Darkened Hallways

Darkened Hallways is a product of Hear Me Out Productions. Find our other shows at hearmeoutproductions.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @HearMeOutProd.

This show is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Thank you for visiting us at Sycamore Crossing. Come home soon – we’ll be waiting…

The post Dangerous Territory first appeared on Hear Me Out Productions.

Darkened Hallways is a product of Hear Me Out Productions. Find our other shows at hearmeoutproductions.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @HearMeOutProd.

This show is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Thank you for visiting us at Sycamore Crossing. Come home soon – we’ll be waiting…

The post Research and Responsibilities first appeared on Hear Me Out Productions.

Darkened Hallways is a product of Hear Me Out Productions. Find our other shows at hearmeoutproductions.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @HearMeOutProd.

This show is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Thank you for visiting us at Sycamore Crossing. Come home soon – we’ll be waiting…

Mia: Previously on Darkened Hallways.

[SFX: Exciting recap music begins]

Mia: Sycamore Crossing. Strange name for an apartment complex.

Grey: Oh hey! Are you the infamous Mia?

Mia: Yeah, that’s me.

Grey: I’m Grey. Just to let you know, I use they/them pronouns.

Mia: Cool. I use she her.

Grey: I needed a new roommate fast because I can't pay for this place on my own.

Mia: I’d love to live here, if you’ll have me?

Mia: Oh hi! Are you Lauren? Grey mentioned you, but--

[SFX: Door slams]

Grey: The door across from ours, number 42? The devils themselves live behind it.

Oscar: You have awakened a dark presence...

Grey: Oh ha ha, very funny, Oscar.

Lauren: How did you like our graffiti?

Grey: Screw you, Lauren.

Mia: It looks like a crank? Did they sneak in here while they were calling us? What the hell? Let's get them back. Let's prank them so hard they end up being afraid of us.

Grey: Coast is clear, Eagle One. Let’s go.

Oscar: What are you two doing in here?

Lauren: Jesus, Grey, pranks are one thing, but breaking in is a red fricking line!

Grey: Fine, we're leaving!

[SFX: gasps, mysterious portal sound]

Oscar: What the hell was that?

Mia: Is it here for me?

[SFX: Recap music fades out]

[SFX: Theme music fades in]

Voiceover: Greetings, my friends. Set aside your burdens for a moment and listen to an interesting tale. It has queer friendships, a found family, a hot cup of tea, fringe science and something dark and mysterious in the corner of your eye. Sound like fun? There are troublesome times ahead, but there is light and warmth as well, so relax, dear listeners… You are entering the darkened hallways of Sycamore Crossing. Welcome home.

[SFX: Theme music plays out then ends]

[SFX: Washing dishes]

Mia: So… that just happened. Grey? You definitely saw the black hole too, right?

Grey: I guess.

Mia: Huh. Just making sure I didn’t just imagine it. After my nightmare… I don’t know what to think.

Grey: Hey, Mia?

Mia: Yes?

Grey: Why is there a metal thing in the sink?

Mia: Oh. That’s the crank, the one that we thought Lauren and Oscar left in my bed yesterday… only I guess they didn’t.

Grey: Well, they're liars.

Mia: They didn't sound like they were lying.

Grey: So they're good liars. Come on, Mia, who else could have left the thing for you?

Mia: Maybe it's related to the thing that we just saw?

Grey: Ew, it's all rusty.

Mia: I'll rinse the crank off and just... stuff it somewhere. That’s what you’re supposed to do with your problems, right? Stuff them somewhere and hope they don’t come back to bite you in the ass? Speaking of, Grey, do you not want to talk about the black hole thing?

Grey: Not particularly.

[SFX: Someone knocks on the door.]

Grey: Who the hell is that?

Mia: I don't know.

[SFX: The knocking becomes more insistent.]

Grey: Fine.

[SFX: Grey and Mia walk over to the door. Grey opens it.]

Oscar: Hi.

Lauren: Hey, neighbors.

Grey: Are you here to prank us?

Oscar: Would we announce our presence if we were?

Lauren: We're here to talk about what we just saw, obviously.

Grey: I didn't see anything.

Lauren: Oh, please. Mia, can I come in?

Mia: Uh, yes?

Grey: What are you, a vampire? Do we have to invite you in?

Lauren: No, I'm just being polite.

Grey: Then why didn't you ask me?

Lauren: Because I don't like you.

Oscar: Come on, let’s go sit in the living room. Talk this through.

[SFX: They walk over to the living room. All four of them sit down on couches and chairs.]

Lauren: Where did Sarah go, anyway?

Grey: I don't know. Maybe you bullied her away.

Lauren: Are you sure that was me and not you?

Grey: What's that supposed to mean?

Oscar: Guys, can we not do this? Let's discuss the elephant in the room, shall we?

Mia: That black hole?

Oscar: Exactly.

Lauren: Ugh. Black hole? Is that what we’re calling it?

Oscar: Well, it’s not a black hole as in a dying star, Lauren. Stars can't actually fit inside apartment complexes.

[SFX: Unsettling music begins]

Lauren: Yes, obviously, don't patronize me, Oscar. I just meant... "black hole" doesn't cover it. It was something entirely different, you know? Indescribable. Unsettling. Can science explain this stuff?

Oscar: I don't know. I'm not a scientist like you. Mia?

Mia: Not a scientist either. I do study English literature, though.

Lauren: You should write a poem about this.

Oscar: Grey?

Grey: (snaps) What?

Oscar: Any input?

Grey: I'm not talking to you two. You're the enemy. Anyway, nothing happened. Nothing we can explain anyway. So why talk about it?

Mia: Talking helps, right?

Lauren: Grey would rather just play videogames until they have no more feelings.

Grey: I don't even have any feelings about this. It happened, now it's over. Get out of my apartment.

Mia: Has nothing like this ever happened before, though?

Lauren: A black hole? Never. Not in my presence, anyway.

Oscar: But... this place has always been strange. Sometimes I see something from the corner of my eye, like a smudge of darkness? And then I look and it's gone. Or sometimes I'll find random objects just lying around in the corridor. Like a wheel or a towel or a shoe.

Grey: It's just trash lying around. I throw my old socks into the corridor all the time.

[Awkward pause]

Lauren: That was you?

Oscar: There's a strange atmosphere here, is all I'm saying. I guess that's why so many residents leave.

Lauren: Leave? More like, disappear.

Mia: Like Sarah.

Oscar: Yeah. I miss her.

Mia: I thought you were enemies?

Oscar: Nah, I always had fun doing the pranks. It's these two who take it too seriously.

Mia: Huh, OK...so what do we do now?

Grey: I'm leaving. I have work in half an hour.

Oscar: We'll continue this later, okay? I have work now too, but we can't just go back to how things used to be. Everything's changed. Lauren, why don't you give Mia a tour of the complex? Bet she hasn't looked around yet.

Mia: That's true! I haven't had time to explore!

Lauren: God, stop telling me what to do, Oscar. You're not my father.

Oscar: Whatever you say.

[SFX: Oscar leaves the room.]

Grey: Oh Mia, I forgot to ask - did you check in with the landlord yet? Show him your ID and references?

Mia: My… ID?

Grey: You know. Passport, driver’s license, whatever.

[Pause]

Grey: Mia?

Mia: Yeah, I heard you! Um… I thought your ad said you didn’t care about identification? Something along those lines?

Grey: Oh, that! No, I just meant - like, I don’t need to see your identification. I hate showing mine to people because they’ll see my birth name and I just thought, you know, just in case my new roommate’s the same - I mean none of that’s my business… Like, obviously the landlord will need your info, right?

Lauren: Yes, that is how subletting works.

Mia: ...Yeah, of course. So when would he want to see my passport?

Grey: Honestly, whenever. I haven’t seen him in for-freaking-ever so he’s probably forgotten about it.

Lauren: I doubt he even noticed you’re here.

Mia: Oh, okay. Good. I mean… it’s good that I don’t have to deal with that right now. I just have a lot on my mind.

Lauren: Don’t we all.

Grey: Okay, I’m off. Mia, get rid of Lauren.

[SFX: Grey leaves the apartment.]

Lauren: (sighs) Are you ready for the tour?

Mia: Uh...you don't have to be my guide, you know. I can look around on my own.

Lauren: No, I actually want to. I hate it when Oscar tells me what to do, but that doesn't mean I don't want to do it. So yeah. Let's go.

[SFX: Mia and Lauren walk through the hallway as they talk.]

Mia: So...are you and Oscar dating?

Lauren: Oh my god, no, definitely not. We're both gay. We're best friends, though. That's why we live together. After high school, I wanted to go to college, while Oscar wanted to get into art and stuff. So now I'm studying artificial intelligence at the local university, and he's working at a museum in the city center.

Mia: That's amazing. I love that you two stayed together.

Lauren: I don't know what I'd do without him. You're a student too, right?

Mia: Um, yeah, I guess. I'm... an English major. At the same university as you, actually. But you're probably in a different building?

Lauren: Yeah. The way campus is organized, I don't think I've ever met a humanities student.

Mia: Well, here I am.

Lauren: Here you are indeed. How are you paying for this? Rich parents?

Mia: Oh, no, not exactly. I do translating work online.

Lauren: That's cool. I should really get a job too, but with Oscar, it's just too easy to not do anything. I know he'll take care of me. His job pays pretty well.

Mia: And you say he's not your dad...?

Lauren: He's definitely not my dad. He's younger than me, for god's sake. He's twenty-one and sixty days, and I'm twenty-one and ninety-three days.

Mia: You keep count of the days?

Lauren: Eh, it just sort of happens. My mind keeps track of things. So how old are you?

Mia: Twenty-two.

Lauren: Damn, I'm not the oldest anymore. Actually, I think Grey's twenty-two as well, but they don't count.

Mia: Why don't you like Grey?

Lauren: We're enemies.

Mia: Right!

Lauren: Anyway, I'm supposed to be your tour guide, right? This is the third floor. Six residents live here, but I only really know Mrs. Finley. She's a sweetheart, but also kind of a loner. She barely ever leaves her apartment. Okay, at the end of the hallway here is where the landlord has his office. His name is Mr. Greer, but Oscar and I just call him Mr. Grumps. Not to his face, though.

Mia: Is he nice?

Lauren: Nice? No. He's grumpy, and he smells bad, but he is good at fixing things.

[SFX: The rattling of an old elevator door. The elevator dings three times.]

Lauren: Come on, let’s go down to the second floor.

[SFX: The elevator door opens. The elevator dings twice.]

Lauren: Here we are. I don’t know anyone who lives on this floor, but at least one of these apartments has to be occupied.

Mia: What are these scratches on the wall? They look like... mathematical formulas?

Lauren: No idea. Oscar's always telling me to "decipher them," but just because I study artificial intelligence doesn't mean that I understand every single formula. Besides, "decipher" makes it sound like it's some kind of code. It's probably just random squiggles.

Mia: On a wall.

Lauren: I know. It's ridiculous. Vandalism and all that.

Mia: The writing looks old. How old is this place anyway?

Lauren: Fifty-three years and six months. You don't have to widen your eyes at me, I just have a good memory, okay?

[SFX: Eerie music begins]

But yeah, this used to be just a grass field. Then more people wanted to live around here so they needed more housing.

Mia: And now barely anyone lives here anymore.

Lauren: Exactly. If I could afford it, I could totally get my own apartment in here. Be Oscar's neighbor instead of his roommate. I'd miss him though.

Mia: How did you two become friends?

Lauren: Oh, you know. He was the new kid in school, he approached me and asked if I wanted to be friends, and I said "yes".

[SFX: Eerie music fades out]

Mia: It was that easy?

Lauren: Easiest relationship in my life. At the time, it was the only easy relationship in my life.

Mia: How so?

Lauren: Ugh, it's embarrassing. I didn't really have any friends. Everyone at school saw me as "the angry kid". And as for my family... well, at home I was even angrier.

Mia: You don't get on with your family?

Lauren: I do now, but at the time... Look, I have six siblings. Three of them older than me, three of them younger.

Mia: Wow. That's... a lot.

Lauren: Yeah. It's too many. Between the seven of us with only two parents to care for us, I felt pretty neglected. My parents didn't really neglect me, but I needed attention. So I'd get these angry outbursts that got me their attention, but not in a positive way. I don't know, I just had a lot of anger in me. And I was pretty lonely too...that's why I'm so glad Oscar approached me. On his first day at my high school, he just... walked right up to me. He could have been a popular kid - he was attractive and he was wearing the right kinds of clothes. A stylish jacket and designer jeans. But instead, he stuck with me.

Mia: Maybe you two were destined to be friends.

Lauren: I don't believe in that stuff. Maybe he just had impeccable queerdar. Or maybe he needed someone to fuss over, and he picked me. That sounds like Oscar.

[SFX: Eerie music starts playing as Mia and Lauren see something flicker. It makes a staticky noise.]

Mia: Did you… see that? A sort of dark flickering in the corner of your eye?

Lauren: Let's get back to the apartments, yeah?

Mia: Good idea.

[SFX: Eerie music stops. The elevator DINGS FOUR TIMES. The doors OPEN.]

Lauren: Here we are, our apartments. Time to go our separate ways.

Mia: Will we still hang out together? The four of us?

[SFX: Eerie music starts]

Lauren: Why would we? I know Oscar wants us all to be friends, but Grey clearly doesn't feel the same way.

Mia: But... we went through something together.

Lauren: We all saw something bizarre. So what? It doesn't make us friends. Doesn't make us anything. You look tired.

Mia: I am tired.

Lauren: You should take a nap. Goodnight, Mia. Or good afternoon. Whatever.

[SFX: Mia enters her apartmnet]

Mia: Grey? Right. They’re still at work. You know, Lauren was probably right, I should take a nap. I’ll shower first. Anxiety makes me sweaty.

[SFX:] Mia undresses, showers, brushes her teeth, dresses again, lies down in bed, and hits the light switch.]

Mia: (yawns) Just… the black hole… could it be my fault? Did I dream it into existence?

[SFX: Dream music. Mia's dreams sound echoey. Voices from her memoriess appear like distorted, ghostly whispers.]

Past Oscar: You have awakened a dark presence. Soon, it will devour you.

Past Grey: Oh, ha ha, very funny, Oscar.

PAST Mia: Grey? Did you leave a… a metal thing on my bed?

Past Oscar: Uh, what is that? Are you guys seeing what I’m seeing?

Past Grey: Mia, does that… does that look like the black hole you saw in your dream?

Past Lauren: What the hell was that?

Low Voice: Mia… Mia…

[SFX: A door slams shut. Dream music ends.]

Mia: (jerking awake) Ah!

[SFX: Mia breathes heavily]

Mia: It was just a dream this time… just a dream, Mia.

Grey: (from another room) Mia, I'm home!

Mia: (clears throat) How was work?

[SFX: Grey enters Mia's room]

Grey: Boring. Did I tell you what I do? I'm a cashier at the supermarket. Exciting stuff. Hey, are you okay? Did you have the nightmare again?

Mia: I think we need to call Lauren and Oscar over. I need to tell them something.

Grey: Ugh, fine. Let me just get changed.

[SFX: Scene transition music.]

Lauren: You're wearing a unicorn onesie?

Grey: Shut up, it's comfortable.

Oscar: I think it's cute, Grey.

Grey: Again, shut up.

Oscar: Mia, what did you want to talk about?

Mia: Have you guys had any... nightmares? About the black hole?

Lauren: About the black hole? No, not that I'm aware of.

Oscar: Me neither.

Mia: Okay. Well... I have. I had one before we even saw it in the hallway. I told Grey about it already.

Oscar: Was it like a premonition?

Mia: I don't know. But what if I caused the black hole? By dreaming about it?

Lauren: That's absurd.

[SFX: Unsettling music begins]

Oscar: Mia, you don't know that. We don't know anything.

Mia: At the very least, I seem to be connected to the hole somehow. In my dream it… it pulls me in. And the fact that I just had the nightmare again makes me think that this wasn't a one-time thing. The hole could appear again. Or something else might happen, I don't know. I have this foreboding feeling in my stomach.

Grey: Me too.

Mia: Really?

[SFX: Unsettling music fades out]

Grey: Yeah. I don't know. Like Oscar said this morning, this place has always been weird. And I've always tried to ignore it... because I don't want to leave. This is my home. I don't want my home to be terrifying.

Oscar: Why don't you want to leave?

Grey: Because! Because I lived here with Sarah. Because I've made good memories here. Because what if Sarah comes back and I'm gone? But you know what? You're right. This apartment complex, it's wrong somehow. Something's going on... something's always been up, but it's different now. I'd never seen a black hole like that before. That started yesterday.

Mia: When I moved in.

Lauren: Mia, if you blame yourself, I will literally fight you.

Oscar: Seconded. Well, in my case, not literally. Figuratively.

Grey: So what do we do?

Oscar: You don't want to leave, right? I'd rather not leave either. So we stay, and we figure this thing out. We team up to find out what's going on.

Lauren: "Team up"? What, like we're a band of superheroes?

Grey: Uh, pass.

Oscar: Come on, guys! We want to know what's going on here, don't we?

Mia: I sure do! I'm all for teaming up.

[SFX: Friendship music begins]

Oscar: Thank you. Can't we at least try? I'm sure we will get along. Look at us having a mature conversation right now.

Lauren: Fine. But I’m only doing it for you, Oscar.

Grey: Well, then I'm doing it for Mia.

Mia: Thanks, Grey.

Lauren: So what should we do? Besides keep an eye out for creepy happenings?

Oscar: We could dig into the history of Sycamore Crossing. There must be some information online...oh, maybe in the library.

Mia: Good. We need to know what we’re up against.

[SFX: Friendship music fades out]

[SFX: Darkened Hallways theme music fades in]

Voiceover: Darkened Hallways is written by Asa van der Lecq and produced by Kimberly Dauber. Our director is Kris Kim. Our production manager is Max Evans. Sound design is by John Bond, music is by Joelle Doriani, and cover art by Manon Groos. Our sensitivity reader is Stacey Parshall Jensen. This episode featured Victoria Longe as Mia, PJ Hernandez as Grey, Ari Sylvin as Lauren, and Kelvyn Koning as Oscar.

Darkened Hallways is a product of Hear Me Out Productions. Find our other shows at hearmeoutproductions.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @HearMeOutProd. This show is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Thank you for visiting us at Sycamore Crossing. Come home soon - we'll be waiting.

[SFX: Darkened Hallways theme music ends]

Voiceover: Darkened Hallways is a creation of Hear Me Out Productions.

HMOP logotone: All we have are dreams and a microphone.

The post Doesn’t Make Us Friends first appeared on Hear Me Out Productions.

Darkened Hallways is a product of Hear Me Out Productions. Find our other shows at hearmeoutproductions.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @HearMeOutProd.

This show is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Thank you for visiting us at Sycamore Crossing. Come home soon – we’ll be waiting…

[SFX: CAR NOISES, TURN SIGNAL, BIRDS]

Mia: [sighs, this car ride is long and boring]

[SFX: A CAR DRIVES INTO A PARKING LOT, THEN COMES TO A HALT.]

Taxi Driver: Well, here we are. Sycamore Crossing. 

[SFX: COINS are transferred from Mia’s hands to the taxi driver’s.]

Mia: Keep the change. 

[SFX: Mia OPENS THE CAR DOOR. She STEPS OUT, PULLING A SUITCASE WITH HER.]

Mia: Thanks for the ride! 

[SFX: The taxi DRIVES OFF.]

Mia: Right… 

[SFX: Mia TAKES A FEW STEPS, CARRYING HER STUFF.]

Mia: Sycamore Crossing. Strange name for an apartment complex. Okay. Just enter the building, Mia. You’ve done scarier things than that. 

[SFX: Mia OPENS A DOOR. She ENTERS, PULLING A SUITCASE WITH HER.]

Mia: Stairs… and an elevator. But what if the elevator gets stuck and I can’t get out? Better take the stairs. I can leave my luggage here for now. 

[SFX: She HURRIES UP A SET OF STAIRS.]

Mia: It’s dark in here. 

[SFX: Mia moves further up the stairs. Then she OPENS ANOTHER DOOR. She arrives in a hallway. ]

Mia: This hallway is dark too. Y- At least I can see the door numbers. 

[SFX: We hear Mia's FOOTSTEPS as she walks down the hallway.]

Mia: Number 38, number 38... Ah, here it is.

[SFX: Her FOOTSTEPS STOP as she arrives at apartment 38.]

Mia: [sighs] You can do this, Mia. It's just a conversation. You'll just have to talk to them. Okay. Here goes nothing.

[SFX: She KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. We hear SOFT FOOTSTEPS on the other side of the door. The DOOR OPENS.]

Grey: Oh hey! Are you the infamous Mia? ...I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that. I'd literally never heard of you before you contacted me.

Mia: Uh, yeah, that's me. Am I on time?

Grey: No idea. Anyway, hi, I'm Grey. Come in.

Mia: Thanks.

[SFX: Mia WALKS INTO THE ROOM. Grey FOLLOWS.]

Grey: Just to let you know, I use they/them pronouns.

Mia: Cool. I use she/her.

[SFX: They STOP WALKING.]

Grey: Sorry for the clutter. I'm not exactly a tidy person. Just another part of my eccentric personality, if you know what I mean. Einstein had bedhead too, right? Anyway, do you mind the mess?

Mia: Uh… No, that’s fine. I can’t exactly tell you how to live your life.

Grey: Probably not. Many have tried. Uh, anyways, I emailed you about the price, right?

Mia: Yes! I actually emailed you back. I can pay the rent, don't worry.

Grey: Oh, I must have forgotten to check my email. Uh, can you cook?

Mia: Sure.

Grey: Can you teach me to cook?

Mia: Uh, I-I guess so?

Grey: Great. I'm terrible in the kitchen and Sarah tried to get me to cook dinner but-

Mia: Wait, who's Sarah?

Grey: Oh. She was my previous roommate. She moved out really suddenly last week. She even left some of her stuff behind. Something must have come up.

Mia: She didn't even give you a heads-up?

Grey: No.

Mia: That's...rude.

Grey: Yeah. Anyways, I needed a new roommate fast, because I cannot pay for this place on my own, so I'm glad you responded. Sooooo do you like the place?

Mia: Well, the living room looks good. But, uh, I haven't seen any other rooms yet.

Grey: Right, I'm such a klutz. Come, I'll be your guide on this epic adventure through my apartment, perhaps soon to be our apartment. Follow your leader!

[SFX: Chill, ambling "house tour" music begins. Footsteps as they walk around the house. Door opens.]

Grey: This is the bathroom.

Mia: Oh. It’s actually pretty clean.

Grey: What did you think, that it’d be a swamp?

Mia: No! I just...thought it might be more like the living room.

Grey: I thought you said you didn’t mind the mess!

[SFX: Door opens.]

Grey: The kitchen. I have leftover pizza in the fridge, if you’re hungry. 

[SFX: Door opens.]

Grey: The dining room.

[SFX: Door opens.]

Grey: My bedroom. Yes, I know it’s a mess.

[SFX: Door opens. Music becomes relaxed and comforting. We hear an AIR CONDITIONER.]

Grey: And this is your bedroom. 

Mia: It's... perfect.

Grey: Cozy, right? I always like small bedrooms. I know the room only has a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk, but you can decorate it. Make it into your own evil lair or whatever.

[SFX: Music stops.]

Mia: What's with that window?

Grey: Hm?

Mia: Uh, the small window, above the bed.

Grey: It looks out on the corridor. You can close the curtains at night, if you want.

Mia: I'll definitely be doing that.

Grey: There are no creeps out there, I promise. Well... apart from those jerks at number 42.

Mia: Sorry?

Grey: The door across from ours, number 42? The devils themselves live behind it.

Mia: There's more than one devil?

Grey: Oh, yes, and their names are Lauren and Oscar.

Mia: I thought the devil's name was Lucifer.

Grey: He has nothing on them.

Mia: What did they do?

Grey: What didn't they do? Just last night, they smeared fricking dog poo on my front door.

Mia: ...The same front door that I knocked on?

Grey: The very one. Of course, I responded by throwing several water balloons through their open window. (laughing) I could hear them squeal. Sarah would have been so proud of me.

Mia: Can't you guys just... like, get along?

Grey: You don't make a deal with the devil, Mia.

Mia: But... why? Why are you guys doing these pranks?

Grey: Why did Harry Potter fight Voldemort? And they're not pranks, Mia, they're attacks. Attacks on our dignity. Sooo do you want to live here?

Mia: Yes, I'd love to live here. If you'll have me. I’m not taking part in this neighborly rivalry, though, if that’s okay. I just want to live a quiet life. 

Grey: Fine, fine. You can move in whenever. I assume you have to go get your stuff...

Mia: Yeah, I left it downstairs. Wasn’t sure if the elevator was trustworthy. 

Grey: Seriously, you already took all of your stuff with you? You really were in a hurry, huh?

Mia: Oh, you know. Just trying to be efficient.

Grey: I admire that. I have never been efficient in my life. It's a lifestyle.

Mia: Is it?

Grey: Yeah.

[SFX: Scene transition music.]

[SFX: Mia WALKS DOWN THE LAST FEW STEPS. Mia TAKES HER SUITCASE AND PULLS IT OVER TO THE ELEVATOR. Mia PUSHES THE ELEVATOR BUTTON.]

Mia: Do I have everything? Bedding, books, clothes… Yes, that’s it. 

[SFX: The ELEVATOR DINGS ONCE and the ELEVATOR DOORS OPEN, then CLOSE. The elevator DINGS FOUR TIMES. The doors OPEN. We hear Mia’S FOOTSTEPS as she leaves the elevator and walks down the hallway. She’s carrying her stuff.]

Mia: (heaving) This is heavier than I thought. Wait, is that door open?  

[SFX: Mia continues walking until she’s closer.]

Mia: Oh, hi! Are you Lauren? Grey mentioned you, but-

[SFX: Lauren SLAMS HER DOOR.]

Mia: And she’s gone. God, I am so awkward. 

[SFX: She KNOCKS ON THE DOOR to apartment 38.]

Grey: (from inside the apartment, shouting) You can just come in, the door’s open!

Mia: Okay!

[SFX: She OPENS THE DOOR. She ENTERS the apartment. She DROPS HER STUFF (bag, bedding) on the floor.]

Mia: Oh my God. 

Grey: (from the living room, with a raised voice) What is it? 

Mia: There’s - there’s graffiti on the wall! Here, near the door to my bedroom. 

Grey: Seriously? What does it say?

Mia: “Good luck explaining this to the landlord”. 

Grey: (whistles at the sight of the graffiti) Oh, frick.

Mia: "Oh, frick"? The landlord's going to kill us.

Grey: Hey, chill out. You haven't even met the guy yet.

Mia: So he's not going to kill us?

Grey: Well, yeah. He'll definitely be pissed.

Mia: (whispering, panicked) Oh no.

Grey: Calm down, okay? It wasn't us.

Mia: But he doesn't know that!

Grey: Besides, we can paint it over.

Mia: Can we?

Grey: No idea. Lauren and Oscar have never pulled anything like this before. 

Mia: They did this?

Grey: Oh, definitely. Don't you worry, though, I'll get them back. Will you help me?

Mia: This is not my fight. And won't you just make things worse? How did this happen, anyway? This rivalry, how did it start?

Grey: Honestly? I don't remember. But they definitely started it. Unless they didn't... Yeah, I don't really remember.

Mia: That is reassuring.

Grey: Wait, do you not want to move in anymore?

Mia: (quickly) No! No, I want to live here. 

Grey: Okay. Well, I’m off to play some vid-ya-games. 

[SFX: Grey WALKS AWAY.]

Mia: You need this, Mia. You can survive the antics, the rivalries, whatever. It’s not your problem.

[SFX: Scene transition music.]

[SFX: AIR CONDITIONER. Mia FINISHES MAKING HER BED.]

Mia: That’s my bedsheets done. I’ll just need to unpack my clothes now.  

[SFX: SUBTLY CREEPY MUSIC starts playing.]

Mia: (shivers) Let me just… check the window above my bed real quick. Make sure our neighbors aren’t pranking us or something. 

[SFX: Mia STEPS ONTO HER BED. It SQUEAKS as she does so.]

She peers out of the window. 

[SFX: A crackling noise, like static with a deep bass.]

Mia: I could swear I just saw something flicker in the corner of my eye? ...No. No no no, nah, it’s nothing. Just my nerves. Talking to myself again. Very healthy behavior, isn’t it, Mia? 

Grey: (from the living room, raising their voice) Mia!

[SFX: CREEPY MUSIC fades out.] 

Mia: (also with raised voice) Yes, Grey?

Grey: Dinnertime!

Mia: I thought you didn't know how to cook!

Grey: I don't! This is me asking you if you'll cook something. Pretty please?

Mia: I'm coming!

[SFX: Mia's bed SQEAKS as she get off and WALKS to the door.]

[SFX: RAPID-FIRE SFX OF DINNER PREPARATION - Mia TAKING A PAN FROM THE CUPBOARD, CHOPPING ZUCCHINI, then CHOPPING ONION.]

Radio Announcer: You just heard [?] by kkim, and up next we have "Ivory Blush" by Jordan I. Lode. Enjoy it!

Grey: Oh my God my eyes! What is that?

[SFX: Calm COOKING MUSIC begins.]

Mia: … You do know what onions are, right? 

[SFX: The stove is TURNED ON, VEGETABLES ARE THROWN INTO A PAN, then we hear SIZZLING VEGETABLES, then Mia THROWS RISOTTO RICE INTO THE PAN. It all SIZZLES. CUTLERY IS LAID OUT on the table.]

Grey: This risotto is really good, Mia. But yeah, anyway, I pressed Lauren and Oscar’s buzzer and ran away like a freaking antelope. Wait, are antelopes fast? 

[SOUND: Grey's voice fades as if at a distance. COOKING MUSIC transitions to CREEPY MUSIC.] 

Mia: Uh-uh. That’s great.

Grey: So then, for the rest of the week, they thought their buzzer was malfunctioning! Until they spotted me running away and they realized what was happening…

Mia: Yeah.

[SFX: MUSIC ends. AIR CONDITIONER.]

Mia: (yawns) Man, I’m tired. Can’t believe Grey’s still playing video games. Guess it’s time for bed. 

[SFX: We hear a RAPID-FIRE SEQUENCE of Mia preparing to go to bed: taking off her clothes, showering, putting on her PJs, brushing her teeth, settling into bed, turning off the light with a final CLICK.]

Mia: (snores)

[SFX: NIGHTMARE MUSIC begins. The sound here is ECHOEY, like we’re in a large, undefined space. People talking sound like they're ghostly whispers in the night. We also hear Mia’S FOOTSTEPS as she walks through Sycamore Crossing’s hallway.]

Past Mia: Sycamore Crossing. Strange name for an apartment complex. 

Past Mia: It’s dark in here.

Past Grey: Oh hey! Are you the infamous Mia? 

Past Grey: The door across from ours, number 42? The devils themselves live behind it.

Past Mia: I’m not taking part in this neighborly rivalry, though, if that’s okay. I just want to live a quiet life. 

Past Mia: Oh, hi! Are you Lauren? Grey mentioned you, but- 

[SFX: Dream Mia continues walking.]

Past Mia: It’s dark in here.

Low Voice: Mia… Mia… 

Mia: Who’s there?

[SFX: Scary crackling noise.]

Past Mia: I could swear I just saw something flicker in the corner of my eye?

Grey: Maybe you did, Mia. Maybe they’ve found you. (echoing) Found you, found you… 

Low Voice: Mia…

[SFX: The voices die down. In their place comes a SINGLE CONTINUOUS MUSICAL NOTE, a deep, eerie sound. Mia’s footsteps continue. The NOTE gets more and more overwhelming, with CREEPY MUSIC building behind it. Then, in the distance -]

Grey: Mia! 

[SFX: And suddenly all of the sound is sucked away as we move to-]

Grey: Mia! Mia, are you okay?

[SFX: AIR CONDITIONER.]

Mia: (confused) What?

[SFX: We hear the RUSTLING OF SHEETS as Mia sits up.]

Grey

I'm sorry I barged into your room, but - you were screaming. Are you okay?

Mia: (sniffles, still in shock) ...Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay.

Grey: Liar.

Mia: Excuse me?

Grey: I'm just saying, you- you're crying. Clearly something's wrong.

Mia: I… I had a nightmare. I was walking through the hallway here in Sycamore Crossing… the hallway seemed unendingly long… and then I heard a continuous sound, and with it came this - this thing. 

Grey: What thing?

Mia: It was like the gaping mouth of a creature intent on devouring you, only there was no creature attached to it. The mouth was so dark, darker than night, and it felt like it was pulling on me. Like it was trying to swallow me. Darkness pooled out of it, coloring the hallway dark a dark gray. 

Grey: Okay. So basically what you’re saying is that it was like a huge black hole? 

Mia: That’s one way of putting it. But way, way more terrifying than you’re thinking. Its presence... clutched my heart. 

Grey: Sounds poetic.

[SFX: In the distance, a PHONE RINGS. EERIE MUSIC starts playing, similar to what we heard when Mia saw something from the window in her bedroom.]

Mia: Is that for us?

Grey: It must be. It's the living room phone. Come on, let’s answer it. 

[SFX: Mia GETS OUT OF BED. She and Grey WALK into the living room. The phone RINGS still as they walk.]

Grey: Mia, you’re shaking.

Mia: Just trying to shake off the nightmare. I barely feel awake. Are you sure this isn’t another dream? 

Grey

Like 80% sure? 

[SFX: They reach the phone.]

Mia: What if it's the landlord? Maybe he heard me scream and he wants to throw me out.

Grey: No one's throwing you out. They'll have to go through me first, okay?

[SFX: The phone RINGS again. Grey PICKS IT UP.]

Grey: I'll put it on speaker.

[SFX: They PRESS A BUTTON.]

Grey: Hello?

Phone Voice: You have awakened a dark presence. Soon, it will devour you.

Mia: What? 

Phone Voice: New girl, I am speaking to you. I know that you are there. I know that you are listening. It will come for you. Remember my voice. It is the last voice you will ever hear-

Grey: Oh, ha ha, very funny, Oscar.

Oscar and Lauren: (giggle) 

Mia: (weakly) Oscar?

Grey: "You have awakened a dark presence"? Is that the best you can do? Get off the line.

Lauren: How did you like our graffiti?

Grey: Screw you, Lauren.

[SFX: Grey HANGS UP.]

Mia: That's their idea of a prank?

Grey: It's original, I'll give them that.

Mia: Why did they want to scare me? What have I ever done to them?

Grey: Well, you're my ally. That makes you their enemy.

Mia: Since when am I your ally?

Grey: Ouch.

Mia: No, sorry, I j- No, that's not what I meant. I'm going back to bed.

[SFX: We hear her FOOTSTEPS as she goes back to her bedroom. They STOP. The AIR CONDITIONER is still on in her room.]

Mia: Grey? Did you leave a… a metal thing on my bed? 

Grey: (from the living room) Clarify “metal thing”.

Mia: It looks like a crank? Like it’s for turning levers or something. Ugh, it’s actually pretty gross. I think there’s oil on it. It’s ruining my bedsheets. I can’t sleep under these anymore, not until I wash them. 

Grey: Ew. It must have been Lauren and Oscar. 

Mia: Are you serious? Did they sneak in here while they were calling us? What the hell? 

[SFX: Mia ENTERS the living room. The AIR CONDITIONER fades as she leaves her room.]

Mia: You know what, Grey?

Grey: What?

Mia: Let's get them back. Let's prank them so hard they end up being afraid of us.

Grey: Seriously? You're in?

Mia: I'm in.

[SFX: Transition to HEIST MUSIC!]

Grey: (whispering) Okay, it's 9 am. They always leave the apartment around this time to get croissants.

Mia: Croissants?

Grey: I know, right? Aren't they fancy.

Mia: Just because it's a French word doesn't mean that croissants are fancy.

Grey: They could just eat cereal like the rest of us. Oh, here they come.

[SFX: Lauren and Oscar EXIT their apartment and CLOSE THE DOOR behind them. We hear their voices slowly fade out as they WALK towards the stairs.]

Lauren: I’m starving. I could eat a bear.

Oscar: Huh, I didn't think that was your type. Anyways, that's not the expression. Isn't it "I could eat a horse"?

Lauren: I’m improvising. Also, it’s early, so give my brain a break. 

[SFX: In the distance, Oscar and Lauren DESCEND THE STAIRS. Their voices have faded.]

Grey: Coast is clear, Eagle One. Let’s go.

[SFX: We hear Grey and Mia’s FOOTSTEPS as they walk up to Lauren and Oscar’s apartment.]

Mia: Is it always this quiet?

Grey: Usually, yeah.

Mia: How many people live here?

Grey: On this floor, like five? A few apartments are empty. In total there are probably thirty residents. Not as many as the housing complex a few streets over.

Mia: Why is that?

Grey: I don't know. Some people think it's haunted here.

Mia: Are you serious?

[SFX: HEIST MUSIC intensifies]

Grey: Oh my god. Do you think Lauren and Oscar have been prank calling every apartment? Is that why people think it's haunted?

Mia: I highly doubt that.

Grey: So anyway, those jerks left their window open, so if I can just reach in and open it further... (straining) Almost there...

[SFX: We hear the WINDOW OPEN.]

Grey: Got it. Time to climb. (grunts as they climb through)

[SFX: Grey PULLS THEMSELVES UP THROUGH THE WINDOW, then FALLS TO THE GROUND.]

Grey: (panting) Made it! Come on through, Mia, the coast is clear.

[SFX: Mia CLIMBS THROUGH THE WINDOW, then also FALLS TO THE GROUND.]

Mia: Ouch. That was very graceful.

Grey: To business. Do you have the salt?

Mia: Right here.

Grey: Cool. I'll try to find their sugar bowl.

[SFX: We hear Grey's FOOTSTEPS as they explore the kitchen. HEIST MUSIC fades out.]

Mia: Wow, their kitchen is squeaky clean.

Grey: How do they do it?

Mia: They clean, I suppose.

Grey: I ask again: how do they do it?

Mia: Please tell me you occasionally clean the apartment.

Grey: You saw the apartment, didn't you? It's reasonably clean.

Mia: And it wasn't just Sarah who cleaned it sometime before she left?

Grey: ...No comment. (sighs) I miss Sarah.

Mia: Were you close?

Grey: She was my friend. I figured she'd at least tell me if she was leaving. We could have said goodbye.

SOUND: Grey OPENS A DRAWER.

Grey: Found the sugar bowl! I'll just dump the sugar in the trash? So then you can pour in the salt.

Mia: Wait, do you hear that?

[SFX: A DOOR OPENS. We hear FOOTSTEPS.]

Lauren: -okay, but if you hadn't talked over me, then none of this- (she sees Mia and Grey)

Mia: Oh no. 

Oscar: What are you two doing in here?

Grey: Uhhhh nothing?

Lauren: Jesus, Grey, pranks are one thing but breaking in is a red freaking line.

Grey: Are you kidding me? You guys graffiti'd our wall! Do you not call that breaking in?

Lauren: The door was open!

Oscar: That was your fault, really.

Grey: Was it? And what about calling us in the middle of the night? Trying to scare Mia?

Oscar: That was an initiation.

Mia: I'd really rather stay out of this.

Lauren: Stay out of this? You're in our apartment. Get out!

Grey: Fine, we're leaving. We don't like it here anyway. It's ugly.

Oscar: It literally looks the same as your apartment!

Grey: No, it doesn't! You have different... furniture! Come Mia, let's go.

[SFX: We hear Grey AND Mia'S FOOTSTEPS.]

Lauren: Yeah, you'd better go. Flee into the hallway, miscreants. 

[SFX: Mia's footsteps STOP.]

Mia: Can I ask you something? Why the crank?

Lauren: What crank?

Mia: The crank! The one you left in my bed! You literally broke in to leave it and you're getting angry at us?

Oscar: What are you talking about? We didn't leave anything in your bed.

Grey: Yeah, right!

Lauren: Grey, shut up. That wasn't us, whatever you're talking about. You think we'd go into your bedroom?

Mia: I think you're trying to scare me!

Lauren: Well, I think that you're a whiny little-

[SFX: Suddenly, we hear the CRACKLING NOISE followed by a CONTINUOUS NOTE and EERIE MUSIC. All four GASP.]

Oscar: (softly) Uh, what is that? Are you guys seeing what I’m seeing? 

Grey: Mia, does that… does that look like the black hole you saw in your dream? 

Mia: Yes. It looks exactly like the black hole I saw in my dream. And it feels even worse. I can’t… I can’t feel my heartbeat. I can only feel that thing. 

[SFX: Suddenly, the sound and music END. It’s quiet for a beat.]

Oscar: It’s gone. 

Lauren: What the hell was that?

Mia: Is it here for me?  

[SFX: Transition to THEME MUSIC for outro.]

Voiceover: Darkened Hallways is written by Asa van der Lecq and produced by Kimberly Dauber. Our director is Kris Kim. Our production manager is Max Evans. Sound design is by John Bond, music is by Joelle Doriani, and cover art is by Manon Groos. Our sensitivity reader is Stacey Parshall Jensen. This episode featured Victoria Longe as Mia, PJ Hernandez as Grey, Ari Sylvin as Lauren, and Kelvyn Koning as Oscar. Darkened Hallways is a product of Hear Me Out Productions. Find our other shows at hearmeoutproductions.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @HearMeOutProd. This show is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Thank you for visiting us at Sycamore Crossing. Come home soon - we'll be waiting.

[SFX: THEME MUSIC ENDS.]

Voiceover: Darkened Hallways is a creation of Hear Me Out Productions.

HMOP logotone: All we have are dreams and a microphone.

The post Roof Over My Head first appeared on Hear Me Out Productions.