Picture This - the 2007 Chain Gang story
Picture This is a 13 part story, written by Doctor Who writer Robert Shearman and Radio 7's listeners.
Deena receives a digital camera from her boyfriend, Gary. But it's a camera with a difference, a camera that seems to tell the future - and a chilling future it is too.
For three months Radio 7 listeners created a story, week by week. You can catch up with this story here.
Alternative Ending 3
Written by Jon Radlett.
"Sorry, Susan. I needed my girls here," said the man from the picture.
"I have a father!" Deena shouted. He grinned in a way that was disturbingly familiar.
"A good bloke," he said. "Do you remember?"
Deena tried to picture his face, to visualize any of her early history. Tried, but failed. Whereas when this man touched her shoulder, it was easy to imagine Gary's hand comforting her.
"We'll discuss your first life later," he said. "Your second began when our super conductors let you smile spontaneously. You called me Dad. I liked it."
"You're a bast--" Susan began.
"Truth caused catatonia.," he snapped. "Fictional histories collapsed. So we gave you real histories."
"We're not human?" Deena asked.
"You're information processors working best interactively." He shrugged. "Perfectly human."
"We're experiments," Susan snapped.
He nodded.
"We wanted more, outstanding ideas," he said. "But the personalities stopped you. We hoped the camera would ... Do you remember the park, Deena? Better than you'd ever imagined?"
Deena smiled, and nodded.
"We'd forgotten so much," he said. "We've always lacked sensitivity."
"Real histories," Deena muttered. He laughed. It was Gary's laugh.
"Come and meet my genius wife Deena," he said. "And our brilliant friend, Susan."
