1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,520 And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. 2 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:21,400 Tonight, Suspense brings you a repeat performance of one of the most controversial plays ever 3 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:27,680 presented over your radio. It is called Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury. After the initial performance, 4 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,440 a great number of letters were received. Some comments were highly complimentary, 5 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:35,760 and an almost equal number were not. However, because so many of you did write, 6 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:40,960 asking to hear this provocative work of fiction again, we present it. And hope that those of you 7 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:46,600 who have not heard it before will write us your opinion. So now, starring Miss Eaza Ashdown, 8 00:00:46,600 --> 00:01:15,400 here is tonight's Suspense play, Zero Hour. What a game. Such excitement they hadn't known in years. 9 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:21,640 Mink talked earnestly to someone near the rose bush, though no one was there. Then the two little 10 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:30,560 girls, shouting, laughing at each other, such fun, such tremulous joy. Mink ran into the house all 11 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:38,440 dirt and sweat. For her few years, she was loud and strong and definite. And her mother, Mrs. Morris, 12 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,680 peeling vegetables at the sink, watched with amusement as her daughter threw into a sack old 13 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:49,640 pots and tools and things which were relegated to child play. Oh my goodness, Mink, what's going on? 14 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:55,000 Oh, the most exciting game ever, just ever. Oh? It's all right, I take these things, Mom. 15 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:59,520 Well, just don't dent them and it's all right. Thanks, Mom, we won't. Bye. All right, dear. Oh, 16 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:04,840 what's the name of the game, dear? Invasion. Invasion? 17 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:16,040 Invasion. And in the garden now, a serious concentration. Mink with an assortment of 18 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:23,560 pots, pans and wrenches, forks, spoons, and her friend Anna, a little younger, tongue in teeth, 19 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:32,560 taking notes on a pad. This, this, and this. What's it say next? Wait a minute, Mink. Well, 20 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:46,960 hurry up. Four, nine, seven, A and B and X. Four, nine, seven, A and B and X. A fork and a string 21 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:56,360 and a hex, hex, hexagonal. A fork and a string and a hexagonal. What do we do next, Mr. Drill? 22 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:02,440 And then Mink talking to the rose bush again, and to her own satisfaction at least, receiving some 23 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:07,640 kind of answer which she relayed to Anna. Triangle. How do you spell it? Oh, any old way, 24 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:15,320 doesn't matter. Now write beam. I haven't got triangle yet. Well, hurry. Zero hours by five 25 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:27,600 o'clock. We haven't got all day. Then time out from Invasion for lunch. Mink bolted down the soup and 26 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:34,200 coincidentally crammed a sandwich into her mouth. Now you slow down, Mink. Whatever's waiting will 27 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:39,600 wait a few minutes longer. But I can't. Drill's waiting for me. Drill? That's a peculiar name. 28 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:44,160 Is he a new boy in the neighborhood, dear? He's new, all right. Well, I don't think I've ever seen 29 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:51,880 him. Which one is Drill? Oh, he's just around. You make fun. Everybody makes fun. All the kids do. 30 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:59,720 Well, I don't think that's very nice. Is Drill shy? Yes, in a way. I don't know. I gotta go now, 31 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:05,080 Mama, if we're gonna have the invasion. Now you finish your milk, Miss. Who's invading what? 32 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:14,280 Martians invading Earth from up there. Oh, I see. And Drill's a Martian? I think so. He's had a very 33 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:19,520 hard time getting here. I should imagine. They couldn't figure out a way to attack Earth. How to 34 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:25,800 get in or something. And Drill says they have to do it by surprise and even get help from your enemy. 35 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:31,440 Oh, a fifth column, huh? Uh-huh. And all this time they haven't been able to figure out how to attack 36 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,200 until one day they thought of children. Well, that was bright of them. And they thought of how 37 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:41,680 grown-ups are so busy they never look under rose bushes or on lawns. Oh, that's where Drill is now, 38 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:47,120 under the rose bush? Uh-huh. With all his friends, too. And there's something about kids under 11 39 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:53,320 with imagination. It's real funny to hear Drill talk. Well, it must be. You better run along out 40 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:58,640 if you want to have your invasion before dark. Oh, and bath tonight. School tomorrow, you know. 41 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:03,960 Drill says I won't have to take any more baths. Oh, he does, does he? And we can stay up till 42 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:09,360 10 o'clock. Well, your friend Mr. Drill had better mind his P's and Q's or I'm gonna call up his 43 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,760 mother. That's just it. Drill says you're dangerous because you don't believe in Martians. Just like 44 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:18,920 you think Drill's a kid. Well, he's not. And they're gonna let us run the world when they get in. All 45 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:29,760 of us kids. And I might even be queen. Well, that's nice, dear. Now run along. Mom? What is it, dear? 46 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:37,280 Mom, when the invasion comes, we'll have to get rid of you and Daddy. But I'll be sure it won't hurt 47 00:05:37,280 --> 00:06:00,000 very much. Well, thanks. Thanks a lot. Hello? Hello, Mary. How are things in New York? Oh, Helen, 48 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:05,520 how nice. Are you in town? Oh, no, I'm in Danbury. I was just thinking of you thought I'd call. Oh, 49 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:10,880 it's long distance though. You shouldn't. Oh, I can afford three minutes. How's Henry? Fine. 50 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:18,120 And Bill? Oh, just fine. What about Minx? Oh, wonderful. Noisier than ever. Oh, she's got a new 51 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:24,640 game now. It's taken the place of hopscotch. Invasion. Is she playing that too? Well, yes. 52 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:30,960 Are yours? Same thing. Some kind of geometric jacks, I suppose. Isn't it a scream? You know, 53 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,640 all the kids their age are playing it up here. Timmy's got a crush on some guy named Drill. I 54 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:41,680 think that's what it is. Oh, it must be a new password. Minx likes him too. I didn't know it 55 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:46,920 got to New York. Word of mouth, I suppose. You know, kids. Funny thing, I got a letter from my 56 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:52,600 sister in Boston. She says her kids are playing it too. It's just sweeping the country. Well, 57 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:59,480 I wonder where they learned it. Don't ask me. All I know is what Timmy told me at lunch. Zero 58 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:06,080 hours at five o'clock. When? Today. That's when the invasion's gonna be. Oh, these kids and their 59 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:19,680 imagination. And they talked a little more. School girlfriends. Casual woman talk. But Mrs. Morris 60 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:24,920 was thoughtful. She was thinking of other things, of adults, of children with imagination, 61 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:30,680 rose bushes, dimensions. She thought of how much she had forgotten about being a child, 62 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:38,640 and she wondered about Minx and all the kids who are at that moment playing invasion. I will, 63 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:58,080 and to Bill and the kids. Thanks. Bye. Goodbye. An hour drowsed by. It was three o'clock. There was 64 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:04,440 an occasional hum inside the coolness of the house as a car passed outside. The street was lined with 65 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:12,320 good green and peaceful trees and all across the city in other gardens and other places. Children 66 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:19,200 under 11 were excitedly playing a game, talking to rose bushes and grass lawns, trees and shrubs, 67 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:26,720 even children in apartment houses high in the air conferring with potted plants, cactus and ivy. 68 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:35,480 Mrs. Morris finished her housework and went to the kitchen. Oh, hello, dear. Hi, Mom. Can I have a glass of water? 69 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:47,680 Of course, I'll get it. Pi R squared, 27, A over 56 to the seventh degree, XT7. What, dear? Oh, 70 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:56,080 nothing, Mom. Oh, here you are. Thanks. How are things going? Huh? The invasion. Oh, 71 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:02,160 that. Yes, that. Almost finished. When everything's right, Drill said we should be ready on time. 72 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:09,440 Five o'clock? That's right. How'd you know? Helen called me from Danbury. She says that 73 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:16,800 Timmy's playing it too. Hey, that's keen. I guess all the kids are, aren't they? No, not all of them. 74 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:22,640 Not guys like Jimmy Wood and Bob Wilson. They're growing up and they make fun of us. They're worse 75 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:27,760 than parents. They just won't believe in Drill. They're so smart just because they're growing up. 76 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:32,880 You'd think they'd know better. They were little only a couple of years ago. Well, we'll get rid 77 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:38,800 of them first. Drill says it's OK to kill them first. A mink. I don't like that kind of talk. 78 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:43,440 Do you hear me? I don't like it at all. No, I mean it. You keep on that way and there'll be no more 79 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:49,040 playing. You'll have to tell Anna to go home and you'll stay inside until bedtime. I'm sorry. Well, 80 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:58,240 I should think so. Thanks for the water, Mom. Mink. Yes, Ma? What did those numbers mean? 81 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:03,840 What numbers? Those numbers you were saying to yourself before. Oh, that. The other things we 82 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:10,320 have to do to get Drill and his friends out. That's all. Look, dear, why don't you and Anna go down 83 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:14,640 to the drugstore and get some ice cream? You don't even have to use your allowance. I'll pay for it. 84 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:20,640 Haven't got time, Mom. Thanks. Well, I'd never believe I'd hear you say that. I gotta go now, 85 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:32,560 Mom. Oh, wait a minute. Mink, I want you to tell me the truth. What is this invasion silliness? 86 00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:39,600 It isn't silly. It's just a game. That's all. Mom, we're just playing an invasion. 87 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:45,600 Excuse me, I gotta get back now. I'll see you later. 88 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:56,800 It was a game called Invasion. Mrs. Morris's little girl, Mink, was playing it. So was Mink's 89 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:03,280 friend Anna and all the other children under 11. It was called Invasion and the zero hour was to be 90 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:09,600 at five o'clock. Mrs. Morris was disturbed. She wasn't sure why, but there was something, 91 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,320 something about parents shutting ears and eyes to what was happening. 92 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,040 And because she was disturbed, she did something she didn't usually do. 93 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:25,440 She called her husband at the office. Hello, dear. Oh, hello, Henry. I'm sorry to bother you, 94 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:30,320 but Miss Maxson said you weren't busy. Oh, not too. I should be able to get home early today. 95 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:41,040 Everything all right? Yes. You all right? I'm fine. Mink? Oh, she's... Henry. What? Oh, nothing. 96 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:48,720 I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. That's all. Listen, are you sure you're all right? Oh, 97 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:54,160 yes. Mink been getting on your nerves? Not really. Well, you tell her to behave or when I come home, 98 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,400 she and I are going to have a talk. As a matter of fact, she's been a little fresh lately and I 99 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:06,880 don't think it's good. Well, she's playing outside. She's fine. Honey, is something wrong? Why, no, I 100 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:12,640 told you I was just thinking about you and wanted to talk. That's all. Nothing wrong with that. Not 101 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:18,080 a thing. You go back to your work, dear. I'll see you soon. All right. What time do you think you'll 102 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:28,640 be home? Oh, about five, maybe a little earlier. Five? Oh. Hey, what? Come on, what? Well, I... 103 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:38,800 I was just thinking. Nothing really. Just Mink and you and me. Goodbye, dear. You are okay, 104 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:56,080 aren't you? Yes, I'm fine. Goodbye. Goodbye. Another hour passed and it was half past four. 105 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:04,240 The day began to wane. The sun lowered in the peaceful blue sky. Shadows lengthened on the green 106 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:12,240 lawn. Outside it was quiet. The two little girls more intent than ever upon their endless movement 107 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:19,280 of design and pattern with the implements before them. Mrs. Morris watched from the window and she 108 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:24,720 had never known Mink to have such powers of concentration. She had turned on the radio and 109 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:35,680 sat drinking a cup of coffee and turned over her thoughts. Children, children, children, 110 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:42,400 love and hate side by side. Sometimes children love you, hate you all in half a second. 111 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:52,320 Strange children. Do they ever forget or forgive the whippings and the harsh, strict words of 112 00:13:52,320 --> 00:14:03,200 command? I wonder, I wonder, how can you forget or forgive those over and above you? Those tall, 113 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:14,960 silly dictators, those parents. Mom! Oh, what is it, dear? Have we got a piece of lead pipe and a 114 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:21,040 hammer? Well, I don't know. They might be in the garage. What do you want them for? We just need 115 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:26,800 them. Well, if you tell me what for, dear, maybe I can... I'll fix them. Thanks, Mom. Is something wrong? 116 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:32,400 The room's stuck halfway. If we get them all the way through, it'd be easier. Then all the others 117 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:39,440 could come through that room. Well, can I help? Thanks, Mom. I can fix it. You better get through, Mink. I want you to take 118 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:46,080 your bath before your father comes home. All right. Now he's coming home early and Mink, Mink! 119 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:52,160 Mink had disappeared behind the shrubs and Mrs. Morris knew it was ridiculous to make an issue of it. 120 00:14:52,160 --> 00:15:04,160 Besides, what was the issue? Invasion? Drill? Zero hour? Unaccountably, a cool breeze came up and although normally for that time of year would have been relief, 121 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:08,160 Mrs. Morris felt a chill. She closed the window. 122 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:17,760 Time passed. A curious waiting silence came upon the street, deepening. Then from the living room, Mrs. Morris heard... 123 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:27,760 Five o'clock. 124 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:35,360 Five o'clock. Zero hour. Zero hour. It had come and now it had gone. But was the clock right? 125 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:41,360 And Mrs. Morris, knowing how foolish it was, knowing it, went to the phone and dialed. 126 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,360 Oh, Sarah. 127 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:58,160 Silly. It's silly. 128 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:04,160 When you hear the tone, the time will be exactly as you expected. 129 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:18,960 When you hear the tone, the time will be exactly four fifty-four and twenty seconds. 130 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:34,960 Four fifty-four and twenty seconds. And Mrs. Morris knew that it wasn't as silly as she had thought because it wasn't five o'clock yet. 131 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:40,960 Not zero hour yet. Then the car drove up into the driveway. 132 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,960 Hi, me. How's it going? Hi, Anna. 133 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,960 Hi, Daddy. Hi, Mr. Morris. 134 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,960 Got a kiss for your old man? Having a time now, Daddy. 135 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:53,960 Well, that's a nice thing. What are you doing? We're playing Invasion. 136 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:55,960 Oh, swell. Your mother in the house? Uh-huh. 137 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,960 Okay, be good. I will. Zero hour in a few minutes, Daddy. 138 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:01,960 All right, I'll be ready. 139 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:13,960 Mrs. Morris heard him chuckle, and he stepped up the walk to the front door. 140 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:19,960 Mary? I'm in the living room, dear. 141 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:25,960 Oh, hi. Our daughter didn't have time for a kiss. How about you? 142 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,960 A hard day? Not particularly. 143 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,960 Would you like a cocktail? You read my mind. 144 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:36,960 Martini? Perfect. 145 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:43,960 Anything exciting happen today? No. Oh, Helen called. 146 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:48,960 From Danbury. I told her she was crazy, but she just felt like calling. 147 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:53,960 Like you calling me this afternoon. Crazy, huh? What was that all about? 148 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,960 Well, I told you. I just wanted to. 149 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:01,960 Hey, incidentally, what's this new game the kids are playing? 150 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,960 Invasion. That's a nice depressing thought. 151 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,960 Is she all right? Come to think of it, she looked kind of funny. 152 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,960 She's all right. What's the time, Henry? 153 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:17,960 Couple of minutes after five. Why? No, no. The clock's wrong. By your watch. 154 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:23,960 Oh, I've got two minutes, too. I'm probably slow. You got something on the stove? 155 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:33,960 No, I just wondered. Honey, hey, look at me. What's the matter? 156 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,960 Nothing, really. No, really. Mink's been up to something. 157 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:43,960 No, of course not. Then what? I guess I'm a little tired, upset. That's all. 158 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,960 You want to go out for dinner? Oh, no, I've got a steak here. 159 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:51,960 I'll tell you what, I'll barbecue it. How'll that be? Oh, fine. What was that? 160 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,960 What? Well, I thought I heard something. 161 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,960 Well, I didn't. I must have been imagining it. 162 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,960 You are jumpy. Why don't you have a drink? It'll do you good. 163 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,960 No, I don't want one. What's the time? Mary, what is this? 164 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:08,960 Now, I mean it. Something's wrong and I want to know. 165 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:14,960 It's silly. It's so silly. I'm on edge. That's all. 166 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,960 Mary. I am. I don't like this. That kid's done something, hasn't she? 167 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,960 I'm going to get her in. No, no, Henry, please don't. She hasn't. 168 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:27,960 It's nothing at all. I just... What's that? 169 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,960 I don't know. Those kids haven't got anything dangerous out there, have they? 170 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:37,960 I noticed a lot of junk lying around. I thought it was a game. 171 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,960 She wouldn't have done it herself. They made her do it. 172 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,960 What the devil? Well, maybe you better go out and tell them to stop playing now. 173 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:50,960 It's after five. You tell Mink to put off the invasion until tomorrow. Tell her. 174 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,960 It is coming from outside. What are they up to? I'd better take a look. 175 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:00,960 Mink! Mink! Good luck! Bonds! Bonds, they're bombing! 176 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:05,960 No, no, it's upstairs. I know it is. In the attic. That's where it is. 177 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:10,960 Mary! Mary, it is not up there! Mary! 178 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,960 He ran after her, confused, not a little frightened. She seemed to know something. 179 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,960 In the attic. That's where it is? Her mind had worked that quickly. 180 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,960 Any excuse to get him away from the outside, to get him upstairs to the attic in time. 181 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:27,960 And outside there were more explosions, and they could hear the children screaming with delight. 182 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,960 It is not in the attic. It's outside. Mink's out there. What's the matter with you? 183 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,960 No, no. I'll show you. Hurry! 184 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:38,960 Get inside, quick! 185 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,960 Now we're safe until tonight. Are you crazy? Why did you throw that key away? 186 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:46,960 Maybe we can sneak out later. Maybe we can escape. 187 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,960 For heaven's sake, the kid's out there. Do you want her to get killed? 188 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:54,960 No, no, you don't. We've got to stay here. We've got to. It's horrible. We've got to. 189 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,960 You've got to stay here with me. At this point, I don't know how the devil I can get out. 190 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,960 Where's that light? Oh, my God. 191 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,960 Where's that light? Oh, be quiet. Please be quiet. 192 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,960 They'll hear us. They'll find us. Henry, please. 193 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,960 Well, who's going to answer the telephone? 194 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,960 There's that noise again. It's in this house. 195 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,960 Mary, what is this? Mary, what's happening? 196 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,960 You know, and I'll answer me. Stop it, Mary. Stop it. 197 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,960 Somebody's downstairs. Who's down there? Who? 198 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,960 Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. 199 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:30,960 Oh, hush. Please, please be quiet. They might go away. Please, please. 200 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,960 And between his wife's terror and the electric humming from below, Mr. Morris felt a great fear. 201 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,960 They trembled together in silence in the attic. 202 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:46,960 Mr. and Mrs. Morris, parents of a little girl. 203 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,960 Then they heard steps coming up the stairs. 204 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:52,960 And a voice. 205 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:58,960 Mommy, daddy, where are you? 206 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:03,960 And a queer, cold light became visible under the door crack. 207 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:10,960 A strange odor and the alien sound of eagerness in Mink's voice was almost more than they could bear. 208 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,960 Each wanted to scream. 209 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:18,960 Mommy, daddy. 210 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,960 And another sound. 211 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:27,960 And the attic lock melted. 212 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:29,960 Mink. 213 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:35,960 Mink with bright little eyes and tousled hair, peered inside. 214 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:41,960 And behind her, tall, wavering blue shadows. 215 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,960 Frightful shadows. 216 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,960 Peek-a-boo. 217 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:51,960 Ah! 218 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:07,960 Suspense. 219 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:12,960 In which Ms. Eaza Ashdown starred in tonight's presentation of Zero Hour. 220 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:18,960 Next week, Suspense will bring you the story of a bomb and the man who carried it to its ultimate destination. 221 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,960 We call it The Lunch Kit. 222 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:27,960 Be sure to listen to Lunch Kit next week on Suspense. 223 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,960 Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. 224 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,960 Tonight's script was written by Ray Bradbury and adapted by Mr. Ellis. 225 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,960 The music was composed by Leith Stevens and Lucian Morawick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. 226 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:55,960 Featured in the cast were Parley Bear, Paula Winslow, Eve McVeigh, John Danaer, and Beverly Hanley. 227 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,960 Sound patterns were by Bill James and Ray Kemper. 228 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:11,960 This is the CBS Radio Network. 229 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:31,960 Thank you.