 Countdown for Blastoff, X minus 5, 4, 3, the unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future. Adventures in which you'll live in a million could be years on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction presents Tonight's story zero hour by Ray Bradbury. It was a perfect summer day in the year 1985. Sunlight illumined the suburbs and the town drowsed on the tide of warm sunlit air. On the lawns the children played and in the homes busy mothers prepared for the evening arrival of their husband. Excuse me, Mom. Good heavens, Mink. What's all the excitement? We're playing a game, Mommy. The most exciting game ever. What are you doing in that cabinet? I need some tools from Daddy's kit. Your father may not... I'll take good care of them, Mom. I promise. Very well, dear. Don't lose anything. Oh, what's the name of the game, Mink? Invasion. Invasion. What will they think of next? That over here. No, you... While I fix this, they want it this way. See? Sure. Just let me fix this. We'd better talk to Drill and get some more instructions, Art. Where is Drill? Drill? Hey, Drill. Drill? He's in the Rosebush, I think. I'll talk to him myself and you write it down on the pad. Okay. Drill? Drill? Okay. Drill wants you to write down triangle. What's a triangle? Never mind. Drill will tell us when he wants us to know. It helps the invasion. Well, how do you spell it? Drill, how do you... Shh! Mink, here's your mother looking out the window. Mink? Who are you talking to? The Rosebush, Mom. Only, it's not really a Rosebush. That's Drill. Who's Drill? He's planning the invasion. Oh, what an imagination. You'd better come in, dear, and clean up for supper. In just a second, Mom. Art, did you write down what Drill just said? Yup. Four, nine, seven, and A, and B, and X, and a fork, and the string, and a hex, hex agony. Hexagonal, droopy. Oh. Come in, Mink. Have to tell Drill. I wish we didn't have to eat, though. It holds up the invasion. Mink, for heaven's sake, slow down. You'll choke on that soup. I can't, Mom. It's a matter of life and death. What's a matter of life and death? The invasion. What invasion is that? Oh, just some silly game the children have been playing. Well, whatever it is, Mink, it'll wait until you finish your supper, I'm sure. But Drill is waiting for me, Daddy. Oh, who's Drill? New boy in the neighborhood? He's new, all right. Only, you can't see him. Not yet. He hasn't come through yet. What do you mean you can't see him? He lives in a Rosebush in our backyard. Imagination, Henry. Well, while you're at it, tell me more about this new game. It's Martians invading Earth, Dad. What? Well, not exactly Martians, Dad. They're from, I don't know, from up. And from the inside of that little head of yours. You're laughing. Drill said you would. Your kill Drill and everybody. Well, I didn't know you could kill a Martian. Not really a Martian, Mom. Maybe he's from Jupiter. Or Venus, even. Imagine. They couldn't figure out a way to attack the Earth. So the kids are helping the Martians. Pretty slick, those Martians, using the kids for a fifth column, eh, Mary? Drill says, after the invasion, we can stay up as late as we want. No more baths, either. Oh, is that so? And we can watch all the grown-up televisor shows. Well, I don't wonder this invasion is caught on among the kids. Some of the kids are giving us trouble, like Dale Brits and P.D. Jarrick. They're growing up, so they won't believe in the invasion. They make fun. Worse than parents, even. I hate them, worst. We'll kill them first. I hope you're saving your father and me for last. Drill says you're dangerous. No, why? Why? Cause you don't believe the Martians ought to let us kids run the world. But I think they'll let me keep you because I'm helping so much. I'll talk to Drill. Maybe we won't have to kill you. Eh, Mary, I think this nonsense is going far enough. Can I go out now? Please. Run along, dear. Let them hurt you. Oh, would you please connect me with Mrs. Helen Rodgerson on Channel 7-2-Z Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. What is your channel, please? 817-X, New Rochelle, New York. Thank you. You can see your party now. Hi, sis. How are things in New York? Fine, Helen. How are things in Pittsburgh? You look tired. I've been having a terrible time with the children. Sick? No, just underfoot. They've got a new game that's got me just about crazy. It's called Invasion. Did you say Invasion? Isn't that strange? My mink is playing it, too. My boy Tim is all involved with some imaginary fellow named Drill who's running the Invasion. Must be a new password. Mink likes him, too. How do you suppose these games start? My backyard looks like a scrap drive. They've got every conceivable kind of mechanical gadget out there. I talked to Josephine Shiller in Boston. She says her kids are wild about it, too. It's sweeping the country. I can't understand it. Helen, do you suppose... What? Oh, nothing. Just a wild thought that crossed my mind. Oh, say, the reason I called is that black-and-white cake recipe. What was that? I don't know. One of the children might have heard himself. I'll have to run and see, dear. Call me back tonight, will you? All right, Mary. Bye. Mink? What is it? Who was that who screamed? Peggy Ann. What happened? She got scared and ran home. Did you hit her? Nope. She just got scared. She's a scare baby, anyway. Now, Mink, tell me why she screamed. No, I can't. Mink, you'll answer me or come inside this instant. I've had enough nonsense. I can't quit. No, Mom. It's almost zero hour. Then tell me what frightened Peggy Ann. Okay. She saw Drill. He almost came through. Through what? Those pipes and things we set up. She looked into one of the pipes and screamed. I guess she saw Drill. And no one hit her? No, Mom. Very well, Mink. I'll call Peggy Ann's mother and see how she is. If we could only get Drill through, it would be easy. Then all the others could come through after him. I'm going in now, Mink. I'll call you in for your bath in half an hour. Your father and I want to go out tonight. You won't be able to go out, Mom. Why not? Zero hours, five o'clock, Mom. Hello, dear. Oh, you're home early, Henry. I thought I'd relax a little before we went to the theater. Where's the little one? Out back. Same game? Same game. They've got a stack of pipes and hammers and spoons a mile high out there. My children, children. Why do we have them? They are strange creatures, aren't they? Even Mink. She's a part of us and yet... Look, dear, I'd like to discuss this with you, but we do have a theater date and it's almost five o'clock now. Say, what's happened to the kids? They're so quiet. Now, when children are quiet, you'll know there's some mischief. Say, what's that sound? I don't know. Those kids aren't playing with anything electrical, are they? I'm sure they aren't. At least... Just to say, I'd better go out. Henry, ask them to put off the invasion. Good Lord, what's that? Mary, look out the window. Henry? What is it? Where are the children? Mary, why are you shaking? What did you see? Henry, quick. Up to the attic. Well, they aren't on the attic? Yes, yes, the attic. Quick. Mary, come back here. Mary, don't go up. They aren't up there. Mary, are you out of your mind? There's no one up here. Quick, shut the door. Lock it. Lock it. There's nothing up here. What is wrong with you? Now, Mary, come to your senses. Henry, and we've got to stay here and hide. What are you talking about? I saw it through the window. Henry, it was horrible. They weren't making believe. It is an invasion. Oh, Mary, for heaven's sake, let's get down out of this attic and talk this over sensibly. I want to find out if Minka's all right. She's all right. I saw her. She was leading them around the corner of the house. Leading who, the kids? Shh. Listen. Well, there's nothing. Listen. The front door. They're coming. Good Lord, those kids sound like 50 men with boots on. No, not men. Oh, please, God, don't let them find us. Don't let them, please. I don't understand this. Who's there? Don't shout. They'll hear. Who's down there? I demand that you answer me. They're coming. The whole house is shaking. Who's there? Please be quiet. They might go away. Henry, listen. That's Mink. It's Mink. We've got to save her. Henry, don't you understand? She's leading them. What? She's leading them. She's on their side, Henry. Oh, please, God, forgive them. The children on their side... She told us, but we wouldn't believe her. Shh. Listen. They're coming up. Henry the lock. It's melting. The door. You have just heard X-1, presented by the National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction. Tonight by transcription, X-1 has brought you Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury, as adapted for radio by George Lefferts. Featured in the cast were Nina Reeder, David Pfeffer, Peggy Lubin, Les Damon, Raleigh Bester, Bob Hastings and John Larkin. X-1 was directed by Daniel Sutter, and is an NBC radio network production. And now, next week, The Vital Factor by Nelson Bond, the story of a man who sought to rule the universe, and then discovered that this formula for gaining that power was minus one precious ingredient. You'll hear it on X-1. It's groomed for your interests, weekday, NBC Radio.