This story by Robert Aickman describes the frightening first night of a delayed honeymoon. The bride, much younger than the groom, wanted to spend their time in a remote coastal village neither had visited before. The moment they arrive, a church bell starts ringing continuously. It is out of tourist season, the streets are empty, the hotel staff act strangely, and there is a sickening, rotten smell in the air. Later, the bells of every church in the village begin ringing with urgency, heralding a macabre annual festival involving the walking dead. Themes: marriage, insecurity, isolation, class, fear, the supernatural.
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Radio Play Version
Nightfall (1980): This radio drama series aired on CBC Radio from 1980 to 1983. It mostly featured supernatural and horror stories. Some of the episodes were so terrifying that CBC received complaints and some radio stations on the network dropped the series. Despite this, Nightfall went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history. Listen and enjoy!