 It was like a terrible nightmare Even now I sometimes wait from the dream and find myself shaking from the memory of it I'll never forget when I first saw him a man so monstrous so Unhuman that I refused to think it could ever happen again to anyone else But who can be sure? Others have had the same idea. Oh, yes the law forbids it, but laws are broken every day Will it happen again to someone else some day in the future? perhaps Perhaps it will happen to many. I Don't want to see it To hear the story of this strange monster. Listen in a moment to 2000-plus adventures in a world of tomorrow dramatic stories of science fiction from the years beyond 2000 AD An amazing story of science uncontrolled but giant walk It's like to fill your slimy stomachs The doctor said always be direct if you weren't big enough already If I had my way, I'd kill all you rats. That's what I do Four feet long can be quite a mess the little thing. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes, Dr. Ellsworth Is everything ready with them? Yes, Dr. Edmund bar stone. Yes, sir and Open the cage. I've never seen a rat run a maze so rapidly check that gold gradient Western. Yes, doctor The rats in the food box now. Let me see 11.8 there You see Western not an unusual intelligence just high Well above that of the average rat Imagine what they could do with their teeth if they had the chance It's frightening to think what would happen if all rats were giant rats if they got loose Evolution barstow merely the scientific elimination of group barriers Now that your experiments a success we can tell the world your theories will be accepted You'll regain your rightful place in science not yet barstow not yet I'm already at work on what I consider will be an ultimate experiment It's only a matter of calculating checking and verifying date on the rat So we can build a larger but to a terrarium vitalizer What animal do you have in mind for this new experiment? Dr. Elmer's but animal well There's only one that I could possibly be interested in now It's the next logical step Surely you can't me yes barstow to see me dr. Elmer's here's Western I want to talk to you about the experiment on human beings. I Want you to help me with the experiment. Hi. I hope you're not thinking of me dr. I was great. I don't think no matter Western Don't you think it would be valuable to give yourself to science? Well, it would seem that there are so many to choose from so many Westerns who for example, I'm sure that old Hawkins won't do and we really can't kidnap them or anyone But Dr. Elmer I would say it would be a great honor to be the first real Superman on earth How about barstow? Exactly Western Just what I was leading up to You seem relieved Yeah In barstow, we have a real physical specimen and he seems to have quite a boundless Enthusiasm for the future of mankind An attitude you apparently don't share How could we get him to agree to it psychology Western? It's merely a matter of appealing in the proper manner to his scientific judgment Fair play Now here is what I want you to do when he gets back Glad to see you back barstow Western tells me you're ready to begin the final experiment on man Yes barstow I soon hope to be the first of a new race a race that will make the man of today look like a pygmy Puny and insignificant if the experiment succeeds my physical size will double or even triple I'll be able to live at least 300 years instead of the 100 or so odd years a man can expect today The brain cells will probably also expand giving me an intelligence It will make you and Weston look like products of the stone age. I don't think it's fair for you to sacrifice yourself It's not fair to humanity if you die there'll be nobody to carry on you know these experiments to really glue We could never find another subject it would have to be one of us three or nobody I'd be willing to take a chance dr. Ellsworth, and so would I you can't go through with this dr. Ellsworth you're needed to direct the experiment gentlemen gentlemen I see you have the true scientific spirit Well, since I am unwilling to give up my right to be the subject and you're unwilling to let me be the subject And there's only one way out. What's that? We'll draw what if you agree leave the decision of the fate that sounds like a good idea Don't you think so barstow? Why, sure I guess so or it's the only way out my boy. One of us must be the guinea pig Now I'll tear three strips of paper. Now the lots are arranged in my hand. Whoever gets the short one Will submit to the experiment and there'll be no further objection from any of us. Agreed? Agreed. Right. Choose gentlemen. Weston. Barstow. Myself. I've drawn the short one. Yes. I'd like I'd like some time to see Barbara Dr. Ellsworth before the experiment I'll give you three weeks to straighten out your affairs Barstow. Then I'll expect you back at the laboratory Contacts are wide open. Cut the circuit Weston, that's enough. Well Barstow are you ready? Quite ready Dr. Ellsworth. As you know it may be painful at first but after the primary series I don't think you'll notice much. I'm not worried Dr. Ellsworth. No of course not. Well good luck my boy. Thank you sir. Contacts open Weston. Yes doctor. Then pipe the circuit. Fine. I'll keep it steady at 3,000. Prepare for the first injection. We'll give him five electronic unit charges. Valve open. What are you feeling Barstow? Experiment Dr. Ellsworth. He's out again. Dr. Ellsworth you think we're doing the right thing? It hurt me to slow it down so much I'm afraid. Oh what Weston? You're not losing your nerve are you? No no it's only that I thought... Don't do any thinking Weston. I'll do that part of it. You just check the regenerator charts. Very well Dr. Ellsworth. Nothing is going to keep me from completing this experiment. And I warn you not to try to interfere Weston. I'll close the circuit. We'll inject again. 100 z-seats. Valve open. Can't believe it Dr. Ellsworth. Look at him. 12 feet tall and he weighs 750 pounds. Of course Weston. As I told you there's very little difference really between a rat and a man. We're all animals. But Dr. he hasn't given much sign of life during the past few days. You think his body can stand the strain of all this growth? Certainly. In fact I think we'll give him the final super injection today. About 500 z-seats should do it. 500? But that's five times what we've been giving him. Yes Weston. We're building a new skeletal structure. New flesh. Contact's open. Keep it steady at 6,000. We've got to provide the final shock for the system. The valve's completely open Dr. Ellsworth. All right. Everything's so touching the sky. I think you can crawl. Well at best I can figure Dr. the subject can lift almost 20 times as much weight as an ordinary man. And run approximately 60 miles an hour without difficulty. Oddly enough though he appears to get along fine on four or five hours sleep at night. He's consuming food at a rate that's all out of proportion. Well that's understandable. He's still making adjustments. Go on. Mantle-A? Very superior. He appears to be able to solve the most complicated problems right in his head. It's all just as I predicted. But this morning though, after I just finished giving him the work test, he pulled up a tree by the roots and waved it at me. He was frightening. I ran and he began laughing. It sounded more like thunder. Weston you're letting your imagination run away with you. It's quite obvious what's the matter. He's not getting enough exercise. We've got to give him more physical work to do. Sitting on that hill and staring. Bosto! Dr. Ellsworth. I want you to take this special shovel we've made for you and dig a trench. Weston will mark it out for you and check your working speed. All right, Dr. Ellsworth. Whatever you say. To keep him occupied. Dr. Ellsworth. I'd like to ask you a question. Yes? What are we going to do with Bosto? I mean, what are we going to tell the world about it? We can't go on continually this way. I think of course we can. And once we're sure of ourselves, we'll get over there. We'll make giants of them. We're building a race, Weston. A race of supermen with which we can rule the world. We've only to learn how to control Bosto so he'll respond to our every command. Then we'll build an army. That's not right. You know, Weston, you're a good assistant. Tell me when you think that you'll get into trouble. What's to use me for the next experiment? To me. I don't think you understand. He's working on a method to control you electronically as a giant. What he's been waiting for. And when he can finally control you, he'll begin to make more giants. What's to build an army of giants so he can take over the world? That isn't true. Dr. Ellsworth is interested only in science. You just don't want to be a freak as I am. Cut off from everything. Just because I was unlucky at drawing lots. No, no. Not unlucky, Bosto. Dr. Ellsworth and I agreed to volunteer just to get you to volunteer. We arranged a lot so that you would be chosen. No, no, no. No, no, no. No, please, Bosto. That's why I let you know. I wanted you to do something about it before it's too late. And what are you going to do? Only before you do any more, dammit. Yes. What you would like, isn't it? For me to calm down. To become nothing but a giant tool for conquest and revenge. Isn't that so what you're talking about? You tricked me into volunteering for this experiment. What if I did? You were the best physical specimen. You would stop at nothing to carry out your hideous experiments. Future of mankind. That's a good one. You're not interested in mankind at all. You're only interested in building a super race for your own end. You want an army of giants so you can take over the world. No, Matt Bosto. And that's just what I ought to do to you. You have no more right to live than I. How much strength does it take for a 30-foot man to kill an ordinary man with his fists, Dr. Ellsworth? Figure that out. What are you going to do? I'm not going to do anything to you. I'm going to let the World Science Council know about your experiment. They'll know what to do about you. You can't leave. You're a monstrosity. Yes, Dr. Ellsworth, I did. Oh, you've ruined the experiment, Wesson. You betrayed science. You have no right to live. Who are you to decide these things? Come in. The last experiment I want to perform is to see how a man can stand up against a giant rat. No, no, please. Please, Ellsworth. I'll do anything you want. I don't want to die. I'll be the subject of a new experiment tonight. Imagine. Oh, well, I guess. How the f*** in the road in front of us? Want to talk? Not a monster right here. Back on the road. He didn't hurt it. How about this giant? Located creature moving rapidly in the direction of McCann City. We're closing in. Very good, 117. Keep on it. We'll have all the data. Okay, Tim, we're near enough now. Safety off. Destroy a gun. We'll fire a couple of warning shots and slow them down. Safety off. We'll circle him. Keep circling. I'm working on it, sir. Give me that microphone. All police jets and air rockets. All jets and air rockets. Attention. Attention. Rocket 117 has been attacked by the giant. Contact has been lost. Take battle formation blue. Prepare for attack. Prepare for attack. That creature out of existence. What could it be, sir? A man from another planet? It's possible. We can only get that video fixed. Oh, I'm getting it, Commissioner. Look. There he is. Go to Heavens. What an enormous creature. Yes, I see it. 1,000 and prepare to dive on target. I've got to see the police commissioner. You can't. It's an emergency. Who let you in the control room? It's about the giant. We've got to stop your attack. Oh, crazy. That creature's a menace. He's knocked down one of our rockets and now we're going to get him. But you don't understand, sir. Quadrants at all elevation 3,000. Target in view. Look, Commissioner, on the video screen. We're ready to open up on them, sir. Just give the order. No, no, no. You've got to call off the attack. Commissioner, look to the right of the giant near that small hill. Those two men are from rocket 117. They're walking on molested toward junction nine. Thank God they're all right. You see, he's not dangerous. Stop the attack. He's just been running berserk. Transmit the command for all ships to hold their positions until I give the order. Unless the giant attacks them. Yes, sir. Look here, sir. What do you know about that creature? Is he from another planet? It's an Earthman. How do you know? He escaped from a government and a chaotic laboratory. He was a subject of an illegal experiment. I'm Dr. Weston. I work in that laboratory. Well, Earthman or not, he's a madman. We've got to do something about him. You don't have to do a thing. It'll all be over in a few minutes. Nothing's happened. I don't see the giant anymore. What do you mean all over, Dr. Weston? Look at the video screen. That's what I mean. Good heavens. It's amazing. Squadron leader 20 to control tower. Police, jets and rockets. Attack canceled. Repeat. He's a disagreeable character. But if he hadn't acted so promptly, as soon as he found out, those rockets would have finished me. Elsworth tried to kill Weston, didn't he? After you broke away. Yes, with the rats. Weston managed to get outside the cage and they killed Dr. Elsworth instead. And shortly after that, the rats fell into a coma. And Weston examined one by X-ray and he discovered that the new bone structure was in the process of dissolving into cartilage. And that cartilage into flesh, which would soon melt away. And he realized their size had only been maintained by the injections. And it'd soon be back to their original skeletal structure. That's why he went to the police. Yes, but how did he know you'd shrink too? Because they stopped giving me the injection. Oh, seeing you here like this, I can't believe all those stories in the paper about you. A horrible picture. I can hardly believe it myself, Barbara. Like a bad dream. Oh, yes. Here's what I came back for. Dr. Elsworth, safe. Oh, what's in it? Here they are. And here they go. Burning them. Years of scientific research up in flames. I don't want another man ever to go through what I did. Cut off from humanity. To be just a specimen in some scientist's zoo. I found out one thing, Barbara. Sickness isn't a matter of size. A man can be 30 feet tall, or he can be 6 feet tall. What he has in his heart, it counts. This world doesn't need bigger, more powerful physical specimens. It needs men with sickness of soul to respect their fellow men. Starting story on 2000 plus. A strange adventure of a man who found nothing and was terrified. Be sure to listen next week too. Alone. 2000 plus is produced by Dreyer and Wendelson Productions Incorporated. In today's cast Joseph Julian was Barthol. Henry Noel was Elsworth. Lon Clark was Wesson. Rhino-Raveron was Barbara. Morton Lawrence was the police commissioner. And Bruce Evans was Hoggesson. The script was written by Julian Snyder. The music was composed by Elliot Cercoby. The orchestra conducted by Emerson Buckley. Sound, Walt Shaver and Adrian Penner. Engineer Bob Albrecht. This is Ken Marvin speaking.