I Saw Myself Running
WILLIAM CONRAD: Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic 
adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you ...

MUSIC: "ESCAPE" ACCENT

WILLIAM CONRAD: ... ESCAPE!

MUSIC: EERIE THEME, IN BG

ANNOUNCER: ESCAPE! Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a 
half hour of high adventure!

MUSIC: "NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN" ... THEN OMINOUS, IN BG

WILLIAM CONRAD: You are standing in inky blackness - looking up a long flight 
of stairs, at the top of which lurks something unbelievably evil. Out of the 
moving shadows behind you, coming closer to you, is the shadowy figure of 
something that could only come from - a nightmare. 

MUSIC: OUT

ANNOUNCER: Listen now as ESCAPE brings you Antony Ellis's terrifying story, 
"I Saw Myself Running"!

MUSIC: FOR AN INTRO

SOUND: CLINK OF COFFEE CUPS, RUSTLE OF NEWSPAPERS ... FOR A MOMENT, THEN IN 
AGREEMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING

FRED: (SIGHS WEARILY, BORED) You through with the magazine section, sweetie?

SUSAN: (ON EDGE, TRYING NOT TO SHOW IT) No, but it's all right. Here.

FRED: Oh, well, if you're not through with it--

SUSAN: No. You have it.

FRED: Thanks. (SIGH) Want the woman's page?

SUSAN: No, thanks. (BEAT) Freddy?

FRED: Mmm?

SUSAN: (SERIOUS) I had the strangest dream last night.

FRED: (LIGHTLY) Oh? Anybody we know?

SUSAN: Don't be funny. If you stop reading for a minute, I'll tell you about 
it.

FRED: (RELUCTANT SIGH, LOWERS PAPER) Okay.

SUSAN: I was scared.

FRED: Well, why didn't you wake me up?

SUSAN: Why? It wouldn't have done any good. It - it's a funny thing. It was a 
nightmare, I guess. You know, the kind where you see yourself running away 
from something or from somebody?

FRED: (GENTLY DISMISSIVE) Pah, too much beer.

SUSAN: I want to ask you. It's very important. 

FRED: What, darling?

SUSAN: Do you notice how sometimes, in a dream, everything is happening to you 
and then suddenly you find yourself standing there watching it? Watching 
yourself? And you say to yourself, "It's a dream -- and I don't have to be 
frightened because in a minute I'll wake up"?

FRED: I guess so. Something like that, I guess.

SUSAN: Well, last night -- a lot of other nights, Freddy -- it's been 
different. It starts the same way, like any other dream, I suppose. But - then 
I'm running away. Somebody I don't know is following me and then - there are - 
two of us. Both me. Running.

FRED: (FEIGNING INTEREST) Mm hm. (CHANGES THE SUBJECT) Uh, coffee still hot?

SUSAN: (PROTESTS) Freddy--

FRED: (TRIES TO BE REASONABLE) Sue. Honey. I don't know anything about dreams. 
If you're asking me what I think it means-- Well, I don't know. Offhand, I'd 
say that last bottle of beer. Coffee?

SOUND: COFFEE POURED

FRED: Thanks. (BACK TO HIS PAPER) Mmm.

SUSAN: Freddy?

FRED: (READING) Hmm?

SUSAN: (SIGHS, GIVES UP) Nothing.

MUSIC: A BRIEF, SOMBER TRANSITION ... THEN IN BG

SUSAN: (NARRATES) How do you explain a dream? You don't. You can't. At first, 
it frightens you and then as the morning passes it fades and by lunchtime ... 
forgotten. Freddy and I went to bed early that night. 

MUSIC: TO DREAM BY ... SLOWLY BUILDS TO AN OMINOUS CLIMAX, IN BG

SUSAN: (NARRATES) I think I was a little surprised when it began again. I 
didn't realize I was asleep yet. But it was there. The same as the last time. 
A face, only a face. Not unkind -- not anything. And it was so far away and, 
around it, was a piece of cardboard with circles drawn on it; the face, in the 
center. And it went round and round. First, only a dot. And then it came 
closer, and the noise came with it, and everything was spinning so much it 
made me dizzy but I could always see it, right side up. It was very close to 
me and the face was somebody's I'd never seen before. It was a man, I think. 
And I knew that he didn't care. And I wanted to cry!

MUSIC: OUT ABRUPTLY

SUSAN: (NARRATES) Then it was gone. I was alone ...

SOUND: SLIGHT ECHO FILTER ON DIALOGUE 

SUSAN: (NARRATES) ... In a big hall. And I thought I'd seen the place before 
but I couldn't have done because I knew it was only a dream. Even then, I knew 
I was dreaming – because I could see myself. There was a wide staircase going 
up into a dark place that was higher than any place I'd ever seen. I was at 
the foot of the stairs -- looking up -- and my face was frightened. I saw 
myself open my mouth to say something -- to call, upstairs, into the dark.

SUE: (IN A PANIC, CALLS) Don't come down! Please, don't! I don't want to see 
you! I - I'm afraid! Don't come down!

SUSAN: (NARRATES) But I'd never heard myself before. Not really. I'd always 
thought _I'd_ said things in dreams. But not this way; not so that I _really_ 
heard. And the voice wasn't my own. I found myself looking up the staircase 
_with_ her, and there were two of us, standing next to each other -- touching. 
I could feel her hand. It was warm.

SUE: (CALLS) Oh, don't! You mustn't come down!

SUSAN: (TO SUE) Who is it?

SUE: I don't know, Susan. I never know. But it's up there -- in the shadows.

SUSAN: It's too dark. I can't see anything. What does it look like?

SUE: Oh, listen.

SOUND: WEIRD OMINOUS NOISE, OFF ... THEN IN BG

SUE: You can hear it. I'm - I'm afraid. It'll come down soon, and I'll try to 
run, but I won't be able to get away! It's always the same!

SUSAN: (BEING REASONABLE, TO HERSELF) But this is a dream. It's a dream. I'm 
having a dream. I can wake up now, if I want to.

SUE: I'll be here alone then. You _always_ leave me here alone.

SUSAN: That's silly. How can I leave you alone when you're _me_? It's only a 
dream. I can wake up now. 

SUE: Oh, no! You've got to stay this time. Look up there. It'll be coming down 
in a minute. We'll have to run!

SUSAN: I won't run.

SUE: I always do. I have to!

SUSAN: No. I want to see it.

SUE: It'll kill you if you stay!

SUSAN: How do you know? You haven't even seen it.

SUE: It'll kill me, too. I - I'm afraid!

SUSAN: This is a dream! There's nothing to be afraid of!

SUE: It's coming down! Run! RUN!

MUSIC: AN ACCENT TOPS THE WEIRD OMINOUS NOISE ... THEN IN BG

SOUND: SLIGHT ECHO FILTER OUT

SUSAN: (NARRATES) We ran. Both of us. And all this time -- in all my dreams -- 
that girl I'd seen hadn't been _me_ at all. And then the great hall and 
staircase weren't there. We were in a lovely garden. And it was very quiet ...

MUSIC: OUT

SOUND: BIRD SINGS, WEIRDLY ... IN BG

SUSAN: (NARRATES) ... except for a single bird - and it sang - strangely - and 
sadly.

SOUND: SLIGHT ECHO FILTER ON DIALOGUE 

SUE: (CALMER, BUT STILL NERVOUS) Why do you dream?

SUSAN: What a silly question. Everybody dreams.

SUE: If you didn't dream, I wouldn't have to be here. I - I wouldn't be afraid 
all the time.

SUSAN: There's nothing to be afraid of. It's warm. It's so peaceful. Look at 
the roses. And the caterpillars.

SUE: I'm afraid of caterpillars.

SUSAN: I used to be. I'm not anymore.

SUE: I'm still afraid of them. I remember the first time you dreamed of them. 
You'd been frightened when one crawled on your hand. You were very small then. 
That's the first time I had to be afraid of them.

SUSAN: But that was a long time ago. I don't mind them now.

SUE: I do. I mind everything you think you've forgotten. Oh! Look! There's one 
crawling on my shoe. Will you squash the caterpillar? I can't. I - I'm afraid.

SUSAN: All right.

SOUND: WHACK! ... SUDDENLY, BIRD OUT ... REPLACED INSTANTLY BY LOUD AIRPLANE 
ENGINE IN MID-FLIGHT ... CONTINUES IN BG

SUSAN: Where's this place?

SUE: It's an airplane.

SUSAN: I've never been in an airplane before.

SUE: I know. I'm afraid of them. I'll fall out! And there'll be such a long 
time for me to know that I'm going to die. I - I don't want to fall!

SUSAN: (REASSURING) Hold on to me, you won't fall. It's only a dream. You see? 
Freddy's the pilot and he can't fly – I _know_ he can't!

SUE: You keep saying that.

SUSAN: What?

SUE: "It's only a dream." Doesn't matter to you. _You_ can wake up, I can't. I 
have to stay. I have to live with this all the time.

SUSAN: Where are we going?

SUE: I don't know.

SOUND: ENGINE SPUTTERS ... PLANE STARTS TO BREAK UP

SUSAN: Look. The plane's breaking up.

SUE: We're going to fall. We're going to fall now!

SUSAN: We'll be all right; we've got our parachutes on. I know. You, uh, have 
to count to three or - or ten, and then pull the ring. I've seen them do it in 
the movies. We'll be all right, we'll jump.

SUE: No, I can't! I can't!

SUSAN: We've got to!

SUE: (SCREAMS)

SOUND: ENGINE AND PLANE NOISE RECEDES AND FADES OUT ... REPLACED BY LOUD RUSH 
OF AIR AND WIND ... FOR A MOMENT, THEN IN BG

SUSAN: (DREAMILY, TO HERSELF) It's such a nice, floating sensation. I'd no 
idea we were so high. I've got to count to ten and pull the ring. One, two, 
three, four, five, six ... seven ... eight ... nine ... ten! (PAUSE, PANICS) I 
- I can't find it! I can't find it! It won't work! I'm going to die! I'm 
falling! I'm gonna die! (SCREAMS)

SOUND: RUSH OF AIR AND WIND OUT

SUSAN: (WHIMPERS, CONTINUES IN BG)

SOUND: ECHO FILTER OUT

SUSAN: (WHIMPERS, IN BED)

FRED: Honey? Honey, wake up! Susan, wake up; you're dreaming. Susan!

SUSAN: (WAKES, GASPS, BREATHES HEAVILY) Freddy? Freddy!

FRED: (COMFORTING) Now, now, now, now, now. It's all right. You're okay now. 
It was a nightmare.

SUSAN: Please, turn on the light.

SOUND: LIGHT SWITCH

FRED: There. See?

SUSAN: I was falling. I fell out of an airplane. I was gonna die.

FRED: Now, darling. (LIGHTLY) It was that TV show we watched.

SUSAN: (PROTESTS) Freddy--!

FRED: It's all right. I love you. You don't have to be afraid. You're right 
here. Everything's fine and it's nearly four o'clock. Come on, you climb in 
with me.

SUSAN: Freddy, I don't want to dream anymore. I'm afraid. It was like last 
night. The other night. But worse.

FRED: Now listen, Susan--

SUSAN: Freddy. Look at me. Do I sound the same?

FRED: Honey--

SUSAN: (INSISTS) Do I sound the same? (NO ANSWER) There's two of us. When I go 
to sleep, when I dream, there's another woman there. That's who I've been 
seeing all these years. It's not me! It's someone else! She's there. All the 
time. Freddy, I don't want to dream anymore. Something's going to happen. I'm 
afraid!

MUSIC: FOR A FINISH

(MIDDLE COMMERCIAL)

ANNOUNCER: Now, back to ESCAPE!

MUSIC: FOR A SOMBER INTRO ... THEN IN BG 

SUSAN: (NARRATES) Freddy took me to the doctor. And I tried to tell him about 
the dreams. And when I finished he examined me. Tested my heart and blood 
pressure. Then he said-- 

MUSIC: OUT ABRUPTLY

DR. PETERS: Susan, you're tired. That's what's the matter with you.

SUSAN: But I haven't been doing anything to be tired. Really, I haven't.

DR. PETERS: You're overwrought. It could be a vitamin deficiency; any number 
of little things. But it's not serious. You're in good shape. Now, what you 
need is to get away for a few days.

SUSAN: Well, I feel all right. It's just that dream; the girl, the one who 
looks like me--

DR. PETERS: I want you to forget about that dream. It's only because you're 
tired that you have the dream in the first place. Now, I'm going to give you a 
sedative to take, just before going to bed. A few night's good sleep, you'll 
be fit as a fiddle.

SUSAN: (HOPELESS) I don't want to dream anymore, that's all.

MUSIC: FOR A SOMBER BRIDGE, THEN IN BG 

SUSAN: (NARRATES) He patted me on the arm, smiling. Freddy smiled. And I took 
the little box of sedative pills home with me. I couldn't tell them. I 
couldn't make them understand. It wasn't just a dream. It was something that 
was happening, really happening. And that night I decided that I wouldn't 
sleep. I'd stay awake. And if I was awake I _couldn't_ dream. After Freddy was 
asleep, I got up and went into the living room. I got a new library book and I 
began to read. It was eleven o'clock then. 

MUSIC: OUT GENTLY

SOUND: TICKING CLOCK ... AFTER A MOMENT, IT CHIMES THE HOUR ... THEN CONTINUES 
TICKING IN BG

SUSAN: (STARTLED, TO HERSELF) Oh! Oh, I mustn't. I almost did. (EXHALES) I 
wish we had something to make me stay awake. This is silly. I'm a grown woman. 
Why should I behave like a child? But I'm afraid. Who is she? That girl. It's 
not a dream. And because it's not, I'm not going to sleep. I'm not. I'm not.

SOUND: TICKING CLOCK FILLS A LONG PAUSE ... CONTINUES IN BG

SUSAN: (WHIMPERS A LITTLE, TRIES TO KEEP FROM DOZING)

SOUND: RADIO TUNED ... SEVERAL STATIONS HEARD PLAYING MUSIC ... RADIO SETTLES 
ON NOISY BIG BAND JAZZ WHICH CONTINUES IN BG 

SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) Three o'clock. Wonder what time it gets light. It'll be 
easier when it's light. (SIGHS) I'll read some more. Make some coffee.

SOUND: RADIO AND CLOCK FADE OUT

MUSIC: FOR A BRIEF TRANSITION, THEN IN BG 

SUSAN: (NARRATES) At seven o'clock, I got back into bed and pretended to still 
be asleep when Freddy got up. I heard him making coffee; then he came back in, 
kissed me and left for the office. Somehow I stayed awake the whole day. I 
tried to buy something at the drugstore to stop me from sleeping but they 
wouldn't give it to me without a prescription. And then, Freddy called to say 
he had to entertain some out-of-town people that night. After that, I _had_ to 
lie down on the living room couch because I felt sick. It was eight o'clock.

MUSIC: OUT GENTLY

SOUND: TICKING CLOCK, IN BG

SUSAN: (WEARY, TO HERSELF) I won't. I won't. I'm not going to go to sleep. I'm 
not going-- I won't. I won't! No, but I - I don't feel well. I just gotta lie 
down a little while. But I won't sleep. In a minute, I'll feel all right. Then 
I can get up. In a minute. In just a minute.

SOUND: TICKING CLOCK FILLS A PAUSE, CONTINUES IN BG

MUSIC: TO FALL ASLEEP BY ... OUT AT [X]

SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) I'll wake up in a minute. I'm so tired.

SOUND: TICKING CLOCK SLOWS ... OUT WITH MUSIC ... ECHO EFFECT ON DIALOGUE

SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) There's that big hall again. And the staircase. I can see 
her -- looking up into the dark. [X]

SUE: You didn't come last night.

SUSAN: I know.

SUE: I was waiting here. It didn't come down, though; the thing up there.

SUSAN: You couldn't have been here. You're only me in a dream. And when I 
don't dream, you're not here. 

SUE: I'm always here. I have to see the things happen.

SUSAN: Things don't really happen in dreams. It's imagination.

SUE: No, it isn't! Look up there, in the dark. It's up there, waiting. Soon 
it'll start to come down

SUSAN: How do you know?

SUE: It does. And we'll have to run!

SUSAN: But if we run, we can't see it. Perhaps, if we didn't run -- and we saw 
it -- we wouldn't be afraid anymore.

SUE: Oh, no. Listen.

SOUND: WEIRD AND OMINOUS, FROM OFF

SUE: It's going to come down; I - I know it is!

SUSAN: We won't run. We'll wait for it.

SUE: I can't! I'm afraid!

SUSAN: You're me. I'm not afraid now. You can't be.

SUE: Look!

SOUND: WEIRD AND OMINOUS, GROWING CLOSER AND CLOSER, IN BG

SUSAN: (NARRATES) The darkness at the top of the stairs seemed to move, take 
shape. And I heard her screaming.

SUE: (SCREAMS)

SUSAN: (NARRATES) I saw myself screaming, but it wasn't my voice. It was the 
girl I stood next to. And slowly, painfully, she turned away from the stairs 
and tried to run. It was like a slow motion picture. Her legs moved but she 
stayed in the same place. And the darkness started to come toward us. It 
swirled down the stairs and there was a figure in it! And a face! But the 
mouth in the face wasn't a mouth at all. It had no form. And the face changed 
and grew bigger -- came closer. Around it an awful blackness. And I saw myself 
_running_! (LONG, LOUD SCREAMS)

SOUND: WEIRD AND OMINOUS, BUILDS TO A CLIMAX ... THEN OUT 

SUSAN: (SCREAMS TRAIL OFF)

SOUND: SILENCE FOR A MOMENT ... THEN PHONE RINGS, CONTINUES IN BG

SUSAN: (NARRATES) We were standing in a narrow stone passageway. It was cold 
and damp. And the other girl, who wasn't me, was holding a gun. We both were. 
And we looked behind us because, around the corner, out of sight, it was 
following. I heard the telephone ringing and I couldn't understand how there 
could be a telephone in that place.

SUE: (OUT OF BREATH) I - I'm tired. I - I can't run anymore

SUSAN: We'll rest for a minute. I wish somebody would answer the telephone. 

SUE: You do it. 

SUSAN: It sounds like my telephone. 

SUE: How _can_ it be?

SUSAN: Because this is only a dream. And if I wake up, I'll answer it. It's on 
the table at the end of the couch. I can wake up! And answer it!

SUE: No, you can't. I won't let you. I'm not going to stay here alone.

SUSAN: I've got to wake up!

SUE: You can't now. Oh, listen.

SOUND: WEIRD AND OMINOUS ... APPROACHING

SUE: We've got to run again! It'll catch us!

SUSAN: No!

SUE: Hurry!

MUSIC: TOPS WEIRD OMINOUS NOISE ... THEN IN BG 

SUSAN: (NARRATES) I felt the cold horror behind us. And I _ran_, following the 
twisted passageway. And I knew that the telephone had been my last chance. My 
last chance to wake up. And I hadn't! I couldn't! 

MUSIC: OUT ABRUPTLY

SUE: There's a light ahead. 

SUSAN: It won't dare to follow us into the light. Are you tired?

SUE: Are you?

SUSAN: No. It's funny how we seem to almost float. I'm not tired at all. I 
don't think we need the guns now. I'm gonna throw mine away.

SUE: (NO LONGER AFRAID) I'm not.

SUSAN: (SUDDENLY AFRAID) I'm afraid of guns.

SUE: I used to be. I'm not anymore.

SUSAN: Wait a minute. Those two men! You see? In the entrance?

SUE: Yes?

SUSAN: I wonder why they're there. Maybe they'll try to stop us from getting 
out.

SUE: I've got the gun.

SUSAN: I shouldn't have thrown mine away.

SUE: Oh, it'll be all right. Come on.

SUSAN: (AFTER A BEAT) It's Freddy. Freddy and Doctor Peters!

SUE: I know.

SUSAN: (RELIEVED, CALLS) Freddy! Freddy! It's me! Susan!

FRED: (OFF) Stay where you are, Susan. Don't come any closer.

SUSAN: (CALLS) But it's following us. We've got to get out!

FRED: (OFF) You'll have to go back!

SUSAN: No!

DR. PETERS: (OFF) Go back, Susan! Go back into the passage!

SUSAN: No! No!

FRED: (OFF) You can't come out anymore, Susan!

SUSAN: But I must!

SUE: (REASSURING, CONFIDENT) Let me talk to them, Susan. You let me talk to 
them. I'll take care of it. You'll see.

MUSIC: UNEASY ACCENT ... THEN IN BG 

SUSAN: (NARRATES) I saw her walk slowly to the entrance. To where it was light 
and there was sunshine. And the three of them talked very quietly. I couldn't 
hear what they were saying, but I knew it was about me. And ever so faintly, I 
heard the sound of the thing that was waiting somewhere -- in the blackness of 
the passage.

BIZ: FRED'S MAD LAUGHTER ... OUT AT [X]

SUSAN: (NARRATES) She was pointing at me. And Freddy was laughing. And it made 
me angry. So angry that I forgot to be afraid. [X] I ran over to them and, as 
I did so, they _blocked_ the entrance, linking their arms to keep me back. 

MUSIC: OUT GENTLY

FRED: She's told us all about you, Susan. It's taken a long time to find you 
out.

SUSAN: Stop it. There's no such person! She's me! She's Susan! This is only a 
dream!

BIZ: MAD LAUGHTER OF FRED AND DR. PETERS ... OUT AT [Y]

SUSAN: I can wake up whenever I want! Stop it! Stop it! It's true! [Y] Ask 
her. Ask her. She'll tell you.

DR. PETERS: My dear, Susan. How can we ask her, if you say she doesn't exist? 
You're tired. Overwrought.

SUSAN: Oh, I'm not. You mustn't say that. It isn't true. Please -- let me out. 
I'm cold. I'm afraid!

FRED: You've kept her down here all your life. Now, because _you're_ afraid 
and cold, you expect us to let _you_ out and make _her_ go back inside!

SUSAN: Freddy -- it's me. I'm your wife. Freddy!

FRED: I've always been fair. I want to be fair this time.

DR. PETERS: Oh, yes. We have to be fair.

FRED: Sue, what do you think? Should we let her out?

SUE: Why, no. She'll only wake up and leave me _here_. _I_ want to wake up 
this time. Let _her_ stay.

SUSAN: You're - you're all crazy. She's not Susan. I am. She's nobody. She's 
in the dream. Stop it. Please.

DR. PETERS: We have to be fair. We really do. If you only weren't so tired, so 
overwrought.

FRED: I suggest we take a vote.

DR. PETERS: Yes, that's eminently fair. A vote.

SUE: I think so, too.

FRED: We'll vote yea or nay on the proposition. That's the way it's done at 
board meetings in my office. Yea or nay? We let her out -- yea. We don't let 
her out -- nay. (BEAT) Sue?

SUE: (BEAT) Nay!

FRED: Doctor?

DR. PETERS: (BEAT) Nay!

FRED: And I cast my vote. (BEAT) Nay! (BEAT) The vote has been taken and duly 
recorded.

SUSAN: (STRUGGLES HELPLESSLY) You can't make me stay here. I won't. I won't! 
(CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE IN BG)

FRED: I think that you'd better talk to her, Susan. You're a woman. It's 
better that way. The doctor and I'll wait for you outside.

SUE: All right. 

SUSAN: (STOPS STRUGGLING)

SUE: (PLEASANT, TO SUSAN) Don't be afraid. You don't _have_ to be afraid 
_now_. That comes later when you have to go back into the passage -- when _I_ 
wake up.

SUSAN: You can't wake up. Never. You're not alive.

SUE: I want to tell you something. When I wake up, I'm not going to be like 
you. I'll never dream ever again. You're going to stay here alone. Just the 
way you made me do it all your life. You can run. _You_ can run and never be 
able to escape. But I shan't come here to be with you. 

SOUND: WEIRD AND OMINOUS ... APPROACHES ... GROWS CLOSER, IN BG

SUE: Listen. It's waiting for you. Can you hear it?

SUSAN: No! Please! Don't leave me. Please. You can't leave! Please!

SUE: It won't get you if you keep running. But you mustn't ever stop!

SUSAN: (SLOWLY FADES AWAY) I'm afraid. It's dark! I'm afraid. Oh, please! 
Don't make me go back. I'm _Susan_! I've _got_ to wake up! Please! I'm afraid. 
It's so dark. So dark. I have to run. The darkness. It's behind me. Freddy ... 
Freddy ... Freddy ...

SOUND: WEIRD AND OMINOUS ... FADES OUT WITH SUSAN

SUE: (EXHALES, SATISFIED) I think I'll wake up now.

MUSIC: ACCENT AND BRIDGE ... THEN GENTLY OUT

SOUND: ECHO EFFECT ON DIALOGUE OUT ... FRONT DOOR UNLOCKS, OPENS AND SHUTS ... 
TICKING CLOCK, IN BG

FRED: (MOVING ON) Susan! Susan! Darling, are you all right? Susan. 

SUE: (WAKING) Mmmmmm.

FRED: I called you but there was no answer. I was worried. You all right? 
Feeling better?

SUE: (AFFIRMATIVE) Mmmmmm.

FRED: (RELIEVED) Ah! You _look_ better. Say, you know what? I've arranged to 
take five days off from the office. We'll go up to the mountains. That's what 
the doctor ordered. How about it?

SUE: Ah, it sounds wonderful, Freddy.

FRED: I figure if we-- (STUNNED) Suse?

SUE: Yes, darling?

FRED: (SLOWLY) Your - your voice. It sounds funny.

SUE: My voice? (LAUGHS) Well, it's _me_. It's the only voice I've got.

FRED: But it – it doesn't sound like you. Are you sure you're--?

SUE: Oh, silly. Why, how can it be me and not sound like me? (NO ANSWER) Oh, 
you are silly. Give me a kiss?

FRED: (PAUSE, UNNERVED) Suse? What's the matter with your voice?

MUSIC: TOPS EVERYTHING FOR A FINISH ... THEN OUT

ANNOUNCER: ESCAPE has brought you "I Saw Myself Running," written and directed 
by Antony Ellis, starring Georgia Ellis as Susan, with Sammie Hill as Sue. 
Featured in the cast were John Stevenson and Edgar Barrier. Editorial 
supervision is by John Meston. And the special music for ESCAPE is composed 
and conducted by Leith Stevens.

MUSIC: "ESCAPE" ACCENT, THEN IN BG

WILLIAM CONRAD: Next week, you are standing on the bridge of a tramp steamer, 
a ship captain, sailing through the vast emptiness of the ocean, while on the 
deck below you, the crew -- a desperate gang of cutthroats and murderers -- 
are waiting for a signal that will give them your ship -- and bring you ... 
your death. 

MUSIC: OUT

ANNOUNCER: So listen next week, when ESCAPE brings you Antony Ellis' exciting 
story, "The Tramp"!

MUSIC: THEME ... "NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN" ... THEN OUT

LOCAL ANNCR: WCBS, AM and FM, New York.

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Originally broadcast: 22 February 1953