[SLURP! GOES THE AMOEBA]

[page 1]

NBC

ADVERTISER          SUSTAINING        WRITER        WILLIS COOPER

PROGRAM TITLE       LIGHTS OUT        OK

CHICAGO OUTLET      WMAQ
(11:30 - 12:00 Midnight)      (DECEMBER 4, 1935)    (WEDNESDAY)

PRODUCTION

ANNOUNCER

ENGINEER

REMARKS 

_________________________________________________________

[2]

VOICE: Lights out, everybody! 

SOUND: THIRTEEN CHIME NOTES
 
BEHIND THE CHIME NOTES:
 
WOMAN'S VOICE: (SOBBING) Oh... it's killing him - it's killing him -
 
WIND UP ON ELEVENTH CHIME NOTE 

OUT BEHIND

G O N G

FADE IN:

SOUND OF STIRRING LIQUID IN GRADUATE. SET DOWN THE GRADUATE, AND:

DR. BAUMEISTER: 	Ready with your notes, Laferski?
 
LAFERSKI: 		All ready, doctor. 

BAUMEISTER: 		Experiment Number 331. 

LAFERSKI: 		Yes sir.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Don't yell 'yes, sir' at me every time I open my 

			mouth! Pay attention! 

LAFERSKI: 		Ye - ahem.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Experiment Number 331. Got that?

LAFERSKI: 		Yes.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Synthetic protoplasm. Formula B-22.
 
LAFERSKI: 		B-22
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Temperature 34 degrees Centigrade. Quantity four 

			hundred and - (LOOKING AT THE GRADUATE) forty c.c.
 
LAFERSKI: 		34 degrees. 440 cc.
 
[3]
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Reactions. Original solution reacts exactly as all 

			former solutions. (STIRRING GRADUATE) On application 

			of formula FO11 to protoplasm,.....no reactions.
 
LAFERSKI: 		No reaction.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		(STIRRING SOLUTION) Application of heat...slight 

			effervescense, followed by breaking down of entire solution 

			into component parts.
 
LAFERSKI: 		Got it.

BAUMEISTER: 		Shut up, Laferski. I'll do the talking. Application of 

			acid - G-two-S-O-four.
 
LAFERSKI: 		Sulphuric acid...
 
BAUMEISTER: 		No change. Blast the thing, anyway! Why do I fool away 

			my time on such idiotic experiments? Answer me, Laferski! 

			Why do I?
 
LAFERSKI: 		I don't know, doctor.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Shut up! What's the number of this - 331?  Three hundred 

			and thirty-one times! And nothing but negative results! 

			I'm done! I'm done, I tell you!
 
CRASH AS HE SLAMS GRADUATE ON FLOOR
 
LAFERSKI: 		But, Dr. Baumeister...

BAUMEISTER: 		Shut up! Shut up! I tell you! Are you going to try to 

			tell me - are you - are you . (HE SLOWS DOWN AS HE LOOKS 

			AT THE STUFF HE'S THROWN ON THE FLOOR) Laferski!  Do - 

			do you see....
 
LAFERSKI: 		Huh? What?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Fool! The floor! Look at it!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Yes, sir --

[4] 
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Idiot! Fool! Numbskull! Get me a beaker - quick!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Y-yes, sir - what - what is it, doctor?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Unless I'm very badly mistaken, Laferski...unless I'm 

			very badly mistaken - this stuff is - by gad, it is!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Is what?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		It's alive! 

LAFERSKI: 		It is?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Laferski, do you know what I've done? Do you know? 

			Answer me! Do you -

LAFERSKI: 		You spilled the stuff on the floor ...
 
BAUMEISTER: 	(SLAPS HIM IN THE PUSS) You idiot! I've created life! 

			Synthetic life! I put a lot of chemicals in a beaker! 

			I mixed them - and they live! Laferski, they live! 

			I did it! I did it! I'm the greatest chemist in the 

			world! I've created synthetic life! The goal of 

			scientists since time began - and I've done it!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Gee!
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Now - now, my little darling...my little beauty.. my 

			own - (HE LAUGHS MERRILY) It can be done! It has 

			been done! I did it! I, Paul Baumeister, that everybody 

			said was crazy! Laferski, we're going to get drunk, 

			you and I! Oh, but we're not - we're going to watch over 

			this little - thing, and nurture it, and feed it, 

			and watch it grow, and -

LAFERSKI: 		How do you know it's alive, Doctor?
 
[5]
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Look, nitwit, look! Did you ever see movement like that 

			in a dead chemical solution? Watch! While I jab this 

			glass rod into it - watch! Look!
 
LAFERSKI: 		(AMAZED) It - it moved ....
 
BAUMEISTER: 		It feels - it's afraid - it's alive! Laferski, I tell 

			you, it's alive!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Gosh....it sure is, ain't it?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		And how did I do it? Everything was just the same as 

			before -

LAFERSKI: 		Except you throwed it on the floor, doctor.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		I did! I did! Now, what was on the floor - did I spill 

			some chemical - did I -

LAFERSKI: 		Something must have got mixed with the stuff when you 

			throwed it on the floor, doctor, I bet.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Ass! Utter ass! Go out and find something for this 

			thing to eat!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Huh? What'll I get it? 
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Wait. I know. Let's find out something. Come here, 

			Laferski. Come here to me. 

LAFERSKI: 		Now, doc - now what you gonna do - now -
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Here, Laferski. Stick your finger into the beaker here -
 
LAFERSKI: 		No - no -

BAUMEISTER: 		Stick your finger right in there - do as I tell you! 

			Right into the stuff - that's it!
 
LAFERSKI: 		Ugh. It's slimy, doctor - (HE CRIES OUT IN PAIN) It bit 

			me!
 
[6]
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Nonsense! How could it! Hold your hand still!
 
LAFERSKI MOANS IN PAIN

BAUMEISTER: 		Let's see that finger! Ha! Look at it - look at it, 

			Laferski!

LAFERSKI: 		The - the end of it's gone.... oooh, and look - the thing's 

			getting bigger!
 
BAUMEISTER LAUGHS GAILY AND A LITTLE NUTTILY INTO
 
G O N G

LAFERSKI: 		(SCARED) Golly, doc, what are we gonna do with the darn 

			thing?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		How big is it this morning, Laferski? 

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, honest. When I left the laboratory last night it 

			was only about the size of a baseball.

BAUMEISTER: 		How big is it now?
 
LAFERSKI: 		You know what we gave it to eat last night? 

BAUMEISTER: 		Those white mice... 

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, their skeletons is layin' on the floor alongside the 

			bench where the thing is - and it's big as a punkin now...
 
BAUMEISTER: 		(SLAPS HIM) You lie!
 
LAFERSKI:		(ALMOST CRYING) Doc, I'm tellin' you. Come and look at it.

BAUMEISTER: 		I will! And if you lied to me -
 
LAFERSKI: 		I never lied, doc - honest I never -
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Come on!
 
THEY WALK ACROSS THE FLOOR, OPEN A DOOR.

BAUMEISTER: 		Good Lord!
 
LAFERSKI: 		You see, doc -
 
[7] 

BAUMEISTER: 		That's wonderful! It's amazing! It's marvelous! 

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, look out now - the dog-gone thing snapped at me -

BAUMEISTER: 		Snapped - you fool!
 
HE WALKS OVER TO THE TABLE
 
BAUMEISTER: 		By gad. I wouldn't have believed it.

LAFERSKI: 		(OFF) Look out, doc.

WE HEAR THE THING SLURPING IN ITS GLASS CAGE
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Cursed thing's active. Look at those pseudopods, Laferski!  

LAFERSKI: 		(CLOSER) At what?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Look - it hasn't any definite shape of its own. But it can 

			put out arms of protoplasm - see - look - watch now -
 
LAFERSKI: 		(SCREAMS) Doc! Look out! 
 
BAUMEISTER: (A LITTLE SHAKEN) Gad, the thing's quick! It's like an amoeba 

			but no amoeba in the world ever moved that fast! We're 

			going to have to watch this thing, Laferski.
 
LAFERSKI: 		Doc, let's go away and leave it starve. I'm scared of it.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Let it starve! After I created the thing? You're crazy.
 
LAFERSKI: 		But if we keep on feedin' it - there's no tellin' how big 

			it'll get, doc - and first thing you know it'll - oh, gosh, 

			doc...
 
BAUMEISTER: 		I know...but we'll have to take a chance...
 
LAFERSKI: 		Oh, gosh, doc, I don't want to - doc, I quit -
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Quit! You'll not quit! I know what you want to do - you 

			want to bring the police here - you want to kill my - my -
 
LAFERSKI: 		Yeh. What is it, doc?
 
[8]
 
BAUMEISTER: 		I'm going to call it Amoeba. That's what it is -
 
LAFERSKI: 		Doc. Did you - did you notice when you said Amoeba?
 
BAUMEISTER: 		What? When I said Amoeba?
 
SLURP! GOES A PSEUDOPOD
 
BAUMEISTER: 		By the - Laferski! It's intelligent! It - it knows its name!

LAFERSKI: 		Oh, gosh, doc...
 
BAUMEISTER: 		(ENTRANCED) Amoeba...(SLURP) Amoeba....(SLURP) Amoeba...

			(LOUD SLURP!) 

LAFERSKI: 		Look out, doc! That thing's reachin' for you! 

BAUMEISTER: 		By George! I tell you I was positively fascinated by it. 

			That nucleus of the cell there - like an eye....it almost 

			had me hypnotised.... 

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, let's get out of here!
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Wait. Get that big - no. We'll carry it in and put it in 

			the bathtub. It's too big to keep in this beaker...and 

			in another day or so, if we feed it - 

LAFERSKI: 		Oh, doc, let's kill it - please, doc -
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Kill it! I should say not! This is the greatest thing 

			that's ever happened to me! Kill it - go open the bathroom
 
			door!
 
LAFERSKI: 		(GOING) Doc, I wish you wouldn't...
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Nonsense! I think I will slap a cover on this thing, though- 

			just to be on the safe side...(SOUND OF PUTTING COVER ON 

			GLASS JAR) Now, my friend - Amoeba - to your new home... 

			(HE CHUCKLES AS HE WALKS TO THE BATHROOM)
 
[9]
 
LAFERSKI: 		I'm gettin' out o' here - 

BAUMEISTER: 		Stand aside while I dump it in the tub. 

LAFERSKI: 		Gosh.
 
GLUB! HE DUMPS IT IN THE BATHTUB
 
LAFERSKI: 		Ogh...it - it just kinda flows, doc...
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Look at it. Amoeba!
 
SLURP! GOES THE PSEUDOPOD
 
LAFERSKI: 		Ugh - doc, I'm gettin' sick! 

BAUMEISTER: 		Good old Amoeba!
 
SLURP! AGAIN

LAFERSKI: 		Doc! Doc! Look out!
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Huh? Oh, I -

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, that thing'll get you - it darn near had you that time! 

G O N G

LAFERSKI: 		Oh, my gosh, doc...it's a murderer! A murderer! that's what 

			it is!
 
BAUMEISTER: 		What's the matter, Laferski?
 
LAFERSKI: 		You gotta do something about it now. That's all. You 

			gotta do something. 

BAUMEISTER: 		What's the matter? 

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, my cat. He ate my cat. 

BAUMEISTER: 		He ate your cat? (HE LAUGHS A LITTLE)
 
LAFERSKI: 		He sure did, Doc. The cat - my poor cat - he sleeps in the 

			laboratory, doc - I mean he did sleep...and he wandered into 

			the bathroom and it grabbed him! It grabbed him, doc! And 

			ate him!
 
[10]
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Hm. Haven't you been feeding it regularly? 

LAFERSKI: 		Sure I have. Sure I have, doc. I gave it all that raw 

			beef you said - but it's always hungry. Doc, we gotta 

			do something about it.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Let's go see it. How big is it this morning?

LAFERSKI: (SOLEMNLY) It just about half filled the tub, doc. And it keeps 

			snatching with them - them gooey arms all the time.... 

BAUMEISTER: 		We'll have a look at it. 

LAFERSKI: 		I don't want to see it.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Come on along! What if it should grab me? (HE LAUGHS) 

			I'd need you to pull me out.

LAFERSKI: 		Well, let me tell you, doc, if it keeps on hypnotisin' 

			like it done before - I won't look at it more'n a half a 

			second. I'm scared of it.

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on.
 
THEY WALK TO THE LABORATORY DOOR AND OPENS IT
 
LAFERSKI: 		Notice that funny smell in here, doc? Like a - like a 

			old slaughter-house.

BAUMEISTER: 		The characteristic smell of protoplasm, Laferski! Notice 

			the phosphorus smell?
 
LAFERSKI: 		Like matches.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		That's protoplasm.
 
LAFERSKI: (AS THEY NEAR THE BATHROOM DOOR) Now be careful, doc. Be 

			careful. The darn thing - no tellin' how big it is now...
 
BAUMEISTER: (OPENS THE DOOR) Hello, Amoeba, old fellow!

[11]

LOTS OF SLURPING. IT'S LOTS BIGGER

LAFERSKI: 		Guh! Makes me sick.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		(LAUGHS) Amoeba!

LOTS MORE SLURPING
 
LAFERSKI: 		See how much bigger it's got, Doc? Gosh I bet it could eat 

			a horse or -

BAUMEISTER: 		Or a - man, Laferski? 

LAFERSKI: 		(SHUDDERS) Don't, doc... 

BAUMEISTER: 		Wait. Look, Laferski.
 
LAFERSKI: 		I'm scared to look at it much, doc.
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Look at it, Laferski. Look at it, curse you! 

LAFERSKI: 		I'm scared to, doc..
 
BAUMEISTER: 		I want to try an experiment, Laferski. Look at it - and 

			look at it, I tell you! 

LAFERSKI: 		(WHINES) Doc, I'm scared!
 
BAUMEISTER: 		You'll look at it if I have to -
 
SLURP! SAYS AMOEBA
 
LAFERSKI: 		I'm lookin' at it, doc -
 
BAUMEISTER: 		Watch closely now....
 
A PAUSE WHILE ONLY THE SLURPING IS HEARD
  
BAUMEISTER: 		(SOFTLY) Watch now...watch closely...

A LITTLE MORE SLURPING. THEN THE SLURPING SLOWS DOWN AND LAFERSKI SCREAMS!
 
BAUMEISTER: 		(LAUGHS) Did you see it, Laferski? Did you see it? 

LAFERSKI: 		(SHAKEN) Doc...it - it - it turned into - you!
 
BAUMEISTER LAUGHS INTO

G O N G
 
[12]

LAFERSKI: 		But doc....what made it look like you?

BAUMEISTER: 		Laferski, we've discovered something amazing in this 

			thing. An intelligent lower form of animal life. It's 

			intelligent!

LAFERSKI: 		I'll say it is...gosh...

BAUMEISTER:		I had a hunch, Laferski. A real hunch - and I was right!

LAFERSKI: 		But what made it turn into you?

BAUMEISTER: 		The thing has some power - I don't know exactly what it 

			is. But it's a kind of hypnotism...an ability to 

			visualize the object one is thinking of when you look 

			at it...

LAFERSKI: 		But why -

BAUMEISTER: 		You thought it turned into me...because you were thinking 

			of me at the time. That's what it was.

LAFERSKI: 		But, doc, I seen it turn into you. It just growed up 

			into - oh, gosh, doc, I can't stand it...please let's kill 

			it!

BAUMEISTER: 		Kill it! Kill the most interesting subject for experiment 

			I've ever had? You're a fool, Laferski! I tell you 

			you're an idiot! This is going to make me famous! 

			Immortal, Laferski! Greater than all the other scientists 

			that have ever lived!

LAFERSKI: 		Yeh....if it don't eat you up...

BAUMEISTER: 		How big is it today?

LAFERSKI: 		I ain't been in there. I ain't goin' in.

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on - we're going to visit it.

[13]

LAFERSKI: 		No, sir.

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on, I say.

LAFERSKI: 		I won't do it, doc - I won't -

BAUMEISTER: 		You will - you -

THE TELEPHONE RINGS

BAUMEISTER: 		Answer that!

LAFERSKI: 		Yeh. (LIFTS RECEIVER) Hello. Doctor Baumeister's 

			laboratory. Yes ma'am.

BAUMEISTER: 		Who is it?

LAFERSKI: 		Yes ma'am, he's here.

BAUMEISTER: 		Who is it?

LAFERSKI: 		Your wife.

BAUMEISTER: (TAKES RECEIVER) Hello, darling. Nice to hear your voice. 

			No, I can't make it. I'm sorry, Esther. I can't possibly 

			get home for dinner. No, I'm sorry. You play three-

			handed bridge, then till I get there. No, I've got an 

			extraordinarily important experiment here at the 

			laboratory. I must stay here. Sorry, dear, I'll bring 

			you something nice. Of course I do. Good-by, dear. 

			(REPLACES RECEIVER)

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, I ain't goin' in there with you.

BAUMEISTER: 		You're going in if I have to drag you.

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, I -

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on!

[14]

LAFERSKI: 		Listen, doc -

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on!

SO HE DRAGS LAFERSKI WITH HIM. DOOR OPENS

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on, now -

ESTHER: 		Dearest!

BAUMEISTER: 		Huh? Why - Esther! How did you get in here?

ESTHER: 		Surprised, darling?

BAUMEISTER: 		Why, I - I was just talking to you on the telephone!

ESTHER: 		About coming home for dinner and bridge? (SHE LAUGHS) 

			I've been right here all the time. Didn't you remember 

			the extension telephone?

BAUMEISTER: 		Well - well - but - how did you get in?

ESTHER: 		Through the back door.

BAUMEISTER: 		Well, I'll be darned. I - you sure fooled me!

ESTHER LAUGHS

BAUMEISTER: 		I'd have sworn that you were home when you called -

ESTHER LAUGHS AGAIN. THERE IS THE SLIGHTEST SINISTER QUALITY IN HER LAUGH

ESTHER: 		Kiss me, dearest -

BAUMEISTER: 		But - er - Laferski -

ESTHER: 		Send Laferski away -

BAUMEISTER: 		(SLIGHTLY TRANCE-LIKE) Go away, Laferski -

ESTHER: 		Come to me, darling - kiss me - kiss me -

LAFERSKI: 		(SCREAMS) Doc! Don't, Doc! It ain't her! It's - the 

			Amoeba!

[15]

WITH A LOUD SLURPING SOUND THE AMOEBA PLOPS ON THE FLOOR

LAFERSKI: 		I - I thought o' somethin' else for a second, Doc, an' - 

			an' I seen it change -

SLURP SLURP GOES THE AMOEBA, CRAWLING TOWARD THEM

BAUMEISTER: 		But I -

LAFERSKI: 		Doc - look out! Quick - it's reachin' for you!

G O N G

BAUMEISTER: 		(SOBERLY) I guess you were right, Laferski. I - I was 

			wrong. We've got to do something about it.

LAFERSKI: 		What'll we do, Doc?

BAUMEISTER: 		We've got to kill it some way.

LAFERSKI: 		How? You can't shoot it - or cut it -

BAUMEISTER: 		Bullets would go through that jelly like -

LAFERSKI: 		(SHUDDERS) Yeh. Oooh...it's an ugly thing.

BAUMEISTER: 		And that trick - you saved my life yesterday.

LAFERSKI: 		Yeh. I know it.

BAUMEISTER: 		If you hadn't yelled - gad, it looked like Esther. I'd 

			have sworn...

LAFERSKI: 		And it talked, doc -

BAUMEISTER: 		You know what I think?

LAFERSKI: 		What, doc?

BAUMEISTER: 		I think it has the faculty of assuming a shape - any shape 

			that occurs to it. And I think the way it gets these - 

			impulses is through telepathy.

LAFERSKI: 		Through what?

BAUMEISTER: 		Telepathy. Reading our minds....

[16]

LAFERSKI: 		Gosh, doc, how could it do that?

BAUMEISTER: 		We've created a devil. A devil, Laferski.

LAFERSKI: 		You mean it can be whatever you're thinkin' of?

BAUMEISTER: 		Exactly.

LAFERSKI: 		Good gosh! Let's not think o' a lion or anything...

BAUMEISTER: 		(LAUGHS MIRTHLESSLY) That's truer than you think, Laferski.

LAFERSKI: 		Gosh....how we gonna kill it, Doc.

BAUMEISTER: 		I - don't know. I think probably fire is the only way.

LAFERSKI: 		Fire?

BAUMEISTER: 		You and I are going out and get an oxy-acetylene torch. 

			And then we're going in there and - kill it. That's what 

			we're going to do.

LAFERSKI: 		But what if we think o' lions, or tigers, or something, Doc? 

			It'll -

BAUMEISTER: 		We'll think of mice - or no - a mouse could run too quickly, 

			and hide -

LAFERSKI: 		A - a fish, doc! Then it couldn't breathe. There wouldn't 

			be no water!

BAUMEISTER: 		We'll decide that later. First thing is to go and get the 

			torch. Come on, there's no time to waste. It's growing 

			bigger every minute!

LAFERSKI: 		Gee, doc, I'm scared!

BAUMEISTER: 		You're no more scared than I am, Laferski. I - I know 

			now what Frankenstein felt like....

G O N G

[17]

FADE IN SOUND OF DOORBELL. NO ANSWER. RING AGAIN. NO ANSWER. 

RING AGAIN. PAUSE. UNLOCK DOOR AND OPEN IT

ESTHER: 		Paul! Oh, Paul! (PAUSE) Paul! Oh, my goodness! He's 

			gone! (WALKING AROUND THE LABORATORY) Paul! Paul, dear! 

			Oh, bother! He must be in the other room. (SHE WALKS 

			ACROSS THE FLOOR AND OPENS THE DOOR)

BAUMEISTER: 		Esther, my dear!

ESTHER: 		Oh, Paul! I called and called!

BAUMEISTER: 		I heard you, darling. I was busy for a moment. Come in.

ESTHER: 		What you doing?

BAUMEISTER: 		Oh, working on an experiment.

ESTHER: 		What kind of an experiment, darling?

BAUMEISTER: 		Oh, too complicated an experiment for you to understand, 

			dear. Chemicals and things.

ESTHER: 		I could try to understand it, darling.

BAUMEISTER: 		Oh, no. (LAUGHS) Don't bother, darling. What have you 

			been doing?

ESTHER: 		Oh, shopping.

BAUMEISTER: 		Well, sit down and tell me about it.

ESTHER: 		I got you a new tie.

BAUMEISTER: 		Did you? How nice!

ESTHER: 		Want to see it?

BAUMEISTER: 		Oh, I'd rather have you sit on my lap and tell me you 

			love me.

ESTHER: 		Oh, Paul...

BAUMEISTER: 		Won't you, dear?

ESTHER: 		Why - you're so different today, darling...

[18]

BAUMEISTER: 		Different - what do you mean?

HIS VOICE BECOMES A LITTLE THICKER

ESTHER: 		Why, Paul...

BAUMEISTER: 		Come and sit on my - lap - dear -

ESTHER: 		Paul, I - what's the matter - (SHE SCREAMS)

AND OLD AMOEBA GOES SLURP SLURP SLURP. HER SCREAMS ARE MUFFLED AND 

FINALLY DIE DOWN BEHIND THE SLURPING SOUNDS INTO

G O N G

A DOOR OPENS.

BAUMEISTER: 		Come in, hurry, Laferski!

LAFERSKI: 		Gotta get this hose all in...

BAUMEISTER: 		Here. Set the oxygen tank down here. (SOUND) That's it.

LAFERSKI: 		You know how to hook this thing up, Doc?

BAUMEISTER: 		Yes. Here - fasten this hose on there. That's it.

SOUND OF CLINKING METAL ETC.

LAFERSKI: 		Now what?

BAUMEISTER: 		Fasten the nozzle on here...that's the way...Now -

LAFERSKI: 		Doc, I'm awful scared...

BAUMEISTER: 		It'll all be over in a minute...why, there's - there's 

			Esther's purse! I -

LAFERSKI: 		Gosh, doc!

BAUMEISTER: 		I wonder - oh, I wonder if -

LAFERSKI: 		Oh, doc -

BAUMEISTER: 		Come on - pick up that tank. I'll take this one. Quick!

THEY HURRY ACROSS THE FLOOR. OPEN THE DOOR

[19]

ESTHER: 		Oh, you found my purse, did you, Paul?

BAUMEISTER: 		Esther! I was - I was so afraid -

ESTHER: 		(LAUGHS) Afraid of what, dear?

BAUMEISTER: 		I - I - oh, Esther -

ESTHER: 		Darling, you're so funny!

BAUMEISTER: 		You - you haven't been in that room -

ESTHER: 		What room, darling?

BAUMEISTER: 		That one there -

ESTHER: 		Oh. No, I wasn't in there, dear. Haven't you got a kiss 

			for me?

LAFERSKI: 		(SCREAMS) Doc - doc - look! On the floor there!

BAUMEISTER: 		What -

LAFERSKI: 		A skeleton! Skeleton!

BAUMEISTER: 		Oh...

LAFERSKI: 		Look - she's turning to a skeleton too! Oh, doc, doc - 

			what -

BAUMEISTER: 		It's got her - it's got her - the amoeba!

SLURP SLURP GOES THE AMOEBA

LAFERSKI: 		It got her - it got her, doc -

BAUMEISTER: 		Oh, Esther - Esther darling -

ESTHER: 		What's the matter, dearest -

BAUMEISTER: 		Dearest - oh, Esther, Esther, I thought -

LAFERSKI: 		Stay away from it, doc! Don't go near it - a mouse - 

			doc, think of a mouse -

SQUEAK SQUEAK GOES THE MOUSIE

[20]

BAUMEISTER: 		It's the Amoeba - quick - the fire - the fire, Laferski - 

			it's got us...it's got us...

VOICE: (DEEP, COMMANDING) You thought to create life, Paul Baumeister - 

			you created it, but you cannot control it. I am your 

			master. I am your doom -

LAFERSKI: 		You are not! You're a -

BAUMEISTER: 		Esther - Esther -

ESTHER: 		Darling Paul...

LAFERSKI: 		No, no, doc - don't go near her -

BAUMEISTER: 		Esther - dearest Esther - it got you - it got you -

ESTHER: 		Come to me, dearest...Paul, my lover...

BAUMEISTER: 		Esther! (HE SCREAMS)

AND THE AMOEBA GOES SLURP SLURP SLURP WITH THE DOC SCREAMING UNTIL HE'S 

ALL EATEN UP. LAFERSKI IS WHINING AND CRYING - AND THEN!

BAUMEISTER: 		(PLEASANTLY) What's the matter, Laferski, my boy?

LAFERSKI: 		Doc! Doc! What happened -

BAUMEISTER: 		Why, nothing happened, Laferski - here, give me your hand -

LAFERSKI: 		No, no - you're not him - you're not the doc!

BAUMEISTER: 		Why, you fool, I -

SLURP SLURP ETC

LAFERSKI: 		I know you, you devil - (SOBBING) I know you - I'll kill 

			you - you - you devil - you - I'll kill you - you killed 

			doc -

BAUMEISTER: 		It's no use, Laferski. Don't try to use that torch. It 

			won't work at all, I assure you.

[21]

LAFERSKI: 		Won't it, honest, doc - (HE SCREAMS) Fool me, would you! 

			You're scared of the fire! You - you -

GUBBY VOICE: 		Think of a demon, Laferski - think of a terrible demon - 

			ten feet tall - (THE VOICE RISES IN INTENSITY) A demon, 

			Laferski.

LAFERSKI: 		I will not! I won't! You're an amoeba. You're not -

ESTHER: 		Stanley, my dear - I love you...I've forgotten Paul - 

			Stanley, be mine, my darling -

LAFERSKI: 		I'll fix you - I'll fix you - fire - that's what'll fix 

			you - fire -

GUBBY VOICE: 		No - no - think of horrible things - think of demons -

BAUMEISTER: 		It's no use, Laferski -

ESTHER: 		I love you, Stanley.

LAFERSKI: 		No - no - no - I've got it - fire! Fire - that's what'll 

			kill you! Fire - ha! Hahahahahaha!

WITH A ROAR THE OXY-ACETYLENE TORCH STARTS

ESTHER: 		(SCREAMS) No - no, Stanley -

BAUMEISTER: 		Stop it, Laferski -

LAFERSKI: 		Kill you - kill you -

THE SLURPING NOISES START

LAFERSKI: 		Kill you - fire - kill you -

AND THE SLURPING NOISES DISSOLVE INTO THE HISS OF MELTING PROTOPLASM.

LAFERSKI: 		Die - die - die -

ESTHER: 		(DYING) Oh, Stanley..I love...

BAUMEISTER: 		La-fer-ski...don't...

SLURP SLURP SLURP AS IT DIES

G O N G

[22]

ANNOUNCER: 		Lights Out, which is especially written for radio, comes 

			to you each Wednesday night at this time from our 

			Chicago studios.






LC:1:00 P.M.
12/2/35


_____________________________________
Originally broadcast: 4 December 1935



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