Welcome back to Escape the Drama.
Today, the guests must work through a mad scientist's clues in order to find his evil creation, the Ungodly Machine.
Enjoy!
Noah:" Previously on Escape the Drama, I hosted a party that only exists in the 1920's. There, a friend of mine was murdered by an evil power that controls the house. We now have to find four mysterious artifacts if we want to get back to 2018."
Months before the guests arrived...
The hooded figure entered the basement of the estate. A man dressed in a lab coat adjusted a few dials on a machine. A young man and woman were chained against the wall.
"Please don't do this!" The young man begged.
"We didn't do anything!" The young woman shouted.
"Shut up!" The scientist shouted. "I need to think!"
The old scientist pulled out some blueprints. The hooded figure appeared behind him. "It's time..." The hooded figure rasped.
The scientist nodded and grabbed a syringe. He walked toward the two chained victims, stepping past a box filled with a dark, black liquid, and an aquatic female monster of some kind.
He injected the syringe into the two test subjects as they pleaded for their lives. He then unchained them and dragged them each into separate glass chambers. He sealed them inside, and powered the machine on. Each chamber filled with a dark gas and sent a sharp electricity to the box with the unknown creature. The creature began to stir as the subjects slowly perished.
With a sudden jolt, the monster awoke with a scream. "We'll need more." The hooded figure said.
"The machine needs to be recharged." the Scientist said. "It requires more electricity than a small city."
"Try using this." The hood said as he set down one of the artifacts.
"Once I place the object in the machine, it may be impossible to retrieve."
"It's better that way." The hooded figure replied...
(Intro)
Back with the guests in the 1920's, the car had just exploded.
(Confessionals)
Leshawna: "The car explodes out of nowhere!"
Brick: "Everyone starts screaming and running back into the house."
Bridgette: "At least we weren't IN the car."
(End Confessionals)
"What just happened?" Beth asked as they entered the house.
"Our driver just exploded, and so did our car, so we are screwed." Duncan said angrily.
(Confessional)
Duncan: "More people are gonna die, and it sure as hell won't be me."
(End Confessional)
"So now we have to get those stupid artifacts if we want to get back to the present?" Jo asked.
"Yeah, and some people are gonna have to die." Leshawna responded.
"That's horrible..." Bridgette lamented in the corner.
"I want to get out of here." Heather said as she looked out the window.
"Well, what do we know so far?" Brick asked Noah.
"Well, Cody's note had that symbol on it." Noah replied.
"Maybe that will lead us to the next clue." Gwen speculated.
"Let's go look for the symbols then." Beth said.
"Should we split up?" Bridgette asked.
"Splitting up is a terrible idea!" Heather scolded.
"We don't have much time, we only have until the sun comes up." Noah reminded the group.
"We need a dang clue or something." said Lightning.
Just as he said that, Sarah walked in with a box and set it on the table.
(Confessional)
Noah: "The last time Sarah walked in with something, she had a head, so I'm not feeling to great about this."
(End Confessional)
"This arrived in the post earlier today." Sarah explained as she took of the lid, revealing a glass jar with a severed, tattooed, hand inside of it.
The guests screamed and jumped back.
"What the HELL is that!" Heather shouted in disgust.
"Get that thing away from me!" Beth squealed as she hid behind Jo, causing her to scoff.
(Confessional)
Gwen: "This seems like a clue of some kind..."
(End Confessional)
"What does that say?" Jo pointed towards a piece of paper by the hand.
"Her essence can speak to you through the spirit board." Leshawna said, reading the note. Bridgette turned around and saw said board behind her.
(Confessional)
Lightning: "I don't know about the rest of these people, but the Lightning does NOT mess with spirits or ghosts."
(End Confessional)
Leshawna read the rest of the clue. "The hand can give you clue, however, it requires great strength to communicate beyond the grave, and it can only be performed once an hour."
Arthur walked up to the group. "May I make a suggestion?" He paused. "Someone should act as the voice and read the invocation."
Bridgette read the spirit board. "We call you now to bless our meetings. Heavens promise our spirits thrive, so now for the living, let the dead come alive."
"Oh hell no!" Leshawna shouted.
(Confessional)
Leshawna: "I really don't think speaking to ghosts is a great idea..."
(End Confessional)
"Greeting spirits...speak to us." Bridgette said, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, the board lit up with letters. "Guys, this thing just lit up!"
"Look at the letters." Brick said. "It spells out books."
"Alright, everyone come look at the books." Noah commanded as the guests flocked over to the bookshelves.
Everyone began searching. "I'm not sure if I was supposed to open this." Duncan said from the corner. "But this cabinet has a chest in it with the symbol."
"So we need a key-" Heather started, but Leshawna cut her off.
"Or a code." Leshawna also suggested.
"I was going to say that, if you would have let me finish." Heather said, glaring at Leshawna.
"Are we gonna have a problem?" Leshawna asked, getting in Heather's face.
"I think we already do, you bit-" Heather shot back, but Brick stepped between the two of them.
"Your both right, can we just all look for the book?" he asked.
"Fine." Heather agreed. "But keep Leshawna away from me."
"Right back at you sweetie." Leshawna said sarcastically as she followed Brick to another bookshelf.
(Confessionals)
Heather: "Leshawna is getting on my last nerve. She better watch it."
Leshawna: "That girl gets under my skin!"
(End Confessionals)
"Guys, this book has an arrow and a number on it." Beth said, showing the group.
"I saw one of those too." Gwen said, handing Beth another one similar to hers.
Duncan and Noah also contributed to the pile of books.
Slowly, they had a large stack of books. They carried them back to the board, save for Bridgette and Lightning, who hung back. "Look at this." Bridgette said, showing Lightning a novel that had the same symbol as one of the tattoos on the severed hand.
"Nice job babe!" Lightning said.
"Don't call me that." Bridgette said sternly, walking away.
(Confessionals)
Lightning: "Ah, She's just playing hard to get. Ain't nobody can resist the Lightning!" (He flexes with an oblivious smile.)
Bridgette: "I can't believe that Lightning is trying to flirt with me, especially in this life or death situation."
(End Confessionals)
"We need one more book." said Noah.
Beth walked in the foyer and studied the grandfather clock.
(Confessional)
Beth: "I'm looking at this clock, and I noticed that the bottom can open up. Sure enough, the bottom popped open and I find the last book! I was so proud of myself."
(End Confessional)
"I got it guys!" Beth set the last book on the table.
"Nice work girl," Leshawna said, giving her a high five.
(Confessionals)
Brick: "We notice that the arrows represent which direction the dials should be facing on the wooden holder for the hand.
Duncan: "So we turn the dials in the corresponding direction, and the thing lights up."
(End Confessionals)
The lights began to flicker as a voice began repeating the code. "Three. Five. Four. Seven."
Jo entered the code, and the chest opened up, revealing chess pieces.
"Chess pieces?" Leshawna said quizzically.
(Confessional)
Noah: "Honestly, I don't understand what's going on."
(End Confessional)
"There's a chest board over there." Bridgette said, pointing towards the opposite side of the room.
Noah read the clue in the box. "30 men and only 2 women, but they hold the most power. Dressed in black and white, they could fight for hours. The ladies need to find a perfect pair, a handsome knight on the right with a flair."
(Confessional)
Leshawna: "Why do we have to play chess? Honestly, I wish we had a dumber ghost, we'd probably would have been out of here by now."
(End Confessional)
"Are y'all done yet?" said Lightning impatiently. "I'm bored."
"You could try HELPING!" Jo said angrily.
Lightning just shrugged her off.
Duncan ignored the fighting. "Yet one of these ladies is in a deep sorrow." he said as he read the rest of the card. "Her white bearded husband will not have his home tomorrow. Because a vicious bishop-"
"That's the bishop." Noah said, pointing towards the board.
Duncan scowled at Noah cutting him off. Noah began to move pieces around according to the clues.
(Confessional)
Duncan: "This kid's lucky he knows how to play chess. Otherwise he would of gotten a punch in the face for trying to talk over me."
(End Confessional)
As Noah placed the last piece, a drawer slid open on the table. "Nice job, bookworm," Jo said, giving Noah a slap on the back. He shuddered.
Brick grabbed the clue out of the drawer. "Today's experiment was a success. The machine was able to consume the life force of two college students and produce an ungodly monster. However, the machines demand for power is endless." Brick read off the note. Some of the guests looked uncertain about the thought of an ungodly machine. "I'm using an ancient artifact with an origin I do not wish to know of. However, it comes with a price. My mind can no longer distinguish between reality and a nightmare. I've locked the key to the machine in the green cabinet in the ballroom, But my scattered mind cannot remember where I left the combination on the first floor. All of the thoughts I can hold are of the triangles I learned of as a boy; fire, water, air, and earth."
(Confessional)
Gwen: "We find this leaflet with the four different elements on it and decide to split up, so we can cover more ground."
(End Confessional)
Heather and Brick searched as a pair. Leshawna and Beth did the same. Bridgette, Gwen, and Noah looked around together, while Duncan and Jo looked for the fourth element.
Lightning was left standing alone.
(Confessional)
Lightning: "The Lightning don't need a partner! Lightning is a team of one!"
(End Confessional)
"Is that air?" Jo asked, pointing toward an odd looking object reminiscent of a fan.
(Confessional)
Duncan: "Obviously we've never been to the 1920's, so we had no clue what this thing was."
(End Confessional)
Meanwhile, Bridgette found a fan in the study. "This is producing air, which is one of the elements."
Gwen picked the fan up and saw a symbol on the fan. "Nice work," Gwen complimented as they went back to the main room.
Brick and Heather had found the water element and joined the trio at the table.
"Alright, we've found half of the clues."
Jo investigated the object she saw, and found a clue on the back.
(Confessional)
Jo: "As it turns out, that thing was a heater. So I was like, half right."
(End Confessional)
Leshawna and Beth looked outside.
(Confessionals)
Beth: "Finding earth is a bit of a struggle. It could literally be anywhere."
Leshawna: "They gave us these dinky flashlights that barely work, so those aren't much help."
(End Confessionals)
Beth pointed towards a handprint of the ground. "Look, it's the symbol!" She shouted excitedly.
They went back inside now that all of the elements were found. Lightning finally joined the group after finding nothing.
They opened the lock of the cabinet, celebrating their work.
Gwen read the note inside the cabinet. "The Ungodly Machine is in the basement." Everyone frowned at the thought of going downstairs. "The cog key will unlock it's wicked engine. But understand that once the machine is turned on, It can only be stopped by the loss of an innocent life. Two guests must be selected by the vote of the group to be locked in the machine. Those two must choose a partner who will aid them in defeating the machine."
The group was in mass panic as the thought of death loomed over them.
"Everyone calm down, we have an orderly way of voting." Arthur said as he lead the group to the couches. "Here is how the final voting will work. "Each of you will write the name of the person you want to attempt the final task and put it in this hat. I will then draw the two names who must face death. Please, discuss this among yourselves."
"This can't be happening..." said Noah.
"I think Jo should go, he's a total rat!" Lightning shouted.
"You idiot, I'm a girl!" Jo said.
The group began splitting off. Jo talked in the corner with Duncan and Brick. "I can't handle Lightning being here for another second. He hasn't even helped us at all!"
"I completely agree." said Brick.
"Or we could vote Noah for dragging us into this mess." Duncan said.
"I'm voting Lightning no matter what." Jo said.
Heather walked up to Lightning. "Your voting Jo, right?"
"Obviously."
"Perfect. So Am I." Heather said with a smile.
(Confessional)
Heather: "If I want to survive, I need to start getting allies. And Lightning is so stupid, he will do whatever I say. But who else is desperate enough to work with me...?"
(End Confessional)
"Hey Beth!" Heather said with a fake smile. "I love your outfit."
"Uh...thanks." Beth responded slowly.
"I was thinking, you and I should work together to make sure we don't get killed off!"
"Alright!" Beth said brightly, shocked that someone was willing to work with her. "But who are we voting?"
"Jo." Heather responded.
"But why?" Beth asked, surprised.
"Because she's going after you!" Heather lied.
"Wait really?" Beth began to shake. "I don't wanna die!"
"You'll be fine, just do as I say." Heather assured her.
Beth nodded grimly.
(Confessionals)
Beth: "I can't believe Jo is targeting me!"
Heather: "Hahaha, that was a total lie. I can't believe how easy that was! The reason I want Jo gone is because she's going after Lightning, and I need my allies around as long as possible. I can deal with Leshawna later."
(End Confessionals)
Gwen, Bridgette, Noah, and Leshawna gathered in the living room.
"Who do you guys think we should vote?" Bridgette asked.
"Heather! She's a pain in the butt." Leshawna suggested.
"Yes, but she has helped us so far." Noah reasoned.
"Well, who do we vote then? You because you invited us here?" Leshawna said bluntly.
"I didn't know this would happen!" Noah defended himself.
"I think we should vote someone useless." Gwen said. "Like Lightning."
Bridgette, Leshawna, and Noah all nodded in agreement. "It's set then." Gwen confirmed. "We vote for Lightning."
The guests returned to the main room and got prepared for the vote.
One by one, Arthur called them to the voting stand, and they wrote down names. Jo wrote down LIGHTNING in big block letters.
When it was Lightning's turn, he didn't hide his vote. "I'm voting for you Jo."
She rolled her eyes at him.
Arthur mixed up the votes in the hat and drew the first name.
"Jo."
Jo shook her head. "Ridiculous."
Arthur pulled out a second slip. "Lightning."
"WHAT!" Lightning shouted obliviously. "Why would you want to get rid of this?" He said, flexing his biceps.
"Jo, you must pick your partner to save you first."
"I'll pick...Gwen." Jo said.
(Confessional)
Jo: "I decided to pick Gwen because she's been the main puzzle solver so far. Plus, if I chose Duncan or Brick, it would make it obvious that we are voting together."
Gwen: "Jo picked me, and I'm gonna try my best to save her, since I already feel guilty about Cody's death.
(End Confessional)
"Lightning, who will you choose?" Arthur asked.
"The Lightning picks...Bridgette."
(Confessionals)
Lightning: "I know Bridgette wants a piece of The Lightning, so she's gonna win this challenge."
Bridgette: "This guy cannot take a hint, can he?"
(End Confessionals)
"Alright, the four of you follow me, the rest of you stay here." Arthur instructed. He lead them out of the room and down into the basement.
They opened the door to the basement, and saw the Ungodly Machine waiting for them. "Oh my god!" Bridgette said.
(Confessionals)
Lightning: "What's so scary about some dumb machine?"
Bridgette: "I'm glad I'm not the one that has to go inside that thing."
(End Confessionals)
"Why do you even have this thing down here?" Gwen asked as Arthur walked over to the control panels.
"Please read the directions." Arthur said.
"To free the artifact from the bowels of the machine, it must be forced into malfunction." Gwen read. "The two guests selected by vote must be locked into separate glass chambers. The Machine is started by placing the cog key in the center console."
(Confessional)
Gwen: "Basically the first person to get the machine to malfunction gets the person out of the tube, while the other chamber fills with glass and will kill whoever is in it."
(End Confessional)
"If thirty minute pass without the machine malfunctioning, both chambers will fill with noxious gas, and a monster will emerge." Gwen finished.
Arthur locked Lightning and Jo into their chambers and placed the cog key into the console. "Just a reminder, Gwen is competing to save Jo, while Bridgette is competing to save Lightning." Arthur started the timer. "It begins."
Gwen and Bridgette went to their respective control panels and began reading the blue prints.
Step 1: Overload the Power Core
Gwen looked over the directions. "This isn't even English, its just a bunch of weird symbols."
"Don't get overwhelmed, just focus." Jo tried to encourage Gwen from inside the chamber.
(Confessional)
Bridgette: "Basically we have to move a bunch of levers in the right direction, but I honestly can't tell which order they are supposed to go in."
(End Confessional)
"I feel like I'm doing something wrong." Bridgette said as she continued to move the levers.
Gwen moved the final lever downward. and a jolt of electricity sparked from the machine. "Gwen has solved the first step." Arthur announced.
"Hurry up!" Lightning shouted.
"Shhhh! I need to focus!" Bridgette said as she continued to try and figure out the symbols.
Step 2: Crash the Cooling System
(Confessional)
Gwen: "I'm glad I'm ahead, but I still have a few more steps, so I can't get confident.
(End Confessional)
"So I have to put my hand in this vat of ice water." Gwen mumbled to herself. She reached into the vat. "It's freezing!"
"Who cares, just keep going!" Jo commanded.
"I can't figure this out!" Bridgette shouted from the other end of the room.
(Confessional)
Lightning: "The Lightning is started to think he chose the wrong partner."
(End Confessional)
Gwen unscrews the bottom of the vat, and pulls it loose.
"I got it!" Bridgette shouted as she finally completed step 1.
Gwen moved onto step 3.
Step 3: Rewire the Control Circuit
Gwen removed the cover of the panel and studied the wires.
"Gwen, wanna give me a hand?" Bridgette asked from the other side of the room as she struggled to remove the screw.
"You better NOT help her!" Jo shouted from her tube.
Gwen ignored the shouts from around her as she began rewiring the box.
Gwen looked puzzled as she looked over the wires. Meanwhile, Bridgette removed the bolt.
"Come on, come on!" said Lightning.
(Confessional)
Gwen: "I was pretty far ahead, but now my lead has evaporated."
(End Confessional)
Gwen began experimenting with different wires as she began to figure out the puzzle. She placed the final wire in it's corresponding hole, and the lights dimmed a bit.
Noxious gas immediately began filling Lightning's chamber. He smashed his hands against the glass wildly, but his attempts were futile. His strength slowly waned as the gas created a thick cloud, blocking the girls from seeing his corpse.
"Eva has done it." Arthur said. "She has made the machine malfunction."
Jo stepped out of her chamber. "Nice work," she said to Gwen, impressed by her puzzle solving ability.
"Bridgette, I'm sorry, Lightning did not survive." Arthur apologized.
Bridgette frowned.
(Confessional)
Bridgette: "I failed, and now his death is weighing on my conscience.
(End Confessional)
A drawer popped open, revealing the first artifact. Gwen grabbed it eagerly. It was a silver triangle with weird, demonic shapes on it.
"I feel bad for Lightning though." Gwen said.
"He dug his own grave." Jo replied.
(Confessional)
Jo: "You know, Lightning had to go for me to live. Just the way this game works."
(End Confessional)
Arthur lead the girls out of the basement. Bridgette didn't say anything, feeling guilty.
Back upstairs the guests heard the footsteps of them coming back upstairs.
(Confessional)
Duncan: "I hope Jo comes back from the Ungodly Machine, I think she proved herself more than Lightning."
(End Confessional)
Arthur entered the room first, followed by Gwen, Jo, and Bridgette.
"There you guys are!" Brick said.
"Oh my gosh!" Leshawna said
The guests were in disbelief that another person was gone.
"So Lightning...died?" Beth said slowly, almost afraid to ask.
"Yes." Arthur answered.
"I bet Bridgette didn't even try to save him." said Heather.
"I tried my hardest! I really did!" Bridgette said, defending her performance in the challenge.
(Confessional)
Heather: "Well, one of my alliance members are already dead. Great. That's just great. (She rolls her eyes)
(End Confessional)
"What did you guys have to do?" Noah asked.
"There was like this giant contraption, and Lightning and Jo got locked in these glass tubes. Me and Bridgette has to make the machine malfunction. I was able to do it, which is why Lightning is dead..." Gwen explained.
"Wow, that sounds terrible." Leshawna commented.
"It was. But we did get the first artifact." Gwen said. She set it up on the mantelpiece.
"What is that?" Brick said, pointing towards a slip of paper attached to the artifact.
He picked it up. "You've been warned. One of you is in league with the evil in the house."
"What? Who is it?" Beth asked, shocked.
"It wasn't me! I almost just died!" Jo exclaimed.
"It's your house!" Leshawna accused Noah.
Noah's mouth was left agape as his friends began accusing him.
And that's episode 2!
I hope you liked it! The Ungodly Machine has claimed a life, and an artifact was found.
What are your thoughts on this episode?
Please tell me in a review! What did you think of the events that happened, and the death that occurred?
See ya next time!
-Pierana