Delve into a fantastical realm where a mysterious illness transforms the residents of an invalid colony. Katie Craven's unsettling change intrigues caregivers and reveals her deeper insights. The chilling atmosphere juxtaposes beauty with grotesque realities, featuring characters like Alice who challenge the norms. Tension builds as a doctor faces moral dilemmas amidst this eerie backdrop, exploring themes of defiance and the uncanny. Engaging storytelling invites listeners to ponder the nature of affliction and understanding.
The transformation of Katie and the other girls reveals a deeper exploration of identity and empowerment in the face of societal expectations.
The story illustrates the tension between order and chaos, as the doctor's struggle to maintain control contrasts with the girls' newfound strength and wildness.
Deep dives
The Mysterious Illness at St. Francis Invalid Colony
A strange illness begins to take hold of the residents at St. Francis Invalid Colony, starting with a girl named Katie whose eyes turn yellow and pupils stretch into slits. The initial reaction of the nurses is one of bewilderment, as they began reflecting on Katie's appearance and her previous obscurity among the girls. This marks the beginning of a transformation that escalates, revealing that Katie is aware of her condition, contrary to the nurses' assumptions. The doctor's arrival reveals his admiration for the colony's orderly appearance, but he quickly encounters the reality of the girls' alarming afflictions.
The Infected Girls and the Doctor's Dilemma
The dynamics shift as other girls, such as Alice and Sophie, reveal their own bizarre ailments, including webbed fingers and gills. The doctor realizes the extent of the contagion spreading within the infirmary, leading to a quarantine of the infected girls. Tensions rise as he observes the chaotic behavior of the girls who have succumbed to the illness, filled with newfound strength and energy. The peculiar transformation serves as a striking contrast to the doctor’s previous notions of beauty and order, as he struggles to maintain control amidst the disorder.
The Doctor's Fate and the New Creatures
As the doctor attempts to address the escalating situation, he becomes increasingly unnerved by Alice’s unsettling behavior and her formidable presence among the other girls. In a moment of desperation, he tries to restrain Alice for a procedure, but his panic leads to dire consequences as she exhibits a terrifying display of power. The narrative culminates with the doctor being left incapacitated, experiencing a profound sense of loss as he awakens in an abandoned building. The transformation of the girls signals the emergence of a new, wild existence outside the confines of the colony, as the sound of wolves fills the air.
A specially commissioned short story for BBC Radio 4 by the award-winning Lottie Mills. In this fantastical tale, a strange illness takes hold of those living at the Saint Francis Invalid Colony...
Lottie Mills won the BBC Young Writers Award in 2020, and her debut collection, Monstrum is published in 2024. In her stories, Lottie delights in the uncanny, the unusual and the unique power of outsiders.
Reader: Hayley Atwell
Producer: Justine Willett
Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
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