haven't changed. We know it's hard. We know you want her to get help. We know you care for her son. We know you're a kind person that likes to help people. But in this case, you've done all you could. It's time to walk away. You have to walk away. Tina speaks the truth. Now. Let's get some more drinks.

That's what I needed. A drink. Okay, Amber, see how good this vodka really is. the counter and leaned against the window, staring out at the night sky. Not a cloud in sight. Nothing but stars and galaxies and nothingness. What the fuck? What fuck was wrong with me? I was halfway done with my half. you up there ma finally find out of heaven's real is dad up there because if he is tell him he's a prick i hope you're scolding him my eyes drifted toward the tree tops far off i could see some trees shaking i smirked hey hey there we go how about that

for excitement. What are we going to hear now? Chopin, Mozart, maybe some fucking bach? I stared at the radio, but nothing happened. No strange noises. Oh, come on. Where is it? I look back outside to see the trees still shaking under the moonlight, but the movement was even farther now,

moving towards the far ridge. Oh, no, not this time. Come on! I quickly grabbed the bow and arrows and went outside. The night air was cool, but my body was still warm. I walked with the railing loaded and arrow and aimed high. I just barely make out the shaking trees in the moonlight. Fuck...

You. I fired and watched the arrows soar high. arc and then disappear into the woods. I wasn't even close to the movement. It was miles away, but still, why not anything over the radio? Is it too far? I loaded another arrow and aimed. But the trees were steady now.

I lowered the bow. I actually wouldn't have minded tonight. Once again, the forest was still, quiet, save for a few cicadas and a distant owl. I went back inside and sat on the counter again. I closed my eyes. I didn't even feel myself drift off, but I had. I was sitting on my childhood bed overlooking my neighborhood. Dad was already halfway up the highway ramp, streetlights flickered. But this time I saw a mom outside.

I never noticed her before. But there she was, standing in the middle of the street, crying. Then I was in the clouds. Fuck! Oh, shit. What do you want? Mike, you there? Please, answer.

Please. What? Oh, shit. Amber? Jesus Christ, there you are. What the hell? Where have you been? You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Well, you're in your tower. How do you know that? I see the light. I spun around and went to the window. I pressed my face against the glass and cupped my eyes. Her light was on, too. Oh, yeah. Good to ducing. And you're drunk.

But how? Besides the fact you sound the way you do? I know you took the vodka, which was a dick move, by the way. Why? It was mine. You're present, remember? Yes, Mike. I remember. I also remember that we were supposed to meet up at the cash on Wind Walk. So what? You just take the fucking vodka and did you? me i went there for you no no no it wasn't like that so it wasn't you ditching me on our blind date

there was a date i was joking oh well i uh i was there no shit the cash was unlocked the vodka gone do you look for me what kind of a question is that of course i did even went down shoshone and and what like you weren't there no i know i'm Sorry about that. So where were you? I, uh, I can't. I don't. Jesus.

How drunk are you? I can't say. How drunk you are? Where I was. Why? Because I, I don't really know. If this was your way of getting back at me. It wasn't.

I swear. I wanted to meet up. Really. Then why can't you tell me what happened? I apologized. I thought we were good. It isn't like that. Something happened and I got lost.

You got lost? Where? I don't know where. That's what lost means, right? I mean, off of Wind Walk? Because you made it to the cash. Yeah, well, it was after that. I felt dizzy and just wanted to sleep.

But I knew she wasn't going to drop this. And I couldn't blame her. I shouldn't have answered. Should have waited till morning. What does that mean, Mike? You opened the cash. took the vodka, then went into the woods and got lost? Actually, yeah, I couldn't tell her about Jerry.

I promised him, right? I couldn't tell anyone about that. At least not yet, not until I was out of these fucking woods. I went down, Shoshone. To the cash? I thought you might be there. Oh, did you open it? No, because I didn't have a combo, and you weren't answering my damn calls.

I'm sorry about that, but yeah. My radio broke. What? No, seriously, my radio broke. It's shattered. That's why I came back to the tower. I'm using a spare. You just got back.

Not long ago. I tried calling you, but you didn't answer. I didn't get the calls. Are you telling the truth, Mike? Yes, but... But here's some more truth. Tomorrow, when you wake up, tell Gene I quit.

What? I'm quitting. Why? Because I'm tired of this. I told you that. I thought it was a phase. I thought things were going to get better. Why didn't we meet up?

Were you scared to meet me? No, Amher, that's not it at all. Things happen. Things happen out here that I don't want to deal with anymore. You're drunk. That may be so, but I also know what's what. and I had a long time to think about it on my way back. Did you hear music again, whispers over the radio?

I don't need to. I've been through enough. Sorry to hear that. I have a question. Did you... Did you really feel bad not helping out with the oil spill? The oil spill? The Gulf spill? Yeah. Yeah? I wasn't lying about that.

Why? Why? Did I feel bad? Yeah. You don't live on the Gulf. You're not from there. So, I wanted to help. Right, right, help, but you said you felt bad. I think you need to rest, Mike. My whole life. My whole life, I felt bad. My mom used to say that I had a good heart, and maybe she was right, but she was super religious, and I don't know.

I just, I didn't always believe her, you know? I never wanted there to be that guilt that hangs over most people. I never felt guilty for not helping. Right, but do you know why? Because I didn't cause the oil spill? Sure, yeah, yeah, that makes sense. I knew I needed to stop, but I couldn't. What I'm saying is I have constantly cared for others,

and I'm not trying to build myself up as the saint. I've done fucked up things too, but it's hard for me to watch people hurt, suffer. When I did, Mel, I couldn't leave. Mel? Mel. Melinda. The psycho with the kid? The one you're basing your book on? Yeah.

We talked about this. Love is tricky. I couldn't leave my mom either. That's completely different, Mike. I have a hard time walking away. This job, this place was supposed to finally, after so many fucked up years, give me the solitude and peace that I needed. The piece I wanted and needed to finally start working on myself. I'm almost 40 and I have nothing figured out.

You don't have to. But all this place did in a short couple months was drive me away from my piece. and my work and now now I'm torn torn over what leaving no no no I want to leave I just don't know if I should and why do you say that

because someone else wants my help now you're starting to creep me out they need my help I hope you're not talking about me Mike no no no no no no no no okay it's hard hard Amber. It's hard for me to walk away. I still remember the bird. What bird? The bird mom let me

keep until it was old enough to fly. She told me I couldn't keep it, but that we would have to bring it to some sanctuary, but that never, it never materialized. She let me keep it. A few months later, it took to the sky and disappeared into the clouds. So you rescued a bird? Not long. after dad took off. Maybe that's why she let me keep it. I don't know. Mike. Mikey?

Why don't you get some rest? We can talk more in the morning, okay? Promise me you'll call Jean in the morning. You don't want to sleep on it? No. No, I'm sure. This is my last night here, Amber. I have to be done.

I am done. I'm done. I'm done. I don't know. You know, You know, and I awoke to the radio once again at a throbbing headache and didn't want to move.

I felt sick. Stop. Just stop. I looked at the time. 4 a.m., precisely. Why? Fuck. Stop. I heard the radio turn off and my eyes shot open. I sat up staring straight ahead.

Someone was in here, but my eyes wouldn't adjust fast enough. Hello? Hello, who's there? I quickly rubbed my eyes and surveyed the room. The moon provided some light, but not enough. I didn't move. Instead, waiting, I slowly saw. scanned the entire room and that's when I saw.

A figure in the corner by my desk. Who's there? Shit. Stop! But the figure took another step closer to me. Was it Amber? Jerry? Gene? A hiker? Fuck it.

I shuffled out of bed but saw the figure get closer. Its hand raised. Oh shit. I was shot. Right in the shoulder. I felt back on the bed in a daze. I reached up and felt my shoulder. A metal tube stuck out of it. A dart? What the fuck?

I yanked it out. I took a deep breath and sat up to see the figure standing no more than five feet away. The person reached down into their pocket and pulled out another... DART? Oh shit. Now was my chance. I used all my strength to push up and charge. I pushed the man to the floor and couldn't get a good look, but he wore all black.

He kicked me off. I fell back by the door. The man jumped on top of him grabbing a hold of my throat. My vision became blurry and I struggled to breathe, but I had to get out. I clawed at his eyes. Then I need him in the side and rolled. The man punched and kicked until I fell off him. I scrambled for the door, but he charged and we crashed through.

We fell onto the outside walkway right by the stairs, my head hanging over the top step. He had me pinned again. For some reason, I was feeling weaker and weaker by the second. My left arm numb. My vision was still blurry and getting worse. It was dizzy, faint. Fuck. He reached for my neck, but before he could, I leaned back and grabbed a hold of his collar.

We rolled backwards and down the stairs. We hit the first corner of the stairs with a thud. We wrestled more until we rolled down the next section. I hit the next corner. He jumped, kneeing me in the face. I could feel blood poured down my eye and cheek. I could barely see anything now. He kicked me again, again.

I quickly reached out and grabbed his other leg and pulled. We rolled down more steps, continuing our descent, until at the last moment I bounced off the railing. I flipped back and landed right on gravel. I was laying on my back, looking up, barely able to make out the dark tree branches swaying above me. My whole body ached. I felt sick. I wanted to throw up.

The world slowly started spinning. I had trouble moving. I was so weak. I heard footsteps beside me. The man was coming at me again, but I couldn't move. Wait. Wait, stop. Soon a figure was beside me, staring down, then another, and another.

Were there multiple people, or was I seeing things, hearing things? I couldn't tell. Everything slowly got darker. I could just barely make out four figures standing over me, all dressed in black. And then one of them lifted their leg and kicked knocking me square in the jaw. I don't know. My eyes. My eyelids fluttered a bit. I could feel myself drooling.

What was that sound? I tried to force my eyes open, squinting at best. I could just make out the morning light. I was in the woods, a person under each arm holding me up. I was staring down at leaves and dirt, my legs hanging limply behind me. What the hell was going on? I lifted my head just enough to see another man in front of me, dressed in all black. standing by a large rock what was he doing that's when I noticed the lake behind him

was this Enos lake it had to be right the man stepped to the side of a tall tree that's when the rock in front of him started to move it slid the side slowly was I dreaming felt tired this had to be real it had to be the rock finished moving revealing a large hole in the ground Classical music? As we got closer, I saw that in a large hole is a descending staircase. Lickering lights on either side showed just how far down the stairs descended. A bunker. Holy shit.

I tried to keep my head up, but couldn't. I was still so tired, but that meant I wasn't dreaming. This was real. The music The music was getting louder as we descended The stairs didn't seem to end The music mixing with the rhythmic thuds of our feet Put me into a trance

It was soothing I closed my eyes and just listened This This was peaceful The irony wasn't lost on me I was just so tired that I didn't care So I let these strange people carry me toward the music and I quickly drifted off and I dreamt of clouds, only clouds.

But this time I wasn't floating. I was flying and it was nice. Tower 4. Written and edited by Robert M. Lamb. Story by Robert M. Lamb and Dylan Whitehead. Starring, Jack Austin as Mike, Gina Coyle as Amber, Brian Messick as Gene, co-starring, Brandon Levine, Allie Holcomb, and Justin Alderson. Music provided by Kevin McLeod of Incompetect.com and Brett Wilkins at Facebook.com slash Wilkins MusicFL. If you enjoy Tower 4, visit 7LAM.com for more audio dramas such as this.

Also, don't forget to follow 7LAM on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at Seven LAMP Podcasts.