SOUND:
TRAIN AND WHISTLE
ANNCR:
The Mutual Broadcasting System presents "I Love a mystery".
MUSIC:
ORGAN - "VALSE TRISTE"
SOUND:
SIREN - SCREECH OF BRAKES
ANNCR:
A new Carlton Morse Adventures Thriller!...."Temple of Vampires."
SOUND:
CLOCK STRIKES ELEVEN
ANNCR:
Eleven o'clock at night, high on the ledge above the floor of the Temple of Vampires, somewhere in the Jungles of Central America. Reggie stands guard over the boy Hermie, and the captive High Priestess in one of the Monks cells on a ledge forty feet above the floor of the temple. Jack and Doc have swung on a rope, hung from the temple roof, to the great ledge across the room. Here on this isolated ledge, which according to the Vampire Priestess, Angelina, is the sacred ground of the vampires, the two comrades are searching for the girl, Sunny, stolen by Manuel, the High Priest. On this ledge there are many great stone room apparently without doors. The captive, Angelina, told them how to open these rooms, which she said would lead them to Sunny. They followed her instructions and suddenly a portion of the stone wall slid slowly up into the ceiling. But the room didn't lead to Sunny! Jack turned his flash light into the darkness to rest on great, hideous creatures...the Vampires themselves.
ECHO CHAMBER
DOC:
(TENSE, HORROR) Jack...Jack, shut that door....They're coming after us...
JACK:
It won't close...I don't know how to work it...
DOC:
Well keep your flash light on 'em... While I get my forty-five.
JACK:
Get ready to let 'em have it...
SOUND:
SOUND OF RUMBLING OF HUGH DOOR DESCENDING...SAME AS USED ON DRAWBRIDGE WITHOUT CHAINS
JACK:
Look out, Doc... Stand back...
DOC:
What's that noise, Jack?
JACK:
It's the door... The door's descending...get back...
SOUND:
DOOR ENDS RUMBLING WITH THUMP
DOC:
(EXHALES) Well what do you know about that! You got her shut just in time.
JACK:
I didn't shut it...
DOC:
You mean it just shut itself?
MANUEL:
(SOFTLY) No, I close it...:
DOC: Hey... Who said that?
MANUEL:
I, Manuel, say that...
JACK:
Hello, Manuel, we were looking for you...
MANUEL:
So?
JACK:
Yeah... Where are you?
MANUEL:
No, do not turn about... Put your hands above your head...
DOC:
Well, roll me over... A Vampire with a gun in his hand.
MANUEL:
Now, march....
JACK:
Where?... Can't see a thing with this flash light off...
MANUEL:
To your left you will see a crack of light...
DOC:
Yeah, he's sure right about that... Over there, Jack...
MANUEL:
You will go towards it...
JACK:
Sure...
SOUND:
FOOTSTEPS FOR FEW SECONDS
MANUEL:
(ON CUE) When you come to the door...enter.
SOUND:
FOOTSTEPS FOR SECOND..CUT ECHO CHAMBER
DOC:
(ON CUE) Well, I'm a foot-high exclamation-point!
JACK:
Quite a room...
DOC:
A DOGGONE PALACE.
SUNNY:
(BACK LITTLE)(RELIEVED) Jack...Doc...You've come.
DOC:
And if it ain't our little friend, Sunny...
SUNNY:
(BACK LITTLE) Oh, I'm so glad...
DOC:
Whatcha doin' over yonder in the shadow?
SUNNY:
I'm... I'm tied up......
DOC:
Now, look, Manuel, is that anyway to treat a female guest?
MANUEL:
Keep your hands up.....
DOC:
Oh, sure...
SUNNY:
(BACK LITTLE) Are...are you two prisoners, too?
DOC:
Well, Manuel's got a horse pistol stuck in our backs, i9f that's what you mean...
SOUND:
HUGH DOOR RUMBLING DOWN WITH THUMP AS BEFORE
DOC:
Hey, what's goin' on...
MANUEL:
The wall is closed...Now we will not be disturbed...I will have your weapons....
DOC:
Sure, help yourself....
MANUEL:
Thank you....(SLIGHT PAUSE)....There... Now you....
JACK:
Talking to me?
MANUEL:
Si.... You will back over here to me...
JACK:
Anything you want...
MANUEL:
You are kind....(PAUSE)....You have only one gun?
JACK:
That's all....
MANUEL:
Good... Then you may both sit down...
DOC:
Take our arms down?
MANUEL:
Si....
DOC:
Thanks, I just CAN'T be friendly with my hands up over my head....
MANUEL:
Please, you will sit down....
JACK:
Why not.
DOC:
Yeah, I haven't had a good look at you....Heeeey, where'd you git that shiner?
MANUEL:
Shiner?
DOC:
(AMUSED) Why blamed if you haven't got a good old fashioned American black eye...
MANUEL:
Oh.... The eye....
DOC:
(AMUSED) Now ain't THAT something! Where you s'pose he got THAT, Jack?
SUNNY:
(BACK LITTLE) I gave it to him...
DOC:
(AMUSED) You did, sure enough, Sunny.
SUNNY:
(BACK LITTLE) Yes, and that's not ALL he got, either... Try to make love to ME, will he.....
DOC:
(CHUCKLES) Will you listen to the girl!
JACK:
Sunny, are you all right?
SUNNY:
(BACK) If you think I'm not. Just untie me and give me another chance at that South American Gigolo!
DOC:
(AMUSED) Well, whatcha KNOW...A fighting female...
MANUEL:
Si...She is bad one...I tied her up in self-defense...
JACK:
Well, I wish you'd stop pointing that gun at my stomach...
MANUEL:
It will not go off so long as you are quiet...
DOC:
And, what's supposed to happen NOW?
MANUEL:
You ask that, after what you have seen?
JACK:
What's that supposed to mean?
MANUEL:
You have invaded the sacred places of the Vampires...
DOC:
You're not kidding there, Manuel...And, feller, was I glad when that door came down between us and them...
MANUEL:
No man ever see the Sacred Vampires and live to tell it...
JACK:
We saw them and we're still alive...
MANUEL:
Ah yes..... But not for long....
DOC:
Hey, Sunny, have you seen Manuel's chicken yard?
SUNNY:
Chicken yard?
DOC:
He's got a whole roomful of vampires next door here...
SUNNY:
Real Vampires?
JACK:
Huge BATS, tall as men! ... Manuel, where did you ever get bat's as large as that?...
MANUEL:
Si... They are the sacred Vampires....
JACK:
You said that before.... Where did they come from?
MANUEL:
The Priests of the Temple have bred them for generations. Each generation they grow a little bigger, a little more savage, a little more rapacious...
JACK:
And you sacrifice the Indian natives to those creatures?
MANUEL:
Si...It is not often we have white men to sacrifice... They will like it....
DOC:
You got another guess coming, Manuel.....
MANUEL:
So?
DOC:
I wasn't cut out fer no human sacrifice....I'm not the type.
MANUEL:
We shall see... And now, I will ask YOU a question...
DOC:
Shoot!
MANUEL:
How did you get into the room of vampires?
DOC:
Nothing to it... There was a picture of a vampire on the wall; under it was a loose stone, we took that out--
MANUEL:
How did you KNOW there was loose rock? ... You did not find it yourself.
DOC:
That's right... That little old Angelina Vampire told us....
MANUEL:
Angelina tell you?
DOC:
Yeah, and she came mighty-near doing us dirt... I just remembered that, Jack....
JACK:
Remember what?
DOC:
When Angelina told us how to open that door she said it would take us to where Manuel had Sunny... Instead of that we blamed near did a polka with a bunch of Vampires.
JACK:
The old double-cross...
DOC:
(AGREES) You can't trust that Angelina dame further than you can fling her by the hair.
MANUEL:
Soooo, Angelina give away secrets of the temple....
JACK:
Yes, and I'll bet that makes her popular with YOU.
MANUEL:
I do not LIKE Angelina to give away secrets of the temple.
DOC:
Well, look, Manuel, old kid, we sure enjoy sitting around chattering with you, but how about a little action for a change?
MANUEL:
Where IS Angelina?
JACK:
Dead....
MANUEL:
Angelina is dead?
JACK:
That's right....
MANUEL:
No, I do not believe Angelina is dead.
JACK:
She came monkeying around the plane trying to get hold of the boy, Hermie.... We shot her.
MANUEL:
That is very bad thing you tell me.
DOC:
Well, Manuel, that only goes to show what happens when you start biting off more than you can chew.
MANUEL:
The Vampires will feast tonight....
DOC:
DO you have to keep getting back on THAT subject?... Can't you think of anything INTERESTING to talk about?
MANUEL:
The flares will be lighted.... The drums will roll and the Priests of the Temple will parade before the altar all night tonight....
JACK:
Then you'd better get them started....
MANUEL:
So?
JACK:
Yeah... It's almost eleven-thirty right now...
MANUEL:
The time has come....
DOC:
Doggone, he makes a SWELL villain, don't he, Jack?....
MANUEL:
I will give you your choice... Which of you will go into the room of Vampires first?
DOC:
You mean we get to draw straws?
MANUEL:
Who will go first?
JACK:
How about us going in together?
MANUEL:
No, one at a time....
DOC:
Okay, then how about ME....
SUNNY:
(BACK LITTLE) Doc...Doc, you fool... He means it...
DOC:
Take it easy, Sunny... Nothing's going to happen to me.
SUNNY:
But I KNOW... I KNOW, what's going to happen...
DOC:
Listen, Sugar... An old gypsy woman one time told me I was born to be HUNG... And how can I be hung if I get gnawed on by a vampire?
SUNNY:
Jack, don't let him go...
DOC:
Been sitting down so long... Mind if I stretch... (STRETCHES)(EXHALES) There.. Now I feel better...
MANUEL:
You do not play tricks... this gun is dangerous...
DOC:
Oh sure..sure.. (OUT OF CORNER OF MOUTH) Ready, Jack?
JACK:
(LOW) Yeah...
DOC:
Well, what do we do NOW, Manuel?
MANUEL:
You see that bare portion of wall?
DOC:
Aye, I see it...
MANUEL:
When I pull this rope, a door will appear....
DOC:
No kidding...
MANUEL:
Si... The minute it open, you step through...
DOC:
And then what?
MANUEL:
The door close and you are in room of Vampires...
DOC:
(ADMIRING) You don't say... Just as simple as THAT...
MANUEL:
Do not hesitate or I shoot you where you stand...
DOC:
Don't you worry none about THAT... Once Is tart I don't NEVER hesitate...
MANUEL:
It is well... You are ready?
DOC:
(YELLS) GIT HIM, JACK....
SOUND:
TWO SHOTS; SMASHING OF FURNITURE...BREATHING GRUNTS EXCLAMATIONS
DOC:
(ON CUE) Now you got him, Jack!
SOUND:
(TERRIFIC SOCK) BODY FALLING TO FLOOR
DOC:
Nice going, Jack...Out like a light...
JACK:
(BREATHING) You got his gun?
DOC:
Yeah, and here's yours and mine....
JACK:
(BREATHLESS) Good...Put up quite a battle...
SUNNY:
Oh, golly, that was SWELL...It was MARVELOUS...
DOC:
(CHUCKLES) How you doing, Jack?
JACK:
(BREATHING) Go untie Sunny while I tie up this goon...
DOC:
A doggone pleasure.
SUNNY:
Oh, Doc, Dock, it's so good to see you boys....
DOC:
Don't hate me no more, huh?
SUNNY:
I could hug you to death...
DOC:
Well, what we waiting for?
SUNNY:
(AMUSED) Untie me, you fool...
DOC:
(AMUSED) Yeah, reckon that WOULD help...
SUNNY:
I never saw anything like it...The way you boys work together...
DOC:
You mean that team-work we used on Manuel?
SUNNY:
Yes, it was so fast I could hardly tell what happened...
DOC:
Uh-huh...(GRUNTS) There's your feet...Stand up and I'll untie your hands...
SUNNY:
You'll have to help me...
DOC:
(EXERTION) Uuuup you come...
SUNNY:
(GASPS) Ooooh, my legs are asleep...
DOC:
Here, sit down on the edge of the chair...Swing your legs...
SUNNY:
uh-huh...Doc, what DID happen...
DOC:
When?
SUNNY:
I was watching...You were standing up and Manuel had his gun pointed at you...The next thing I knew you were on the floor and Jack was on top of Manuel.
DOC:
Sure! Simple...But it works...Got him to concentrate on me...Jack didn't look dangerous -- sitting down...Then, I drop to the floor and Jack goes into action...Two fellers in action at the same time makes a gunman awful nervous...He does know WHERE he's at for a minute, and by that time it's too late...
JACK:
(COMING TO MIKE) What's going on over here?
DOC:
Hi, Jack!
JACK:
What are you doing, telling her your life story?
DOC:
(EXHALES) And there's your hands free...
SUNNY:
(STRETCHES) Ooooh, GOOD....I was afraid I wasn't ever going to see you boys again...
JACK:
You all right?
SUNNY:
Oh, yes...Except I'm a little wobbly...
DOC:
You'll get the kinks out in a little...Got Manuel all sewed up?
JACK:
Yes. Now to get out of this place...I haven't the faintest idea how to open the door leading out to the ledge...
SUNNY:
Oh, I know...I watched him open and close the door several times.
JACK:
Good...Show us...
SUNNY:
All right...(GASPS) Oooh, golly!
DOC:
Whup...Gotcha...
JACK:
Legs won't hold you?
SUNNY:
Oooooh pins and needles...
DOC:
Still numb, huh...Come on, I'll help you...
SUNNY:
(GASPS) All right...Jack, you see that piece of tapestry on the wall?
JACK:
Yes...
SUNNY:
Right behind it...There's a rope...Pull on it...
JACK:
That opens the door?
SUNNY:
Yes...Oh, I've just GOT to sit down, Doc.
DOC:
No, sir, keep moving around...That's the only way to get circulation going...
SUNNY:
Oh, you WANT to torture me...
DOC:
It's for your own good, honey.
SOUND:
RUMBLE OF HUGE DOOR AS BEFORE
JACK:
There she comes...She's opening...
SOUND:
: COMES TO STOP WITH THUMP
JACK:
All right, come on...
DOC:
Here, Jack, how about his royal highness here?
JACK:
Let him stay there...Here, I'll take your other arm.
SUNNY:
Oh, thanks...
SOUND:
FOOTSTEPS
JACK:
Out we go...
SOUND:
FOOTSTEPS FOR SECOND...THEN IN ECHO CHAMBER
SUNNY:
(ON CUE) Where...where are you taking me?
JACK:
Back across to the other ledge.
DOC:
Yeah, Reggie'll be wondering what's become of us...
SUNNY:
Wait...wait a minute...
DOC: Huh?...What's the matter?
SUNNY:
You...You mean I've got to swing across on that rope?
JACK:
It's the only way to get back...
SUNNY:
Oooh no, I can't...
DOC:
But, Sunny, you GOT to...
SUNNY:
Please, you go on and leave me here...
JACK:
Leave you HERE?
SUNNY:
Yes...Yes, ANYTHING, only don't make me--
DOC:
Hey, what you talkin' about...
SUNNY:
I can't...I tell you, I CAN'T...
DOC:
Oh, so you're going FEMALE on us again...
SUNNY:
Doc, I'm sorry.
DOC:
Just a plain female woman that can't take it.
SUNNY:
(NEAR TEARS) but...BUT THAT HORRIBLE NAUSEA...Fifty feet up in the air...(GASPS) I think I'm going to be sick...
DOC:
Well, I'm doggoned if I ain't ashamed of you, Sunny...
SUNNY:
(NEAR TEARS) I can't help it...
JACK:
That's enough of this...Take her arm, Doc...
SUNNY:
(FEAR) No...NO...
JACK:
(GRIMLY) Come on..
SOUND:
STRUGGLE
SUNNY:
(PANTING) I won't...Let go of me...
DOC:
(GASP) Hang onto her, Jack...
JACK:
Sunny, STOP IT...
Sunny:
Let go...I hate you...No...NO...NO!
DOC:
(GASPS) Why, you-- hey, Jack, she's gone limp...
JACK:
(BREATHING) She's fainted...
DOC:
(DISGUSTED) Now wouldn't this be a nice kettle of fish.
JACK:
It's just as well...Stay with her while I go get a piece of rope...
SOUND:
FOOTSTEPS FADING OUT
DOC:
Sunny, I'm plumb disgusted with women...Throwing a fit and going limp on us...What gets into a woman, ANYWAY...And me figuring on one day hitching up to one of 'em...Honest to Christmas, I'm beginning to think Jack's right...
JACK:
(BACK) Doc...Doc...
DOC:
(UP) Hey, Jack...What's the matter?
SOUND:
FOOTSTEPS RUNNING INTO MIKE
Doc:
Hey, what's the matter?
JACK:
(BREATHING) Quick...Get to the ledge...The Vampire's bats are out...
DOC:
The bats running around loose? What about Manuel?
JACK:
He's gone! I left him tied up and now he's gone...And the bats are coming this way...