Feb 2022 spoken-word soundscape scary trigger-warning long
Dragondreams:
Trigger warning! The subject matter is very dark. It's basically a rape story! Purely fictitious, but @ajna1960 and myself are very aware that this is a sensitive topic.
I originally came up with the bed track and called it "Moonbase" and asked Amanda if she wanted to write something for a spoken word collab.
When she suggested the idea of "the stalker" we soon realised it would be interesting to do this as a spoken word duet.
I'll let Amanda tell the rest of the story about how she came up with the words.
Amanda:
When Paul sent me the music and asked if I'd like to add some words, I spent about 20 minutes listening to it, over and over. He called it 'Moonbase', but to me it emanated fear and darkness, rather than space and stars. So I ran with it.
I literally started with the first word, and line and ran with it from there. I imagined myself in the woods at night. All the descriptions in this section are things I actually feel and experience. I live in woodlands with no streetlights, not even an outside light.
I wrote the entire female piece first. Then wrote the male sections afterwards.
I didn't time what I was writing as I'd never done anything like this before (basically a mini play), and Paul had told me that he could make the track as long or as short as I wanted. So I ran with that, and it's long lol
The next stage was to fit the words together, like a script, which felt like the easiest part to be honest.
I recorded my female vocal with a Blue Yeti Nano usb mic (if that interests anyone). Then sent the WAV file off to Paul as one complete recording. He then recorded his parts (I've no idea what his process was, but he sure sounds creepy !!)
Then I sent it off to Paul via Google Drive (WAV and words) - easy peasy !
The hard part was waiting for the result.... I hate my own voice but once I was listening and into the sounds, I forgot it was me I was hearing.
I definitely have never been raped as per this story. But I do have enough experience in life to have some idea (plus I watch a lot of murder mysteries on tv ;) ). I used a combination of these to create the more scary final aspects of the script.
(Female)
Fingertips drifting across the tree trunks as I pass them, the life within them pulsing up my arms and giving me the energy to carry on through the darkening woods.
This bliss of life.
This wonderment of nature holds my soul in its infinite palm. So gentle yet so very, very strong.
The life force feels so full of energy in here, flying from tree to tree and bramble to bramble, now and then catching me unawares to make me bleed.
(Male)
I am invisible. But they know I'm here. They can probably smell me, and have eyes that work far better than mine. But she has none of these things. And I can see her. Easily. She can't see me though. I am invisible. To her.
(Female)
I'm not afraid of the dark. Never have been. There's no need as it is just day without light, no more. I use my ears and my skin to see. And the moonlight of course, which tonight is mostly hiding behind the gathering clouds.
Clouds at night. Many are black and grey, but some are dark blue and some indigo and some as stunning Payne's grey. Painter's clouds I call them when they are Payne's grey, the most ominous of coloured clouds.
Tonight, in the darkest moments, the Payne's grey cloud moments, I feel there is a fox walking alongside me. I can feel his odour emanating from his heart. I feel his empathy. The predator, the hunter, the male needing offspring. I feel for the female he is calling for tonight, when he finds her.
(Male)
I wonder what she's thinking. She looks like she feels at home and safe. I can change that. In the blink of a twig cracking, or a stifled cough. But I like being invisible. Watching her every move, feeling her skin without touching her, imagining her thoughts without knowing. It excites me.
(Female)
The crackle of twigs, the glint of an eye, that knowing yet not seeing, that he's there.
I love this. This closeness to the world, the real world. The one where man no longer fits. I raise my face to the sky through the leaves overhead, and drink in the moonlight here and there as I walk, slowly feeling the way with my feet and hands and senses. Exhilaration pulses through me, energising my blood as it flows around, emphasising that feeling of being alive.
(Male)
I can only control the thoughts for so long. Mine not hers. I wish I could control hers, I'd instil more fear, more of a build up to the TIME, when it comes.
(Female)
Maybe it's not a fox, but what else would be here at night, in air the colour of ink. It did sound bigger than a fox... But it can't be a person. Why would they be here?
Paranoia can be dangerous, it's addictive. Oh, was that after-shave ? No way, I really am getting carried away now. But maybe it was, why not.
Perhaps there never was a fox. Maybe. And I didn't bring my phone, I needed to escape and never bring it out here.
OK that was definitely a cough, and it wasn't a fox clearing its throat. I can't fool myself now.
(Male)
The smell of her fear floats across to me, as I walk through the brambles. She heard me. Good.
(Female)
I can feel my skin getting damp, and cold, clammy almost. I can hear my heart pushing against that same skin, stretching the space between to breaking point.
If I walk faster it will go away, if I look strong. Who am I fooling. Not even myself.
(Male)
Should I approach yet? I think I'll wait a little while longer, more pleasure in waiting and watching.
(Female)
What can he want. Why am I assuming it's a guy? Because it wouldn't be a female, it never is, is it? I close my fist around the house keys in my pocket, thrusting the longest between my fingers to use as a weapon. A weapon I have never had to use. Yet.
(Male)
I'll walk across in front of her, almost out of sight among the trees in the middle distance... she won't be sure.
(Female)
Oh god he's real. And big. Far bigger than me. And he's following me. On purpose. It's as if he can move around by tele-porting, how on earth. But he's real, flesh and bones, and muscles. Bigger ones than mine. Stronger ones than mine.
Should I run. Should I just stand still and wait. Should I call out to him, as if it's a Sunday stroll and say hello, what a lovely evening for a walk. I must be mad. I am mad. To have come out here alone, no phone, nothing for defence.
(Male)
Oh the delight, the fun - she saw me. She's gone from worried to terrified. Almost time, almost…
(Female)
I listen for the sounds, standing still. The crunch, a snap, and yes, I can hear breathing now. Must be close to hear that. But where.
(Male)
Now is my time. I grab her hair from behind and almost pass out from the pure smell of it. Gloriously sending my senses out of control at last.
(Female)
I'm yanked backwards, extreme pain, mind spinning with no control
@berni1954 Feb 2022
This is brilliant radio drama. Chilling end.
@heliosonorous Feb 2022
Very dark and moody, you create a feeling of being stalked and watched with the aura in here.
@blindkiwi Feb 2022
This is hard to listen to in that it makes one want to shout at the protagonists but also gripping in the presentation. Excellent collaboration.
@majormajormajormajor Feb 2022
I guess you'd have to turn away, all things considered, though if you were to continue in a somewhat circumspect way, you can probably bring the same gravity and also a certain, um, tastefulness(?) to the piece. Great work both in the writing and delivery. A lot like reading Lolita, where on one level you can see the beauty in the creation and on another the horror of what's about to happen. If you two happened to do more, on any subject, I'd be here for it.
@richaaaay Feb 2022
Was that long? I was totally captivated by the story. It is dark and sinister but well told and riveting....And thankfully fictional.
@dreamscuba Feb 2022
A very powerful piece of work. Disturbing, of course, as it is intended to be because the subject is disturbing.
Good collaboration.
@judypie Feb 2022
Oh wow. I was hooked. Thank god it’s fictitious! Very effective guys.