S01E01: National Emergency

National Emergency

Following his release from prison after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife, Owen Coleman attempts to rebuild his life as a sch

Key takeaways

• Owen Coleman was imprisoned for 13 months after being blamed for the disappearance of his wife, Anna.
• The 'emergency broadcasts' are unpredictable and require exact adherence to instructions to prevent death.

Main topics

• Emergency Broadcast Protocols
• Wrongful Conviction and Reintegration

Notable quotes

Listen. Obey. Survive.

Conclusion

A chilling introduction to a world where survival hinges on obeying ar

Transcript preview

Speaker 5 (0:01) You're listening Speaker 4 (0:02) to a Midnight Mystery production. Speaker 1 (0:13) Hi everyone, it's The Midnight Mystery here. Just popping in to check if you've ever thought, wow, I love this show, but these ads are slowly destroying my will to live. Well, we have some good news. The Midnight Mystery has officially started a Patreon. By joining, you'll get early access to ad-free episodes, exclusive miniseries, and behind-the-scenes extras. Plus... You'll be supporting independent creatives who pour everything they've got into making these stories. Every bit of support helps us keep the lights on, the mics recording, and the weirdness flowing. The link to the Patreon is in the description below. So thank you so much for being here. We seriously couldn't do this without you. Let's get into the episode. Speaker 8 (1:05) National Emergency is a psychological horror audio drama that explores disturbing themes and intense moments. Some content may be unsettling for some listeners. Listener's discretion is advised. Speaker 1 (1:55) 143,891 confirmed incidents worldwide. The death and missing toll stands at zero for those who followed the instructions. For those who didn't, approximately 1.2 million and counting. Speaker 6 (2:14) The events begin without warning. They simply begin. When they do, you will receive instructions. These instructions must be followed exactly as stated. The instructions may seem impossible. They may ask you to do things that go against every instinct you have. Do them anyway. Your survival depends on it. Speaker 1 (2:35) When it happens, not if, but when, remember only this. Listen. Obey. Survive. Speaker 2 (3:08) Who do we have here? Coleman. Thirteen months. Felt longer, didn't it? Felt like a lifetime. Yeah, they always do. You got someone picking you up? I'll figure it out. Okay. Take care of yourself, Coleman. Hope we don't see you back here. Yeah. Me too. Speaker 3 (3:57) Owen? Speaker 2 (3:58) Lisa. I didn't think you'd show. Speaker 3 (4:02) You look... thin. Speaker 2 (4:05) Prison food. Wouldn't recommend it. Speaker 3 (4:08) I... should we hug or... Come on. Let's get out of here. Speaker 1 (4:37) I wasn't sure what Speaker 3 (4:43) you'd want to listen to, so I just left it on news radio. Is Speaker 1 (4:46) that... It's Speaker 2 (4:48) fine. Speaker 1 (4:51) Since then, we have recorded 643,891 confirmed incidents across all 50 states and Speaker 2 (4:59) 93 countries worldwide. Speaker 1 (4:59) Actually, can we turn it off? Speaker 3 (5:05) I cleaned up the garage apartment above my place. It's not much. It's just a bed, kitchenette, small bathroom. But it's private. You won't have to deal with the neighbors staring or... Speaker 2 (5:16) Lisa, you didn't have to do any of this. Speaker 3 (5:19) Yes, I did. Speaker 2 (5:20) No, you really... I could have figured something out. A halfway house or... Speaker 3 (5:25) Stop. Okay, we've known each other since we were, what, seven? Eight? Speaker 2 (5:30) Seven. You threw mud at me on the playground. Speaker 3 (5:33) You said girls couldn't climb trees. Speaker 2 (5:36) You proved me wrong. How did you even... The job, I mean. Nobody wants to hire someone who's been where I've been. Speaker 3 (5:49) Principal Garrett owed me a favor. I've been covering for Janet Simmons' fourth grade class while she's on maternity leave. Working doubles, basically. And we're desperate for drivers. Speaker 2 (6:01) Why? Speaker 3 (6:01) Parents are too scared to let their kids walk after, you know, the emergencies. Everyone wants their kids on a bus with an adult. Someone who can follow the instructions if something happens. Speaker 2 (6:13) And they're okay with that adult being me? Speaker 3 (6:17) They don't all know, okay? Garrett does, obviously. The supervisor at the depot. But not everyone follows the news as closely as... Speaker 2 (6:25) Do people know? About me? About Anna? Speaker 3 (6:33) Some do. Not everyone. Look, Owen, I need you to know, I never believed you heard her. Even before we knew about the emergencies. Even when the prosecutor was laying out all that evidence. I knew you. I know you. You loved her. Speaker 2 (6:52) The jury didn't see it that way. Speaker 3 (6:54) The jury didn't have all the facts. Nobody did back then. First week of the emergencies... Everyone thought it was terrorism or mass hysteria or some viral marketing campaign gone wrong. Nobody believed you about hearing instructions. Now we know better. Now there's been 600,000 of those things. Speaker 2 (7:16) 13 months, Lisa. I was in there 13 months while she's still out there somewhere or worse. Do you know how many times I've replayed that night? What I could have done differently. Speaker 3 (7:29) It wasn't your fault. Speaker 3 (7:33) So, the news is on constantly now. Emergency updates every hour. Speaker 2 (7:39) They didn't tell us