Page 80 of The Examiner

The project:

It started weird and stayed weird. I’m not averse to strangeness. Strangeness is just life, right? Doesn’t mean anything is wrong, simply that people are people. Our group was diverse, as you’d expect. Only we’re drawn to others like ourselves. The clique factor. This course is what happens when everyone is really, really different.

We went in to pitch our ideas to RD8, a company of engineer geeks and tech nerds who love codes, computer languages and programming. I’d never get a client this big in real life, but I’ve worked for that many tiny start-ups who aim to be like them. Gela was smart getting them on board. They know nothing about art, so we were free to explore and experiment. Best of all, they have the money. Not that they paid anything near market value for the work we did. Still, when Jem went off-script and pitched her own idea, of course they liked it. I thought the ASMR headphone experience didn’t belong in an installation designed to connect people, but what could I say after that?

It’s OK. I signed up to this course to explore 3D design and learn skills that complement my screen-graphics work and that’s what I got to do. Only, when we all went down to Somerset, shit got real. It’s like before that we were playing at this. It wasn’t quite real life. I should never have agreed to drive. It makes me tired and when I’m tired I get angry, and I do and say things I shouldn’t. I’m not the only one. Jem cancelling our motel booking! Holy shit, the girl has so much to answer for. Although it’s not her fault, or mine. Whose was it? Alyson, Jonathan, Cameron and Patrick.

Mysterious sounds:

So you’ll know by now, a radio was ‘borrowed’ from the RD8 museum in Somerset, a place called Thorney Coffin. You couldn’t make it up. The thing was dead, but Patrick and Jem performed some sort of miracle and it picked up a signal. Jem was totally stoked for the noises that unit made. I could tell the consensus was: well, if it keeps her occupied she won’t notice anything else – and remember if Jem’s not happy, she will make trouble until things go her way again. I learned that the day she threw a piece of clay at me.

Then came the voice.

I’m trapped in the dark. Please help me.

Doodle message group [Private] Jonathan, Alyson, Jem, Patrick and Ludya, 15 February 2024:

Jem Badhuri

I’ve got my dad to pick me up an hour later again tonight. Let’s get the radio out and try to find that station again. Who can stay?

Ludya Parak

Not me. Kid stuff.

Jonathan Danners

OK. Yep. Good idea.

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Patrick, 15 February 2024:

Jem Badhuri

It came through at exactly the same time as last night, but said something different.

Patrick Bright

‘I’m trapped. Floating in the dark. Please help me.’ If it’s a recording, then it’s not the same recording as yesterday. It sounds live to me, Jem.

Jem Badhuri

‘Floating in the dark’ sounds like he’s on a boat. Shall we tell Jonathan to call the Coastguard?

Patrick Bright

Let’s not involve outsiders.

Jem Badhuri

We could ask RD8 what the radio is? They might be able to help.

Patrick Bright

Let’s not bother the client. Jonathan’s heard it two nights in a row now. He’s project manager, so it’s up to him what – if anything – we do with that wireless.

Doodle message group [Private] Jonathan, Alyson, Jem, Patrick and Ludya, 15 February 2024:

Jonathan Danners