Beyond the Dark Production - ‘The Strata’ - Chapter 4 | Original audio drama
kelseypoppen for Emily
Emily is the narrator and protagonist of the story. She is a caring and good-hearted young woman who has fallen on hard times due to circumstances outside of her control. After growing up in the slum area of Dockerton, Emily was witness to a brutal crime involving some dangerous and high-ranking criminals, and this forced her to leave The Strata behind and cut all ties with her family. She has now gone into hiding in a small coastal outpost called Greywater, where she and her best friend Curran spend their time repairing boats and other vehicles that pull into port. She shares a strong bond with Curran and views their relationship as the most important thing in her life, and in many ways she feels like his protector since he has lived an insular life, never venturing beyond the small wasteland communities. The two of them are very comfortable with each other and often joke and tease good-naturedly. Even though Emily maintains a pessimistic view of the outside world - and the bustling cityscape of The Strata in particular - she still dreams of escaping the drudgery of Greywater and doing something more with her life.
Voice is medium pitch.
Pronunciations:
Strata - strah-tuh
Ximena - he-MAY-nuh
(Narrated - pensive with an underlying melancholy as she considers how she was forced to go into hiding) What would you find if you walked out of The Strata and headed south? It may seem like an innocuous question - the kind that no one would even bother to ask. But for me, it became the most important question of my life. The answer most people will give you is ‘dust and ash’. Ruin. The Deadlands. But that’s not exactly true. Amid the wasteland there are pockets of humanity - outposts that survive against the odds. And if you stick to the coastline, you might find somewhere like Greywater. It’s the kind of place where people from The Strata won’t bother looking for you - even the ones who want you dead.
(An emergency situation. Emily is short of breath as she drags an unconscious coworker who she knows probably can’t hear her. She is ‘thinking out loud’ for the most part. Her voice is tinged with relief as she reaches safety) “Shit... okay... we made it. Back at Juncture Seven.” (Confusion sets in - something is wrong) “Wait a second... these emergency lights shouldn’t be active. Why is everything so dark?” (Trying to regain composure) “Okay, forget about that. Which way is Medbay? Come on...”
(Vehement as she tells a companion about why she went into hiding) “They killed my brother in cold blood, right in the street. And my sister, she...” (Eases off slightly, becomes more contemplative as she thinks of her sister) “...well, Ximena was always stronger than me. She wanted to stay. But for all I know, she’s dead now too.”
Thanks so much Kelsey, good audition!
Thank you so much :)