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The Fog (1980)
11:55.
Almost midnight. Enough time for one more story. One more story before 12, just to keep us warm. In five minutes, it'll be the 21st of April. One hundred years ago on the 21st of April, out in the waters around Spivey Point, a small clipper ship drew toward land. Suddenly, out of the night, the fog rolled in. For a moment, they could see nothing, not a foot ahead of them. And then, they saw a light. My God, it was a fire burning on the shore. Strong enough to penetrate the swirling mist. They steered a course toward the light. But it was a campfire, like this one. The ship crashed against the rocks. The hull sheared in two. The mast snapped like a twig. And the wreckage sank with all the men aboard. At the bottom of the sea lay the Elizabeth Dane with her crew, their lungs filled with saltwater, their eyes open and staring into the darkness. And above, as suddenly as it had come, the fog lifted, receded back across the ocean and never came again. But it is told by the fishermen and their fathers and grandfathers that when the fog returns to Antonio Bay, the men at the bottom of the sea, out in the water by Spivey Point, will rise up and search for the campfire that led them to their dark, icy death. Twelve o'clock. The 21st of April. It's midnight and we've just started into the witching hour. This is Stevie Wayne, on top of the world tonight and I'll be here right up until about one o'clock. I'm all through, Father. Oh, thank you, Bennett. I won't need you until four tomorrow. Yes, sir. Something to keep you warm on the way home? No, thank you. Father, can I get paid? Why don't you come in at six instead of four tomorrow? Yes, sir. Hello? It's 59 degrees outside and let me be the first to wish Antonio Bay a happy birthday. We're 100 years old today. The weatherman's trying to spoil it. He says we may be in for rain tonight. From where I'm sitting, it looks like clear skies. I think the weatherman's been working too hard. Well, I'll stay here for another hour, just to see if he's right. And I'm inviting you to stay here with me. There's a cutter run aground over here on the east bay. Over. Global 1 X. This cutter's name's Lady Belle Pacific. Serial number 024KL596. Over. Global 1 X5. Lady Belle Pacific is seaworthy. No major damage. Why don't you send a tow. I'm about a quarter mile above the boatel. Over. This is KAB, Antonio Bay, California. Six minutes after midnight. Haven't heard from the weatherman, so I don't know about that rain. But there's a full moon and no clouds in the sky. I'm Stevie Wayne and if you don't have anything to do right now, I'll be here, playing music, all through the witching hour. Even if you do have something to do, keep me turned on for a while and I'll try my best to do the same for you. OK. Hi. How far you going? - Other side of town. - Close enough. - Can you make it? - Yeah. Thank you. Sip? Thanks. Listen, I never hitchhiked before. I just really wanna be careful. - Can I ask you something? - Sure. Are you weird? Yes, I am. - I am weird. - You are weird. Thank God. The last one I had was so normal it was disgusting. He picked me up in Santa Barbara. By Carmel, he wanted to marry me. Yeah. I thought you never hitchhiked before. Not before last week. You're my thirteenth ride. Great. Weird and unlucky. We'll see. - Are you all right? You sure? - I'm fine. I think so. What the hell was...? It's twelve minutes after midnight and this is Stevie Wayne. - Let's get out of here. - Around until about 1 o'clock. I'm high tonight in the KAB lighthouse on Spivey Point. In case you've forgotten, it's April 21st and a happy birthday for Antonio Bay. There's a celebration planned for tonight. So if you're so excited about it you can't sleep, well, stay up with me and I'll figure out some way to keep you occupied. Or not. - KAB. - Hi, sweetheart. Hi, Dan, what have you got? Are you lonely? Is there anything I can do about it? Never lonely. I thought you finished at eight. I changed shifts so I can make it to the party. Will you be there? Until I can talk someone into giving up city life for Antonio Bay, I'm it. - And it means day and night. - Too much work. That's what I get for owning a station. Tell me why you called, or in 15 seconds I'm gonna hang up. - You want something to talk about? - Anything. I've got a position on a trawler about 15 miles out called the Sea Grass. I've got something on my scope - appears to be a fog bank. It's about 25 miles out and moving in their direction. Thanks. That's worth about ten seconds. I'm on the air. Bye. Ahoy, mateys. This is KAB, Antonio Bay. Stevie Wayne here, beaming a signal across the sea. For the men in the Sea Grass, 15 miles out tonight, a warm hello and keep a watch out for that fog bank, heading in from the east. In the meantime, relax with me while I play this song from the Coupe De Villes dedicated just to you. Boy, would I like to meet her. I saw her at a grocery store. You would like to meet her. She's crazy. There's no fog bank out there. - What do you know about her? - She owns that lighthouse. - I know. - Her son plays little league. - She's a mother? - I thought you were happily married. - Not that happy. - No fog bank out there. There's a fog bank out there. All right. I'm drunk enough. Let's go back. All right. Al, come here. - Just give him a hand. - Come here. What was that? Come here. What was it? It's a generator. It's gone. There was just a ship out there. Listen. - Nothing. - Listen. Who's there? Who is that? It's right beside us. It's big, Al. It's a ship. It's a big ship. What happened? You get wet? It's 12:43 and I've got four in a row for you right here on KAB. Nothing but water, Stevie. But it sure beats Chicago. KAB. I like what you said but for your information, you lied. The fog bank has moved due west and probably missed the ship entirely. My gauges must be wrong. I've got a wind blowing due east. What kind of a fog moves against the wind? - You got me. - I'm not so sure I want you. - You're just a voice on the phone. - You're just a voice on the radio. We'd make a perfect couple. You let me take you to dinner tonight, I'll prove it to you. Sorry, Dan. My idea of perfection is a voice on the phone. OK, mystery lady. Good night. Not bad. I started a week ago in San Diego. Right up the coast, five drawings a day. It'll take a month to get to Vancouver but if I sell them for five bucks apiece, I'll be rich. - Can I ask you something? - Sure. What's your name? - Elizabeth. - Nick. Hello, Nick. Hi. Is that where you're from, San Diego? You said, "Can I ask you something?" Something, to me, means one thing. San Diego is two things. Pasadena and a lot of money. And never a chance to do anything I wanna do. What do you wanna do? I don't know. That's OK. Me neither. I think I gotta have this one. Can I buy it? The drawing's free. It's one o'clock, straight up. The end of the witching hour and time for me to sign off. So until tomorrow night at 6pm, when KAB comes back on the air, this is Stevie Wayne, your night-light, hoping you have a nice rest of the night. Mom! Hey, Mom! Mom, come on, get up. Look what I found. Andy, I love you. Sometimes you're a real pain. Sure, Mom, but look. First it was a gold coin and then it turned into this neat piece of wood. - This is one of those times. - But look at it, Mom. Good morning, Andrew. Did you have a nice time last night? Yeah. Old Mr Machen told us ghost stories. Did you thank Mrs Kobritz for bringing you home? Yes, ma'am. Mom, can I have a stomach pounder and a Coke? - After lunch. - OK. I'm gonna look for another one. Maybe this time I can get the gold coin. - Where the hell is he? - Pulled out of here 4:15 yesterday. - That's the last I saw of him. - I said 7:30. - You know Al. If I were... - Did you call the coastguard, Hank? - They probably got drunk. - He wouldn't do that. - He'd do anything. - Al and I got drunk together a lot but we never got so shitfaced we couldn't make it back. He's too good a sailor to stay out and not let somebody know. - You sound like his wife. - Just his friend. You worry too much. Where are we going? I'm going to talk Ashcroft into looking for the Sea Grass. - Who's Ashcroft? - Someone who owes me a favour. Can I come along? Thought you had to move on to Vancouver? Eventually. Sheriff will drive his own car. The Mayor and his wife are to be picked up at 6:45 and brought to the Mayor's box. Then we will have speeches by the Mayor, Sheriff, me. Do you have my notes? Then we pass out the candles and begin the procession. Then I will go home and pass out. I'm almost afraid to look. Well... - Not bad. Not bad at all. - A work of art. Sandy, just be civil to me for another five hours, that's all I ask. Let's see. Did you order the candles? What a thought. - A candlelight procession with no candles. - Taken care of. - And the promotional material, did you...? - Signed, sealed and delivered. You can be very annoying but you do keep me together. Thank you, Mrs Williams. ... Spivey Point. As of 1:57 today, the Sea Grass has not responded to radio communication. The coastguard has begun a sweep south from Whately, around Arcom Reef, and should be in the area of Spivey Point in approximately one hour. Repeating this bulletin from the coastguard. Be on the lookout for the Sea Grass - a thirty-foot trawler last seen approximately 15 miles east of Spivey Point. If you sight this vessel, please notify the coastguard immediately. Can I ask you a question? - Is it always like this? - It's always different. - You're worried, aren't you? - Yeah. She can get real mean. There. If I can get through the speeches without yawning... - I couldn't sleep last night. - Too excited? Al went out in his boat last night and didn't come home. - Still isn't back. - Mrs Williams. The coastguard said he might have had engine trouble. They said not to worry. He was complaining about his boat. - You ought to go home. - That's the last place I wanna go. My dog started to bark at twelve last night and didn't stop until six. - What happened? - He was growling at the ocean. What does that tell you? My dog goes crazy and decides to bark at the water. I heard the church bells at midnight and suddenly my car alarm went off for no reason. - Really? - Woke up the whole block. Nothing happens for 100 years, then one night, the whole place falls apart. Al? Take this line, too. Al! Tommy! Dick! Cabin and steering house are empty. Maybe somebody picked them up. There's water in the generator. But the deck is dry as a bone. There you have it. My next project. Restoration of the Morgantown Road cemetery. - It's historical, our ancestors... - It'd cost a lot. So? This town should be proud of its past. But trying to get anyone involved in community affairs is like pulling teeth. - Get estimates ready for the next meeting. - Yes, ma'am. You're the only person who can make "yes, ma'am" sound like "screw you". Yes, ma'am. Say a little prayer, asking that he not be in his cups. Not a good sign. Father Malone. - Hello? - Another bad sign. You try the study and I'll look up front. - Jesus. Father, I'm sorry. - I'm sorry, Mrs Williams. - Mrs Williams... - Are you all right? I have something to show you. "December nine. "Met with Blake this evening for the first time. "He stood in the shadows to prevent me from getting a clear look at his face. "What a vile disease this is. "He is a rich man with a cursed condition. "But this does not prevent him from trying to better his situation "and that of his comrades at the colony." Every single gauge is broken. The glass is shattered. - Remind you of something? - Last night. Your truck. Thermometer's broken. Mercury's stuck at 20 degrees. There's no water got in here but something awful cold did. "December 11. Blake's proposition is simple. "He wants to move off Tanzier Island "and relocate the entire colony just north of here. "He has purchased a clipper ship, "called the Elizabeth Dane, with part of his fortune "and asks only for permission to settle here. "I must balance my feelings of mercy and compassion "toward this poor man "with my revulsion at the thought of a leper colony "only a mile distant." It's rusted to the wall. It was on. - They drank a lot of beer last night. - Every night. What's it like? The room always starts spinning... I mean fishing. - You fish. - The only thing I know about fishing is you use a lot of worms. Saltwater. She was clean two nights ago, I checked, and now it's as if she's been turned over in the water. "April 20. The six of us met tonight. "From midnight until one o'clock, "we planned the death of Blake and his comrades. "I tell myself that Blake's gold will allow the church to be built "and our small settlement to become a township "but it does not soothe the horror that I feel, "being an accomplice to murder." Now what? Wait for the coastguard. - I'm sorry. - What for? Since you picked me up, things have been going wrong. The clock, the windows breaking, the weirdo at the door last night. - That isn't you. - I'm not so sure. Things seem to happen to me. I'm bad luck. I don't believe in luck, good or bad. I don't believe in anything much. Something did happen once. My father was a fisherman. He ran a trawler out of Whately Reef. One night, late, coming back in, he was off beyond the reef, out near Spivey Point, he looked the windward and saw a brig under short sail, heading right for him. He radioed. There was no reply. Nothing moved on the deck but she held her course. My dad and two of his hands, they boarded the brig - the Resa Jane. No one was on board. There was food on the table and a hot, steamy cup of coffee but underneath, the tin cup was rusted to the table. And then something caught my father's eye. It was a gold doubloon, minted in Spain, 1867. My dad picked it up, put it in the pocket of his jacket, zippered it up, came home, told us the story. And he unzippered the pocket to give me the coin. It was gone. I think I'll go to Vancouver now. "April 21st. The deed is done. "Blake followed our false fire on shore "and his ship broke apart on the rocks off Spivey Point. "We were aided by an unearthly fog that rolled in, as if heaven-sent, "although God had no part in our actions tonight. "Blake's gold will be recovered tomorrow "but may the Lord forgive us for what we have done." I couldn't read any further. Your grandfather had a way with words. Our celebration tonight is a travesty. We're honouring murderers. Side one, KAB promos and lead-ins. More music on top of the world. KAB 1340. 33. KAB 1340. 57. From the top of the world. Fabulous 1340. KAB Antonio Bay. 31. From the top of the world, fabulous 1340, the smooth sound of KAB, Antonio Bay, California. 54. KAB 1340. 31. The sounds of the surf from Antonio Bay. KAB 1340. 39. Fabulous 1340. KAB, Antonio Bay. More music on top of the world. KAB 1340. E- S-T one eleven B. Cut two. From the top of the world, fabulous 1340, KAB, Antonio Bay. Father, where did you find this? My grandfather hid his sins in the walls. When did you find it? Last night, just after midnight. What difference does it make? That's the same time the rest of the town fell apart. The same time the six conspirators met. - 100 years ago. - It's really getting late. There's not much we can do about any of this. Are you going to give the benediction tonight, Father? Antonio Bay has a curse on it. Do we take that as a no? Maybe it's just as well. We're leaving now. Will you be all right? I'm gonna call Dr Thayden and ask him to just drop by. I think you're taking this much too seriously. We're all cursed, Mrs Williams. All of us. 1340. KAB. 44. The smooth sound. Fabulous 1340. KAB. 45. From the top of the world, fabulous 1340. KAB. Antonio Bay, California. 46. Something that one lives with like an albatross round the neck. No, more like a millstone. A plumbing stone, by God. Damn them all. Every hour, on the hour, KAB news and weather. 10. Every hour, on the hour, KAB news and weather. End side two, KAB promos. How can a man drown and not touch the water? He had water in his lungs, saltwater round his mouth, seaweed in his clothes. Unless... You OK? Did you see his eyes? Yeah, I saw his eyes. Andy, the telephone. I got it, Mrs Kobritz. - Hello. - Where did you get that driftwood? I told you, it was on the beach. - Where? - By the rocks. What was it doing? First it was a gold coin, then it turned into the wood. I want you to stay away from the rocks. Don't pick up anything else off the beach. - It didn't belong to anybody. - I know, it's all right. Just don't pick up anything unless you get me first, OK? OK. - Is Mrs Kobritz there? - She just came in. OK. I have to start the broadcast. Don't leave the house tonight. - Mom. - Promise me. OK. - I love you, Andy. - Me too, Mom. Bye. Ahoy, mateys. This is Stevie Wayne, your night-light. And KAB, Antonio Bay, California, is on the air. I've lined up some tunes to help you celebrate the 100th birthday of Antonio Bay. So let's get down to business. - What did your mother want? - Nothing. It must have been something. Nothing. Mrs Kobritz, what are those clouds out there? Evidence of deep, penetrating wounds in each ocular orbit, entering into the cranial cavity. Also, jagged lacerations of the face... - You wanna wait out front? - I'd rather wait here with you. Thorax has been crushed and the lungs are filled with fluid. Talk to you a minute? She gonna be all right? Did you talk to Simms? By radio. He's coming back from Bodega Bay. - What happened out there? - There was rust everywhere. Like it had been there a long time, taking on water. He was down below. His wounds are covered with algae, his lungs are full and there's silt under his finger nails. I saw Dick Baxter three days ago in Salinas. Now he's in there, looking like he's been underwater for a month. - Do you feel that? - I'll tell you what happens. - It just got cold in here. - The water acts like ice. A body would take a year to decompose. Longer, if it was deep and cold enough. But he was on the boat. He was below decks. No, Dick Baxter died in the ocean. Remember those kids that went diving for that old boat off the point? We got to 'em, they'd been down for a week, ten days. I swear to you right now, he's been down longer. Nick! While the wrecking of that beautiful ship upon our coast was, of course, a tragedy to those who were in the ship, it was the catalyst that brought together all the people of this wonderful area. They came together, they formed the charter for Antonio Bay. The charter by which you have voted for these councilmen who sit on my left and my right tonight. The coastguard's looking for them. They're gonna cover the area pretty good, so all we can do is wait. I understand, Sheriff. Thank you. I gotta go. I'm up next. I'm so sorry, Mrs Williams. It's funny but all I can think about is my silly dog barking all night and me just wishing Al would come home. Now we can't have the chairlady of the birthday celebration in tears, can we? You shouldn't go out there. I think that's exactly what I ought to do. I appreciate all your help. It's OK. I searched a long time for this one. I hope you remember it. Happy 100th, Antonio Bay. The ceremonies are under way at Shelby Square and we'll have the candlelight procession in an hour. So if you hurry, you can still make it. The coastguard found the Sea Grass earlier this afternoon. But there's no further word as to the condition of the ship or the men on board. I'll keep you posted as the news comes in to me. Hope no one else gets lost out there in the fog. I'll be right back. - KAB. - Hello. My name's Nick Castle. I'm one of the men who found the Sea Grass this afternoon. I'm sorry, I don't have any further word. That's not what I called about. You just mentioned something now about the fog. Well, this is gonna sound a little strange. I saw the fog last night, out in the ocean, in the distance. It was... glowing. The wind seemed to be moving due east and the fog just kept moving west. - I know it sounds crazy. - Not right now, it doesn't. Something happened last night. At the same time that fog was moving in, this whole town went unglued. Hold on. I've got some more birthday music for you and a few other surprises. And I'll be ready to check in with the weatherman. And the weatherman will be ready to check in with you. - Hello. - I'm still here. There's one other thing. It may have nothing to do with the Sea Grass. No, anything. My son found a piece of driftwood this morning. Hey-hey, Mel. How you doing? Your girl on the radio's been talking about you. I came in tonight to keep her happy. - I thought you were off tonight. - I love my job. Well, you can tell them about that big fog bank moving in the southeast. - Where? - You'll see it. I'm on my way. See you tomorrow. Yeah, Mel, I'll see you. There you are. I'm going to the lighthouse on Spivey Point. Wanna come? Come on. - KAB. - Hi, sweetheart. I thought you were celebrating. I couldn't spend an evening without you. I'm up in 30 seconds. What's new? - Another fog bank. - Where? Coming off the ocean, from the southeast, heading inland. Should be here in five, ten minutes. Dan, hold on. I have a special weather bulletin. The tri-county weather station reports a fog bank moving southeast along the coast. For whoever's interested, that's the weather station. Repeating, the fog bank is moving southwest along the coast, toward the weather station on Old Russellville Road. - Dan, are you still there? - I'm still here. You sound different tonight. - Kind of intense. - I just feel like talking, that's all. But you don't talk on the telephone because you talk on the radio... Where's the fog now? Should be right outside my door now. Hold on, I'm gonna try something. I can see it. What's the big deal? You've seen fog once, you've seen it for life. There's something different about this fog. It glows. - Can't you see anything yet? - Glows? I get it, you take something to keep you going. Does it make you feel a little weird sometimes? What? The lights went out. Everything's going crazy. Barometer's falling, temperature's dropping. - What is it? - What the hell's that? What is it? What's happening? What's happening? Someone's shining a light at the window. - Listen to me. - Hold on, sweetheart. I wanna check this out. Stay on the phone. This has gotta be a joke. Someone's at the front door, playing a stupid joke. And whoever it is, they ain't gonna like finding me home. Stay away from the door. Hello? Anybody here? Some asshole is taking this 100-year-old business too seriously. And so all of us, living here in Antonio Bay today, owe a great debt of gratitude to those men and women a hundred years ago, who struggled and sacrificed to make this town grow into what it is today. And it is up to us to keep their kind of spirit alive. I have an urgent bulletin. Will Sheriff Simms please contact KAB radio immediately. The number is 5552131. This is an emergency. So we must redouble our efforts, work together. We have a vital, thriving community and I say we have to keep it that way. This is an emergency. Sheriff David Simms, please contact KAB immediately. 5552131. This is an emergency. Hello. Hello. Sheriff Simms? As we make our way for the presentation of the statue, we should all keep in mind the significance of this night, for every citizen of Antonio Bay. We should all proceed over to the statue. Single file. Don't push. Take your time. Start! Please start! Why did all the lights go out? One of the lines are probably down. They usually take care of these things right away. I think it's kinda neat. Hello? Hello? What's that, now? Start! Andy, get out of the house! Mrs Kobritz, get him out of the house, please, run! We'd better close the windows. Are your bedroom windows closed? I'll go see. Hello? Someone listen to me. My son is trapped. 887, White Beach Lane. My son is trapped by the fog. Get out! Run! Wow! Look at that. - Are your windows all closed? - Yes, ma'am. I wonder about your mother's bedroom. Please, someone, my son is trapped. Andy, run, run! Mrs Kobritz, run! - I want you to go to your room. - I think I should stay. Right now. - Go to your room. - I wanna see who it is. - No. - Can't I stay for two more seconds? OK, I'm going. Please, my son is trapped. 887, White Beach Lane. Someone get to 887, White Beach Lane. My son is trapped. Get out of the fog. Please, someone! My son is trapped! ... White Beach Lane. Come on, get out of there, now! Andy, run! Run! - Come on. - Go, go. - Come on. - Easy. Don't pop it. Ease it out. Jesus. Come on, come on. It'll go, it'll go. - Reverse! Reverse! - Come on! Come on! Do it! We've been waiting 20 minutes. I think it's best we call it a night. In five minutes, everyone will have seen the statue. All right. Let's get them through quickly. Probably be a good idea if you went home, Kathy. - We can close up here. - I should see it through. There's nothing more to do here. Let me take you home. A little annoying but you're right. - Would you please take me? - Yes, ma'am. - I'll call you tomorrow. - OK. Thank you. I don't even know if you can hear me. I'm sorry that I didn't come for you, that I wasn't there. Please understand. I have to stay here. The fog is moving inland, away from the beach, towards Antonio Bay. It's by the armoury. I can't remember the name of it. I think it's Chestnut. Feel like listening to some music? Sure. It's moving faster now, up Regent Avenue, up to the end of Smallhouse Road. What's that? It's just hitting the outskirts of town. Broad Street. Clay Street. It's moving down Tenth Street. Get inside and lock your doors. Close your windows. There's something in the fog. If you're on the south side of town, go north. Stay away from the fog. Richardsville Pike up to Beacon Hill is the only clear road. Up to the church. If you can get out of town, get to the old church. Now the junction at 101 is cut off. If you can get out of town, get to the old church. It's the only place left to go. Get to the old church on Beacon Hill. - It cut us off. - Where is it? - Right behind us, in the driveway. - Quick. Inside. - Come on. - Hurry. Father Malone? - Are you all right? - Is there a basement? - Can't hide. - We have to try. No matter where we go, it will find us. - Is there a basement? - There's a study. I'll show you the way. Come on. - Hurry. - Come on. Give me that. The fog is sweeping inland. It's almost like a wall across the east end of town. - Blake's come for us. - Who's Blake? - It's in a journal. - What journal? - I don't know. Where is it? - We're cursed. - What are you saying? - The journal. It's in there. - By the window? - It can do us no good now. It's all we've got. If anything happens, lock the door. Get back. Shut the door. - Six must die... - The three men on the Sea Grass. - The weather man is four. - Mrs Kobritz. - Five. - And one of us makes six. That's what they want - the six original conspirators. - There must be something here. - They want me. - I am the sixth. - Why would they want you? "Were it possible to raise the dead, "I would return Blake's fortune to him intact, "save the money spent on these walls that hide it." "My fellow conspirators believe that the fortune was stolen from them "when, in fact, I am the thief and God's temple is the tomb of gold. "I am the thief and God's temple is the tomb..." Wait. Get rid of that. Get out of the way! - Give me a hand. - Stay over there. Gold. He melted down the gold into this. Don't go in there. Blake, I have your gold. This is your gold. My grandfather stole it from you. I'm the one who must answer for it. I'm the sixth conspirator. I'm Father Malone. Take me. Father Malone. It's going away. I don't know what happened to Antonio Bay tonight. Something came out of the fog and tried to destroy us. In one moment, it vanished. But if this has been anything but a nightmare, and if we don't wake up to find ourselves safe in our beds, it could come again. To the ships at sea who can hear my voice, look across the water, into the darkness. Look for the fog. Why not six, Blake? Why not me? |
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