The Narrowcast: "Model Marvels"
The National Analog Media Archive began a tremendous effort to catalog and preserve all forms of analog media. One such area of media was public access broadcasts. After the meticulous process of collecting and reviewing an incredible amount of hours of footage, the process had been completed and the archives were made available to the public.
However, within the many hours of shows and film projects, there were some oddities that caused concern due to unusual content. These selected airings were vaulted due to content deemed too intense for the public to view.
These are the stories of the strangeness found within the narrowcast.
The screen was black with a soft crackle coming in over the audio. A sudden burst of distorted music, much like a vinyl record spinning up from a dead stop, filled the screen as the darkness vanished and a bright and colorful landscape took its place.
The landscape was full of rolling green hills interlacing between many buildings and houses of a variety of bright pastel colors. The camera followed slowly along the scenery as an upbeat tune of brass and string arrangements played.
The landscape, the hills, the buildings, all had an odd gleam reflecting off them. As the camera continued to pan, it showed a set of train tracks running parallel to the rows of houses. As the camera slowly pulled back, it became clear that despite the immense detail, this was not a town at all. Rather, a very detailed and intricate model of a town, with a model train running on the tracks that went through the town.
A voice came over the audio, speaking over the music, which had lowered in volume just a little.
“Welcome to Model Marvels. My name is Clyde Hutton, and this model holds a very dear place in my heart. Over the years I’ve shown you several amazing models done by some very talented folks, but this here is a place I know all too well. This is Saddlebrook Falls, and this is my home town. This is also my own personal model, making its first ever appearance on the show.”
A blue model freight train puttered along the tracks, crossing a street and passing by stationary figures all placed to replicate an average day in Saddlebrook Falls. The train continued on into the model town, which as the camera showed, was enormous in scale.
“You’ll find this is an exact replica of the great town of Saddlebrook Falls, down to the smallest details. How was I able to do this?” Clyde’s voice said. As he finished speaking, the model train went through another intersection, and as it passed the camera, the city was full of life. The video quality was much more grainy, with little flecks of film spots dotting the footage. The footage looked as if it had been shot by an older home movie video camera. The film showed the intersection busy, full of people hustling and bustling around. The static shot then transitioned back to the model, showing the almost unnerving accuracy of the model.
“You see, I’ve got quite a few hobbies aside from model trains.” Clyde’s voice said with a slight chuckle.
As the camera shots followed the train, each new area of the town it entered faded between the model and the home video of that exact spot taken by Clyde. With each different area the detail remained the same. From businessmen waiting on bus stop benches to kids playing around a fire hydrant, it was as if Clyde had captured the moments themselves in his model.
“Downtown Saddlebrook Falls sure is a lovely place. Here, let’s follow the train as it goes from the city center out towards the rougher parts of town.” Clyde’s tone remained upbeat.
The model of the city began to have signs of graffiti and vandalism. Toy cop cars were prevalent and the figures were painted to appear more dirty.
“This is the part of town where I call home.” Clyde said. The camera changed from the model to Clyde’s home movies, with the images becoming almost unsettling. Cops wrestling criminals to the ground, sex workers standing on trash covered street corners, and electronic stores with broken out windows were mirrored from real life into the model.
The model train slowed down and crept through an industrial area that looked decrepit and desolate. A blueish-brown translucent acrylic resin meant to signify a body of water was just off the tracks. A small car could be seen as submerged at the bottom of this small body of water as the train slowly rolled by.
“This is where I put Sandra. It's a pool of industrial waste runoff. The water is murky and I’m not sure how deep it really is, but no one has found her yet.” Clyde’s chilling words came without remorse. The footage of Sandra’s car being pushed into the real waste pool followed. Dark and grainy footage showed the last bubbles reaching the surface as the car disappeared into the pool.
The train sped up then heading past a farm and a large building covered in plastic plant material, indicating its derelict state.
“Right here, that’s the old slaughterhouse. Been out of commission for many years, but the facility still sees some use. I took at least three people here, but it was a bit of a blur each time so I can’t remember their names. I do remember burying them in the fields just past the slaughterhouse, though.” Clyde said, his voice unchanging from its initial cheery tone. The model train went past the field, where Clyde had added three mounds in the field.
The model train disappeared into a tunnel and the screen transitioned into a disturbing shot of the interior of the slaughterhouse. It was very dark, moonlight barely illuminating the inner walls and wood bracing of the slaughterhouse room with a light blue hue. Shadows filled the rest of the screen, and a soft whimpering moan could be heard. From offscreen, a weak white light source began to dart around the room, shining on the dark corners, showing nothing but rotting wood and decay. The light then moved upwards, and three human bodies could be seen bleeding profusely. The victims were hanging from meat hooks, each with a slight bit of motion to them, either swinging or turning very gently. One of the victims lifted her head and moaned. The white light stayed focused on her.
“Quiet I said!” Clyde’s guttural scream echoed in the abandoned building. The camera shook as it was picked up, and within the distorted images the camera found itself following the model train once more. The train went over a bridge that crossed over a small creek, and then followed a turn that took it back into town.
“Saddlebrook Falls always has a story to tell. Within every nook and cranny there is something to be found. You just have to find the places where no one looks. Until next time.” Clyde’s voice faded into a crackle, and the music once again distorted as it ended. The audio was dead silent, but the model train continued through the town, slowing as it passed near the schoolyard.
