 It's exciting when there's a storm, and strange things can happen. Now, some people are sensitive to changes in the weather, like me. There's nothing odd about that. It's like people who talk to themselves. I talk to myself a lot. I think about things, and I talk to myself about them. There's nothing odd about that. Come on, Eddie, get the suitcase packed, and let's get out of here. Like that I talk to myself. You know, just making up my mind because there's no one else around to talk to me. Just getting myself on the move again because the landlady wasn't taking care of the room. She was away on a visit, and her husband, Mr. Waters, was slopping around in a bathrobe trying to run the place. She never makes the bed, and you use the same towel for a week. It's time to get out. Lock up the suitcase and get going. Uh-oh. There's Waters. Guess you can't sneak out without his seat. There's a mean man, Eddie. You can tell by his little eyes. All fat men aren't good-natured. You can't tell by his little eyes. All fat men aren't good-natured. Look at him. Stuffing himself with pigs, knuckles, or whatever they are. Well, come on. Morning, Mr. Waters. Yeah. Pig knuckles don't taste as good as they did an hour ago. This'll feed the rest of them the graham's dog. Oh, that'd be nice, Mr. Waters. Yeah. Taking your laundry out? No, sir. These are clothes. I'm leaving, sir. You what? Leaving. I'm sorry. What's the matter, Eddie? Don't you like the place? Yes, sir, but, uh, I got to get closer to my work. Here's the keys before I forget them. Better wait a while, Eddie. Looks like we're going to have a storm sometime today. Oh, I don't mind a storm, Mr. Waters. I'm funny that way. Well, it'll be a lot better if you wait until the wife gets back. It won't be more than a couple of hours. You mean she'd blame you for my leaving? She might. Got a nasty tongue. Stick around until she gets back, Eddie. No, I got to be going. Besides, I ain't feeling so hot. I've been feeling bad all morning. Yeah, getting worse, Eddie. I'm sorry, Mr. Waters. It's my stomach. I'm sorry, Mr. Waters, honest, but I got to go. Wait a minute. Ain't you forgetting something? Forgetting something? What are you trying to pull anyhow? I don't get it. You don't, huh? What about the rent? The rent. Last week's rent, what do you think I am, a sucker? I paid my rent. Oh, you did, huh? Give me that suitcase. I paid it to your wife, or she went away. That's your story. Go ahead and leave if you want to, the suitcase stays here until I get that rent. But you've already got it. You know I paid it to Mrs. Waters. You're trying to make me out a liar? No, but you were here. You got a receipt. Well, she never gave me one. I said I didn't need it. Give me that suitcase. Don't you take a swing at me. Well, you can't slap me around. No, wait. Eddie, my back, stop pushing. Why, you asked for it. Eddie, Eddie, let go. Oh, you don't like it when I fight back, huh? Eddie, Eddie, you're killing me. No, I'm not. Maybe I should. There. Help, help, somebody. Help. You got enough? Let him go. He looks bad, Eddie. Who, who are you talking to? Myself. Get over there, you fat. Too hard, I guess. Gee, he looks bad. Gee, he's out cold, Eddie. Mr. Waters? Mr. Waters, you all right? Somebody at the door. Better be quiet. That's Mr. Graham from next door. That clock's off a loud. Oh, come on up here, old pal. Nothing fishy going on. What, what's going on? Come here to the door and let her. What do you mean? Waters was yelling his head off a minute ago. Now he won't answer the door. Hey, Waters, you all right? I don't hear him. That's what I mean. I think we ought to go in and see what's the matter. You mean, you mean just walk in? What do you think? They're coming in here, Eddie. You've got to get away. Out the back door. No, no, no, they can see you from where they are. The attic, that's it. They don't know about that. Up the stairs, but don't make any noise. Better not let them find you, Eddie. Up there we help Mrs. Waters store the blankets. Just step over Mr. Waters, Eddie. He looks bad. There. Now, quiet. Right up here is a place to hide from him. And if they start upstairs, I can crawl on the attic. Waters! No answer, Graham. Is that what I told you? Now I've got to listen. I've got to see what they do. But, Kelly, I don't see me there. Do you think we ought to go? Sure. I don't like it, Graham. And leave me alone. Nothing to do. This ain't none of my business, Graham. I feel like a fool if Waters comes throwing down those stairs. He's not going to... Look, look under the table. Good Lord. Waters. Listen, listen. Well, let's get the table away. Don't stand there. I don't like this, Graham. Let's get the table away. I'll tell you, maybe it's hurt bad. Grab the table. All right. Waters. Waters, you all right? We better call a doctor. Yeah, there's a phone over there. Hey, wait. We don't need no doctor. What? We need the police. The police? Yeah. The guy's dead. Waters was dead. The words made me weak. Sick all over. I hadn't hit him hard. I just grabbed him around the neck and pushed him back when the fight went out of him. I remembered the table, though, when he fell against it. It tipped up and must have smashed the back of his head. That was it. That had killed him. And now, now they'd start looking for me and when they found me, they'd hang me. They'll say you killed him, Eddie. And you'll hang for it. They're calling the police now. When they find you here, they'll say you killed him, whether you meant to or not. And they'll be right, Eddie. You did. Maybe you can get away. See what's going on down there. No sound but the clock. You can tell the police about this when they get here, Graeme. Stick around. You're a witness, too. No, no, sir. I'm going back home. I don't want to get mixed up in this thing. What's the matter? Are you yelling? No, no. I ain't yelling. I told you before. Listen to what I'm saying. I'll get you now. All right, go on. Get out. I'll wait here until the police come. Maybe now's your chance, Eddie. He's all alone. Sneak downstairs before the police come. Get out of this house and get away far away. Watch out for the stairs. They squeak. Eddie Chast. You don't want to kill him. But if you do, you can get away from here. Lift it over the rail and drop it. You killed one man, or they'll say you did. They can only hang you once. Clock's scary. Time panic overtook me. I sat down the chest and stepped back into the shadows. Beside me was the door of the hall closet. Now remember that in there was the trap door which led to the attic. I slipped in, got a foot on a wall hook and scrambled up over the clothes that were hanging there. I pushed back the little trap door, lifted myself through the hole and listened for a minute. I could hear the muffled voices, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. They must be down there with Mr. Waters. The attic was long and low. He wouldn't think of anyone being up in there. Or would he? It was dark except for the light from a small ventilator. I moved back into the shadows. I crouched low because the space was too small to stand up in. Suddenly my hand brushed against a short piece of tape. It had been left there for a long time and the dust was thick on it. But it was a weapon. It made me feel safer. He'd quietly over the trap door and waited. But it's a trap door. You'll have to hit him. They can only hang you once. It passed out for hours. When I woke up the attic was black and heavy with heat. Only a vague threat and inside of me there was a threat too. The beginning of a storm. My head ached and my mouth was dry. I knew there was cold water in the icebox and I wanted it. The storm was coming closer inside of me and I had to be moving. I slid the cover back and listened. The house was quiet with only the ticking of the big hall clock. So I dropped through the hall and started down the stairs. Don't let that clock scare you Eddie. There's no one here now. Maybe you can get out now Eddie. There's your suitcase in the hall. Don't forget that. Oh it's you Mr. Fowle. Glad someone come over even you. I've been alone for hours ever since the cops got me back from assistance. Well the wife says, oh gosh I can't tell you how bad I feel about you. I'm in Mr. Fowle. He was a swell man Mrs. Waters. Yes he was. Yes he really was. They didn't come any better than him. Anyway the wife seen you from the window and she said... Won't you come in Mr. Fowle. In? In there? Yes for a minute. Just for a minute. Not if you stay quiet and keep back here in the shadows. I can't stay long. Anyway the wife wants to know if there's anything we can do. I mean if you're scared to be alone or anything. Oh no there's nothing there. I go to bed very shortly and I'm not frightened. Oh gosh it was awful. Simply awful. The way he was lying there and breathing so heavy. I was standing right there looking at him. And it was the way he was breathing that got me sort of gasping. You know what I mean? Yes yes I know Mr. Fowle but he's gone now and there ain't any good in it. Did you hear something? Listen. Here's something. Where? It sounded like somebody breathing. I don't hear anything. Oh good lord. It sounded just like them. What on earth are you talking about? You're nervous they're all on edge Mr. Fowle. No I've got to be getting back. If you're sure there ain't nothing we need now. No I'm quite all right. If there's anything you want you just call us. I'm going right to bed. I don't feel well. Well I shouldn't wonder. I shouldn't wonder. I'll tell my wife. Never mind I'll be all right. All right. Good night Mr. Fowle and don't worry about me. Yes well good night. I've got to get back to the wife. Good night. After an hour to get to bed and to sleep. I stayed right there cutting the seconds and listening to the ticking of a big clock in the hall. My muscles were stiff and my throat was dry and sore from swallowing. I hardly dared breathe. Finally I slipped out. Picked up my suitcase and started to tiptoe out. The back door would be the best I thought. I went slowly in the dark. It seemed that I could see the spot in the kitchen where Mr. Water's body had been after a fight. But the back door was in blackness. I tried the knob softly. The door wouldn't open. It was locked. Not with a night latch but with the old fashioned iron locks that were on all the doors in the house. There was no way out without a key. I started for a window. That was no good either. The screens were heavy and were nailed firmly in place. I'd helped nail them myself. I knew that cutting them would make too much noise. There was no way out except for the key. And that must be in Mrs. Water's room. Back down the hall I went to the downstairs bedroom. The door was unlocked and I opened it. And listen, sleep, Eddie. Keys must be on the dresser, Eddie. Right over there. The storm was getting close outside and I felt all stormy inside. I had to get the keys. Get out of this house. It wasn't too dark to see Mrs. Water's in bed. She was breathing heavily. I brushed past the bed and my knee touched a chair. I went on until I felt something waist high. The dresser. I moved my hand slowly over the top. First some clothing. Then I felt around for the keys. And went there. I felt more slowly. A hairbrush. A comb. Then a pile of hairpins. Where was the key? I held my breath until Mrs. Water started breathing regularly. I was shaking now. I'm scared. And the storm was building up inside. I reached into a drawer. I tried not to make any noise but there was some. I reached inside. There was something steely and cold. The key. No. No scissors. Long ones sharp and pointed. The phone was frightening. I wanted to run to get out of the room. But I couldn't remember where the door was. I held the scissors like a weapon. A knife. And flattened myself against the wall. Oh dear. The phone. Eddie. The phone at this hour. I stepped back into the closet. Pulled some clothes in front of me just before she snapped on the light over the bed. I'm coming. I'm coming. I talked softly to myself like I always do when I'm alone and scared. You've got the scissors Eddie. If she comes in here you'll have to use them. They must know you killed Mr. Waters. It wouldn't be right to kill her too but... What if she finds you Eddie? You're no killer Eddie. But you can't be caught. You can't. If she opens the door do it. Do it quickly Eddie and then run. Where's that dang backbone? Right. She didn't find you Eddie. You didn't have to kill her. She just took a robe off the hook. Hello? Yes. You didn't have to kill her did you? Hello Mr. Waters. Not yet. What? But now's your chance Eddie. Her handbag's on the bed. We are. The back door before she's through. Hurry. Long time in the rain while a storm out inside me settled down the same steady rhythm as the rain drops. I hadn't eaten all day and I was weak and shaky. The water dripped from me and the bag slapped against my leg and my shoes made little splashing noises in the mud. I counted my footsteps. I counted to a thousand and then started over. And then through the rain I saw an all night diner. I shook the rain from my hat and looked inside. There was a man and an apron. No one else. I hesitated for a moment. But the smell of food and coffee came to me and I opened the door and walked in. Coffee. Coffee? Bad. Yeah. Give me a sandwich. Any kind of sandwich. Sure, sure, sure. Coming up. Look kid, take off the coat and let me hang it up for the coffee boy. No, I'm alright. Let me have the sugar. Sure. Cream? No. Hmm. Beef sandwich alright? It's all a gun. Hello Casey. Well, what's cooking with the police department on a night like this? Bloody Mike. Give me a cup of coffee and I'll hurry with it. A cup Eddie. Don't run. Take it easy. Coffee coming up Casey. Hey kid. Hey. Beef sandwich okay? Sure. This raincoat's dripping all over your floor. I'll hang it up, Mike. Okay. It's really wet out there. This hanging up is gun too Eddie. Maybe you can get it if you have to. Well, how'd you get so wet kid? I didn't see you before. Oh, I got caught in the storm. Yeah, I see. Oh thanks Mike. Look kid, maybe you'd better come along with me down to the station house. It was done. It was over. They'd caught me. I'd felt free up until now. I looked at where his gun was hanging by his raincoat. Now I'd have to try it. I'd have to kill again I thought. I could get them both and get away maybe. They could only hang me once. How about it kid? Our booking is a sleeper. For morning you'll be dried up on your way. Okay? You mean... You mean just sleep there? Well, well sure. There won't be any charge against you. Well, thanks. But I've got to get along. Okay, have it your own way. Well, why don't we have Mike? Just a damn. Yeah. Thanks. You been hitting the ball tonight? I'll say. Been taking the doc around. I have to go back and pick him up now. Oh, emergency case huh? Yeah, doc called it botulism. Something like tomein poisoning. Then it was from eating pig's feet. Old lady Waters up on Elm Street. You got to be awful careful of them things. Well, they'd wonder about them, but I guess she ate them anyhow. They were from the same batch that killed her husband earlier today. She didn't know that was what happened to them and she ate them too. Ah, tomein's bad stuff. Hit you? Just like that. Yeah. Well, so long. So long Casey. More coffee, kid? No thanks. Did you hear that about Mr. and Mrs. Waters both dying from the same thing? Yeah. Pig's nuts. Ah, you got to be careful of that tomein stuff. Well, looks like the storm's over. Sure is. The moon's out. Just a summer storm and out's all over. Yeah, it'll make it nice for you. Feel all right? Me? I feel swell. Rymry Fonda, a star of summer storm. Tonight's study in suspense. This is the Armed Forces Radio Service.